SOME HARD-HITTING BY MR. SAUNDERS, M.H.R.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 166, 22 October 1880, Page 3

SOME HARD-HITTING BY MR. SAUNDERS, M.H.R.

Kaikoura, Wednesday. Mr Saunders, member for Cheviot, addressed a largely-attended meeting of his constituents last evening. He said though he has been elected on the Grey ticket, yet, when he inquired into matters, he found that Sir George Greys, protestations of practising rigid economy and working reveform amounted to mere moonshine, and that instead of practising what he preached lie was actually engaged in most extravagant and iniquitous proceedings. He (Mr Saunders) in changing sides, had not changed his opinions. " He then proceeded at some length to urge that the late government had not merely mismanaged the affairs of the Colony, but by their maladministration the worst possible evil had been done to the Colony by Grey, Sheehan and Macaudrew. He supported these charges by reading extracts from speeches made ill the House° and papers laid on the table. He then proceeded to say that extravagant as former Governments had been, none had approached the Grey Government. He did did not say money had never been spent so uselessly, but certainly never for such vile purposes as had been done by the late Government. Speaking of them in their public capacity, they might vulgarly be called the three R.’s and three P.’s. Grey surrounded himself with two men destitute of principles and three devoid of brains for his purposes. Ho had to have three men who at least bore the character of being honest, but lie (the speaker) did not think they knew how the mony was beime spent. Grey squandered money for the purpose rewarding friends and favorites, Macandrew to satisfy toadies, and Sheehan to satisfy himself, and though his expenditure was not in some instances so damaging to the country as that of his colleagues, it was less creditable to himself. He endeavared to show the fallacy of tho idea that Mr Sheehan was so honest a public man as was asserted by his friends. He thought the crushing debt which the Colony was groaning under, and likely to continue for a century, which was brought about by the reckless extravagance of tho late Government, was sufficient reason V>r his withdrawing his allegiance from them, and supporting tho Hall party. He did not altogether believe in Major Atkinson's policy, and could not see eye to eve with him. There was no man in the House or country who knew finance as lie did, or could talk finance as he did, yet lie had not that acquaintance with political economy which would satisfy him (Mr. Saunders.) Though lie supported the present Government, its chief was one of a class he had always opposed, the Premier having first been a large runliolder and now a large land-owner. He had in his early days been prejudiced against Mr. Hall, but he beleived now there was not a more honorable, conscientious, and hard-working man than the present Premier, who worked like a slave in small matters, yet did not grasp larger subjects as lie should do, too much time being devoted to minor affairs, which ought to ho handed over to men of smaller intellects, so as to leave him free for a larger sphere of work. Mr. Bryce was a good commonsense mail, of strictly honorable principles and truth. There was no more intelligent hard working mail than Mr. Rolleston, who was somewhat eccentric, and made mistakes in judgment, but was honest. Tho Minister for" Public Works was the weakest man in the Government, and held the place where the strongest should be. He was bitterly disappointed with the Public Works Statement. After Mr. Oliver had obtained so much information from the Civil Service and Railway Commissioners’ reports, they expected something approaching what might reasonably have been looked fo>-. Mr Dick had for years been regarded as a radical man. Referring to the Property Tax, he thought cows and sheep up to 1000, and agricultural implements, should he exempt from all possible taxation if the country was to be extricated from its present position. He told the Treasurer if this were not done they would soon have no one in the country to tax He thought if the country was to hold its own amongst the nations of the world it must continue the education vote. Their children must he educated, if they were to make any headway in the world. He took an extremely gloomy view of the financial position of the Colony, and though he did not wish to appear ail alarmist, lie feared they might have to repudiate their debts, and the country be brought into disgrace, and colonists he afraid to show their faces amongst honest men. The following resolution was unanimously carried:—“The meeting desires to thank Mr Saunders for his address and the great service he has rendered to the Colony as Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, and in the House of Representatives, and assures him he possesses the entire confidence of the electors.”