MR MASSEY HONOURED

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 747, 21 February 1910, Page 5

MR MASSEY HONOURED

REFORM PARTY FUNCTION.

A VERY LARGE ASSEMBLAGE,

SPIRITED SPEECHES.

(l)y Telegraph.—Special . Correspondent.) ': Auckland, Fcbruaiy 20. ' Tlie need of being prepared lor tho next general election,; was., the . keynote of the gathering; of -the. constituents arid; friends of Mr.W. F. Masscy, leader -of the Opposition on'- Saturday. The: gathering was held the -Holvetia Ostrich Farm near Pukckohe."' thor was'; gloriously - fine,- and. BOme ,t\vo •thousand, people -thoroughly -enjoyed. the opting.-.-; The.: speeches were -short, . bright, tiiid to the "point, and : the hearers, wero entirely sympathetic, vThe great popularity, of vMr.vMassey ;. among,; tis' own people, I 'and thinr;.; full - confidence in him as a man,',a neighbour, and a politician . impressed/.'the'; outsider.;-:- :The; people cam e from" far : - and .'near,' cast, and west,-by train, on Horseback-, in' traps,' and oil foot, arid, ample -provision was made for their :conifoTt and enjoyment.;,; Everyone;, was happy,; and quite at,home, and tho whole gathering was like a' great family picnic., . The 'mombersiof/.PaHiament.'present, .besides ift.'i Mass'ey, , fivere Mahder, .■Lang,Phillip3^' : Bnic]c,'.'arid-rFisher,;^^^ morbus japolpgies ; were 'received'-from;ab-sent ones. • .'

. 'Messages From Far and Nsar. Mr. W. C. Buchanan, member for Wairarapa, .; telegraphed i;.''l. regTet' extremely 'that engagements prevent; my-joining ivith the- electors' of Franldih;to-day:in'heart-ily,, reco^ising/tte'sterling'; services: ren-: .dered-'to.the'Dorainion'-by the Lender of .the .Opppsitf6n';:;-' : 'not-far; distant .when they,; will be; callodyupon to celebrate,; his assumptibh'iof .a -Btill ; |.-- : .iv,': Mr. D. H. Guthrie, member- for Oroua, sent.. tho. 'followirig telegram: " I regret .exceedinglythnt. I-'cdnnot; ; be . present, at. the ■;garden.;'party V.to-day- to' join with you :in;'l)bh'ouring; yourjjnember: and' our leader.OrouaV flishes ; you; a most, successful function." ' • • \

~ Mr. J. I'. Liiko (Wellington Suburbs) wrote: "I regret my. inability to be presdut. I am' suro that-a very large rium-' her of people; pother Hb'ah-/those of Mr., ' t •Massey's '.political .faith/and his- consti- v, tuents:.,iinitq j.with joii .in: : 'wishing vhim;. -' s many:, years of. further. service in - the legislative'/work-'of- ihe:-,Dbminion.'; For. ■ j the>,honest,-energeHc 'labour 'rendered' in ~ the 'public /welfare:'; - he - is (held '/iri'-'.the' highest.esteem.throughout.the.Domihipn.". ! * [ Drl Newman (Mayor of j Wellington) ' 's?rit. ia noto' .jn. which he' 1 said:::''lt-is/with real, regret- that- I'iam i , imable :'ac'cept '-tho/iijivitation.-'of' your . cbmmittee','to' be/present,at Mr. Massifs" :; garderi;,party; ::/But; .fpr' my/.many :, duties ,a3;:-Mayor.::preyeirting,, I. wouldgladly ; ,/ have . gone, up.. I 'arn! sure; that / very - . many: persons here, 'share the; admiration \ . of /Auckland,'friends: for,lMrij.Massey.;, I. hope;that,'/-some .day;; the 'great, majority, :df-.tKej'pe6ple/of;-;the\;P6minioii'.-'irill ap-'. qualities,- as we do" rl fGovernment Fighting for Their Lives. :. : : .'Mr."Masseyi:Who'was receiyed-with ; l6ud -. ;'of - the j Opposition 1 - party .in/standing.'.up - for' an important,// principle..if/iri VParliamchti 1 though,/ itscompbUed/'them to ..'spend .1 thcir '.fChristmas //in: •' Wellingtori, .i/and: < stated, that ■/lie was sure'::that- /they -/had- : 'the approval of - thei country in that matter,': (Applause.) 'He (Spoke /of the'. im- / ,proyed position ; the Opposition,': and- stated'; that, the pre- , r sent/'::Government;;ihad>' just: /about, out- . stayed their welcome; and 'that'.a: change , >ne3rl''election'-in this/:-count^.;!>vould : v.bo /iust'-. as ''keenly , contested as that.which'; had just -taken . place ' in/ Britain./ ,:The' present /.Governr, • >ZMtio)d';.'were for , their lives, and . pne - of the issues at the / next, election'/, would -bo .whether /. or, 'riot 'the policy: of.,extravagance.'was; to go 'on. /'People wpuld.be/far.more consented and " "prosperous //under !policy.'. of econcniy. The land question would be ; anothergreat; issue, and. if the people • had '/#: proper ■ opportunity 'of considering these issues,; the .answer,. bß' /satisfactory ' to all.' except '/the present occu- , pants of the Government benches. : (Ap- ! plause,): Hc could respect .the- man who was an holiest supporter of the Government, but; he had -no: time, for 'those' men who; admitted that-the policy' of the Government ; wai idisastrous'- td, the'/couritry,: but 'who .wbuldvnbtrliftt'lp Opposition,l.et.' £ them. como out on one side or the other. (Applause.) . Mr,; Massey .tKou referred to tts inoreased Ration,; whicli/.-increase,-.rhe : said, .ivas largely duo to the weakness/ and -ex(ravagance of the Government. . : The Growing Taxation. , I". M. B. Fisher (Wellington Central)/also referred .to. the increased" taxa* : :hon;^md/as' ; an\iiiito^m9nttMi^'stfce :?Jot.. that, ;.whereas.-- bn?/the: last occasion it;-.cost them; -3s. Bd,. to come by .train trom/Auckland./to:/the.' picnic;-, .this', year It cost them -Is. Bd. He'hoped -that, -at tho next election, Mr, Massey's constituents would set him free to stato the Opposition case 'in -various "centres of' thb iolt, sure ~ that, Mr. . Massey,'• in - the lonfr run/was-, sure;' to, win. (Applause.). vr. ■' :-deolared ' diat, at the. present time, 27 leaseholders. ;dictating the land policy,,of the Government, and. Ministers : wore, only playing/with',the. question. .The he.,/said, >as held together' syi .two things,'/ ; umty. of'.'principle and a : , desire/ to-promote ~the";l , best, interests' of . the country. -"- -- :^Mr.; ,E. ,W."Allis o n/paid-:a glowing tribute to- the.;many /good-, qualities; of :the Leader of. the Opposition.'v There was no 3®°-?? J arliament inore/capable of flllinc ■the -the!land-than ilr. Alaascy. (Applause.l i , j ill'- Buick (Palmerston -North) ; said' ■ '"y next election , was getting closer, , and - they .Massey's help .-inthe south. - Tho, Opposition /only : wanted - to : gain-;tw:elvo seats'to, give .them a w ; ork-' '?e;®ajonty/.in ( /Pttrlianierit,;.Ho had no . iear-.-pf, losing, any, - and,/if Mr.'Massey I set free, to visit: other :parts'of the I ■ tho! Opposition',. -would : fhave a goodchance / of. winning -'/thoso, twelve , seats. (Applause.) . . c - Dj: Bamfprd-said;^tliat, no matter what party; was; in .power, a'.strorig'Oppbsition t was necessary. The power of Parliament , was being.,- usurped .by- cabinet,', and a , stl ; o . n ß. Opposition was the chief safeguard: :. .agalpst'•tllls. , ,undesirable-process. ~ ; ~M r; ?• Mander■'(Mar'sden)Preferred to the 'fact., that - the North 1 : Island wis - not i .represented vjn ; S the /Cabinet; and ■ criticised - mi. of tho Government ■■ b' j.. . sP ec 9hmttldng:. concluded with hearty cheers/for the Leader of; the-On- ;. position.; . . >■-