Speech by Mr Soobie Mac-Kenzie.

Manawatu Herald, 4 May 1899, Page 3

Speech by Mr Soobie MacKenzie.

Mr ScoWe Mackenzie addressed a crowded meeting in the Agricultural Hall Punedin on Thursday night. He said the Old Age Pensions Bill was passed by the simple process of ignor- j tng all the moral difficulties the world was grappling with. It was no argument in its favour that many worthy people received the pensions, for that would be the case under any bill. After criticising the Government ad- ** ministration Mr Mackenzie said it was a unique fact that the principal supporters of th.c Government nad no confidenca in their Ministers. One supporter had advocated taking from them the power of making appointments to the Upper House. Mr John Hutcheson would deprive them of the power of appointing Civil Servants. Another supporter wanted to safeguard Civil Servants against them like * the Judges. The Police Commission reported that appointments,, transfers, and dismissals of police should be taken out of their hands. The reason of this was the recognition of the deepseated corruption that had spread itself over the Service and the people. He believed that if there was no corruption, there would be very little of present-day Liberalism in New Zealand.

The settled policy of the colony was ▼ now, he declared, a policy of concealment and evasion. The Premier concealed, both from the House and the Audit Office, the bogus sale of railway stores. The Marine Scandal would disgrace a South American Republic. The Premier had first solemnly deniaJ that he knew anything about it, and then the whole squalid story, with all debasing subterfuges, was dragged from him in a 'Court of law. The moral aspect was appalling, but the callous, criminal I'ndiJference to the safety of the public was equally bad. The complete demoralisation of the highest officers, of the Department was shown in the fact that they subordinated their duty to themselves and the colony at

the will of a Minister. The first and most imperative duty of the colony was to purify the political atmosphere. The cause of the evil was that Government followers were not free agents now. They dared not vote against the Government.

Mr Mackenzie was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, there being only one dissentient.