POST-SESSIONAL SPEECHES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5275, 20 February 1878, Page 2

POST-SESSIONAL SPEECHES.

BY TISLEORAI’H. (I’Elt PRESS AGENCY.) Auckland, Tuesday. Mr. P. Whitaker addressed bis constituents at Cambridge, Waikato, to-day. He apologised for not addressing them for two years, owing to pressure of business in the Ministry. He acknowledged that separation was now impracticable ; but in'the future the single General Government would be more beneficial than the past system. He expressed approval of the secular system of education. No doubt next session there would be an explanation of Sir George Grey’s conduct regarding the Land Bill. He denied that the lands were tied up, as they could be purchased for £2 per acre. In Canterbury the peremptory termination of leases would have led to the greatest contusion. The same confusion might not have occurred in Otago, as all leases did not fall in at the same time. He believed the Native Lauds Bill would have been a useful measure. The objections to it were frivilous. The only remedy for the present difficulty would be free trade in native

lands where the native title was extinguished, and laud became taxable, He contended that the Consolidated Land Fund rendered the North worse off in some respects. He believed there would be a deficiency of £200,000 in the revenue, which the country would have to provide. Universal suffrao-e was nonsense. Only men permanently resident in the colony should have votes He thought five-year Parliaments better than triennial. Personally, he was glad Sir George Grey was at the head of the Governme.it, and he would give him a fair trial. He did not intend to enter office again. He defended the Pinko Swamp purchase (amidst laughter). He said he doubted Grey’s ability to carry the railway through to Taranaki. Taxation should be for the benefit of the whole colony. There should be a valuation of the whole property in the country, and let that be the basis, and not a vexatious system of taxation. A vote of confidence was passed unanimously. Messrs. Lusk and Hamlin have addressed conMr. Lusk, referring to the Middle Party, said he was one of the chief movers in it because he saw a strong feeling against defeating Major Atkinson if thereby Grey became leader. To obviate this a Middle Party was formed, to which he thought the defeat of the late Ministry was entirely due. He would oppose a high property tax and manh od suffrage. Referring to the privilege question against himself, he saidjit was entirely instigated by the personal motives of J. S. Macfarlane. He was not sure whether he should be able to attend Parliament next session, owing to the length of a sitting. A resolution of confidence was passed. Mr. Hamlin complained of the length of the session and the class legislation of the late Ministry. He highly eulogised Mr. Sheehan’s Native policy, and approved of the proposed change in the incidence of taxation. He received a vote of confidence.