THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1281, 9 November 1911, Page 5

THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION.

AN EFFECTIVE SPEECH. REPLY TO THE PREMIER. THE LAND QUESTION A.N]) THB MOKAU DEAL. (By TelcKraDh.-Prees Association.) Pukekolio, November 8. Tho Loader of the Opposition (Mr. W. F. Massey) delivered his first speech in conI liedioii will, his candidature for reflection for the Franklin scat at Patumahoo this evening. Tho audience was a large one for a country meeting. Mr. S. E. Pilgrim (chairman of the Mauku Road Board) presided. Mr. Massey was received with applause. Ho eaid that keener interest was being taken in public affairs at present than during any previous cJectioai campaign, and this was gratifying, ton tho absence of such interest might reasonably he accepted by the Government of the day as an indication that it was master of the situation; but those- who had made could unmake, as tho Government of Canada had found, and as tho (government of New Zealand might lcaxu in tho near future. (Applause.) Tho Op- , position could make no promises of railways or bridges. All it could offer wero clean hands and honesty, oud ability to administer its affairs. (Applause.) "Mr. Massey referred to several tioints discussed by tho Prime Minister at Winton on the previous evening. An Extraordinary Table. Sir Joseph Ward had compiled an extraordinary tablo regarding; the manner in which tho Leader of tlio Opposition had voted on the L-ind Bill of 1891, Ho declared that Mt. Massey had voted, against tho measure on tiurty-scvcn occasions, but tho fact was that on tho second reading, when the principle of tho. measure was submitted to a vote, ho hnd been paired, and on tho third reading there. wa9 no division. It was sismificant that the Prime Minister had been forced to go back seventeen or eighteen yoirs' to find a (law in tho record of the Leader of the Opposition. He did not need to look back, seventeen months, or even seventeen weeks, to find any number' of (laws in the record of the Government. While checking tho figures drawn by Iho Prime Minister from ancient history, !io had been reminded of tho interesting fact that Sir Joseph Ward had voted against Sir John Hall's proposal to extend the franchise to women—(laughter)—and in that division ho was accompanied by Sir James Gi-rroll, tho first lieutenant of tho present benighted Ministry. ■ Mr. Mas-s-ey maintained his contention that the borrowing under tho present Government had been excessive, aiijl added that the Government, instead of determining the extent to which tho country might borrow in each year, shirked its responsibility, removing it to tho shoulders of mem' Uera. The Land Question. Discussing the land policy of tho Government, Mr. Massey said' that it was absurd to suggest, as the Prime Minister had declared, that every facility was given for acquiring, the freehold. No man could say what tho land policy of tho Government really was. At one time it had raised its colours to the most on a purely leasehold Bill. Then it had submitted a half-and-half Bill, which had m turn been followed by a freehold Bill, and tho last was dropped because of (lie opposition in the ranks of tho Government itself. Tho Reform Party proposed that settlors on lease-in-porpctuity lands should Iw allowed to purchase their holding at Iho original value, eo that the invested capital would be released for the purchase of other lands for settlement. The Prime Minister mado tho ridiculous reply that tho effect of tho proposal was that land would bo given away to the value of over 5J millions. Tho Government desired tho settlors to purchase tho freehold at the present value, or, in other words, to nay twice over for tho improvements, mado by them dur■inc their occupations ?'S : Mokau, Sir Joseph Ward was reported to have said iu connection with the Mokau deal that a claim for ,£BO,OOO had beeen saved upon (ho country. That statement was absolutely iucorrect. Ho lmd endeavoured to draw a herring across the scent byurging that tlio Natives had received a fair price for tho estate. Tho real ques- . tion_ was whether tho Government was justified in issuing an Order-in-Couuc.il to allow a speculator to buy 53,000 acres at 10s. -lid. por aero before he secured tho consent of tho Natives. Mr. Horrman Lewis resold dG.OOO acres of (ho land at a profit of ,£35,000, and the second speculator disposed of it immediately for a further profit of .£IO,OOO. Tho proper course for tho Government was to have purchased it, and opened it 'for selection on' the optional system. Tho Government denied that it had sold tho land, but what It had done was to sell to a company of • speculators the right to make a profit out of tho settlors in the years to come, nnd ho assured his audience thnt tho company was not a philanthropic institution. Tho Government proposal in the policy measure of 1309 was that no man should hold more than 333 acres of first-class land acquired from the Crown subsequent to the passing of the Act of 1907. Tho penalty for auy man who acquired an additional area, was a fine of up to ,£SOO or fivo years' imprisonment. The set'/.er was to bo made a criminal, but the treatment for tho speculator was an Order-in-Council permitting him to purchase r>3.000 acres in ono block and to make a huge profit from it. The Government might attempt to gloss over tho Mokau dealingi:, but the faut remained. Mr. Massey added that ho was prepared to repeat his statements on every platform in tho country and in Parliament. The amendments made in tho death duties wore due, Mr. Massey said, to the criticism which ho had made in Christchurch somo months ago, and in which he had been supported bv other members of the Reform party. The speech of tho Primo Minister at "Winton was, in brief, cvidenco that tho Government had not a scrap of policy. (Applause.) The only policy at present before tho country was th'at of tho Reform party, and it was without doubt the most Liberal nnd Democratic ever Mibinited to the people ot Now Zealand. "Windmills, Twisting and Turning." He described the present Ministry as windmills, hvislin* nnd turning (o catch every breath of public opinion or as a phonograph ready to play any tune; but tho public- had to pay all the time. There was no indication in tho Budget of any policy and tho proposals advocated by' Sir John Findlay in his opening campaign speech had been disowned by the Priino Minister, who declared that the Attorney-General was speaking as a candidate and not ns a member of (he Govornment. Dealing with other questions, Mr. Massey said that the Hiiie charges wero proved up to Ihe hilt, and ho objected very strongly to the remarks of Sir J. Findlay on tho subject on Tuesday cveiiinc and in Wellington some months ago. Hβ urged tho necessity for publicity in connection with all the details of public expenditure, and advocated the Canadian system of showing the items of all expenditure in an annual return. (Applause.) Thero must Ijo reform in tho system of expending public money. It was the duty of every member, whether Government or Opposition, to obtain his share of public money in proportion to the amount available, and to (he neede of his district; but, after IS years' experience he was convinced that the system was abominable, degrading, humiliating, awl extravagant. (Applause.) If the country was to preserve its democracy and any of its rights beyond the right to bo taxed, it. must very quickly find a definite remedy for the -despotism of tho Government. (Aitphnse.) A vote of thanks and of confidence waa accorded to Mr. Massey.