THE PALMERSTON CAMPAIGN.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1458, 9 November 1911, Page 5

THE PALMERSTON CAMPAIGN.

MR IONAB ADDRESSES A BIG MEETING AT THE OPERA HOUSE.

The Opera Housi was packed last evening when Mr Robert McNab addressed the electors. In the nnavoidable absence of the Mayor, Senior Or. E. J. Armstrong occupied the oliair, and expressed extreme pleasure in introducing the oandidate, who Was a gentleman of very great ability, In various deputations to Wellington lie had several times to wait on Mr McNab as Minister for Lands, ami they not ouly received the greatest courtesy, but invariably something more substantial than consideration after. RIVAL CANDIDATES. I

erics. The Government was charged with using the public purse to iuflueuce the country. The findiug of thn Committee was that Mr Syme was provod to have recsived £3OO towards his expenses from some man he had benefitted', and Mr Major receivpd some commission on some sale. Neither ot these things weie pioper, but the Government hail nothing to do with it. Then Mr Kaihau received something for some commission, but the Government had nothing to do with thut eitUer. MORE "SOANDALS."

There was the Macdonald case in which it :,was alleged that tlia Government had appointed Mr Macdonaid an assessor in & Marlborough propetty case. The charges were dis< proved though Mr' Seddon with Whom been alleged that the arrangement was made was dead and therefore unable to give evidence. The oharge* brought by Mr Hine against the Government were absolutely disproved. It was only shown that some individual me.mbera of tlie Hons9 had done what they ought not to have done, yet Mr Hine went round the country saying that tliey had proved their Tammany charges against the Government. There was the "scandal" of the Oook Islands that Sir Robert Stout did not take evidence on oath there, but there was no l&w in New Z; aland authorising the Chief Justice to take ev'denoe.on cath at the Oook Islands and so he had, to simply take statements just as Sir James Prendergast had to do there before him. Then there was the Kennedy Macdonald matter in which tha Chief Justice was charged with excluding the press. The Government )4,d nothing to do with that. Neither was it Sir Robait Stout who, gave the order, but M* Justice Cooper who aid it at tile request of both parties to the private suit and' Sir Robert Stoat when he continued the hearing of the suit simply carried out Judge Cooper's crder. THE DREADNOUGHT "SOAN- j DAL."

In coming forward to speak, Mr MeNab, who was heartily received, said that as Mr Buick was present, and there was a vacant oliair on the platform, lie asked that lie do him the honor of taking that seat and show tliat there was uo auimcsity between the parties in this great contest.

This'was received with great applause and cries of "Go up, David." When it subsided Mr Buicb rcsa in the front seat of the stalls, and said that he had come t3 near ths speech and preferred to iuar it from in front instead of from behind, but he thanked the speaker for his courtesy aud assured him of reciptcc&ting his goodwill. Mr McNab responded that if the public and the press did their duty thßre would be very little Hastiness in this cmtest, "A SOUTHERN REJECT."

Thel'caudidata then proceeded to explain his poeitiou. He had been called a" Southern Reject." (Laughter. ) He was, but he had also been a Southern soccess on five occasions. He had represented the same seat in five Parliaments, aud though he had been beaten cnce before by the Hon. Mr Ricbaidson, he was elecetd a&ain at a bye-election and sat tor Matania for years. If they were to clear outfall the "rejects" ( from the present would be a great difference in Wellington Some would go from tha Government benches, but the clearance from the Opposition beaches would be terrible. (Langhter.)

Mr MoNab dealt caustically with those who expressed approval of the gilt of the Dreadnought when it wns taade and. now strove to make political capital out of opposing it. The gift, oomiog at the time it did, produced a deep impression in England and throughout the civilized world, and throughout the general, eleotir.n campaign in Scotland, wheii he was speaking lor the Liberal Party. his Chairmen alwavs asked leave to introduce him as having been a member of the Government whioh had presented a Dieadnonght to the Old Country. Because be would not do what Sir Joseph Ward did, Mr Fisher was turned out of office in Australia on Parliament meeting and did not get back again till after a general election, and the feeling there was so strong that an effort was made to raise sufficient by private subscriptions to follow New Zealand's example.

HOW HE CAME HERE. After his defeat as a Minister he' had to go to the Old Country on private bosiness ami attar his return his interests in the Sooth Island lessening ana his interests in the North Island increasing he deoided to remain in the North Islaud where ho had then already resided for four years. He deoided to reside here, but he did not come here as an interloper to take the Palmeriton seat. It WBSjUot till afterwards when Mr Wood told hiti) he had no intention of standing again, and after waiting for three weeks after that wbs announced, and no one who had abetter right to the seat came forward, thai; lib aeoepted the invitation of the party to which he belonged to stand for the seat. At ,that time he had an invitation from another constituency in his pocket, which he could have accepted had there been anyone With a better claim coming forward. - WHERE HE STANDS. There was a great deal of talk about his position being an'' Independent." He was not going to sail under false colors. He was there as a Bnpporter of the [Grtat Liberal Party, the party which on the 23rd January next would have administered this CuUntry for 21 jfiats. If as seemsd possible at one time the election had had to be postponed to January and If it had boen held later than 23rd January it would have been possibly lor men and women to vote wh'< were actually not born when the Conservative party under the great Sir Harry Atkinson had to resign and Mr B-llauce was seat for, who had lived their whole lives no'der a Liberal administration. That would give thoni an idea of how long it was since there had been a Conservative party in jpower.' (Voices, "Too long" and "No, No.") It was onlv half the length of time that a. certain party was led through the wildfrueis leng ago, and only half the time that the Conservative party will be led through the wilderness of Opposition.

MR MASSEY'S "INVITATION." Then the Massey invitation soandal Mr Bruce said that Mr Massey might have been in the Ministry if he had said yes, but Mr Massay couldn't sav who had invited him, and no Minister had done so. The speaker was in the Ministry at the time and the Government had 64 supporters against Mr Massey's 14. What would the Government have had to gain by patting Mr Massey in?

THE MOKAU "SOANDAL." MrMoNab dealt at length with the history of the Mobau transactions aud Mr Massey's Auckland charge?. He traced the story down to the porchase of the leas.-s by Mr Hermau Lewie, who, with the natives, applied to the Government for an Order in Oouno.il to enable him to purchase the native interest, Finally Lewis sold to Mr Mason Chambers, of Hawke's Bay, and then the speaker was asked by the agents to take shares in a company to buy the propertj from Mr Chambers. He quoted the innuendos and statements in which Mr Massey inferred that it wts a sort of family affair between Sir Jas. Carroll, Sir John Findlay and himself, and Mr Massey's statement os to their haviug purchased another 15,000 acres, mskirg 70,000 acres. Mr Massey demanded an enquiry and proposed himself as one of tht) jadgeß of his own oharges, bnt when it came to the Native Committee specially qualified, to deal with native affairs aud including the native members and fonr members of the Opposition, Mr Massay did a olever thing He tad fouud ont bv this time that the awfol McNab didn't purchase the land from the natives at all, and that the man who purchased from Lewis was one of Mr Massey's own best supportars and in partnership with two, a nephew of Sir ffm. Russell and a man who had been a member of Parliament for the Opposition. It wasn't McNab, but three of his own suppoiteis! The whole position was dropped and Mr Massey said the Company had done nothing wrong. The Dominon had started to pitch into them till it found out that these men were its shareholders. Then it was all right, There was nothing wrong in it. Yet. he (Mr McNab) wns further off still—in a position once removed from these gi ntlemcii. So Mr Massay abandoned all his Auckland charges and simply submitted to the Committee a formal statement which he (the sptaket) oonld have agreed with except on three points and these three points we-e unanimously thrown out by the Committee, including Messrs Herries, Rhodes ani Dive in a report presented to the House by Mr Herries. (Applause aud laughter). Mr McNab then showed the difficulties that would

DEGENERATION. Remaining in Opposition ro long a tiino Imd evidently a very bid effect on thoß9 iu Opposition. During the present Parliament ttiuy had heard of nothing bat alleged "scandals " There was the Smith "scandal." They had forgotten that "scandal" about some man named Smith in the Old Ctuntry, there had been so mauy since, bat it had '' shakeu the country. " Thon there was the "Knyvett scandal" wliichjjhad alao shaken the omntry if they listeued to the Opposition. That "scandal" was actually reported to the War Office, and while at the War Office ho>'as told of it. Then there wero the "Tammany scaudals" biought before the House by Mr Hine. These tilings were generally brought by the younger men whojbad not mnch political expert-

have been in tfie way of ..the Government itself parol asing. If tlioy thought was goim* to a fortune ont of the company he v/atf prepared to let them. Mr Massey included, have his tauth interest for what he paid for his shares, pint' 5 percent interest. (A voice "Your Scotoh." and laughter). THE LAND LAWS.

In regard to the land laws Mr McNab said they should not allow one single acre of the nine million acres of endowment land to be given as freehold on any consideration whatever, The fraefcold should, however, ba given to lauds outside tliat. The first time he had stood for Matnnra he had taken up the position tjiat ownfl'si of 999 years' leases should ba givm the right of getting the freehold at the pres"nt day value and not at the original value. That was his attitude to-day. The reason he objected to giving the freehold to endowment lauds was the question of I getting revenue iu the future for education, old age pensions and hospital and charitable aid. These three items stood iu a class by themselves and had no incoming revenue to sopport fiem. The cost of education had increased in the last ton years something like £500,00,0 and they were only en the. threshold of the education of the people. The farmers were crying out for more facilities for the teaohing of scientific aarionltore, and the education vote was mounting np and up and up. Greater faoilities were given year for getting old Bge pensiois. and the time was not far off when the pensions .would ba made UDinersal. All tliis meant expenditure mounting np by leaps and bounds, and unless they put aside some national estate from 'which they could get a large revenue, the' development in this direction would be stopped. THE PUBLIC DEBT.

Mr McNab next referred to the inoreese of the public debt and said that while the country oould exist without increasing that debt it could not go on aeveloning. Since 1891 they had increased the publio debt from £38.880,350 to £81,078,123, an enormous Increase and one to make people gasp who had not studied the question.

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION. Of that increase eleven millions was for the constructin of railways, aud what was the effect of that eleven millions? During that period from 1891 to 1911, the number of employe's rn the railways had increased by 8.358, the mileage by 920 miles, the revenue from tho railways had increase bv £2,372,481 and the profit by £781,943. That eleven millions was one of the b°st investments the country had ever made. (Applause.) They conld not look forward to tiny lednction iu the expenditure on the railways, There was no part of the country that had benefitted more by the construction of railwars thau Palmereten North, oi where the railways brought prospects of greater development in the future. (Applause.) If elected, he would adopt a progressive policy iu respect to railway constiuotion. FARMERS AND THE DEBT.

The farmers' responsibility for the increase in the debt was iu the Lands for Settlement Act and the Advances to Settlers. The amount borrowed nnder the la.iris for SettK ruent Act during the period already mentioned was £0,303,485, and the money borrowed for advances to settlers £(1,974,935. In short £13,227,000 of the increased debt was due to the policy of the Government to give assistance to farmers. Both of these departments had been more than self-supportin?. If they were to examine the records of any money lending establishment in the world they would not find snoli a successful institution »s the Advances to Settlers Department of New Zealand. (Applause).

NO CESSATION IN BORROWING

There was no prospect of any immediate cessation in the amount of money that was to be borrowed from London to lend to the farmers, but he bßlieved the time was ooming whan by the system of paying • on a small portion of tlie loan at every half-yearly payment of interest, they would be able to meet the demands that came to the funds from year to year, and thus in time all borrowing would oeaso And in respect to Lands for Settlement they were now in the same position.

ADVANCES TO WORKERS, The advances tn \vorbern hal been i responsible for £964,765. There were pases in Hanswd funnier than anything in the Bulletin or in Punoh. Members of the Opposition hail been crying out that a drag should be put on the borrowing for advances to workers, and yet when Sir Joseoh Ward brought down a proposal to increase the power of boirowing for that purpose from half a million to threeqoarters not one voted against it. Where were the men who" had done the clamouring against borrowing? (Applause and laughter). WISE EXPENDITURE. The Bank of N"W Zealand was respoosible for half a millirn, purchase of native land £915,167. Wen they going to support a redrotion in the amount expended on the ontting up of native Imds? Loans to local bodies £4,557,000. So long as the country was to continue to develop the polioy of loans ti lncil bodi c ? must continue. Before a policy of reduction in the borrowing was carried out they mast find ont in what direction they wanted it cut. down. He oonld not indicate it, unless they were prepared to stop the development of the country. THE CIVIL SERVICE. In regard to the Civil Service, Mr McNab opposed the formation of a Civil Service Board. The administrators of the day should control the appointment of civil servants. THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM. Mr MoN >b smke in onp sitini ti the Second Ballot, and favoured the, proportional system, as securing better representation than tli°v got at thn present moment.

The Parliament ot tliß country should not he rapressotative of the majority to the exclnsion of the minority, but the proportional repr«sentation of the minority should be as large as the proportional representation of the majority. (Applause.) THE LICENSING QUESTION.

On the liofiisitiß question he favoured a 55 per cnit. majority, ami said the issue should be kept in the hands of the peoplo and onght not to bo allowed to interfere with the politics of the country. (Loud applause). There was an initial mistake when they put the licensing poll on the samo day as the goueral election and In had always opposed this. Until they got the eleotion

field separately they would never get general election other than secondary to the licensing poll, The highest question of all should ba the proper ropiesentation ot the country at the general election, and nothing should be allowed to intertore with that. (Prolonged Applause.) y

CONCLUSION,

In criifllnßion Mr McNab statid that if cl'-cted he woold endeavour tp ca'ry ouf ,1 policy along the lines lie liiul stated. The internets of tne pitopl« should come first always, and tlifl iutTests of special class?ss kept in the bickjirouirl, This cnifutry hud a splendid oppoitnaitv ol doing whit they had failed to do id the Old Country They should set thems°lves to see tWaf those who were less iitted for the bntfln of life should ie--Cflivfl the greatest asHistance, and that tlirso who were blessed with a gieter share of the world's goods should be' M't to fight life's battle for thßms o lvfs'. (Applause). That was the kflyunte of thehnmanit-jrian legislation that washing nodertflken by the younger col-nies of the Empirß. Mr Mcwah concluded in the words of John Bright "They should remember princelv palaces, baronial castles and great lulls do not make a nation. The nation in every country dwells'in the oottaees and util'ss the light of your legislation and the excellence ot yonr statesmanship stilus and is expressed in there and in the people, rely upon it you lisvo yet to learn the very first principles of Government." QUESTION TIME.

The speaker replied effectively to a number of questions, among his questioners being Messrs S. T. Hunt airi R. Skermnu, His replies were as follows-—He favoured a qualified officer inspecting tlie Manawatn Gorge in order to ascertain its possibilities as a sourue of water power. Seeiug that lie was the author of the dairy school scheme, as it develop oci nothing would give him greater pleasure than to endeavour to get the school erented here, especially if he got back to the position he once enjoyed.

It national prohibition were carrierl he would favour raising the neefssary revenue from all preset sources of revenue. That portion it was deoided to raise frnm the laud would be raised in accordance with the interest a man had in the land whether leasehold or freehold, The only way to stop laud gambling was to stop the sale of land. He was prepared to submit to a referendum proposal to stop all laud sales. (Laughter), Hp dppos?d State control on the liquor question, as he had seen enough of the couduct of Bellamy's. A voice: "Look at the men that go there."

Mr MoNab; "I went there." He was in favour of a uuiform system of education.

As_d meatiß of vote catching at elsction time he was not in favour of member's accepting hereditary titles. (Laughter). For the rest it was a matter he woud leave to the individual. There would not have been any outcry at the rpcent granting of titles, had the Government wisely given one to the Opposition. (Laughter and applause.) As t3 the question of raising the railway men's wages, the statement made in the Financial Statement should have been complied with to the letter. He was afraid that the Statoineut went further than it was afterwards found to be possible, and some of the higher wages men took the increase this year and left the lower wages men to get it next year. 5 THANKS AND CONFIDENCE. Mr R. Gardner moved a vnte of thanks and confidence in Mr MoNab ag their future member. He said they lißd that night listened to a iine speeoh. from a stitesman, a politician, a soholar and a gentleman. Mr S. Abrahams seconded.

M P. Ross, of Glen Orona, attempted tu move au amendment, but his voice was,drowned in the uproar that his suggestion caueed. In an interval of the uproar our reporter caught the words, "Neither the Opposition nor the Government have any sympathy with the workers," but the rest of Mr Ross' remarks were lost.

he had resumed his seat the motion was carried with loud and prolonged applause, and a vote of thanks to the Ohairmau followed.

Three ringing cheers were given for the candidate, and on someone calling for cheers for Mr Buick, tnere was a mingling of cheers and hoots, thus closing a highly snccessfnl meeting.

THE PREMIER IN THE SOUTH.

ANOTHER BIG MEETING. IPtsm Auoeiation). Invercargill, Last Night. Sir Joseph Ward went to Woodend to-night and addrefsed one of the largest andieuces of electors ever g»therfld there. Sir'Jcsßph spoke on the lines of his Winton sp'eoh and received a oordial reception with much applaqsa. A vote of thanks and confidence in the Government was oanied ut animonsly.

MR MASSEY'S CAMPAIGN.

„ Pakekohe, List Niglit,

Mr Massey addressed a big mpetini? at Patomahoe to-nielit and rpceived a vote of thanks aud oonfidanc?.

WM. THOMSON AT LINTON. Mr Wm. Thomson met a thoroughly appreciative audience at Linton last night, when Mr M. Moody occupied the chair, The candidate spoke for almost two hours, touching upon all the salient points of his platform. A motion of thanks and confidence was moved by Mr Grau, who said that Mr Thomson's outstanding abilities should win him an unanimous vote in Linton. He also characterised the address as the ablest that had ever been delivered in Linton. Mrßatchelar seconded the motion in putting, which the chairman ' congratulated Mr Thomson on the able and camprehensivo way be bad stated his position. TheWtion was carried unanimously.

Mr Thomson speaks in the Municipal Hall to-night, and at Stoney Creek on Friday night. THE RANGITIKEI SEAT. MR MELDRUM'S CAMPAIGN, Mi W.'Meldrom ha J a well attend

t ed meeting at Sandon on Monday, A lln fr° f tllanks was accor ded tha b speaker on the motion of Mr A. Baia ley, and seconded by Mr Perrett. ■ i . D , gotea on Tnes(ia F Mr Melnw- n oXcee(| iDgly snooestfnl ■ meeting, and received a vote of - thanks and confidence. Regarding the anology of the OtaK I t0 the Iremier, the proprietor , writes that the statement complaiu--lin facT'' ' ahs:) ]" tels ' uo flJn Mation - Mr McNab spenks at Terrace End X* fc,or ' Mr Ka "'.