SPEECH BY MR MASSEY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8843, 7 April 1909, Page 5

SPEECH BY MR MASSEY.

THANKS AND CONFIDENCE

• :■' (Pee Peess Association.): . ; v BUCKLAND, April 6. The Leader of the Opppsitioh delivered a: speech at Bucklahd to-night in reply to Sir policy speech at Upper Hutt. .. ; Mr Massey dealt with the constitutional point in the offer of a battleship. to ' the. British, jGrOverntneiit. He said Parliament ought to have been consulted. He_weiit.on_to advocate a system of national training. The duty of the Sifate was to get to work to establish the system forthwith. The,,heads of the .Governments here and elsewhere in the Empire seemed to wait till they saw a war cloud before thinking about getting ready. He claimed that Sir Joseph Ward's speech on_ the public service was a complete justification of the Oposition, criticism. . For years" past : the service had been stuffed with political appointments, and there would .be no complete or permanent improvement till a Public Service Board was appointed which would select candidates on account of merit and not political influence. He suggested a start should be made by a reduction of the number of Ministers, and also' a reduction in "Ministerial salaries. . - Mr Massey was accorded a vote of thanks & ml'confidence.