THE PRIME MINISTER

Evening Star, Issue 15137, 19 March 1913, Page 9

THE PRIME MINISTER

Mr Massey spent most of yesterday in a Wotor ear journeying through South Canterbury. In the overling he addressed a public meeting at Waimate. Dealing with t:-i Land Question. Mr Massev said his Government had carried out their policy of giving the option of the freehold. Thev had fl | ?0 encouraged the settlers to pay off their mortgages. While they had'secured an opportunity for the settlers to purchase the freehold. They were not doing away with the leasehold. He referred to the population of the country as being less than the towns, and it was for the Government to remedy tins by increasing the number of producers, putting people on the land, and encouraging land settlement. This he intended to do. The land Jaw was bette-to-day than when he took office. Dealinwith finance, he mentioned the floating of the recent loan, and said the Government claimed that they had placed the finances ot the Dominion in a greatly improved position, and that the Hon. Mr Allen had been able to arrange for the short-dated debentures and to secure monev at a lower rate of interest. Speaking on* the reform of the Legislative Council, Mr Massey said they won d yet jjavo the Council made an «ediye body. He approved of compulsory training ,and asked the anti-militar-ists, for Inc good of the country, to assent to it. A vote oj thanks was enthusiastically carried, and Mr Massey, in replying expressed satisfaction at what he S3 one of th ? best meetings he had addressee!