THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12364, 1 December 1905, Page 9

THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

♦ MANIFESTO BY THE PREMIER. \tnCUL TO "TH* FWW.I AUCKLAND, November 30. Tbe "Star" publishes to-night a long communication from tho Premier, setting forth hia reasons why tho peoplo should again return a majority of mombora' pledged to continue tho present Government in offioe. He enumerates what his Government has done in tho past and says:—"l have tried to provide auoh social and economic conditions in this oolony es will prevent the helpless subjection of ono class to another, so widespread in other lands. A spirit of 6elf-respecting independence already marks our people, and I would havo the title 'Now Zealander* imply, the world ovor, a typo of manhood, strenuous, independent, and humane. The practical reformer must often be content with small promts and slow returns; he must proceed pieoe-meal and, by short and steady 6tag_s, removo obstructions to and provide facilities for a higher development of the people as a whole. I understand this to be modern humanitarian legislation, and I claim that this spirit pervades all tho progressive laws and state experiments that my administration has tried during tho past fifteen years. Tho solid prosperity of a people does not depend upon either town or country, nor upon any class, however largo, but upon tho well-being and Erosperity of the colony as a whole, i avo striven, nnd will always 6trive, so long as I am able, to emphatically and fairly assist (within the true soope ot government) every class. lam satisfied that the best security for our future prosperity is to settle still more widely our people on the land. -The holding of immense blocks by one man is antagonistic to tho best interests of the State. These large landowners are bettor able to boar the burden of taxation than any other class, and the f graduated land tax and the absentee and tax should be increased, not only because the tax is fair in itself, but also beoaus© it serves as an incitement to, tho subdivision and settlement of these great estates." In conclusion, Mr Seddon says: —"A great deal has been done in the last fifteen years by my administration, but there is yet much to do. The success of many of our measures depends on their administration. You aro satisfied that the Land for Settlements Act has proved a success. But suppose its administration is handed over to the Opposition, which includes so many large landowners. What results oould you expect? The enquiry suggests another. Whatever bo the shortcomings of. my administration, and we have done our b©3t, do the people of this colony desire, or are they prepared to hand over the destinies of New Zealand, and the administration of all our reforms, to a Conservative Government under the leadership of Mr Massey? I feel confident that the answer to be given to this question next Wednesday will be in the negative."