Last, but not least, there waa the platform of the Ashburton Liberal , Association, which he would consider later on. He did not believe in these block votes, and he thought there were a large. number of electors who would subordinate their own particular ideas and vote for the candidate who would do his beßt honestly for the good, of the country at large. He would now proceed to lay a plain, unvar nished^ tale before them. He proposed to deal with the platform of the Ashburton Liberal Association seriatim, not because , the Government had not given him ' material enough on which to hang a speech, but because the platform comprised much of the Government policy. He had also much more confidence in the honesty i of purpose of the Aahbuiton Liberal. Association than he had in that of the , Government. The Government were hardened sinners and confirmed evildoers,

and one might as. well argue with the hind leg of a horse as; attempt to con vince them of the error of their ways. i The first plank was "no future sale of Crown land." Before they gave their adhesion to thiß doctrine he would ask tbem not to consider any possible effect upon the future— the future could take care of itself. Consider the present, and ask themselves what benefit they were going to receive from Buch a proposal. All were agreed that the sooner the waste lands of the country * were Bettled the better, as it would lighten taxes and increase trade, and improve the de mand for labour. There was plenty of money for investment, plenty of land for sale, and why should they restrict men from coming here and spending money in land ? As Macbeth wbb said to have murdered sleep, the present Govern ment had murdered confidence by tamper ing with the real security of the country. Was it right that the Government should spend the people's money in subsidising farmers with little or no capital to come out here and give them land that he and others had honestly paid for? Freehold made free men, gave a man something to live for, something to die for ; bnt lease hold that made a man go cap in hand to a tyrannical landlord, agent, or, worst of all, a Government inspector, could only produce a race of subservient slaves. 