THE REFORM PARTY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 920, 13 September 1910, Page 6

THE REFORM PARTY.

MR. MASSEY AT PALMERSTON, , THE GOVERNMENT FISH-HOOK. AND THE LAND BILL BAIT. . ' (By Teleeraph.—Press Association.) « Palmorston, September 12. There : was a gathering of Opposition supporters at tho Municipal ( Hall . this evening, when Messrs. Massey, Hcrdman, Hiiie, Malcolm, Buick, Herrios and Nosworthy were present and gave addresses. The meeting took the form of a "social" given by the.Political Reform League, and is intended as .tho first of many similar functions to/be held here.

..Mr.. Massey. spoke. of what the Opposition' had done sinco lib had last- addressed a Palmorston audience. Sinco : ;tlien .they 'had fought, au election, at "which they, stood/for', honesty .against ■ humbugs. Although they had been in opposition for... : uiauy year's, , only; one man had-left them, to/go ..over to the Government side, and it took that man :ten'years to find out how to ".jump down off the fence 'on/which ho had been sitting." What the Opposition was fighting : agairist:was.-thb aljominable: system of "spoils to, ;the-victor's":/The only time on which: he had.been ashamed of being a member.:of.,the ! Touse was last, session, when,hh Opposition member,'moved, in cohnectioawith Government adverfa'siiii,, that.piiblic money, should always be spent for public purposes, in the ,best interests of tho. country, and. not/for. party,, purposes. 1 On., that /occasion'3s followers hi ,the Government followed the Prime, Min'ister:through the mud.'and voted against .the motion,/ thus favpuring.the spending : 'of .public money -for:party,purposes. At •present Ministers encouraged tho idea /that;-if a man/wanted to share in.privileges,: lie must becoliie o, Gpverhmeht sup;porter., '.That system was/,wrong, and deliljerately, built" up ■to Support'' the, men! /wh/o sat, on the- Govornment. .bonches; that/system was, responsible for the pre-. .sent Land..Bill,■';which was oven more! objectionable : than /.that notorious mea-. sure "of Mr./ M-'Nab's; , He /predicted that the 1 .Government; :would 'ehnrely . fail to! lahd.-'either- leaseholders : ' or'''.'freehold-; ; ers.with'! the» . new/ bait,/' ..and.. tho Bill/- showed/./ that//. tho.....Government, was utterly /ignorant ofvpolitical" economy and dead, to political rectitude.: It proved , also'/that!' the':-.Governmeht : ' had : hot'/ tho : slightest- idea;of what the: country wanted ih/'the/way: of. "land,/ legislation. The country/.'wanted' legislation.;,that /.would, trpen up; idle lands, ■ and that wonid oil-' c'oufago enterprise and-energj'; on' /the part' of the..'people,: /If.-•-.it was the'best : Land "Bill,: that'/they; could, .prbduce, the Government should retire into/ obscurity. Mr.:Massey/- concluded "by'an appeal for. support,-/and said that! they ..wanted: other: iplaces.to follow' the,'example' set by Palmerston/North;,:./: //,■.'-:>'''>:/' /

thattho success of the :gathering'' augured '.well..for, the:, success . of;-riext year's'fight. "Regarding' tlieJOpposition,; people 'thought:,that. they su'p 7 ported -the.■v.'.'fat. : -.man," but there -wag that..: It 'was iio- part of-their, policy to encourage, the. ' mopping up,, of' men," .'.-arid,, as 'a .'matter of fact, : they:'were more in touch with','th'e working '. men ■' thah .', the':".''. Government. 'jWhat the Opposition; wante'd was',to ; h'ave the /country, populated, by an. industrious yeomanry' of. small •holders;, they,wanted ■to/put' 4; party in' power-.who,would' clean .out the; Native '■■ Department,' aud -.' .they warited,.to :have.;,the'::Uppor ':House. ; ,an (elective; House. '.These'.were three/things :' on."which-:'the <'Government-.ihad:no, 'policy, ■ aiidvon,,which the.' Opposition'had■-some-thing/dennito/toppresont.;;. ; ' 'v v . :;,~/'