REFORM RALLY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1464, 12 June 1912, Page 5

REFORM RALLY.

|RESENTATK)N TO MR. HOCKL^ BY MR', : : -i||ENTHUSIASTIC" BECEPTIO N. 7?: * ofe! Dr i™°< :I " aDl, -Prcsa A«roclatioa.r''' :' June 11,"*; ;^A.lar K o Battering, was hold here to-night .of .supporters/ of, H le ,-InformA lm { v - (( , s! ,a,co : o> -pur'*. o f ■sevwoigns'l-o-Mr, IV-K..Uockl v , : .Hio Oj.pn«fiim <Wldida(o.'defeated- e!<-c 3 Hoi,. T)m meeting'took:'tho shayoof" Koform party In ] iy . Mr , j, p _ miatel \ presided.., At times , the'-proceedings' Iv ' cre > Jn-ely, tho speakers being subjected to in. .terjections,: : .. ; .-.. ~. , >..,..'

■■■:■<'Ur. , Nowumn,-.tffJx3r ■ 'referrine to hi« MonaintancewiU, the district Lforc ' : 1n y W v m " HI P mlicl « l «"*' *>**' ■ hml Vn iO v ?™° iu ° aiw tho Native lunds ot the district would be and u up for coser settlement. - lie claimed, that Hie policy ot tho IMnrra party wo's nffio ll biM n" b Ocks, Wlicu tb<? 5 took >K?ffvo ey i ,V 0 '; u .y u P aU unoccupied » f * i'i ,d B, i d cut U"V fol ' Plosci' settlebuses as feeders to tho railways. -■ M Mr. 0. h. Wilson, lncmlwv ior Tauuinrum,. emphasised the difference it would have made it two or (lure more constiiucncies had returned Hoform candidates instead .0! Government. Uis party would QO airh- by a l classes of the community, v Mr. Mossey (Leader of tho Opposition). 'Mr Hn v**? Ora f Hon>i ■ Mter «>Wi«ing Mr. Hockiv, he referred to the vacancy. 'VftVMf'ComDusrionersMp; and asked , mUethcr Uiit was m the interest of tho I ccuntry, ot the party, or of an individual. , ilm positron re kept vacant for some reason, which the public would probably, know m a few weeks. Ho also referred to fen- Joseph Ward's resignation from tho Imperial .Trade Commission, and inquired wuy. the Dominion was unrepresented. \\as it in tho interest of the country, ofthe party, or of an individual? Aβ it was not \n ihe. interest of the country, it must bo ui the'interests of the party or'of tin. individual. He claimed that both appointments- should have been filkd a'- ihe earliest moment. Hβ criticised the raising of the iour million lonii on short-dated debentures, and characterised it as on expensive method, as J per cent, per vcur lor underwriting would be added , fo ' the 1 por cent, discount. He contended that it . would probably cost altogether five-per cent. Ho contended that the .money should have been s-aised months ago before the iinunciul' market hardened owing to industrial troubles.. It was tho worst piece of financing for the last 20 .rears. If they borrowed money "which failed to return lair interest then (ho people had to pay by taxes, livery tax found its way to the producer, and that was what ho wanted to avoid. One of the reasons why tho Government was defeated last December was that the people were not satisfied that th« Government made the best use of the money at their command. Other reasons were, that the Executive considered that it should control Parliament instead of Parliament controlling the Executive; improper payment to Judgea; maladministration of laud; and setting class against class. The people 'remembered these things, and voted accordingly. Hβ did not claim Mint the Reform party were saints, hut they supported what they believed to ho a policy of progress. Referring to tho land question, Mr, Massey said the parly stood in the interest of settlement' and security e-f' tenure. It was absolutely necessary in the face of the Dominion's heavy liabilities that every available acre ,of land should be made, productive. He contended that .it would bo o, wise policy to allow the L.I.P. tenants to purchase the freehold. Dealing with Nath-n lands, ho advocated that- tho" Natives should bo treated as Jellow-men and.citizens. If they did not use" the land it should be available for Europeans who needed it. In reference to the Legislative Council, ho contended that it should bo elective. For this, his party- had- fought for years past.. Appointments? to" Hie Public Service should a-- , not , ?-' be due. to political influence, but ./should ■■ be thrown open to all. ■ Ho ? 'aeked;;for' belp to the Reform party, as au election might bo held in a fow months..-The party did not intend to go back '■' on a shijrle pledge given at the general election. Hβ expected that when ■ Parliament., mwt there would be a split in the Government ranks. He hoped that the Reform party would secure the co-operation of a number of prominent members of the Government party in formin? a' Government which would be in the best interests of the country. The Reform party was-soMfl. white tho Liberals were divided ngaiiut themselves. Mr. Massey.: resumed liis seat, nrnid prolonged cheers. -~■ He received a henrly vote of. thanks... Mr. I?, M. B. Fisher, in the course- of some Tcmnrks, referred to- the chafßn that 113 men were holding 19 millisn acre?. He said th.it that was not v<»y creditable to the Government for allowin» it. He also criticised tho oxpondihn-e on" tho Hutt railway duplication., Hβ advocated closcr.,.scttlcmcnt, and inteuee cultivation. '" ■' ' •■■ ■ , . Mr. Guthrie (Oroua) also spoke, advocating tho formation of tho branch of the Eeform League.- . '.. _ Tho chairman presented' Jlr. Hackly with tho purso of sovereigns, nraid great, enthusiasm . Mr. Hockly suitawj , »9 knowledged the gift. ' • . . ..-