THE HON W. ROLLESTON’S SPEECH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1571, 21 April 1887, Page 2

THE HON W. ROLLESTON’S SPEECH.

TO THE BDITOB. Sir, —Some of us working men, having heard Mr Rolleston's ad dress and read the same in the. public papers, cime to the conclusion that «' he is wrong man in wrong place." He blamed Sir Robert Stout for stumping the country, but he does not blame one of the Lords of the Legislative Council for making use of his free pass to finl out the wants of the people. But what we working men are concerned about the most is, when Mr Rolleston gave m his advice about forming ourselves into a sooiety like the Building Society, to lay aside our hard earnings to buy some of the lands of the colon?, this advice seems like an insult. Now, let every honest working man ask himself what his income is for twelve months, and he will find it does not come to £1 per week. There may be an exception. When he has a wife and family to keep out of that, it is absurd to tell him to lay aside his hard earnings. Instead of saving, he will siuk further into debt. In this district if the storekeepers had not been very liberal to many a family poverty would have arisen to a greater extent. Mr Rolleston in giving us BUch advice is like Mr

uiaastone going 10 me people or ireiana and telling them to lay aside their earnings to buy out tbi< landlords. But that great statesman has too much common sense to givu such advice as that. I think all honor ia duo to Mr J. Brown fur the W3V he brought forward the question, of High School reserves. Undoubtedly they are endowments for the rich. Mr llolleston said in his address to put meu on (he land who had no experience, and advance money to them, would lead to a great difficulty—making out that the large body of working men were inexperienced in this matter. However, it is evident from the utterances of Mr Rolleston and Mr Bryce—the two ex-Ministers—that their policy would be the rcyerse of the, liberal policy of the Hon. J. Ballance. He is doing his best to settle people on the land, but Mt'Sßta Bryce ™d Rolleston appear to think he has no business

helping 1 poor men to go on tbe land. The gonerul election is approaching, and tbe question for working men is, Will tbey support tbe» prosent Government, or put in men like Mr llolleston to turn tbem out of office ?—I am, etc., Working Man. April 18th, 1887. —»