THE LIBERAL POLICY.

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 December 1911, Page 6

THE LIBERAL POLICY.

THE PREMIER AT WINTON. A FIGHTING SPEECH. [BT TBLIOKAPH —PBB P 8.885 ASSOCIATION.] • ■ ” WINTON, Dec. i. Sir Joseph Ward addressed a meeting at Wintou to-night which Wag attended by about 1,500 people. He met with a good reception. The Premier said that the buoyancy of the revenue had placed the country nearly £1,000,000 better tliatt the preceding twelve motltllhj tUidhlg November 30th. He dealt at length with Mr. James Allen’s speech at Bluff and stated Mr. Alleii had voted against the Old Age Pensions thirtydoui* thuds and against the third reading of the Bill. At Stifling and at Milton Mr Allen made statements calculated to injure the credit of the country. Mr. Massey and Mr, Allen had oppeved the Advances to Settlers and the proposals for the Advances to Workers was contained in the Governor's speech In 1905, six months before Mr. Massey had spoken about it. Ho contra verted the statements that Ml's A.- W. Hogg and the Hon. G .Fowlds had decried the Government and defended the appointments to the public service and challenged the Opposition to name a. single instance where a wrong appointment had been made. He defended the State note sue which was entirely different to the paper currency which ho did not believe in. Sir Joseph dealt fully with the Mokau deal as in previous speeches. Sir Joseph said he had never complained regarding the well-attended and enthusiaste meeting Mr. Massey aad in Winton, but lie objected to the use made of the fact and the different treatment meted out to him by the Press Association as compared to Mr. Mousey. He had always been on the side of the workers, farmers especially, small farmers and small traders and had endeavoured to serve the ■ hole community during the time in r>aiTiament. Under the Ward Administration the country had prospered.

Towards the conclusion the meeting got out of hand. Cheers and groans counter cheers for Air. Massey were given. The opposing forces seeming to be about equally divided. A number of questions were asked, some of the answers to which pleased and others did not please the audience. The lights in the hall were turned out and Sir Joseph Ward was leaving the Ini idling, but they were re-lighted and the Premier again faced the audience. A motion of confidence wau proposed ard declared carried, but it was difficult to say how it went as the meeting was somewhat disorderly-