PRIME MINISTER'S BUSY DAY

Evening Star, Issue 18139, 1 December 1922, Page 2

PRIME MINISTER'S BUSY DAY

MEETINGS AT , OTIRA, DARPIELD, OHRISTOHUROH. ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTIONS. Leaving Greymouth yesterday morning overland for Christchurch, Mr Maeaoy spoko at Otira and Barfield.. and addressed a mass meeting at Christchurch at night. Tho Press Association supplies tho following reports: — AT OTIRA. On tho -way across Mr Massey addressed a largo meeting of residents at Otira. Ho made tho journey in an open truck through the rain to the Unmet mouth, and made a short speech to tire workmen assembled there. Mr Massey was then taken his first trip through .the Otira tunnel, arriving at 2 p.m. at Arthur’s Pass. AT. DAB-FIELD. DANGER OP THE LABOR PARTY. On reaching Barfield, an agricultural and pastoral district, junction for the Springfield and Whitediffs railway'lines, the Prime Minister made a short speech to the assembled spectators. . Ho s_aid there was one question which was being asked, and which ho wished to touch upon. Was the present Government going to ha a party with a majority in tire House? All other questions were sunk into insignificance beside that one. In Great Britain a new Opposition had been returned, and'we might get the earn© hero. We had exactly the same tilingthree parties and ‘ half a dozen little croups, ancient, historic, and new Liberals. Let us suppose, ho continued, that after next Thursday night no one party will have a majority over the others. One party will hold the balance of power, however*, and it will then be able to dictate to the other two. Mr Holland, speaking at Westport, and incidentally .dropping the usual courtesy title? of, “ Mr ” —(laughter)— said i “ If we help Wilford to oust Massey, then Wilford, and his people must accept the policy dictated by us." Those are his words, not mins. Mr Holland -called Ids policy revolutionary socialism, though he qualified it by saying that lie did not mean force. Tho Labor _ Party proposed the nationalisation or socialisation of tho means of production), of distribution, and of exchange. Personally, Mr Massey said, ho thought such a policy waa absolute nonsense, but -that was what Labor was aiming at, and) if it had a majority in the House it might do a tremendous amount of harm before it waa pulled up. The' prospect of such a state of affairs affected him personally, as well as politically, for this country has done good work in getting through tho adverse conditions consequent -upon the aftermath of tho war. Our prospects were now good, and wo were paying our way; but the danger of the Labor Party obtaining the balance of power undoubtedly existed, for a combination between that party and- the Liberals had been proposed. AT OHRISTOHUROH. DENSE THRONG OF ADMIRERS. So keen was the interest taken locally in tho visit of Mr Massey that the Theatre Royal was crowded out before 6.30 p.m., and tire doora had to be closed. _ A vast eawd gathered outside tiro building, and when Mr Massey and his party appeared they were surrounded by so large a circle of admirers that it was only •with difficulty that he could mafco his way to the gate. Mr Massey, all smiles and affability, responded to tins great tribute of admiration by lifting his 'hat and bowing, and amid) the plaudits of the multitude ho passed through the gate and was soon out of sight -and into tiro Theatre Royal.

■ PUBLIC ADDRESS. . TOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT. Taken on the whole the audience in the theatre was a fairly orderly one, but there was a continual stream oi interjections daring the greater part of the evening. ■The Prime ..Minister stated that the poliev of the Government to-day was economy. This had been necessitated by the very heavy war expenditure. j-ne Government had been faced with three alternatives—increased taxation, a 53 per cent, cut in the Civil Service, or retrenchment. The last-named had been chosen as the only method, and was still in force. Reduced taxation, he continued, was essential in order that the country might return to normal, and last session the Government had had the first opportunity of doing this. Now the revenue had increased, and expenditure had gone down. The price of our primary products was now on the increase, and where the price of our primary products went up it was a fine thing for everyone in the country. Amongst other things, it meant more to spend on labor. We were having a good season now, and he hoped it would continue. He felt sure that we were now round the corner and that a permanent improvement had set in. However, to reach true stability ail portions of the community must pull together. The Government had many liabilities to face, and it still had difficulties in its path. Dealing with the matter of soldiers' pensions, he stated that these had been paid to the last farthing, and there was the possibility that they might be increased before the end of the present year. He bad now the report of toe Commission set up to deal with the matter, and consideration of the increase would he one of the first things to bo dealt with by the next meeting of the Cabinet. In all, he stated, the Government had to pay £3,093,365 in penmens, and this was but one of the things it had to face in meeting its liabilities. This country could not afford to default, and there was no chance that it would 1 . Taxation had been increased in New Zealand to a, greater extent than in Australia, but it must bo remembered Drat throe years ago there had! bean tremendous importations into the dominion, and our bonds and warehouses had been crammed full. It has been the duly of tho Government .to rave, ho said 1 , and this had been, done, with the result that our conditions _ were now back to normal, and our taxation was actually less than that of Australia. He dealt with the matter of the proposed State Bank and Proportional Representation, and showed that at the present time both of these wore undesirable. Ho also stated that hydro-electricity would be universal throughout tho dominion and would prove a groat boon. At tho conclusion of the address a. hearty vole of thanks to Mr Massey and continued confidence in the Government of which'he is tho head was moved, and carried by a very largo majority, tho pthcrlng rising and cheering Mr Massey

QUITE AN OVATION. A GOOD-HUMORED CROWD. HOW THE “SHUTUUTS ” ACTED. [Special io the ‘ Stab,'] OHRISTO.HUROH, November 30. So keen was 'the interest taken locally in the visit of the Prim© Minister that tho The'atre Royial cou'ld have been filled several times o'ver by those anxious to hear Mr Massey speak to-night. The doors wore opened at an early hour, well before 6 o’clock, andi already at that time a long queue had formed. As long as 'accommodation was plainly available the people were admitted freely without ticket or other -regulation, and simply in tho order of their arrival. At half-past 6 it was reported that the stalls and chicle, were filled, and that accommodation could only be obtained in Die gallery. Th© doors leading to tlh© circle were fcliosed ; those leading -to the stalls were opened at intervals to admit further batches of people as reporta were received from the City Council inspecto-ra within that so many more could -be token. Shortly after halfpast 6 tho “Houhe Full’’ sign was ■hoisted, and all doors were closed. In Die meantime a steady fit-ream of people had entered through the gate loading to tho gallery until that part of the bouse had received its full .-complement. Several confisteiibles -were on duty at the and

their services wore of value in regulating the admission o£ the public, to expedite entry, and tb prevent bltockago; otherwise they were not called on, the crowd 'being mostly orderly. Although the house was filled to the last seat in all parts, vast crowds of people streamed into Gloucester street and congregated an an immense and thickly-packed assemblage of several thousands opposite the theatre waiting for Mr Massey to arrive. 'Such slight diversions as were provided were enjoyed to the ■utmost. '.Che spectacle of a pressman on duty clambering over the gate to reach the scene of his work was greeted with ©vocative encouragement. A pio cart ■rumbled slowly through tho crowd on tho way to its appointed stand, and its progress produced dicers and laughter. Tho crowd generally were in a most good-tempered mood, and little was said or heard that would indicate any feeling of resentment at being dm I. out. “Wo should have arrived earlier,” was tho general comment. To one objector a philosopher replied; “ Once a bucket is filled with water it’s senseless blaming anything, because it won’t hold any more.” Tho tamo passed not unagreoably until nearing 8 o'clock. ■Speculation was expansive ias to bow Mr Massey would enter, and many certain projj|iosics were'propounded. Tho idea that ho would walk: through the crowd and enter through a main door in the ordinary way never occurred to anybody; hut that is what happened. lie had nearly reached the gate leading to tho ‘stage entrance before, his presence was ■noticed. Cheers and oriels of laudation went from many throats, and Mr Mansoy and his party were surrounded by so large a circle of enthusiastic admirers that it was only with difficulty that ho could make his way to the gate. Everybody seemed impelled as.almost by a religious duly personal contact with 'the head of the Government. .Mr Massey, all smiles and affability, responded _■ to this great tribute ’of admiration by lifting iris hat 'and bowing, and amid the plaudits of ■the groat multitude he passed through the gate and out of sight, ’tjbe crowd lingered in tho Hjopo' that the Prime Minister would address them from the balcony, 'hut after a period of waiting it was realised that tho people inside the theatre dlaimed his first attention, and that his prim© duty via© to them.

Extempore entertainments were not •wanting. A party of youths standing on a,n extension ol the Theatre Royal balcony, who wore connected not with Mr Massey's mooting at all, hut with business promises opening on to the balcony, were indihcroet enough hy their demeanors and behaviour to inttnact tho hostile attention of >tho crowd. They were counted out several times, but remained leaning over tho railing, leering on t'ho people below. Finally one of the party came out with a tablecloth and shook tho crumbs over the populace. ■ This was an insult that ■could not be brooked. Eggs of antiquity were rapidly produced, and with this ammunition the leering party were promptly bombed out of position and forced to take refuge in the rooms behind. Several other phases of diversion occurred, such os tho time-honored device of forming a ring in a crowd, with nobody and nothing in it; but such efforts met with a waning enthusiasm, and finally nothing remained to do> but to depart. By 9 o’clock the one-time crowded street had almost -regained normality.