MINISTERIAL POLICY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1423, 25 April 1912, Page 5

MINISTERIAL POLICY.

1 $ MR. NEWMAN ASKS FOR LIGHT, SOMK ANOMALIES, ,At tlio recent banquet (cnderedrtO'Mr. F. l.\ Hoekly by his political friends and supporters in the Waimarino district, the lou.st ot "Parliament" was replied to by Jli:sm>. Xcwniau and Guthric, M.P.'s. lii tlie course of his speech, Mr. Newman Uis reporred by the "Kangitikci Advocate ) referred to the efforts which had uwn -made by Sir Joseph Ward and the pivKiiit Prime Minister and his colleagues ™ explain their defeat at the election li.v statins that the personal character of jHimstiTs. especially of Sir Joseph Ward, had been stibjecteil'to innuendo, misrepresentation, and slander by Opposition cim<liuhU>i. This Mr. Newman absolutely de-f-IPU, and asked if such slanderous state-. jiißiits had been made and were without loumlntion, why were the slanderers not prosecuted! He quoted from a .speech reported as being made bv the Hon. Mr. "Ussell at Str.itford, when he said that certain men whom he could name, when hi! press was not present, indulged in the Ho direct." How is that for innuendo? "Uy did he no J name the men? ;- Uβ Government, llr. Newman .said, was oelented at the election not mi personal wounds, but because of its public nctions. He did not desire to go into the subjects dealt with at the general election, but such conditions as were disclosed as the Iline charges, Jlokuu affair, tho refusal of tjoyernment to give "details ot votes and costs of loans, the improper expenditure of public money in payments to •fudges and M.P.'s, extravagineo in railway construction and other public xwuks, increase of taxation and excessive b.iirnwniff, scandalous methods of (inducting public business in Parliament, the grasping of power by the Executive which should belong to Parliament, these are some of the reasons which brought about tho defeat of tho Government. Mr. Newman referred to the personnel of the present Ministry, preluding h-.i remarks by stating that he had never believed in personalities, and now wished to state that so far as he was aware the personal character of every- ni3my<'i' of the present Administration' was all that could be desired, and there wei" , seme of the Ministers whom he thought would do credit to any Ministry, out in spite of this ho contended tliey had no right to bo Ministers at all—not having had their policy approved by Parliament, instead of whining about misrepresentation, why do Ministers not disclose their i.olicy, say on the land question, Native laiid question, boi rowing, and other subjects of national importance? They camo into power ostensibly to carry out tlio policy contained in tlie Governor's Speech, but since then the Prime Minister had intimated that "legislative rest" was ieqtiired—a very different thing. n, he present Government attained, their picseiit position through political trickery, by which, although in a. mimrity, they managed to retain power. But ho felt sure they had not retained the respect of the people. Mr. Scddonwas wont to say, "Trust in tho people," and ho was right, but tho present administration would take no such risks. Their first public action was to prorogue Parliament to tho utmost limit possible, to that for three mouths at least their position night bo secure, and they might have control of the public purse and power to h.ako important public appointments. Such a position was unconstitutional! and I'ad never occurred before in the history of representative Government.

■Mr. Newman did not think that free holders need expect much from a Cabinet containing such fanatical leasehold advo-. cates as Messrs. Ell, Laiircnson, Hanan, and Russell. The latter had some strange notions on the question of largo holdings. Evidently ho thought what was wrong in. Hawke's Bay was right at Taupo. Speaking at Stratford, the Hon. Mr. Russell was reported as saying: "Dining the twenty-one years tho Government hart been in power it had prevented tho aggregation of large estates in T.iranakl. They had prevented (he land from falling into the hands of squatters of tho class who were -so rampant in Hawkc'e Bay." Squatters, indeed! said Mr. J*oh _ - man. Mr. Russell did not mention tho fact that quite recently he (Mr. Russell) had become a squatter to the extent of acquiring CC.fIOO acres of freehold Idiiit." The lion, gentleman believes in freehold in large blocks for himself, and leasehold in small areas for other people.

Then what had the Hon. Dr. Te Rangiliiroii done to cam Cabinet rank? This, had disturbed many minds since his'np'-' pointment, but fortunately a candid friend had explained the point at a meeting held at Mokai last week. Mr. ,To Hcuheu is reported as stating that no had been commissioned by Sir .las. Car-, roll and Mr. Ngata to go round and explain why those two gentlemen bad resigned from the Ministry. He said they had done it to save the ship. That wan why they left tho Government, but they still held the power over the new Minis--try, and Te Rangihiroa (Dr. Buick) was only in it, not exactly on sufferance, but as a hostage. If the now Cabinet did not do the bidding of Carroll and Ngata onl would go Mr. Rangihiroa." So now wo know bow that fly got into the ointment.

Before closing, Mr. Kowman referred to a policy that was gaining ground in tub large wntres to increase the taxation ol the. land apart from graduated tax, which he approved of. He considered that farmers ivero paying taxation on high land values now, and ho considered that their burdens were heavy enough, and would prove too heavy if butter and wool fell in price. The timo iras approaching when a Country Party might bn required, irrespective of present political party ties. Electors of every country town and every country settler, and tho.'-e doing business with them would support Mich a party. A party that would legislate so 'hat the workers in the. towns miplit have a chance of obtaining' small freeholds in the country, without, relinquishing their town occupations; that would endeavour to make every man in town and country his own landlord w> far as was possible; that would bring down sound, sane, moderate legislation. A Government that would have too much srlfrespeet to resort to the tactics of last xwsion in order to retain power; Hint would treat the Natives fairly, and sec that after they had retained sufficient suitable land to make a living by work, which was the only thine that would =ave_ the j Maori race, the balance of the Native, 'lands would bo settled with r.o.p. by Europeans in small holdings; a Government that would endeavour to reduce the cost of living to the people; that would strive to encourage, private onffrpmo, especially in the direction of opening up the back country with light v.vlwnys; that would restore confidence (n iiivefvirs in our industries; and would extend tho humanitarian lscislntion introduced by Mr. Seddon, so far as prurience would permit. Mr Newman concluded by commending Mr. Kockly for the clean, strenuous fights which he had put up at. the la»t two election*, and wished him at .sonic future lime.