Speech by the Premier.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 163, 8 February 1902, Page 3

Speech by the Premier.

■Wellington, February 6. j A Liberal picnic, which was bold at ! Dalefield to day, was attended by the Premier, and Messrs .Duncan, Mills, Hornsby and Hogg. In the course of a speech the Premier, referring to land settlement in the Waintrapa, said that all the efforts of the Government; to acquire laud there had boon frustrated. Either ,tho land was not suitable, <or the price offered wan lower than the owners could bo expected to accept. T'unign the Government had attempted time ufu-r time they had not boon obio to secure ono estate. The officer in .charge 01 the Land Purchase Department had been changed, and ■ now two or tnree estates wire being reported upon. There would bo no more humbug. An offer would bo made to the owners, but if it was not accepted, the compulsory clauses of the Act would be invoked. Referring to the statement that there would he two short sessions during the year, the Premier said that ■there would be no such thing. 1 hough ] he might have diffidence in going ta England with the responsibility of representing New Zealand, be left tbo colony to the control of his supporters with perfect confidence. '-Speaking on the finances ot the colony, the 1 rentier said that the revenue of the colony for ten months of the financial year exceeded that for the same period of last year by d? 150,000.