MR MASSEY'S TOUR

Manawatu Times, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 1282, 28 May 1914, Page 8

MR MASSEY'S TOUR

♦ Press Association —By Telegraph. INVERCARGILL, May 27. This evening the Prime Minister addressed a meeting which crowded the Municipal Theatre in all parts. Standing room was at a premium and all accommodation at the back of the stage was overtaxed. Mr Massey was loudly cheered on entering and again on rising to speak, and while there w r ere a number of interruptions in the course of his address they came from a limited section, the Premier's reception from the. meeting as a whole being extremely cordial.

In some respects the address was on lines ©f those delivered elsewhere but the Prime Minister replied to one or two statements made by Sir Joseph Ward at Blenheim. He said he was not in the habit of shedding crocodile tears. He had never stated that the population had decreased but he had pointed out that ten years ago the population of the country districts was greater than the population of the towns and cities and that position had been reversed and the great percentage of the population was now in the towns and cities and that w'as not a safe position for a country like this. That was his contention in regard to population and he stood to it. It was quite true that the Government had borrowed largely but the reason was that it had to meet the debts of its predecessors. That was the real position and any politician touching it should be candid enough to explain it. The statement that Government had increased Custom taxation by 3.98 per cent was absolutely and wliolU incorrect. The Government had not increased the Customs taxation by the fraction of a farthing-, but the people being more prosperous, were buying larger quantities of dutiable goods. Dealing with the statement that the workers paid nothing towards the cost of the gift battle cruiser, Mr Massey said the payments were made from the Consolidated Fund to which every man and woman contributed. The statement that the workers do not pay was only put forward for electioneering purposes. The Leader of the Opposition was inaccurate when he said that Government succeeded to a surplus of £780,000. That surplus existed on March 31, 1912, but owing to interest and other payments, ths amount had dwindled to £IBB,OOO when the Hon. Jas. Allen took control of the Treasury. Financially the Dominion is now- out of the wood. Referring to Sir Joseph Ward's claim that he could have settled the strike in two days, Mr Massey quoted figures showing that 63 strikes had occurred during Sir Joseph Ward's Premiership, and he asked why on earth ho had not settled some of these in two days? In conclusion Mr Massey expressed confidence that when the people had to choose whom they would support at the coming elections they would choose wisely and well. A vote of thanks and confidence, moved by Mr J. E. Watson and second - c-d in several places was carried by a very large majority.