SPEECH BY MR. MASSEY.

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

SPEECH BY MR. MASSEY.

'>, ■ - ■ ! OPPOSITION PLATFORM AND i _ MANIFESTO. J Mr. Massey, who was received with loud j and prolonged applause, thanked the audi- ; cnco for the magnificent reception accorded i to him and to his comrades, whom he j hoped they would take car© to send to ; Wellington—{cheers, and a voice "We ! will") —to be his colleagues in the next I 'Parliament. He had a double duty before | him, to reply to the speech delivered in j Auckland last week by the Premier, and j to place before the audience tike platform j and manifesto of the Opposition. The Pre- : mier's speech consisted mostly of abuse j of himself (Mr. Massey), abuse of the Op- ; position members of Parliament, and to a j great extent misrepresentation of the ideas of the Opposition party, of their proposals, and of' the opinions they had expressed, not- only in the last Parliament, nut for the last 10 or 12 years. When lie read the | speech he was reminded of what happened lat an election some years ago. Mr. Sed- | don went to Carterton, and in the course : of an address there, made about as many j misrepresentations as he did in the Auckland Drill Hall the other night. (LaughI ter.) Next morning, at breakfast, the I Premier met Mr. -Buchanan, the OpposiI tion candidate for the. district. Mr. I Buchanan said it took a deal to surprise | him, but he was surprised at the Premier j making certain statements when he knew, j that he (Mr. , Buchanan) would speak in I the same hall two nights later, and would' | bo able to contradict the Premier's statei ment. Mr. Seddon leaned back in his j chair and laughed, and said. "But my statements have 48 hours' start, and you will never overtake them." • (Laughter.) With regard to the Premier's . statements in the Auckland Drill Hall, he (Mr. Massey) would overtake them so far as the audience before him was concerned. There was a Department in Wellington, some-, times referred to /as the Pasto-Master-i General's Department, and the duty of the officers of that Department was to read carefully all the speeches :of public men, especially those on the Opposition side, and to paste them in a scrap-book and index them carefully for the information of Ministers. Apparently the officers of the Paste-Master-General's ' Department had been reading his (Mr. Massey'®) speeches very carefully for the last ten or a dozen years. He did not object to being quoted so long as he was fairly and honestly quoted, but he objected to being quoted unfairly, and he would not permit it so long as he had the use of a public platform. (Cheers.) The Premier commenced his address by making a most unfair com- i parison between the expenditure during the i last few years and the expenditure during ' the time the last Government was in oflice ; Mr. Seddon did not tell them that when j the > Atkinson Government was in power i the colony was in a very straitened" position. Sir Harry Atkinson and his colleagues on coming into power had to take steps to place the finances of the colony in a sound position by reducing,expenditure. They succeeded in accomplishing their object, and if ever the name of any New Zealand statesman deserved to be honoured and respocted, it was that of Sir Harry Atkinson. (Applause.) Now, where were the bulk of the railways, roads, and bridges of the colony? Voices: "In the South Island." " Westland."

NEGLECT OF AUCKLAND. . Speaking of tho public buildings in thfl colony, Mr. Massey said that the public buildings in Auckland were a disgrace to the colony. ' (Hear, hear.) Let anyone ga to Wellington, or any of the other Southern centres, and compare tho public buildings there with those in Auckland. It was the( same in regard 'to the railways and roada and bridges. Several of the pioneers of settlement in the back blocks', of the Aucki land. district were absolutely cut off from communication with the outer world during several months of • the year. The Premier, had spoken of the Auckland district as being favoured in regard to public works expenditure. Favoured! Why, Auckland was the Cinderella of (he. 'jolouy. The favoured district was "Weslland— district where there was very little settlement, and where population was not increasing." Why, was Westland favoured, in this way? lie, cause it was represented by the Right Hon, R. J. Seddon. (Laughter.) He was speaking from a colonial point- of view that night, but he felt that he would not be doing his duty if) he did not call attention' to the unequal expenditure of public money. (Hoar, hear.) Their lack of representation in the! Executive of the day was the chief cause'- of the neglect of Auckland in regard to publics works expenditure. Of the eight Ministers six came from the South Island, viz., tha Premier, Sir Joseph Ward, Messrs. HallJones, Mills, Duncan, and Pitt. It was no wonder, under such circumstances, that Auckland did not get a fair share of publiq expenditure. He was reminded of what) lie .had been told the other day in Queenstreet-. A gentleman said that he had had a dream. He dreamt that, lie was in the infernal regions, and that he was being shown round by an official 'of that locality. (Loud laughter.) After walking round for some time, lie was . shown a special compartment, where a number of individuals were kept by themselves, ' and where the temperature was something like'that of a baker's oven. "Who are these people the visitor asked.. "Oh," replied the conductor, "those are Aucklanders. They supported the Seddon Government, and we are keeping them ■ here, as they , are at present too green to burn. (Loud laughter.^ YOUNG NEW ZEALAND One point he (Mr. Massey) had omitted to mention, and that, was that of the 66 candidates who were standing in the interests of] the Opposition, 31 were young New Zealanders. This . spoke loudly for the intelligence of the present generation, and showed that the young people were against the, present Government. (Applause.)

ROADS . FOE THE SETTLERS. Mr. Seddon had said in' Auckland that he had voted' £500,00'u for the construction of roads in the back blocks. But the Government had been in power between 14 and IS years, and there had been settlers on the land for eight or ten years who had no road; over which they could take a vehicle. He would like to see a reduction in the rate of interest on loans to local bodies, by which means money could be borrowed for the construction of roads. if -they were going to have an* independent Parliament and sound legislation they must do away with the wasteful system of Government grants. There was only one way to do it, and that! was to give cheap money to local bodies; to reduce the ' interest on loans to these local bodies from, four per cent, to three per cent., and give the settlers'the chance to help to construct their roads and bridges themselves, and not to go cap in hand! to the Ministers for Government grants.

THE . MAPOURIKA TRIP. The Premier had also referred to the Ma* pourika trip. He (Mr. Massey) was nofi going into details about that. They.• were familiar to every elector. Mr. Seddon had' entertained them by the details of a trip . made • down the Wanganui River by . a former Ministry, but he was merely drawing a rect herring across the track to cover up the facts of the case. He told them aboub two tins of vaseline, a corkscrew, and some this of'insect-powder. But two wrongs did not make a right. In the party that made that trip was a well-known English novelist, who, during the trip, unfortunately took ill,, and had to be left with the natives to be looked' after. It was because of this that) the items for medical comforts' were on the( list, mid also the item £100 for canoes that) were used to carry the man down the Wanganui River to a white settlement. People who lived in glass houses should not throw stones, and nobody in New Zealand knew more about corkscrews than Seddon. (Laughter.)

THE VOUCHER INCIDENT. " ■ Mr. Seddon had referred to the voucher inquiry. But- if the Premier possessed any generosity at all he would never, have referred to that incident. He well knew thati in that matter the Opposition remained strictly neutral. The Premier had' admitted that the trouble -was, not between, him and: the Opposition party, but between him' and some Independent members. All he (Mr„ Massey) desired to see was a fair inquiry, an open Court, and the fullest investigation.. (Cheers.) v , 6 - .

FREEDOM OP SPEECH. Mr. Seddon had also a lot to say aboufl freedom of speech. But here he met a very awkward hurdle, which was rather difficult to get over. During the last session th® Government had brought down, a,Bill because they wore afraid of,the* freedom of speech they boasted so much about. (Applause.) That Bill, was more suitable to Russia than New Zealand. It had lie em said it was to protect members from th« abuse and criticism of street-corner orators. But if a member went straight, what had he to fear i from street-corner orators, or anyone else. (Applause.). He (Mr. - Massey) would rather go in the opposite direo-. tion, and give greater freedom to the press*

THE LAND QUESTION. Mr. Seddon said a great dteal about the land, and quoted him (Mr. Mas sey) as liav-. big said that he did not believe * in computs only taking lands. He (Mr. Massey); admitted that he had made that 1 statement, and would repeat it. There was plenty ofi land offered freely to the Government, without compulsory. seizure; : and he held that it was a 1 wrong' principle ' that one man should say to another " I am ■' going to , take your land." (Applause.)) I here had been far too'much of the wellknown practice of the pulling of wires in connection with the compulsory taking of land, and he hoped .very shortly .to be able to demand a- public inquirv into tha land question, and to let. a little daylight into some of the proceedings that had taken place. (Applause.) In 1904, when the Premier moved' to set up the Land Commission, he (Mr. Massey) moved an amendment, " That the House of Representatives was ■ competent to ' deal with the land .question without referring it to outsiders, and the whole of . the Government supporters voted, that they were not competent to deal with the land question. At that time the Premier pledged his word to the House and the country ' that -when the Commission ; reported a Land Bill would be brought down giving effect to the ideas of the Government, and probably to the - proposals and. recommendations of the Commission. The report was brought down in the beginning of last session, but there was no appearance of the Bill. He (Mr. Massey) moved two really, want-of-confidence motions, which were discussed fop nearly a fortnight, , and then the Premier submitted a series of so-called resolutions, the most meaningless, idiotic resolutions ever submitted to any Parlia-. ment in the world. There was not a. single direct proposal in them; they simply, asked . questions. They meant nothing, and 11 they had over been agreed to ho honestly believed that the Speaker or the Chairman of Committees would not have been able to put the question. However, they were dropped. In connection with the land question, one very peculiar thing happened last session. An Auckland member* whose conscience, perhaps, accused hi its for voting so conscientiously with the Government on the . land question, moved » freehold amendment on a Land for Settlement Bill. The Bill came on first at two, 0 clock in the morning, and progress was reported. Nest day the Premier met him (Mr. Massey) -and < said, "Do you want to kill my Lands for. Settlement Bill?" Mr. Massejr-said "No." "Well," said the Premier, " the best thing you can do. is t<s vote with me and knock . Mr. Baume'a amendment out." "No," said Mr. MouseyI vote freehold every time; .arid Mr, Laume and you can settle the question between you." Well, the Bill V was ' only ft small part of the land question, and sooner than face the whole question, the Premlejjj;

, dropped the Bill. The Premier had 110 _ policy on the land question; he simply uskea the House to give him a policy. .He (Sir. Massey) was perfectly willing to ; 'give him a policy. • (Cheers.) They could not, however, expect the Premier to have a policy on the land question, or, in'fact, on anything else, when the constitution of the Government party was considered. They had singlc-taxers on the one side, and on the other men who did not believe in land paying more than' a fair share of the taxes ; they had land Rationalisers and people who believed in individual landholding; they had leaseholders and freeholders. How could such people bring down a policy? (Laughter.) OPTION OF THE FREEHOLD. • He (Mr. Slassey) would tell them his policy 011 the land question, and it was simply this, that every settler who went upon the land of the Crown, upon rural land, should have the option of the freehold. (Loud applause.) That was his policy in a very few words, and lie simply could not understand any objection to it. (Applause.) The position in connection with those leases in perpetuity was that they had been a. tremendous disappointment, not only to the feet tiers on the laud, but also to the people of the colony, for the lea so did not carry with it tlie right of disposition, either by sale or will, without the consent of the Government or the Land Board. The real position was that the lands leased under the lease in perpetuity wero simply mortgaged to the State for 999 years, at certain rates of interest, and he simply wanted to give those settlers the opportunity of paying off those mortgages. (Applause and cheers.) The Premier's attitude on the land question reminded him (Mr. Slassey) of the American description, "the Almighty fashioned him hollow, in order that ho might his principles swallow." (Laughter.) The Premier had stated in the country and in. the House that his (Mr. Massey's) proposal meant giving to the settlers a million of money. He (Mr. Slassey) said it meant nothing of the kind. He had said in tho House, in reply to the Premier, that if the honourable gentleman would get the actuaries of the Crown to go into his (Sir. Massey'a) proposals, and if they could show that those proposals meant- the loss of a single penny to the State, he (Mr. Massey) would withdraw from tho position lie had taken up. (Applause.) Needless to say, the challenge was not taken up. (Applause.) They were led by the Premier to believe that he (Mr. Massey) was opposed to the leasehold. He was nothing of the sort. (Applause.) Ho wanted the leasehold to remain, but he wanted every leaseholder to have the opportunity, when able to do so, to pay for the land, either by instalments or otherwise. , (Prolonged applause.) , ~ A Voice: "What about Mcikle and old 6ge pensions?" ; If the chairman was willing, lie (Mr. Massev) would answer any questions bearing 011 any political subject after bis address. He did not- ask their vote or support under false pretences. (Applause.) it he was worthy of their support, let him have it. If not, there was 110 harm done. (Cheers.) THE FENCING WIRE DUTY. The Premier had said the Leader of the Opposition had taken a great deal of credit for the reduction of the fencing wire duty, and stated that the reduction was moved in committee by Major Steward, and when the committee had recommended it it was an easy matter to move the motion. At the latter end of hist- session, one morning, certain members of the Opposition found printed papers in their boxes, evidently not intended for them, and they found that these were really the speeches intended for Government candidates, speeches "readymade in Wellington(laughter)evidently intended for the poor Government creatures who could not make speeches for themselves. (Laughter.) He (Mr. Massey) said those sheets contained more misrepresentations to the square inch, or square foot, if they liked, than any similar sheets which he had ever'seen. Amongst the other points was this, and it was underlined--that country settlers should be grateful to the Government because it had made them a present* of £137,000 in connection m it»i the reduction of duty on fencing wire. (Laughter.) The matter came up in 1895, when he (Mr. Massey) was comparatively a new member, but he had made up his mind that he would divide the House on the question. It was quite true that the lariff Commission had recommended that wire should be admitted free, but the recommendation of the Commission was not going to do it. and although it was recommended he could tell them that no member, of the Commission intended to move it. " He (Mr. Massey) then moved to have wire placed on the free list. He read the division list to show that amongst those voting against ■ the motion were Mr. Seddon, Sir J. Ward, and other Ministers, and other members of the Government party. (Laughter.) Every single member of the Government- at that time voted against the proposal. If credit belonged to anyone in this connection it.be- ■ longed to him" (Mr. Massey). He was not egotistical, but he might mention that one election in the colony seemed to almost turn' on this point; and a candidate was offering £500 to anyone who could prove that it- was ; not on his (Mr. Massey's) motion that fencing wire was placed on the free list. That challenge was issued by public advertisement, and, needless to say, it was never taken up. • He then quoted from the speech of a member of Parliament, stating that country settlers owed a debt of gratitude to one of the smartest members of the House, the then member for Waiteinata (Mr. Massey), for his action, for had it not been for that the country settlers* would have -had £10.000 a year extracted from their pockets. That speech was delivered by Sir. Thomas Mackenzie, the member for "Clutlia. (Cheers.) The Premier next went on to speak of the Bank of New Zealand, and quoted another speech of his. (Mr. Slasfey's), and gave the audience to understand 'that he (Mr. Massey) opposed the assistance giver* to the Bank in- 189. The Premier also said lie (Mr. Massey) opposed the banking legislation of last session. 'That was another half-truth, Sor he (Mr. Massev) supported the giving of a; guarantee to the Bank in 1894 of £2,000,000, hut. the following session he objected to a guarantee of two and a-lialf millions being given to the Assets Board. He took up this position : That the lands of the Assets Board should have been disposed —(prolonged applause)—and it was a wrong i-hing to lock tip those lands in the way they had been locked up. (Applause.) But the Premier did not tell them that lie (the Premier) was a member of the Board and drawing £250 a year for. doing little or nothing in connection with the' Board, and that if it had not been that there, were so many sinecures in connection with the Board that land would, have been cut up and settled long - ago. (Loud applause.) A PENALTY TAX. The Premier said lie (Mr. Massey) was not in favour of a graduated hind lax. He (Mr. Massey) had said notliing of the sort. What ho did say Was that lie was not in favour of an increase in the graduated land tax, which was quite a different thing. .Ho objected to a penalty tax, and said every man should contribute to the State according to his ability, but lie objected to one section being made to boar an unfair proportion. (Applause.) , OLD AGE PENSIONS. With regard to old age pensions, the Premier said he (Mr. Massey) said the property should be liable to revert to the State at death on account of the pensions received by the owners, and he 1 (the Premier) made the audience believe that this, was spoken by him (Sir. Massey) last session. .' These "words were used seven' or eight years ago, on quite a different point.' ; At that time, in 1898,' the Old Age Pensions -Bill was in committee, and ihere were: a number of , people >• in the country _ who owned : property valued at £400 ' to £sou, and had difficulty in holding - on to it and living in comfort, and it occurred ■ to him 1 (Mr. Massey) '" that if they, had; the opportunity of: handing overthose pro- • perties to the Commissioner of Life Insur- ' ance for an annuity, on the: understanding that if they desired , they should be al- . lowed?to live on r their properties all their lives, they might be placed in a much more • ,-v advantageous ■ position. •; This • was now - tho law. He was ruled out of : order for bring- • *:■ ing this; forward, as being I a - question \ of; revenue, but, the same as many of his . other" proposals, it wont on to tho Statute ' - Book, and - the ; Government { claimed credit for : t. (Applause.) Dealing further with old age pensions, he explained the amendment moved by Mr. Taylor, in t.ie direction of iakins? awav tha penalty on thrift,

and said the. Government claimed credit, for that also, but the Premier had voted against it. ire (Mr. Massey) wanted the penalty' removed altogether; he .was opposed to any penalty on thrift. (Applause.) Sir. Guinness asked some time previously if the Government would increase the pensions, but the Premier replied that an. increase would break down the system, but he gave it just before this election. (Laughter.) Tie (Mr..Massey) believed in the universal pension—(applause)— lie went 011 to speak of the pension from this standpoint. WORKMEN'S HOMES. Now they came to the question of workmen's homes, which .had been referred to by 0110 of the previous speakers. No one objected to such a measure as would provide for workmen's homes, but the Opposition objected to the measure which the Government , brought down, upon the ground that it was crude and imperfect, and lie agreed with Mr. Alison that the Opposition members of the House never got credit for what they did in respect to a great deal of the legislation which was passed. There was a clause in the Bill brought down providing tliat rent should be paid in advance, which was unfair, seeing that the persons who wanted workmen's homes were those who were not flush of money, and ho moved that it be struck out, . which was done. (Applause.) Every encouragement, lie held, should bo given to tho workmgman who was provided with such a. home to obtain the freehold, and when lie moved that a clause be inserted to that effect, doing away with the one per cent, penalty, the motion was defeated. He had the satisfaction of seeing it brought down by Governors message the following week. The real Liberals , sat- upon the Opposition benches, not upon the Government benches. (Applause.) HUSBAND AND WIFE. Mr. Massey then went on to refer to Mr. Seddon's proposal to bring down a Bill providing that the wife should be put Upon the same level as the husband in a home, but Mi. Massey pointed out that it. was not the Premier, but himself, who advocated such a reform(applause)—and lie-would do his best to see such a law put upon the Statute Book. ' A Voice: " lb is the law in America now." Mr. Massey: "Yes, that is where I got it from." (Laughter) STATE COAL MINES. Mr. Massey went on to refer to the action which he had taken in advocating the claims of the State coal miners at Seddonville in Parliament. For this he received a letter of appreciation from the president of the State coal miners in Seddonville. (Applause.) " A Voice: '"Are you in favour of a State coal mine for the Auckland district?" Sir. Miissey said that a State coal mine could not possibly compete, with the mines in the district, which he represented. THE WAY SERVANTS. When he was in the South Island, before the last, session, he was waited upon by a deputation of railway servants, who had represented the disadvantages under which they laboured in having to work 12 and 14 hours a day. He considered it very unfair that this should be so, when private employees had to work only eight hours a day, and he had brought tho matter up in the House. Before tho end of .the session he had the satisfaction of hearing the Minister for Railways state that he had decided to make a change in this respect, and that it would be made in the near future. The workers of the , colony must not imagine that their interests wero not being looked after by the Opposition members. Ho was a worker himself(hear, hear)—and was quite as anxious to secure justice for the working man as was any other man,, in Parliament or out of it. (Applause.) The Premier had said in some of his speeches that on one occasion he (Mr. Massey) had said that the workers of the colony were receiving more than a fair share of the earnings of the community. He had not said anything of« the sort. What bad happened was this: They were discussing an amendment of the Conciliation and Arbitration Bill, and a member moved an amendment to the effect that the Act should apply all roundto:the country as well as to the cities, and to the Government employees as well as to the employees of private employers. (Hear, hear.) He had taken up that position, and had said that there was one class of the workers which was getting more than a fair share of the benefits of tho Act, and that lie wanted the same share to be given to every class of the workers. (Applause.) A Voice: "Why did you not- allow the railway men to come under the Act - /'' Mr. Massey: "I not know, but I voted for them to come under it." He had referred to this matter because it was anotiier of those half-truths which he objected to more than an entire untruth. (Hear, hear.) . . ANNUITY SCHEME. The Premier had put forward at the Drill Hall what he called an annuity scheme, and he put it forward as his own proposal. Why, in a speech delivered on October 13, 1898, he (Mr. Massey) suggested that the Government should receive small sums at the post offices for the purchase of annuities, and subsidise these payments. (Applause.) A STATEMENT REFUTED. Then, at Pukekohe, the Premier said there wero 160 candidates for Parliament, and 120 of them had something to say against him and the Government, and he had heard that they were doing this on Sunday. In the Star report of the proceedings there followed in parenthesis the words: " Mr. Massev spoke on a recent Sunday near Waiuku, according to a Herald correspondent." [This mistake ■ was caused by an error in punctuation, and was subsequently corrected in the Herald.] "I am," proceeded the-Premier, "a Godfearing man—(whistling and "Oh! Oh!") —but if I thought my seat depended on giving an address 011 Sunday, 1 would go out rather than do it. (Loud laughter, and cries of What about the fishingV") Ho (Mr. Massey) could imagine the Premier turning up his eyes and telling the audience he was a God-fearing man. Would the people believe it, that this "God-fear-ing man" insisted upon the Cabinet sitting every Sunday afternoon during the whole time Parliament was in session. Did.they remember two years ago the Premier tried to induce the House to sit on Sunday and deal with the Supplementary Estimates? (Applause.) Had they forgotten that last recess the congregation* of a Mornington church at Dune-din saw the Premier galloping down a hill on horseback on. Sunday' morning? Still that man stood up and said he was a God-fearing man, who kept the : Sabbath, and-found fault with him (Mr. Massey) for breaking tho Sabbath, when he (tho Premier) knew absolutely that there was not a tittle of truth in it. (Loud cheering.) Ho (Mr. Massey) would go further and use words that people were not accustomed to hear from the public platform,* and say that the statement that ho (Mi. Massey) addressed a meeting on Sunday was a deliberate lie. (Cheers and applause.) He could prove if, and was going to prove it in Court. (Loud cheers.) The Premier thought because lie was able to send a candidate to tho 'Franklin district, and send his organiser to help that candidate, that lie could succeed in preventing him (.Mr. Massey) from speaking in other parts of the colony, but Franklin was loyal to him (Mr. .Massey), and when Parliament met he would bo in his place in -whatever capacity the people of the country chose to' place him. • (Cheers.) THE OPPOSITION PLATFORM. Before closing, he would place before them the manifesto of the Opposition. Ho had already spoke on the land question, and the education question "• came next. He would not refer to that in detail, as time would not allow, except to say the Opposition ; was'anxious to see education made as easy as possible, and free from the primary school ' to : the university.' for•every pupil of cither sex. j (Applause.) .Tho Opposition ;wanted ': reform • in connection ; with the Legislative ' Council in the matter of appointments. (Applause.) He did not want to : refer to the personnel of the Council, but he held that those who ado.the laws of the people should be elected by the people, instead of being, as at present, responsible only to one man'. (Applause.) Then' there was reform ot local government, and reform of the ■ public works system,. (Applause.) He ; had v gone •. carefully /i into the ' . 'Question ' or •■>■•< railway : • construction

during the last 14.-' years, and made a calculation, which had 1 been checked by a certificated accountant, and that calculation showed that railway construction daring , the last 14 years cost nearly £2000 a mile more than it did during the previous 14 years. (Applause.) Ho (Mr.Massey) had received scores of complaints from cooperative men in regard to the System in operation. It was not a true co-operative system. A true co-operative system was a system of small contracts, where a party of men took a contract, and were not interfered with. (Applause.) In the system now in operation a party was formed, perhaps, of six good workers, and they made good wages for the first month, and in the next month three second-class men were pushed in, when , they carped very much less. Ho held that the men should get a good price, let them form their own parties, and let the work he proceeded with. (Applause.) THE AUDIT SYSTEM. Then there was the reform of the public accounts. The Premier had been telling them about the audit system, but the revenue of the Customs, Railways, and Lauds Departments .vas not audited by the Audit Department. It was only audited bv the Hirers of the Customs, Railway, and Lands Departments, and these officers were not responsible to Parliament. He (Mr. Massey) held that 'the whole revenue -and expenditure should be placed under the control of the Auditor-General. (Applause.) He would give an illustration of the present system. It .was 23 months after the Mapourijja trip before the details of the cost of that trip were submitted to Parliament. At the present time no, member of Parliament had been supplied with the details of public expenditure for the last financial year. Was that a proper position? (Cries of "No, No.") The details of public expenditure, he submitted, should always be submitted to Parliament during the session, and members ought to know what had taken place. They did not know at the present moment what was the cost of the Land Commission. .. • VOTES FOR PRIVATE SECRETARIES. The Premier had asked Parliament for a vote of £25 each for 13 private secretaries. Ho (Mr. Massey) had asked for further information upon the question, and was refused. In this he was supported by some Government members but when he called for a division against the vote the Govern-ment-supporters who had favoured further information being given all 'went- over to the Government side. He (Mr. Massey) had since learned that there were two relatives of members of the, Ministry included in these 13 secretaries and he (Mr. Massey) made this statement advisedly and challenged contradiction. The Government should have a system such as that in vogue in Canada, so that every penny spent was shown upon a return presented to Parliament. (Applause.) CIVIL SERVICE , REFORM. The Opposition also wanted reform in the Civil Service, and desired to sec all the political wire-pulling stopped. The tiling went- on in every Department, and he (Mr. Massey) was powerless to stop it. The colony wanted' a/ properly, constituted Civil Service Board, so that appointment, and .promotion would bo by order of merit, and the son of the wharf labourer would have the same chance of rising in the service, as the sou of the Premier himself. (Cheers.) HOW THE COUNTRY IS GOVERNED. Some of the previous speakers had told them that the whole question was one of administration. He would .ask them how was the country governed. (A voice: "Rotten.") He hoped that after this great, and demonstrative meeting such a- solid vote would be east for clean administration that, it would sweep Tanimanyism out- of New Zealand' for ever. (Cheers.) CONCLUSION. He felt confident that when election day came tho people throughout the length and breadth of the colony would show that it hey wero against a Government that was not democratic, hat autocratic. (Apphw.se.) He would ask them if. they were satisfied with a Government- that increased their taxation and indebtedness without giving them full value for it? (Cries of "No.") Were they satisfied with a Government that stuffed an Upper House with .a lot of political nonentities? (Cries of " No." Were they satisfied with a Government that hau scores of the relatives of its members in the public service? (Cries of "No.") Or a Government that harassed industry, that refused independence to the settlers, and the opportunity to acquire the freehold of the land? (Cries of "No.") He felt stile that the electors of New Zealand had seen so much of this Government that 011 December 6 they would vote to these questions an emphatic "No"that they would declare by a solid majority for the various Opposition members who had spoken that evening. Mr. Massey then resumed his seat, and the whole of the audience rose in ono body, and cheered him again and again. Tho Chairman asked if there wero any questions, but the feeling of the audience was, owing to the lateness of the hour, against any questions being asked. The chairman, however, took a vote 011 tire voices, and an overwhelming majority declared against any questions being put to Mr. Massey, who had intimated his willingness to answer them. |

Sir. Slassey, without, waiting for any motion to be moved in reference to himself, called for a vote of thanks for the chairman. This was cordially given, and the large and enthusiastic meeting broke up with cheer upon cheer for Sir. Sl'assey and the Opposition.

THE OVERFLOW MEETING. ADDRESSED BY CANDIDATES. A FAVOURABLE HEARING. Although they could not gain admission to Die meeting, hundreds 01 people remained outside, tho Opera House in Welles-ley and Elliott Streets, and when the Leader of the Opposition appeared in Welles leystreet a great cheer once arose, and the crowd quickly increased. The utmost enthusiasm was displayed, and when Sir. Massey had spoken ho was followed by the rest of the speakers in the hall, each of whom received ail enthusiastic hearing. . The Leader of the Opposition, standing upon a point of vantage at tho Opera House door, said that a very extraordinary task had fallen to his lot upon this occasion, anil that was to apologise lor the fact that there was not a hall large enough in. Auckland to hold the great audience which had come there that night to do honour to the Opposition. (Applause.) lie had addressed many pleasant meetings in the South, but it was more pleasant to him to address such a, meeting as this, for lie looked upon Aucklajiders as his constituents. A great deal had been said misrepresenting the action of the Opposition. They had been told l that they were Tories and Conservatives, but they could prove otherwise, Ho could quote Hansard to prove that there were truer Liberals behind the Opposition benches than behind the Government benches. (Cheers.) The present Government had been so, l ing ill office that a number of abuses, which, required reform, had arisen. The Opposition was the reform party, and they had w w h'tliem the Young New Zealandcrs. (Ai/sause.) Tho Opposition wanted reform in. i-~q land legislation of tho colony, whereby "a man would have the right to obtain the freehold, making him free and independent, of everybody, including I lie Government. They also wanted reform in the education system j of s the colony, and in this direction they had already done much. Were they Tories . and • Conservatives when they wanted to make it possible for every brainy youth of either sex, who wanted to, to go free from the primary school up to the university? ! (Applause.) " They also wanted to make j the Legislative Council elective. At the | present time it was elected by one man, j; which was neither Liberal nor democratic. I, As regards the native land question, what i the Opposition wanted to do was to open I, the lands in the interests of the natives themselves and of the European settlers, j (Cheers.) They also wanted reform in the . system of appointments to the Civil Service, i The Opposition wanted all Civil servants appointed. on their merits. . They wanted/ to make it possible for the . son and daughy ter of the man .who worked upon tin? wharf to be put upon the same plane in the,*'

1 matter of these appointments with the sons and daughters of the rich. When he first entered polities some yea ago his skin was very thin, but now._l c "could stand anything—in fact, he, th<ju lit that his skin now must bo as thick as armour of a Japanese ironclad. _ h A Voice : "1 guarantee that it is no as thick as Dick Seddon's." (Laughter.) Mr. Slla'ssev said the Opposition wanted to see that the people's money was pioperly expended. (Applause.) In cl)llcll J[ 1ing, Mr. Slassey said ho hoped ho would have another opportunity of addressing them. (Prolonged applause.)