KEEPING THE COLOURS FLYING

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1145, 5 June 1911, Page 4

KEEPING THE COLOURS FLYING

• Mil. MASSEY AT AKAROA. The Inst meeting of Mr. Mnssey's platform campaign in (he South Island was held at Aharon last Friday night. Thero was a largo attendance. The Mayor, in introducing Mr. Massey, expressed regret that they had never yet had Iho plensuro of listening to an address by a Minister of (ho Ward Administration. Mr. .Massey, who was received with np. plnuse, said Hint ho was in Aknroa to put Iho Opposition side of politics before the electors. Their colours wero not nailed io the mast as other colours had been, but (hoy had been Hying, and wero Hying, over men who always put tho interests of the country before tho interests of parly or individual. In advocating an. elective Legislative Council, lip said tho Government would never effect a reform; they were not progressive enough. They stuck like limpets to 'a rock and it would take a charge of dynamite to shift them. Ho suggested that tho electors should pledge candidates to support the democralisalion of the Legislative Council. Mr. Massey dealt with tho opinions of tho Ministry on (he land question, to tho obvious entertainment of the audience. Ho added that ho had been asking for tho Government's laud policy for n long time. )n Mr. Fowlds's single-tax policy ho appeared (o have got. it at last. "Somo at tho newspapers which supported tho Government had arranged Io have a singletax column printed, and, putting thing! together, ho almost believed thnt tho Government hnd found a policy, nud that that policy was the single tax. It had been suggested that Mr. Fowlds might b« the next Prime Minister of tho country, and if that were true, God help New Zealand. Mr. Massey advocated a discrimination between farmers who madfl good use of their land and farmers who did not. They wanted more people on the land, and to check the flow of population to tho cities. (Applause.) In reference to railway administration, Mr. Massey said that the Minister for Railways had stated that iho railways had paid £i Is. Gd. per cent, on the cost of construction. The Minister said that lie intended to uso tho money to reduco railway fares and also ,£50,000 to incronso tho wages of tho men employed. Mr. Massey said that he had heard tho samo thing three years ago before last election, and also three years before that. Extra men were taken on at (he workshops hefore the elections and discharged in hundreds after the elections. The latest announcement, he contended, was another instalment of the policy of humbug, which was successful then, but he did not believe that it would be successful now. In conclusion, Mr. Massey expressed the hope that the audience "would consider tho points lie had raised, and do their duty at tho next election, which would piny an important part in deciding tho weal or woe of the country. Ho resumed his seat amid loud applause. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Massey for his address.