CORRECTING WRONG IMPRESSIONS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15138, 30 November 1914, Page 8

CORRECTING WRONG IMPRESSIONS.

The Minister of Defence and Finance, the Hon. James Allen, came up from the South by tho second express on Saturday, en route for the Nelson province, whero he is to. speak at Motueka,. Nelson, and Wakefield this week. Ho returns to the South Island at the end of tho week, speaking at Timaru on Saturday, and staying over the poll in his own constituency. Speaking to a "Press" representative, Mr Allen said he would like to correct a portion of Sir Joseph Ward's speech in Auckland, when he mado a statement that left tho impression that £ SO 7,000 was left in the exchequer when tho Reform Party came into power. Sir Joseph did not make it clear that the sum he mentioned was available on March 31st, whereas be (Mr Allen) took office as Minister of Finance on July 10th, and at that date there was only"'£47,ooo in the Consolidated Fund. "Sir Joseph,"'' said Mr Allen, "also said that the garrisons in the forts had been reduced, and insinuated that ono of the objects of this reduction was to prevent the men from voting. As a matter of fact, tho garrisons are not being materially reduced at all, and the question of voting has nothing whatever to do with the matter. ' Sir Joseph is evidently mixing up the process that was formulated for the men j of the Expeditionary Force, for the fort garrisons havo the same right to record their votes as any ordinary electors in New Zealand." The Government were taking steps to cope with the shortage of wheat and flour, continued Mr Allen, in the only scientific and practicable way, and that was by buying those commodities from outside. He did not think that it would be practicable for the Government to seize all the wheat that was alleged to be held by farmers af prosent. There were very obvious difficul--ties about that course. Already wheat had been purchased in Australia, and a large shipment fas sent away for New Zealand on the 27th inst. A "large percentage of this cargo would be landed at Bluff and Dunedin. Flour was also on its tfay from Australia, and in the course of a few days a largo quantity should be landed. As Mr Allen was speaking he received a telegram from the Prime Minister, stating that he_ had just purchased an additional oO tons of flour for New Zealand. Referring to the recruiting ln Otago, Mr Allen said that ho thought, that |

; the province had not been ouito fairly . j treated, as the public seemed to think r that the southerners had not respondcu to the call for men «s they should have done. It .seemed to be forgotten that right at the start a largo number of the field ambulance section were sent away north from Dunedin. and though some men had certainly been sent down to fill gaps iv the combatant section, Otago had really sent a-.vav it . full quota, and the strictures that*bad been ; passed on the province were raiher undeserved. At the present time recruiting was ' going on well, and all the. Otago offil cers and non-commissioned officers for 1 the reinforcements wero ready, and . many had gone North into camp for . training. Three thousand men were to | go into camp within the next threo i weeks, and Oiagn had done its o"ntv a_ i regards this force. "There is no need for the Government to puff and blow about recruit- . ing." said 31 r Allen, 'for the men are . enrolling readily. and there are plenty ; coming forward for the second lot of ' reinforcements, which will be sent away in about two months time."