TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1908. THE PREMIER'S MANIFESTO

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 118, 17 November 1908, Page 4

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1908. THE PREMIER'S MANIFESTO

The Prime Minister has issued a manifesto to the people of the dominion dealing with the period during which the Liberals have been in. office. He enumerates the legislative progress that has been made, and reminds the electors how the Liberal legislation was opposed by the Opposition throughout. "Conservatism," he says, "has hud its day in New Zealand. We know what it did; we know what it sought to do; and we know what it would do again if it could." Progressive Liberalism gave the land for settlement legislation, advances to settlers, and workers' remission of rents and other concessions in times of stress. Labour laws to secure fair wages, better treatment of the weak, the injured, the aged, infant life protection, compensation for accidents, oldage pensions. Progressive Liberalism had clung to the policy of adjusting the burden to the back by abolishing Customs dirties on the necessaries, of life and imposing a graduated land tax. Progressive Liberalism would do much more if encouraged by the electors' confidence. It would enable willing settlers to obtain freehold farms of limited areas by the land finance system, provide a univei-sal annuity scheme based on sound financial lines, help workers' wives with medical aid and skilled nursing in maternity cases, push on j with settlement of surplus native land, and administer measures on the Statute Book for the promotion of progress and the advancement of every class of the community. Sir Joseph Ward concludes as follows: — "The vital importance to all classes in the Dominion of having our country's business prospected so as to assist the maintenance of that prosperity it has enjoyed must bo self-evident, and a strong and courageous Government is no unim- | portant factor in helping this on. "I feel that the active employment of our people and the opening up of additional avenues for work and investment, and the extension of our commercial boundaries in a goal that is worthy of our best efforts. "It is to be regretted that while the Government has steadfastly pursued such a policy, there have been so many sinister efforts made to damage the country's financial fabric, I would again repeat for your assurance that all our public financial engagements have been provided for for many months ahead, and the moneys required for carrying on our

public works have been arranged for on most satisfactory terms. j "What wo require is faith in oursolves and our country, and having this I am certain that our future is bright with hope." " .