GREAT OPPOSITION DEMONSTRATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13030, 22 November 1905, Page 6

GREAT OPPOSITION DEMONSTRATION.

A MONSTER GATHERING.

TELLING SPEECH BY MR. MASSEY.

reply to the premier. <

SPEECHES BY OTHER CANDIDATES.

UNBOUNDED ENTHUSIASM,

The greatest Oppositionist meeting ever held in the City of Auckland took place at

the Opera House, Welksley-street, last evening, when Mr. W. F. Massey, the popular Leader of the Opposition, addressed a policy speech to the electors in reply to recent addresses by the Premier, and when the Oppositionist candidates for the city and suburban constituencies also appeared and gave short speeches. The able and determined manner in which Mr. Massey has carried out the onerous duties of his office, and his straightforward policy, have won him friends and supporters in all parts of the colony, as his high personal character ' has won for him friends on all sides of the House. The reception accorded to Mr. Massey by the vast audience last evening was must assuredly the finest he has ever received, and it was such as to indicate a most important revival of interest in politics by the people generally. GREAT RUSH FOR SEATS. Long before the time appointed for tho opening of the doors, the street 'in tho vicinity of the Opera House was crowded, and when the doors were opened the entrances were literally rushed, and in a remarkably short space of time every seat in the building was occupied, and standing room could not be obtained after seven o'clock. About seven the doors had to be

locked, and hundreds were turned away disappointed. Not only was the portion of the house ordinarily reserved for the audience packed, but the stage also was crowded to excess, every available foot of •space being occupied, and even a large number of ladies stood during the course of the whole, proceedings. A SPLENDID RECEPTION. When the chairman (Mr. J. C. Macky) appeared loud! cheers were given, and as each of tho-Opposition candidates came to the front of tho stage ho was saluted with cheers. Mr. Massey was the last to appear, and he was saluted by a perfect roar of cheering, the. whole audience rising and greeting him with salvo after salvo of applause and cheers, the demonstration continuing for nearly ten minutes. A call for cheers for the Government was responded to by groans, and renewed cheers for Mr. Masse v. - * ■ i

AN OVERFLOW MEETING. After the meeting had commenced, and whilst Dr. Bam ford was speaking, Mr. Massey went out to the Wellesley-street front of tho Opera House, and there addressed a tremendous overflow meeting of somewhere near 3000 people. -He was greeted with great cheering, and his remarks were also continually applauded. After his return, Mr. C. J. Parr (Auckland West) went out and addressed the crowd, and each speaker in turn, after finishing inside the building, went out to address the overflow meeting, and the people inside could hear an almost, continuous succession of cheers. THE CHAIRMAN'S REMARKS.

The Chairman, who was received with applause, congratulated the electors of Auckland on the manner in which they had assembled to show their appreciation of the work which Mr. Massey and those who followed him during the List Parliament had done for the good of New Zealand. (Applause.) Ho considered' that this demonstration spoke volumes. He did not think that they ever had a meeting in Auckland which showed such interest on the part of the people in the work of the Opposition, and it was.most instructive to compare the apathy, which was displayed three years ago with the enthusiasm which now prevailed. Mr.' Massev and his followers were to be congratulated. Fully 100 Opposition speeches had. been delivered in and around Auckland during the past few weeks, and a great deal of truth had been told, and he thought that it was high time that strong opposition should he shown to the present Government, which, while it had dono some admirable things in the past, ought to be opposed upon its administration. When they looked at the enormous sums spent upon the South as compared with those expended on the 'North, they could not vote for the present Government. (Applause.) When lie looked round and saw the respectability and the intelligence of the assemblage he felt confident that they would preserve perfect order, and that no one would interfere with them in endeavouring to get at the truth. (Applause.) Tho first six speakers would speak for 10 minutes, in the following order:—Dr. Bamford, Messrs. L. J. Bagnall, C. J. Parr, Murdoch McLean, ,T. Farrell, and E. W. Alison. After that they would have the pleasure of hearing the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. W. F. Massey, himself. (Prolonged applause.)

DR. BAM/FORD'S ADDRESS. Dr. Bamford, who is contesting the Auckland East scat, was the first speaker. On rising he was greeted with loud applause. He said he was not going to beat about the bush, but would came right to the point, and say that this election was going to be fought on party principles. In this election there was none of the apathy ou political questions that was apparent at the last general election, and that indifference had been to a great extent dispelled by the able! work done in Parliament by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. W. F. Massey. (Cheers.) It was the clear duty of every man and woman to size'tip the political questions of the day for themselves, and to vote as their judgment directed. There were two great questions to-day that were beyond party questions. These were the licensing question and the Bible in State schools. These were outside the domain of a candidate's politics, and were absolutely in the hands of the people themselves. The licensing question was a question for the people to settle as their conscience directed, and electors should not throw their other political principles over for this one cause. Neither was the question of the introduction of the Bible into State schools a party question. There were men ou both sides of the House who were for and against this question, and all that those who favoured this innovation asked for was that the matter should be submitted to a referendum of the people. ,'J'he most important matter was the question of administration. It was the question of conducting the affairs of the colony, of running New Zealand as a going business concern. (Applause.) This election would be fought on the question of administration. It was a question as to whether the Government was to go back to power with a majority large enough to control the affairs of the colony. (Cries of "No, no.") The electors must take one side or the other. There was no room for the undecided this election. They must rally around either one flag or the other. (Cheers.) If they believed, and he did not think that any sensible elector did, that the present Government. was for just and equitable administration, they would vote for the Government candidates; -but, if they believed, as lie held that the people of Auckland did beliove, that a thorough sweep of the affairs of the colony was necessary, that the public service needed reform, and that the burdens of the people needed to be lightened, they would vote for the Opposition. The Year Book stated that the increase in taxation showed the increased prosperity of the

colony; but this continuous Ministry, which had been in power for 15 years, had: borrowed £20,000,000, bad increased the national debt by £9 per head' and the taxation by £1 Is Id for every man, woman, and child. If they were : satisfied with the present condition of New; Zealand , they would return the Ministry to' power, but if they were . satisfied that reform, was necessary, then he would say that that reform could only come through the party now in opposition, and led by Mr. Massey. (Loud applause.) ! ;

MB. BAGNALL ON NATIVE LANDS. Mr. L. J. Bagnall, Opposition candidate for the City Central seat, spoke on. native lands, and said there was no more important question before the people of the Auckland province than the matter of native lands. (Applause.) In the North Island there were over seven millions and a-half acres of Maori land lying idle, and of these lands about 6,000,000 acres were fit for occupation, and three millions and a-lialf out of the six millions were in the province of Auckland. (Hear, hear.) Those native lands were free from taxation, they paid neither local taxes nor land tax, and they gained increased value from roads, which the European settlers were taxed to make. (Applause.) During the last 11 years these lands had been shut up, because of the legislation which prevented the natives from dealing with them. The Government pro-' hibited the sale of native lands except to itself, and when the Government did buy the land, it only offered one-third or half the value. (Applause.) The natives complained that they were offered 6s per acre by the Government for land that they could get £1 for, if they were not prevented from selling it. (Applause.) The speaker went on to refer to the Maori Councils Act, and to criticise the Act of last session, and, in conclusion, he said the Government was fooling the people, but the people were waking up to the fact, and would have no more of it. (Loud applause.)

MR. PARR ON PUBLIC EXPENDITURE. Mr. Parr devoted himself to the subject of public expenditure. He said there were two different conceptions with regard to the duty of the Government in respect to the expenditure of public moneys. One was that voiced by .the Government Whip, that Mr. Seddon was the generous donor of all good things in the way of public expenditure. (A voice: "That's Kidd.") The other was the idea of the Opposition that Mr. Seddon was not the donor of things that do not belong to him, but that the Government was a mere trustee of the public moneys of the colony to see that these moneys are fairly and evenly distributed over every part of the colony. How had that duty of trustee been dis- I charged? He would make three specific j charges against the Government in that ! . respect. First, under the Seddon Adminis- ! tration Parliament had completely lost j control of public expenditure. Parliament voted large sums of money, but in nine ! cases out of ten the money was not spent; ; the will of "Parliament was overruled by j the Premier. j A Voice: What do they do with it? J Mr. Parr: That's just what I want to ; know. If you send me to Parliament, I I will come back and tell you in 12 months' time. Three years ago, just before the election, the Premier promised £250,000 j for the Main Trunk railway; only £116,000 was spent. To-day the air was full •of I promises. Were the electors to be humbugged again? (Cries of "No, no.") A Voice: Put out Promising Dick. Mr. Pan- said the second charge was j I that in spending public money the Go- ; ! vernment had been negligent of* the North Island, and particularly of Auckland, and guilty of scandalous favouritism to the I South Island, and more particularly to Westland. The North Island beat the South in population, in capital value, in Customs revenue, in exports, and in every other important respect, yet the North Island did not get a- third of the public money. What possible excuse was there for giving £100,000. to the Midland Railway going through a desert, and £100,000 for the Otago Central, which would not pay for axle-grease, while Auckland could ; not get a paltry £14,000 for the Penrose tunnel when they went down on their i marrow-bones for it. Lastly, he accused | the Government of gross waste and extra- { vagance. . The Land Commission cost ; £10.000; there was the High Commis- > sioner, which the Premier found it neces- I sary to appoint, and then there was Mc- j Murran's book, which cost the colony £1000. Mr. Parr, who was loudly ap- , plauded, concluded his speech by reading, j amid laughter, some amusing extracts from , McMurrau's book, to show what the colony got for the £1000.

MR. MoLEAN ON RAILWAY EXPENDITURE. Mr. Murdoch McLean a candidate for Parnell, took as his subject that of railways. He referred to the inauguration of Sir Julius Vogel's public works policy in 1870. It was then intended that there should be a main trunk line through both islands. At that time the South Island had a preponderance of population and representation, and secured a larger share of the expenditure on railway construction. In 1874 125 miles of railway were opened in the South j Island, as against only 20 in the North Island. ; In 1874-75 450 miles were opened in the South Island, as against 80 in the North ! Island. In 1875-76 the South Island! had j 580 miles opened, and the North Island 150, and in 1876-77 the South Island had an addi- j tion of 750 miles as compared with 220 j miles in the North Island. That showed j them what had been done in regard to the j railways of New Zealand. It was now 55 i yeais since the Public Works Office was in- j augurated, and they were still without a i railway from Auckland to Wellington. The I Premier had repeatedly promised that this i lino would be completed in a given time, I till now the people of Auckland utterly j disregarded these promises. The population j in the North Island was now greater than ill the South Island, and the expenditure should bo so adjusted as to equalise the railway mileage in a few years. (Hear, I hear.) He referred to the wilderness j through which the Midland railway was j being constructed, ;yid contrasted this with the valuable nature of the country which j would be , made accessible by th>:> North j Island Trunk railway, as a further instance j of the squandering of money on South Is- i land railways. He referred "to last session's | vote of £10,000 for the Westport-Inangahua j Junction railway. Twenty miles of this, j he said, would pass through the Buller Gorge. It would not open up a. single i aero of land l that was worth cultivating, I and the cost would not be less than from j £15,000 to £20,000 a mile. The probable ! total cost of the lino would be £500,000, ' and there was no justification for the expenditure except, perhaps, the placating of. i some faithful Government supporter. (Loud j applause.) !

\ MR. J. FARRELL'S SPEECH. Mr. John Farrell, who is contesting Grey Lynn, followed Mr. McLean. He said that the speakers who preceded l him had shown them the difference in the public money spent in Auckland and Westland, and how the Premier's constituency had been favoured at the expense of Auckland and the North. (Applause.) They had been shown that the time was ripe for a change, and he held that there was no time like the piesent. They must be' on one side or the other, and they should choose tho side that was fighting for reform—the party led by Mr. Massey. (Applause.) Ho would like to dispel the'mistaken idea that the Opposition was opposed to the best interests of the workers, of the colony. He was a worker, and a New Zealander, and it was for these reasons that he was on the side of the Opposition. The electors should show what side they were on, and fight for it nobly and straightforwardly. When the Workmen's Dwellings Bill was before the House Mr. Massey had moved that the rate of interest on the money borrowed from the Government by the working man be reduced from seven per cent, to six per cent. But .in. committee Mr. Seddon'

threatened that if , that motion was carried he would abandon the Bill. Mr. Alxjse/s motion was consequently lost by 33. votes to 26. After this the Premier had the measure reintroduced by Governor's message and carried the very proposal which was so vigorously, fought for by the Leader of the Opposition. This showed that tho brains of the Opposition were responsible for many

of the Liberal measures enacted by the Premier and his Government. (Applause.) He claimed that the electors should give credit where credit was due, and great credit was due to the Leader of the Opposition. (Applaule.) He would briefly refer to one important question, and that was to state that lie believed in ample protection for all New Zealand industries. No matter which side of the House he was on he would always vote for-helping and encouraging all New Zealand industries. ' If the people of Grey Lynn returned him to Parliament ne would not go back oil" any pledge he had made, and would vole honestly and straightforwardly on every question he had advocated from the public platform. (Loud applause.)

ADDRESS BY MR. ALISON. Mr. E. W. Alison, Opposition candidate j for Waitem'ata, who was greeted with loud applause, said it was the first" time he had had the honour of addressing so great a political gathering. The politics of a country meant the business of a country, and he believed this country was on the eve of a great political battle, one of the most remarkable political contests that had ever taken place in the colony, and it was the duty of every elector to record an intelligent vote. This was one of the finest countries on the face of the earth", and it was the duty of the, people to build up tiTe nation, so that, not only the present generation, but those who came after them, would benefit. The present Government had been in office 15 years. ( A voice: Too long.") What was the financial policy of the Government? (Cries of "No policy' and "None.") When Mr. Ballancft became Premier(A voice: " Good man.") he was a statesman and a true Liberal," said Mr. Alison, amidst applause. Mr. Ballance had advocated a nonborrowing policy, and the Seddon Government, which followed on after Mr. Ballance's death, came in on the same policy, one of rigid economy, and self-reliance. Had that policy been carried out'' (Cries of "No.") When Mr. Ballance came into power the public debt was £38,844,914, and oh March 31 of this year it was £59,912,000, an increase of 21 million sovereigns. Was than economy (Cries of " No. ') When Mr. Seddon (groans and hisses) took upon himself the mantle of Mr. Ballance, he said he would carry out Mr. Ballance's policy, but he never had, and never would..

TESTIMONY TO MR. MASSEY. Speaking from his experience in Parliament, he'(Mr. Alison) could say there was one man to whom every man and woman in the colony owed a debt of gratitude, that man was well known to all present, one actuated by the one aim to endeavour to promote the progress of this country and the welfare and well-being of the people. (Applause.) That man had proved himself a statesman, and an able 'eader. Need he (the speaker) | name that man'! (Cries of " Massey," and i cheers and loud applause, and more cheering. ) If honour was due to any one man ' in the country, it was due to M*r. Massey. , (Loud cheering.) He (the speaker) was 1 going to test that meeting by moving a re- | solution, as an acknowledgement from that ' meeting to Mr. Massey of the great serJ vices Mr. Massey had rendered to the ' colony, and if the meeting approved of the I resolution it would be signed by the chairman, as representing the meeting, framed, and presented to Mr. Massey. Mr. Alison then read the following address : — v . "Auckland, November...2l, 1905, "To W. F. Massey, Esq., Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of New Zealand. •' ."We, electors of the provincial district of i Auckland, now assembled in public meeting, ; desire to tender to you our appreciation of the able, zealous, fearless, and conscientious manner jin which you have discharged your duties as a representative of the people during the past twelve ypars, and our deep respect for the statesmanlike qualities displayed by you as Leader of the Opposition for the last throe years of that period. "VV© recognise the difficulties under which you have laboured in both capacities, and feel that you have earned our lasting gratitude by your unceasing efforts to ■ advance the true interests of our country and to protect the rights and liberties of its people. An outspoken and fearless critic, a scrupulous,' honourable, painstaking legislator, you have striven worthily to uphold the " dignity ofpublic life, while you have shown that it is possible to lead a national party without condescending to provincialism, and at the same time to promote the special interests and urge the. just, claims of the district you were chosen to represent. We believe that you have rendered distinguished service to the people of New Zealand; we desire to assure you of our unabated confidence, and we therefore authorise and instruct " the chairman of this meeting to sign this address, and forthwith present it to you on our behalf." Mr. C. E. Button, in a few well-chosen words, seconded the address, and the resolution was put to the meeting by Mr. Alison, who called for a show of hands. A regular forest of hands went up in support, and then the audience burst forth into prolonged cheering, and a storm of applause. The audience then sang, ." For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," and following this there was more cheering.