GOVERNMENT'S POSITION.

Clutha Leader, Volume XL, Issue 71, 13 March 1914, Page 3

GOVERNMENT'S POSITION.

PRIME MINISTER AT BLENHEIM VIGOROUS LAND SETTLEMENT.

BLENHEIM, March 10. r' 1 ! 1 , 8 I>rime Mir >ister (Right Hon. W. l. Massey) Slivered a policy speech Here tonight, there being a verv large attendance. w VALUABLE LEGISLATION. . Mr Massey said that he did not go into any district to attack the member lor tliac district, as he never believed in doing'such a thing. The Government md put upon the Statute Book valuable legislation for the good of the country. Une o-t the most difficult oroblems was the financial difficulty, rrior to 1912 money had been very cheap, but after mat a snarp rise occurred on the money market in London. Owing to a European war, and owing also to the fact that many countries, both civilised and partly civilised, required money, the supply and demand raised the rate of interest. The biggest difficulty was the short-dated debentures. In lijll it was intended to raise a loan, but when the elections went against the party in power it said it would not raise money tor its successors.* The Mackenzie Government raised money for two years, and that was what the present Government .had to meet—£B,ooo,ooo had to be ound this year, and also £-1,000.00) had to be met. They had to raise money ior public works, and had to ■send the Minister for Finance Home to get money. If he could not have got it the country would have had to close down on March 31. They had arranged wifch the agents in London to take the opportunity to raise another loan in trder to pay the eight millions, and thai, loan was placed and subscribed . five times over. The theory of lending to local bodies for their requirements "was all right, but it was impossible at present to lend to local bodies all thev asked.. LAXD SETTLEMENT.

Continuing, Mr Massey said that when the Reform Government came into power the position was that thev could lend setflers £SOO and local 'bodies £COOO. Now if security was offered thev could lend settlers £IOOO. The Government was doing everything it possibly could to help settlers and local bodies, and was lending douVlo the amount the last Administration could lend settlers and local bodies.

Everybody, he said, knew that if they wished to satisfy the public they must satisfy the public service, and it showed that the Government's policy was good when the railway service was satisfied. ITe contended that his party had kept its pledges, and that the other party had no policy and went round the country criticising and philandering but gave no policy. As regards the land policy, the position was that nearly 20,000 leaseholders were now in a position to have the possibility of getting the freehold. Many members went into the lobby and voted for the freehold who would gladly go the ether wav. He kneiv them and knew whom he "could depend on, but in the matter of freehold tenure they dare not do otherwise on account of their pledges to their constituents. The prosperity of the country, said the Prime Minister, depended upen the settlers, and he was not going to lose any opportunity of placing settlers on the land. WORKERS' HOMES.

In regard to workers' homes he admitted mat the measure had been on the Statute Book before the present Government came into office, but it only applied to towns. He thought it the best thing to share the responsibility with local and municipal bodies, ana provision would be made for country municipalities to use their funds in buying land for workers' homes. A Labor leader had written to him stating that it was the best legislation ever placed on the Statute Btok of the Dominion. He had extended the system to apply to country districts. He believed the Hillersden setlers would do well, and they would get the freehold if they wanted it.

As Minister for Lands 'he kid purchased last year 149,692 acres of land at a cost of £559,600, and three-quarters of this area had been settled. Last vear lie had placed on the land 2200 settlers, and sincerely hoped that he would place as many more in the present year. THE FRUIT MARKET.

In regard to the fruit market, the Prime Minister said that South America was willing to take all the fruit that could be sent to' her. Fruitgrowers had no cold storage and fruit had to be rushed on the market, so he had asked, and the money was available, for an amount of £2oJOOO for assisting the industry, and when it was expended, he was quite w.lling to go back to Parliament and ask lor. another £20,000, DEFENCE. As regards defence the Prime Minister did not think it necessary to say much about land defence. tfheV had to be earefud to see the people got the value for their money. The country had started -and should now make up its mind as. to what money should be spent on defence. New Zealand had to pay a £IOO,OOO subs dy, and between £140,000 and £150,000 on the battle cruiser New Zealand. She was to have been placed in New Zealand waters with two British cruisers and two submarines. Where Were those vessels to-day, he asked? "The time will come," said Mr Massey, "when New Zealand ships will plajf no unimportant part in the supremacy of these seas. Australia is doing its duty nobly and well, and New Zealand must do it ( Canada must do it, and South Africa must do it.' I am sorry to see party politics have appeared iii this question as all parties should join together in upholding the supremacy of the seas." STRIKES AND LABOR.

As regards the late strike the Prime Minister went on to say that it was more serious than the strike of 1900, and the country was fortunate in getting through it without the loss of life. He paid a high tribute to the special constables, who could have trebled their number had they desired.. He expressed his high appreciation also of the part played by the farmers' wives. Unionism was quite right and proner but a unionist had no right to go to another and forbid him from working. The great piajority of strikers did not know what ftey went out for, and the leaders of the strike were chiefly remarkable for stupidity and obstinacy. The real enemies, of the country were the agitators, who set class against class. The attitude of certain Opposition front benches tended to accentuate and prolong the,strike..

ADVANCED LIBERALISM

Mr Massey claimed that the Government's policy was a policy of advanced Liberalism. The most important of the reforms was that of the Civil Service. Now political influence had nothing to Ido with the public service to-day. Mr Royd Garlick's appointment was\ made before the Publ.c Service Commission was appointed. Mr Garlick was a great success. The speaker did not know him by sight, but he was appointed for a particular place and for a Position to which he was called. The system of a Pub.jc Service Board was objected to by certain membe.s of Parliament, becaue they could not get the Ministerial ear to push forward the claims of their friends. A Bill to reform the Upper House had twice been laid aside by the Legislative Council, but he could tell them that the Bill would be put through dur ng the life of the present Parliament. As regards the second ballot, that was wiped off the Statute Book. It was placed there to serve a party purpose, and had proved a failure from the point of view of both parses. If he could see anything better than what they had at present for election to the popular chamber he would ask Parliament to accept it. Proportional representation was very well for the second chamber, but not lor the popular chamber. He had opened works at Picton that day which were part; of the South Island Main Trunk line, and would be money well spent. He had stated already that day that he would recommend a bigger vote be'ng placed on the Estimates next year; for the South Island Main Trunk railway. A resolut : on was declared carried. and a hearty* vote of, thanks accorded the P ime M nister for his v st and h's ab'e speech, and also that the meet-'ng des : res to place on repord its apprec at'"ii rf the able adurnistrat'on of tho affairs of the Dominion by the present Government.