The Advocate. Established 1888. THE PREMIER.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 97, 22 October 1908, Page 4

The Advocate. Established 1888.

THE PREMIER.

Sir Joseph Ward opened, the election campaign, so far as the Ministers are concerned, with success, at Palmerstoai on Monday evening. Next day a visit to Feildiftg, with the inevitable speech -followed. The Premier, no doubt, chose the centres named for his inaugural address from strategical reasons. Palmerston was selected because Mr Massey gave an Opposition address there a few weeks ago, and because, the accepted Government candidate foi* the seat is by no means a strong political personality. Sir Joseph Ward had, there- , fore, the double task before Mm of replying to the leader o£ the Opposition, and at the same time, giving Mr ." W. T. Wood d lift forward. In Feilding the case was somewhat different. That district has for a number of years been represented by a ; staunch member of the Opposition in i the person of Mr Lethbridge. The Government candidate, Mr Pleasaaits, • is a popular settler of the district, of more than average ability. The contest for the seat will be a very keen [ one, and if. Sir Joseph Ward's visit [ has the effect of securing . the elec- • tion for his side he will have achiev- ■ ed a famous victory. Here, then, we I have the motif for the visit. The . Premier has every reason to be proud of the reception accorded him. The > people lined the meeting places at j both towns in crowds, and in neither ■ case was there even the faintest shadow of interruption. The speech ■j-^as in every way worthy of the occa- . Jhe Premier recognised that a sum. • , va g necessary, and he great eflW vi^f. in a n addid noV spare >. : > oa je fourteen dress, which takes up ... ; -^a*, a t columns of the Government oi fo - Wellington, he dealt exhaustively with the statement's made by Mr Massey. A great master of detail, and having the statistics of every Government department at his fingers' ends, Sir Joseph had no difficulty in supplying chapter and verse for every statement. He ably defended the finance of his Government, showed how the rate of interest per head of the people wsts decreasing, and, literally tore the. Massey contentions nndeivthis heading 1o shreds. The Premier explained the land policy of his Government ,and wasable toshow that since January of the present- year no less than 482 persons had taken up. 181,431 acres under the renewable lease. This is surely a satisfactory answer to those who declaim against the alleged unpopularity of the system. Another strong point made by Sir Joseph Ward was. that while

the Lajid Aet,i ! l967, gave^ease in perpetuity holders po^ycr to purchase the freehold . of their lands under certain conditions, fronv January,' 1908, to the end of September, 190&, this privilege has only been completed by 16 lessees for an area of 4864 aoresvWt will take a lot of protestation from Mr- Massey- and his supporter^ to explain! those facts a^ay. Agaiai, the; Premier.'was able to show "that "the amount collected by way of Customs duties oil every^ £100 worth of goods iniported was less by nearly £& nr 1907 than in 1894. , Sir Joseph; Wardshowed that the anticipated cost ol tue Govenimfenys Ijujlding: prol gfamme at AVellingtori" was £225,000,': and not half a million, as Mr Massey had stated. He' set out in detail the extent of* the concessions- given to the; farmer undfertliejuew tariff. He also dealt . at .iepgth ,wii^ the finance;Jand public debt of the dominion in : a clear and manner* giving facts and' figuies as only a; man ;who was .^perfect master of the subject couid ijippiy , . and his statement of the work of the Native Land Commksipn was. concise and to the point. Altogether, the .speech, from a party point of view, was one of the ablest ever given in the colony, and must have a great ©ff cot for good in improving the position of tlie Government" at the polls.

[PUBLISHED DAILY.] OLDKBT EBTABUBHiOS PAPBB AND SUABANTKBD LAKOBST CIRCULATION ' . IK THK DISTBIOT. CIR6ULATES IN Dannevirke Mangatoro Tamaki Ngapaeruru Mangahe Weber Ti Tree Point Waione Wimbledon Herbertville Akitio Horoeka Oringi' KirhaW "Maharahara Woodville Umutaoroa Matamau Piripiri Makotuku Ormondville Norsewood Takapau Whetukura Awariki Otanga Kumeroa Rangitane Raumati Tamaki No. 3 S. Norsewood Tiratu Tipapakuku Mangapuaka Mangatuna Makaretu THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1908. .