POLITICAL ADDRESS BY MR WAKEFIELD.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 51, 24 May 1884, Page 6

POLITICAL ADDRESS BY MR WAKEFIELD.

At Locston last night Mr "Wakeiield addressed a crowded meeting in the Town Hall He claimed that lie had first made a dead set against further borrowing and advocated economy in the public expenditure. lie accused the Government of deliberately setting the North against the South by the grain tan 11, and blamed them for not coming sooner befoie the public with a policy. He considered their pjlif*) un&aiistactoiy, and thai federation and land tenure were not questions to be discussed now. He had a notion ot what the Government measure for Civil Service 1-Jciorm was to be, and ho did not like it. Us object was simply to dcpiive the succeeding Government ot patronage, after the present Go\ eminent exercising it for seven years. The professions of a desire for economy made by the Government weie e\idently insincere, from the fact that under the Bankruptcy Act a number of new officials were appointed. He thought the coming session likely to give greater cause for shame than the last, which was saying a good deal. The speeches of Sir George Grey lad not inspired confidence in him as a leader of the people, and he (Mr Wakefield) was entirely opposed to the principles enunciated by Sir George Grey. Taking the unearned increment was nothing else but wholesale robbery. He did not agree w ith Mr Montgomery's taxation of absentees and large landholders, but he wished that half of the British peerage would follow the example of the Duke of Manchester and Lord Lyttelton. He hoped the colony wou'd try to get out of its present difficulties honestly and wisely, and believed there would be plenty of men of experience and honesty of purpose willing to come forward and restore the colony. Of Sir Julius Vogel he desired to speak with every delicacy. If Sir Juliiio got into Parliament he was likely to take a prominent part, and his first proposal would be to plunge the colony further into debt. He hoped this would not be accepted by the people. He could quite imagine a politician saying, "Let us have booming times." In four years the Panama Canal will be open, and ail will go sw immingly. It was nothing else but gambling, and he counselled the people rather to bear the hard times than discount the future good times, which would come eventually. Sir Julius wa*> entitled to a fair field and no favour. He had always opposed Sir Julius politically, but was not going to be one of those who would hound him out of the colony. He was not going to pi opound any policy, but intended to identify himself with men of moderate views and disinterested motives, and he believed theie would be a large party in the House who would take up the .same position. He did not intend to take part in the impending struggle for office. A unanimous vote of thanks >\ as accorded him at the close of his speech, which lasted over two hours.