THE OPPOSITION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 319, 5 October 1908, Page 7

THE OPPOSITION.

DINNER TO RETIRING MEMBERS. SPEECH BY MR. MASSEY. -- . "A, GOOD AND A CLEAN RECORD." Ail Opposition dinner arranged as a farewell to those members of the party who are retiring at the end of the present Parliament was held in tho Grand Hotel on Saturday ovening. Mr. \Y. F. Massey (Loader of the party) presided, and proposed the health of his frietids who woro retiring from politics for tho present. He said the regret which the party felt at tho retirement of Messrs. Lethbridge , Reid, Alison, Aitken, and Lewis was shared by many men on tho other side of the House. (Hear, hear.) It was not, he added, sufficient compensation to ; know that tho men who would fill their places would for tho most part take their Beats on the same side of the House. It was not sufficient compensation to know that others from the othor side of the Houso woro also .voluntarily retiring, nor was it sufficient compensation to know that others on; that side would bo compulsorily retired within tho noxt few weeks. Their retiring comrades wero men 1 -who had stood shoulder to shoulder, with them in many stubborn contests, both inside the House and outside ife They- were experienced and reliablo men, . whose services the Dominion could ill afford to lose. Indeed, thero had not been a tirno within tho last twenty years, in tho history of Now Zealand when strong reliable men were so- much needed in tho Parliament of tho country as at the present time. In saying tliat• he.did not wish to reflect in any way oh:members on the other side of the House. He> was condemning more tho political system, into which we had drifted—a system that was inherently bad, and capable of manipulation leading to waste and extravagenco. : Reform Necessary. That, reform was necessary, and that wo were going to have reform ho was certain, but strong men would need to bo selected to bring it about. "What would happen within the next few weeks it was impossiblo to predict, but one thing was certain, namely, that thero was a very largo section of tho community that was desirous of having an improved Parliament, a Parliament worthy of'.the Dominion, and one that would be less parochial and that would do justice, not to one section of tho community, but to' all.. (Applause.) They wanted a Parliament that would make just and liberal laws and not such laws' as tho Second Ballot Bill with its "gag" clause arrived at tho freedom of tho press and tho liberty of the peoplo. (Hear, liear.)/A Bill intended to prevent minorities having any representation in Parliament at oil, and one not intended to benefit tho community as a whole but only those in power for the time being. Anyone who had read those figures that on the preceding evening wero placed, liel'oro Parliament by the Prime Minister must liavo como to the conclusion that there was a critical time ahead. When that time came they would bo very glad to have the men who wero now retiring back in tho fighting-line again.

The Retiring Members. Mr. Lethbridgo (who ■ apologised for tho unavoidable absenco of Mr. Lewis) was the first to respond to tho toast. Ho said ho was retiring purely for privato reasons, and \ because he wished to t sec something of the world. If after a time his fellow-settlers thought he.eould be of use to them in Parliament he would hold himself at their service. (Applause.) He paid a very high tribute to their loador (Mr. Massey) and to his lieutenants, Messrs. Herries and James Allen,' whose ability and untiring industry wero recognised on both sides of the House. Messrs. Aitken, Reid, and Alison also responded., The two first-named explained that they wore retiring in-order to give more attention to their own business, while Mr. Alison oxplained that his medicai adviser had told him he must give up politics for somo time. ,Ono and all said they were extremely • sorry to' disassociate _ themselves from the party. Mr. Alison'said thero was no more energetic, vigorous, zealous, wholehearted man-in Parliament than'their leader; who was, endeavouring honestly to serve, not only those whom he specially represented, but also the wholo of the people of the colony. (Applause.) _ Ho was_ a man actuated by tho highest spirit of' patriotism. The Leaitor of tho Opposition. Mr;, Aitkon proposed: tho toast of "The Loader of the Opposition,',' and said that he often marvelled at his. assiduity and his strength.'' Day after day and night after night ho stuck, to his work in Parliament, Ho had 3. grasp of every question discussed, and of 'every clause in every Bill, and was alert all the timo to all the work that was going on. (Hear, hear.) If tho community rc-alised the splendid work ho was doing it would return a very much larger, percentago ofchis'party to power. He was sanguine that the next Parliament would see a very much stronger Opposition than' tho present one. One thing.,was certain, that never in the'. history oE. thp country was there so much need for a .strong Opposition as there was'at -the present moment. The country had given the Government too much power, with the inevitable'result that neither logic nor' argument availed in Parliament when the deader of tho dominant party made up his mind that a Bill must bo put through. ; : ' ,A Hard Task.' ; Mr. Massey, who was received with hearty epplause, said a man who led an Opposition in' a country such as this, in which the aovernment had at its disposal all the powers of, the, purss and public patronage, had a hiird task, arid yet the position had its compensations. ' In the first place, he know tho work of the Opposition was thoroughly appreciated by a very large number of their fellow-' colonists, and, in the sccond place, ho knew that he :had always tho loyal support of tho men. of sterling character, who formed, his ■ party. Ho paid a special tribute to the two men who sat 011 his right and loft in Parliament—Messrs. James Allen and' Herries. No loader could havo had better support than he.had received from those gentlemen. .(Applause.) Ho also said that, in proportion to their numbers, tho House and the country had every reason to be satisfied with tho work tho Opposition }iad done. They had influenced to a very considerable extent the legislation put upon the Statuto Book, and they had inllifeneed also the politics of tho country. They had also prevented to sonic extent the extravagant expenditure of public money, and had succeeded in altering very materially the' Government proposals contained in the Laud Bill of 190 G. ('Applause.) True Liberalism and Cenuhic Democracy. They could take pride and pleasuro in the fact that, had it not been for their exertions in Parliament, it would havo been impossible for many young New. Zealandersto make their homes their own land. To Mr. W.'-Fhser he gave great credit for tho excellent work he had done' 011 the Lands Committee of .the House in connection with the famous Land Bill of the present Government. (Applause.) Tho Opposition, 110 said, stood for true liberalism and genuine democracy, and thoy had always steered a straight course. (Applause.) Ho did not say they had not made mistakes; but ho did say that thoy had very littlo to regret—(Hear, hear) —and their record was a good and a clean , one. A few pooplo had been expressing a hopo that the Opposition would bo wiped out altogether. That would bo a calamity to tho country. Ho did not, however, fear any such result, arid he confidently predicted that when tho new Parliament met moro pegs would be nqeded in the Opposition whips' room, and_ moro seats would bo needed on the Opposition side of tho House than was at present tho caso. (Applauso.). An Autocracy. Mr. John Duthio (who was ono of the honoured guests)_ in responding to tho toast of his'health, said there was no doubt that the present Administration had, by their use of the public purse, debauched the constituencies till we'wero now in tho position of' having an autocracy • under democratic institutions. Tho system could only end in financial ■ ombarrassment—and though they must all pray that that was a long way offit.'seemed as if it was tho only thing that would. bring tho country to its senses. The dinnor was a hiVfalv successful function.