The Premier's Address.

The Premier, who on rising to speak was received with [unclear: longed] applause, said he wished first of all to sincerely [unclear: thank] those who were present that evening to meet him [unclear: and] honour him by their presence. It was always the un[unclear: expected] which happened. He undertook to say that forty-[unclear: eight] hours previously there had not been a single individual [unclear: in] the city of Wellington or district of Newtown who would [unclear: save] said that Mr Seddon would have been present on that [unclear: plateform] addressing that vast assemblance. A week previously [unclear: then] he landed in Wellington, he had not thought it possible [unclear: himself], but he had done well during the week, and it was [unclear: considered] by his colleagues and himself also that it was [unclear: important] the Ministry should speak to the people of the colony [unclear: on] the eve of the session, and it meant that he was speaking [unclear: not] only to that audience, but to the people of the colony, [unclear: and] to others elsewhere in the Empire. (Applause). It [unclear: was] necessary in the interests of the people of this country that he should speak, and with no uncertain sound, in respect [unclear: of] many matters of great moment to the country. For [unclear: one] weeks past they had had the Opposition pompoms: [unclear: they] had had some big guns—nay, there had been "double-[unclear: Lied] business "here in Wellington—(laughter and [unclear: use)]—and in the course of a few days, after the session [unclear: and] commenced, and it would then have been impossible for any speech to be made in public by a Minister, their opponents would simply have said, "The Government have no answer to the impeachment of the Opposition, and this is why they are silent." So long, however, as he could speak in defence of that which was right and for good of country nothing would keep him from so doing. (Applause).