NAPIER.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3797, 28 February 1881, Page 2

NAPIER.

This day Post-SQsdonal Addresses.

Messrs Suttou and Eussell, M.H.Es., addressed their constituents. Both members disapproved of the principle of the Beer Tax, but both upheld the Property Tax, preferring it to either an Income or Land Tax. Mr Sutton, M.H.Jtt., spoke at length on the Patetere question, quoting from the papers laid before the House to show that by far the greater part of the £400 charged against Patetere was wrongfully charged. He said that Rewi's Auckland spree costing £1000 was charged against Patetere, though he had no interest in it and this was a fair sample of tlio greater part of (.■ruvernment claims. The faot was that the monies spent all over the country, vouchers for which would not pass the Audit Office, were charged to the Patetere Block. He might be wrong, but he really believed that it was Patetere and " other like matters that drove Mr Bryce to resign. He saw be was doing gross injustice and rather than continue doing so, he preferred to resign. He (Mr Sutton) regretted that the Premier or some other Minister had not thought fit to take the public into his confidence and tell them why Mr Bryce resigned. He would not believe that the .cause was that which had been assigned—that Mr Bryce desired to march upon Parihaka aud arrest Hiroki or Te Whiti. It was more than probable that there was another cause. They had of course all heard about the visit of the Governor's aide-dc camp to Parihaka, and that seemed very likely to have had something to do with Mr Bryce's resignation. If it were so, if the course that was pur-

sued was in reality forced upon, the Ministry by the Governor, their proper course would have been to resign, and the country would very soon have put them back into office again. Mr Russell. M.H.F., devoted great attention to the subject of education. Speaking warmly in favor of a continuance of the present system. Both members expressed regret at Mr Bryee's retirement, though Mr Russell took exception to kis policy as contained in the Native Lands Sale Bill he introduced last session. Mr Sutton, referring to the rumor that Mr Stout would come forward to lead the Opposition, expressed great admiration of the late Attorney-General, and hoped that the rumor was well founded. He said he considered Mr Stout one of the ablest men who ever sat in the house, and the country suffered great misfortune when it lost his services. Votes of thanks and confidence to both members were . carried by a large majority.