THE PREMIER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1294, 24 November 1911, Page 7

THE PREMIER.

VISIT TO FRANKLIN ELECTORATE. SPEECH AT WAIUKU. ' IBj TclcKraoh.—Press Waiuku, Nnwjnber 23. Tho Prime Jtinister visited Franklin electorate to-day, ami received a cordial welcome from the settlers nt'' the toivnBliijis visited. Implying to representations as to tho need for a branch railway from Waiuku, Sir 'Joseph Ward declared ! tKat the Government would continue J borrowing lnoiicy to enable it to prosecute vigorously Hid road, bridges, ar.d'Viilways construction demanded by the legitimate mjuireiiionts of the settlers, nor woulil it lie deterred by the attempts of its opponents to employ that policy as a nioiinj of getting the Government'out of office. '■ • This evening Sir Joseph-Ward addressed a meeting of nearly-300 persons, his speech following the line's of that .given at Taumarunui. Tho aii'dienco accorded hiiu' a warm reception -and-a most attentive hearing, without any interruption' or hestilo demonstration': Rcferenco wa4..; made by Sir Joseph Ward to tho statement bv Jlr. Massly- nt Palmerston North, ou Wednesday .evening, that ho bad'been'invited to ,join >•' coalition Ministrj. When tho: subject was dis< cusicfl in Parliament., Massey definitely stated that he 'had not received anjv wimmunieation upon tho subject of coalition from any mcnibor of the Minis-try.;'-,To Mr. Massey'sistatement at Palmerston be gave an unqualified denial, as lio had given to. tho.<statement of Mr. | Jarries AJlon, who was tho first to mako this assertion. Stiico jtJie Houso rose he had received a letter from a leading supporter of tho Oppdsition'.'who stated that a number of members of tho Opposition, believing that a coalitiOir. would be a good thing, had endeavoured to persuade Mr. Massey fo agree to the proposal. This lettor threw a good deal of light upon th'o "subject, ami he intended to publish it as soon as he returned to Wellington. Replying to n statement by Mr. Wright, in.'-Wellington, Sir '.Thsoph Ward again declared that, ho had no intention of accepting the' High' v .VCommissioncrship. Apparently with the object of gaining a few'votes, tho Leader of tho Opposition was endeavouring to find a parallel between the Laurier Government and the Ward Government, 'iind forecasted the defeat •of the lattert The comparison Was an illustration of tho txtraordinary efforts that 'were being mado by Mr. Mtistfey and his friends to make capital at 'the expense of the Government. Sir Josejih Ward cmpblisii-ed tho diflferenco of opinion between aud Sir Wilfrid Laurior,in regard to naval defence, and'explained that;'tho defeat of the Citiiadii'" Gorcrmrttht was due to its polity mi tho defence .question and its proposal for a reciprocal treaty with tho United States of America. The British and tho French-Canadian' sections had disagreed upon thi?'<important question of Imperial defence, !a position that could never arise in New Zealand, whero there was no racial distinction. The Prime Minister was accorded a >vote of thanks and ''continued confidence in the' Government! an ftwcndirienl being defeated by a .very large majority, and the original motion carried with a considerable show of enthusiasm. < tr ln acknowledging the vote, the Prime 'Minister said that there hud been no preprrangemcnt in connection with the msetin;:, and he accepted tho resolution a's an indication of the feeling of the Electors in the district. Cheers were for Sir Joseph Ward, lady . Ward, arid' Miss Ward.