MR. MASSEY'S TOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12860, 8 May 1905, Page 6

MR. MASSEY'S TOUR.

HIE SPEECH AT PAHIATUA.

REMARKS ON THE LAND QUESTION. [lit TELEGRAPH. — OWN CCRKESPONDKNT.]

Wi-LMNUTUN, Sunday. In the course of his Pahiatua speech, Mr. Massey, Leader of the Opposition, said he did not propose ti> criticise tho Land Commission. He would have ample opportunity of doing that in the House. The setting up of this Commission, however, was an admission by the Premier that the Government was not competent to deal with the haul question. Tho Commission would cost tho colony a very large sum, and would serve no good purpose. It was quite evident that it would not have gone half round the colony by the lime Parliament met, and when the report was presented it would be shelved until after the elections. In purchasing laud he said the Government was not sufficiently careful in securing land that was most suitable for close settlement, and the result was that some of the estates compulsorily acquired, had not gone oil so well as they had a right to expect. Under tho circumstances he personally did not like this compulsory acquisition, for it placed 100 much power in the bands of the Government, and tho Premier was the Government. The Premier would not even trust his own .Minister for Lauds to administer the Lands for Settlement Act. All estates acquired should be referred to Parliament, and the publicity thus given in connection with their purchase would prevent wrong being done. The Premier had stated in connection with the freehold question that it amounted to repudiation of the colony's liability. He did not think such a word should be used by the Leader of the Government. The colony was aide to pay the whole of the interest on the money which it had borrowed in the past, and would probably have to borrow in the future, and repudiation was not a lit term for the Colonial Treasurer to use. In his speech at Newtown last year, the Premier had spoken several columns on the land question, yet when he sent copies of that speech to Pahiatua on the eve of the by-election not one reference to that absorbing topic was included. He asked them it anyone could be proud of a man who j adopted such tactics? When the Premier i spoke to the city electors he was for the j leasehold, but when he went into the country it' was the very opposite. Mr. Seddon ; had declared that the Legislative Council ! should he ended, but lie knew that not one ! member of that Chamber would vote for his ' own political death. Appointments to the Council at the present time were simply 03 a reward for .services. Men were now appointed, who, if they stood for election to the House of Representatives, would not. Ik; | returned if they tried until the day of judg- ! ment. He believed in an elective Chamber I that would reflect the opinion of the people. ■ He advocated a policy of local Government reform and the abolition of the system by • which the Government doled out. voles of | money to the constituencies at itc own sweet will. r--THE CHRISTCHURCH SPEECH. I [B\ TELEGRAPH.— COKKEsrONIIKNT.] Dt;s"i:i)i\, Saturday. Commenting on Mr. Massey's address at : Christchurch, the Otago Daily Times says: j —"Tho speech may be considered in the light, of a triumph, tho effect of which is j bound to be felt when tho general election | ionics round. The spirit in which Mi. | Massey has conducted his campaign in the i South Island, the clear aur' incisive mannei in which he has outlined tho policy of his party, his ability both on the platform and as the organiser of those associated with him in political life, coupled with the charm of his bluff, hearty personality, have won the admiration of friends ana foes alike, and have eminently justified his selection as the Opposition Leader. Indeed, it is many years since tho Opposition prospects appeared so bright, and the Government is evidently awakening to tho fact that the assault upon its position is serious, and one ; which it will take, it all its time to repel, i The Premier's Pahiatua speech came in for somewhat severe handling, and it will be interesting to see how Mr. Seddon will endeavour to meet die slashing criticism of the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Massey undoubtedly expressed the opinion of. the majority of the electors when he declared that, the U'wcr House must either be ended or mended, he being personally in favour of mending it 'by making it an elective body. One of the chief differences between Mr. Seddon's policy and Mr. Masscy's is that, whilst Mr. Seddon sedulously plans and contrives to wield as much power as possible, and aims at a practically personal administration, Mr. .Massey will, it placed in office, strive to lesotie the proper Parliamentary system, under which the. representatives of the people will have that control of the. public purse and the business of the colony which the .suffrages of the electors entitle them to, but of which they are unjustly deprived under the existing autocratic regime. There is a world of truth in the assertion of the Leader of the Opposition that the people as a whole have been too busy moneymaking to notice the michicvou.sness of the political drift, and that they have uncon.veiously allowed the pernicious principle of the spoils to the victors (so scathingly exposed by Mr, Masse-) to gradually assert, its .-way, until independence of though I and action are in danger almost of being eliminated. We have, however, sufficient faith in the honesty of public opinion to believe that -Mr. Massey' s speeches will provide just the tonic required at a critical epoch in the colony's affairs. It is the duty of every elector to carefully ponder Mr. Massey'a statement of the case, and if this is done without prejudice, and without heed In the dust which the Premier is scattering abroad in the hopes of concealing the real issue at stake, there can bo little doubt, thai the Opposition will 'be able to make such a good light th;ii if the Government be iiol actually overthrown, it will, at any tale, experience an unwonted shaking at the general election.' [BV TELEGRAPH. — PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Cni(iSTcm;it('H, Saturday. As the result of the recent visit of Mr. Massey, Leader of tin- Opposition, to this city and district, a largely-attended meeting was held Inst night, at which the Canterbury Political Reform League was formed. An executive (Oinmittce was set up, and many promises of support were received. The Opposition platform, as propounded by Mr. Massey at his meeting hers, was adopted, and arrangements were, made for a vigorous political campaign.