A Policy Speech.

Feilding Star, Volume II, Issue 492, 10 February 1908, Page 2

A Policy Speech.

On Friday evening the Premier mad© a policy speech before a large crowd of the electors of Auckland. Sir Joseph Ward's methods are much more regular and business like than those of the late Premier, who delighted in springing big political surprises upon very small gatherings of people. Wherever two or three people were gathered together at a Liberal-Labor League meeting, there would the late Premier rise up fn the midst of them and open a surprise packet. That way is not for Sir Joseph. The Lib.Lab. hardly knows him, he gets away from the clique and speaks to the crowd — and he gives a week's notice of his coming and of his object. The Queen City, therefore, was honored with an interesting speech, in which even past promises were reviewed and renewed. There was a note of assurance for those nervous citizens who feared that the country was going to the dogs of war, for the Premier said: — ' The Government were not revolutionary Socialists, nor were they hide-bound individualists who looked upon Stato action and enterprises as a pernicious short cut to the millenium. Social evils must be dealt with. They wero far away from advocating tho principle of every man for himself. They were widely divided from tho men who distrusted all Stato action, who wanted unlimited freedom from all forms cl State activity and Stato restriction. They wero neither Conservatives nor revolutionary Socialists. They . believed that by and through the State and the prudent use of its power and influence equal opportunity could bo secured for all; that every poor man's son could bo as well equipped in education aa the richest ; that every man who was willing could bo taught a trade or settled on a piece of land; that by and by through the State sweating and other forms of oppression could bo stamped out. That sounds fair, with an equal blending of collectivism (for the State) and individualism (for the man who wants liis chance) — but it all sounds very much like a peroration. The Premier dwelt on the note of cooperation between the State and the individual, and the Government would use every legitimate effort to help producers, ucorkers, and traders to get the full result of their labor and enterprise. The Ward Ministry had an aim : "Their aim as a party was to help as far as Government action could tho largest number of families to attain sufficient incomes, to increase the security c with which Mirso iiteoiues could be relied- upon, nnd to protect the purchasing power of these incomes against unfair prices due to rings, monopolies, and legal privileges.'-' The Ward team is play-., ing on a good wicket, to use a pftpular phrase, and prosperous times spell a long innings. There is a prettygeneral feeling throughout the dominion that we are being controlled Tjy a Ministry of Business Men who are patriotic and as near to carrying out a national policy, independent of

party feelings, as it is possible to get I under existing conditions. Times have changed (politically) with the men, and well-wishers of the land in which we live look forward hopefully , to a sound and sane development of ! all that is I>est in the industries of ' town and country. The Ministry can trust the people^ — it is for the Ministry to prove to the people" that it is to be trusted to carry out the policy which the Premier has again enunciated.