THE HON. W.H. HERRIES AT GREYMOUTH.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8839, 16 May 1914, Page 2

THE HON. W.H. HERRIES AT GREYMOUTH.

GREYMOUTH, May 15; The Hon. W. H. Herries arrived at Greymouth this afternoon. He received a deputation from the County Council in regard to a grant for county works. Subsequently he visited the line 'to Ilewanui, the terminus of the line to the Liverpool mine.

The Minister addressed a meeting in the Town Hall to-night. Owing to the wet weather the attendance was not large. The Mayor occupiod the chair. Mr Herries had an excellent reception. Ho devoted the main portion of his speech to replying to the attacks of the Liberal " flying squadron " on the Government. He showed that it was incorrect to say that the Government represented a ■ minority vote. -He pointed "out that the large majority held by Mr Seddon dwindled rapidly under Sir Joseph Ward's leadership, showing that Sir Joseph had not' the confidence of the people. Sir Joseph .recognised the fact, and resigned the Premiership. Mr Herries took the platform issued by'the Reform Party prior to the election, and dealt with the various items; He showed that' the promises then made had either been carried out or would be fulfilled during the coming (session. He defended the appointment |of Mr Hiley as General . Manager of jllailways, and said^ that ,*>w.hen that (gentleman was familiar with the con'ditiems of the country he would make the ablest manager they had ever had in the Dominion or in Australia. He defended the Minister of Finance from the- .attacks made on him, and showed that he was burdened with a, legacy left by his predecessors. 'Mr Herries \ pointed out the evils of short-dated (debentures. He referred to attacks made on the naval policy, and he said that the policy was forced on the Government' by the Admiralty failing to keep the i 909 agreement.

Dealing with the Native land question, the Minister said the object of the present legislation was to allow the Natives to sell their land if they chose to do so. The Natives were not compelled to sell, as was asserted by (the Opposition. The aim of the legis--1 laticm was to place the Natives on an } equality with the pakeha, and weld the two races into one. ' . .. * Referring to the strike, Mr Herries said any Government worthy of the name would have acted as the present Government had done. The Reform Government was prepared to stand or fall by their attitude on the strike, and he was confident their action had the approval of the majority of the people of the Dominion. I

The Minister was heartily, applauded at the conclusion of his address. ' He was accorded a vote of thanks for .his addresses, and a vote of confidence in, the Government was declared carried by a large .majority. ,' '..;/'.

551R JOSEPH WARD AT WANGANUI

WANGANUI, May 15

Sir Joseph Ward delivered a political address here to-night. The Opera House was packed, and the Leader of the Opposition had an excellent hearing. His speech was on the same lines as the spoeches delivered by him in other centres, no now ground being broken.

At the conclusion Sir Joseph Ward, who was frequently applauded, was accorded- a hearty, vote of thanks and confidence in him as Leader of.''the Liberal Party, there being no dissentients. .