this colony could not obtain an expert how "was it other countries could obtain them? He asserted that a great wrong had been done to the colony by the course pursued by the Government in this matter. He was glad to hear that sales of land in the colony had been a satisfactory feature of the year's operations, but regretted that the village settlement scheme of the late Minister for Lands was not carried out with more generosity by the present Government. As to the proposed reform of the Upper House, he did not think some of the reforms suggested were necessary. He, for one, would prefer to see those appointments made by the Ministry of the day, and saw no reason for departing from the present mode of appointment. He condem ned the Hare system and the proposed change in election of members of the House, and he was astonished that the Ministry was not satisfied with the present state of things, which had been generally admitted by the greatest minds to be the best that could Ec adopted. Referring to the property tax, he hoped the Premier had learnt wisdom during his recent travels through the colony, and had been convinced that an amendment of this tax was necessary. He should like to know whether anything further was to be heard of the Otago Cen tral Line, or whether there was any idea of raising another loan. The Minister for Defence, in his recent speech, had stated that there was no intention of raising a loan, but he <Mr Walker) regarded that Statement with some suspicion, as he con sidered that it was unnecessary to make it. The Speech should, in his opinion, have been more explicit on those points. They would also like to know the inten tions of Government as to the Ministerial portfolio that had recently become vacant, and he.hoped the Premier would make an explicit statement on this head. Then as to the East Coast campaign, which he was informed cost the colony £5000, something should have been said about that in the Speech. The same applied to the appoint ment of a New Zealand Judge. He was not goinfz to say anything about the gen tleman appointed to the office, but Gov ernment had undoubtedly acted with great- cruelty and harshness towards the gentleman who had temporarily filled the office. 