The Opposition

Hastings Standard, Volume X, Issue 5305, 18 September 1906, Page 4

The Opposition

(Per Press Association). ISiew Plymouth, September 18 The Theatre was crowded to overflowing to-night on the occasion of the presentation of a purse of sovereigns to Mr H. J. H. Okey, who was the Opposition candidate for the Taranaki electorate at the late general election. The piesentation was made by Mr Massey, leader of the Opposition. There were also present Messrs James Allen, Lewis, Hardy and Malcolm, M.H.R.'?. In the course of his remarks, Mr Massey referred to Mr Okey as a politician after his own heart, and hoped he would yet represent Taranaki. He had noticed it stated that be would lay down a new policy for the Opposition that night. That was not so. At the last election the Opposition had been badly beaten, but they did not take the beating lying down. They had been beaten by superior organisation, by misrepresentation, and by implied promises of grants of public money to districts which returned Government supporters. At the nest election the Opposition would be batter prepared, j and the people would understand their policy better, and know them as representative of the most genuine form of Liberalism. The Opposition believed in equal opportunity to all. He referred briefly to the death of Mr Seddon, which all regretted. The same party was still in power, but with fresh administration. A very interesting point to the Opposition in the Government policy was the fact that many opposition proposals had been adopted. He referred particularly to the placing of the revenue of some of the most important departments of State under the control of the Auditor-General, the provision of sinking funds for nonreproductive loans, and paying for the upkeep of main roads out of revenue instead of out of the Public Works Fund. The Government also had accepted the Opposition schema of national annuities. The party in power had strenuously opposed those proposals for years, and now put them forward as their own policy. The Opposition would support the Government as re-

garded those proposals. The Opposition had more proposals in stock—more demands for reform which would be forthcoming at the proper time and place. Dealing with the land question, he strenuously opposed the Lard Bill, which, under pretext of setting aside endowments, was really intended to make it impossible for Crown settlers to acquire the freehold. The freehold was to be abolished, and also the optional L.I.P. systems, and there was? to be substituted a 66 years lease with revaluation. That form of tenure would not suit tfco sturdy settlers of this colony. Men would not go on the land under such conditions. Then, was nc security of tenure, He felt certain that what was proposed would do more injury to settlement than anything that had happened of recent years. The £50,000 limitation proposal would affect very few. Tt would affect only two estates ia Auckland and Taranaki He would not take up time iu criticising the proposal to limit holdings to 1000 acres of first class land. The Government had surrendered to the leaseholders and land nationalises, and their policy was in the interests of the latter, j and not of the whole community. There should be no sub-division at any time that would cause injustice g or hardship to landowners. He be- i lieved in the freehold. (Applause.) ] Let every man have a chance of becoming his own landlord. Had the present laud proposals been lav, - iu the past, settlement would have been retarded and the colony poorer in consequence. Although the Government had adopted some of the Opposition proposals, still much was left for the Opposition to do. Their duty was to keep an eye on the expenditure. They would not sell their principles at any" price, lie wanted to sec the ••olo'iv sovernort hr'ncstly. He wanted to >o. both Chambers or the Legislature dii'cc-'y representative of the people, appointments to the public _ tervica made according to fitness,

native lands opened up and settled by Europeans and Maoris*, and the latter raised higher in the scale of civilisation than seemed possible under the present system. A capable and vigorous Opposition ought to be appreciated by the country. Mr Massey concluded amidst great applause. Mr James Allen criticised the Government's action in raising the interest on money lent under the loans to Local Bodies Act, considering that it should be lowered to the lowest possible rate, the colony bearing its share of the burden. Ho wanted an actuarial investigation of superannuation schemes. The man in the conntry had more right to the treehold than the man in town. Mr Lewis deplored the increase in the number of purely professional politicians in the House—the " winning siders." At the same time he recognised that no New Zealand Parliament would be complete without some of the most advanced thinkers on the Radical-Liberal side. Mr Malcolm said the Opposition had never been out of sympathy with the honest needs of the working man.

The meeting was enthusiastic and successful.