MR. MASSEY'S VIEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 627, 2 October 1909, Page 5

MR. MASSEY'S VIEWS.

DEFENCE AND FINANCE. j f RIME MINISTER'S STATEMENTS CRITICISED. OCEAN MAIL SEEVICES. IDy TelegrepH.-Bpoclal,. Correspondent I Auckland, October 1. One or two of the main points iu tho Prime Minister's recent utterances in Auckland were discussed by Mr. W. T. Massey, M P., Leader of tho Reform party, in conversation with jour representative to da). "I notice," said Mr, Mossey, "that Sir Joseph Ward, in referring - to the loan of .€1,000,000 that ho raised whilst in london, says nothing aj U> the rate at which Iho money was raised. Neither have 1 seen nnjthing m the cables about Hid loan being placed on tho London ' block Mchange in tho ordinarj way. Consequently I can onlv como to tho conclusion that the money referred to has been raißed by way of BhorUlnto debentures and if that is so it is a continuation of a most objectionable practice which has been going on m recent years. ' Later on these debentures will hnvo to bo con< urted into inscribed stock at n serious cost to tho couritry. We all know that wo must have a certain amount for canning on our pubho works and other equally important matters, bur I am veij etrongly of the opinion thai when money is required tho proper thing 'to I to is to get it on ordinary longAlated deuen- ! tiircs, and at tho best pos«iblo pneo without having to go over tho wholo business again later on and thereby lnvohing our finance. Inferring to tho naval programme outlined by Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. Massey said ho preferred to leave thin matter over tuitil Iho House met. What he was afraid of in this connection was that the Dominion's responsibilities in other directions would make it impossible for us to finance ft system of national train- ' jng, which he considered moro thnn ever necessan if wo were going to sever our connection with Austrnlia, which country had itself ' , , adopted a compfitary system, 'lht> question of ocean mail services was, said Mr. Mossey, one of Uio matters in which .over ami over again he had pointed out that New ' A Jcalnnd was behind other countucs If it was ptesible to bring our 'orvices up to date, the v Opposition would give every possible assistance i to the Government to bring Hint about. Speaking on the subject of the silting of the ' Ohinemuri River, in connection with which ho ' recently visited tho Paeroa district, Mr. Mop- \ sey ssid tlio portion was ono that would have J to ho faced, and that very speedily. i ITo did i ' not wish to see injury done to the mining in- > > dustrj, realising ns he did its great importance to tho country, but something would have (o i bo done to prevent the valuable land in the , ' Thames Valley being ruined He did not epeak \ thus from the Thames, Valley point of tiow, i but from the national standpoint There was a very grent area involved, all good land, and in the interests of tho State that land must' be saved;from destruction.' ■,■ • • ■, ■■* •■. N