BACKBLOCK REQUIREMENTS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 584, 12 July 1913, Page 5

BACKBLOCK REQUIREMENTS.

MR WILSON ON THE ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. "NEGLECTED AND FORGOTTEN." Mr Wilson, in his speecch on the Address-in reply discussed the country's finance. He sympathised with the member for Auckland East concerning the difficulties which confronted him in his loanraising efforts, and condemned Sir Joseph Ward.lor having'failed to seize favourable terms the previous year. The member also animadverted on the operations cf the Advances Department under the Liberal Government. Otira Tunnel and Parliament Buildings *vere also condemned a3 wasteful and frivolou? expenditure, while the women and children' of the backblocks were left neglectsd and forgotten. There were thousands of women living miserably in semi-inacceasible districts, while money was lavished on extravagant public works. Ihe member urgeJ more effort to induce people to go into the country and develop it. He expressed the opinion that a good, hard, common-sense practical man should be sent Home to encourage immigration to New Zealand of the right sort. "I wouldn't have him spend a single minute in London, but get right down into the heart of the agricultural districts, and talk straight to tha people," declared Mr Wil«m. The member raised a laugh, referring to the Council Reform Bill, by remarking naively: "Although we are conservative, I believe we are as liberal as anv of you."