ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14856, 6 December 1911, Page 10

ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

PRIME MINISTER'S APPEAL

MANIFESTO TO ELECTORS

WHAT GOVERNMENT HAS

DONE.

WHAT IT HOPES TO DO.

[BY telegraph.—-press ASSOCIATION.]

" Invercaroiu., Tuesday. Fellow citizens: On Thursday next the Government, of which I am the leader, submits itself to the tribune of public opinion, and asks for a verdict in its favour as to its claims and fitness to continue in your service. The Liberal Governments of New Zealand have always been patriotic in the truest sense. They have felt, and expressed, continued faith in the destinies of their country; they have never hesitated to trust the people. They have stood true to Liberal principles, and their aim has always been national progress, democratic enlightenment, and the fullest possible extension of personal .liberty, consistent with the happiness and well-being of the people. Such were the ideals of the present Government when you entrusted it with the administration of your affairs three years ago, and to these ideals we have consistently and resolutely striven to be faithful.

Mo human institution can claim perfection. The Government is not perfect, no Government is, but we have honestly endeavoured to promote the well-being of the country and its people. It is for you to say now whether you desire a continuance of a progressive and humanitarian Government in this Dominion, or whether you wish to recall .to power the party who were in existence before the democratic awakening of 1891. This is the main issue, and I ask the electors of the Dominion, before coming to a decision on that issue, to stop and glance at some of tho outstanding features of the political history of New Zealand for the past 20 years, and to compare the condition of the country before 1891 with what we have accomplished since. ' - "

« 4 Looking Back." What was the condition of the country before 1891 It was a country of rich resources and > tardy development. Industries languished, our people were leaving the country by thousands. In the eyes ■of the nations, New Zealand was little more' than a name on the map, an insignificant outpost of civilisation. These condition?, which made us virtually unknown, were those which obtained under a system of government such as the opponents of Liberalism in New Zealand to-day are commending 'to our suffrages. Let tho younger generations who have grown up since those days ask their fathers how things were under the Conservative Government before 1891.

The Awakening. The vivifying wave of Liberalism swept over New Zealand in 1891, the country had to be aroused if it .was to be saved. The need was urgent, , and the man arose. The name of Ballance will be held in everlasting honour in New Zealand, and so, too,' that of Scddon. These two men were the forerunners of the Liberal policy which has brought New Zealand to its present high position among the peoples of the world. Tho impetus given to national progress has -grown, and been mighty in its effects.' Notwithstanding the many changes in personnel and circumstances, the Liberal Government of New Zealand has remained in ideals and principles essentially the same—a Government working honestly and resolutely for the good of our country, and for the happiness and well-being for, the great mass of the people.

What We Have Done. In 1891 we turned our backs on the old schemes and * .*ifts of the Conservative .party. Wo decided first of. all to trust the people.' We recognised that in the schemes of Liberal reform and development the voice of the people must bo supreme. Our Government was, and it is now a Government by the people and for the people. ; We recognised that we had to take cognisance of the needs and circumstances of the citizens as individuals, and to break down the great landed territories, and to , aim at equal ? opportunity for all. Keeping this in view, .we introduced and carried through, in the teeth of Conservative opposition, reform after reform, which has been of acknowledged advantage to the people. This is simple history, and cannot be truthfully denied. We introduced in the face of determined I hostility the : graduated land tax, a I roost just reform, in the interests I alike of the small land owner, the trader, and tha ..worker. We destroyed land I monopoly and unlocked the land to tho | people. Heretofore the land monopoly I was a relentless bar to progress and drove small.settlers into remote and inaccessible ,back blocks. Five ; hundred arid. eighty - four owners held, and had been allowed by the Conservatives to. hold, between them over 10,000,000 acres of the country « best land, while .in cities the unemployed were eking out a miserable existence on relief works at 3s 6d and 2s 6d per day. These reform® : alone were sufficient ,to earn, and the .polls will, I am confident, prove that they ■ have earned, the Liberal Government • the continued support of the people. But wc have done much more. We hare been able to introduce innumerable, and far-reaching measures fur the social betterment of the people. , We have broadened and humanised, law with regard to the treatment of the mentally afflicted. We have laboured incessantly in the direction of amending the law 'for the better protection. of women, and children and for the preservation qf infant life. To-day in these respects New Zealand is acknowledged to be in! the foreground if, " indeed, not In advance of any other country. While our opponents havD talked " land reform we have • consistently worked to place people on the land, and to-day there are 160,000 souls throughout the country on the land as the result of our policy. In tho face of the • determined opposition of the party who now ask to bo entrusted with the Government of this I country tho Liberal Government established a beneficent system of old age pensions, and they, set an example and furnished a model to awakening democratic countries in other parts' of the world.. . * ■ ' ■

Acts have been passed placing education on a more liberal basis. Opportunities for the poor man's children havo been multiplied by the multiplication of scholarships. In educational matters New Zealand is now admittedly one of the most advanced countries in the world. The health of the community has received our attention, and various measures havo been passed, including public health and pure food measures. Apart from social legislation no previous Government in New Zealand"" bad ever attempted to ( do for the individual citizen what the Liberal Government has done and is doing. Frugal and industrious settlers'" had to pay exorbitant rates of interest and charges to financial institutions. We won ; from Parliament in the face of protracted opposition the power to make advances to settlers. When we"; came into power we found great umbers of people working for wages insufficient to support life in decency and comfort. Factories and shops and "offices legislation was passed* for the general benefit of those concerned. A system of conciliation. and arbitration, which, though not perfect, has been of great service to both employers arid employees, was passed for the settlement of industrial disputes. These are only a few of the important reformatory measures which We have placed on the Statute Books. It were impossible to enumerate, far less U*} innumerable measures which SK'- ■ ■ " ' ' • •.

have been passed by the Liberal Government for th«; purpose of remedying oldstanding abuses and bringing about reforms. The Liberal Government can claim without fear of contradiction to have mode New Zealand in every department; of social activity the- most advanced country in the world.

Present and Future. New Zealand's prosperity is solid and beyond question. Its population today is greater by 400,000 people than in 1893 t and obviously the work of the Government has greatly increased. In the history of every country there are periodical fluctuations, seasonable ups and downs. We are influenced by the conditions ruling in other parts of the world. We cannot bo always on the crest of the wave. But look round on the other countries. Mark what vicissitudes and oppressions they have passed through. Familiarise yourselves with tho facta regarding the rich and resourceful United States of America, and then decide whether 1 am not justified in my reiterated,assertion that New Zealand to-day is the most prosperous country in the "world. To-day every avenue of trade and industry is extremely active, our workers throughout the country are employed, traders are doing well owing to the general prosperity existing, and money is in plentiful supply. Tho great money magnates of the Old World, men influenced by no consideration of sentiment or political feeling, know that our financial position is sound, and they havo proved their belief in us whenever a New Zealand loan is put on the London market. ,

With our finances as sound as they are, with our rich and wonderful country waiting to be further opened up, with only a million people, we cannot pretend to have reached the limit of our development. I am in favour of borrowing within reasonable limits for lending to settlers, workers, and local public bodies (so long as it is done -on ample security), for the purchase of land for the people, and for the furtherance of necessary railway and reproductive works. Injudicious borrowing I am as strong against as any man in the country. Whether borrowing is judicious or not- depends on the object, requirements, and other circumstances. ,

In view of the wonderful progress and development in every direction in the Dominion. I affirm that tho loans that we have raised have been both judicious and necessary. Of the total amounts since, 1906, some four millions and a-half have been advanced to settlers on the security of their farms and homes, and tho interest on that sum is payable by the persons to whom it. has been advanced. Then, a further sum of £2 318,900 has been advanced to local bodies, whereby the requirements of the poopls have been provided for, and on which amount the taxpayer pays nothing in the way of interest. A sum of £1,600,000 was devoted to tho purchasing of lands for settlement, and the interest on that was paid by way of rent by the settlers who are put upon the land, and not. by the taxpayer. An amount of £4,805.688 has been spent on railways, and the interest on that sum is paid by the users of the railways in return for the services rendered. These railways, moreover, arc necessary, in order to provide the transport facilities so absolutely essential for settlers and others, in order to enable them to obtain the full reward of their labour. And so I might co oil. There is no question about the outlook,- it is distinctly encouraging.

Aims and Intentions as to the Future.

We have marked out our course, and we shall resolutely adhere to it. Our ideal is a progressive democracy directed to humanitarian ends. We shall maintain our policy of land settlement under which 15,000 souls have already been placed upon the land. We "shall continue to do everything in our power so as to distribute tho burden of taxation, so that it shall in no case fall hardly on the shoulders of the working majority of the people. We shall continue the, construction of railways and the carrying Out of public works* in an order- strictly related to the greatest good of the greatest number. , We are extending the principles of the Old Age Pensions scheme by making provision for the support of fatherless children. - We have in the past done much for, and are earnestly desirous of doing just ice to our railway employees, and all other branches of our public service. We propose to offer still further help to the settlers and the farmer and worker, by furnishing them with cheap money for developing their lands and building their own homes. We are assisting widows with children, by providing them with pensions, \ and mothers by the contribution of £6 as a maternity fee. We are cheapening the telephone service, as we have already cheapened the railways, postal,' and telegraphic services. We are increasing the postal facilities in remote districts. ,

We are making provision for a plentiful supply of cheap water-power, which means making our country a great manufacturing one, ensuring widely-increased employment on a sane, secure, and scientific system. "" ' " ■ ■ '' "

We are providing a sinking fund for the repayment of the whole of our existing and future loar.V Our finances are on a firm and sound basis. .

I In conclusion, I recognise the greatest aim of every democratic Government' is to give equality of opportunity to its people. It - has been with this aim .that - all ! our great battles havo been fought. It has been with this aim that nearly all j our great legislative measures have' been carried. It was with this , aim for example that we brought to the hands of th© small settlors of New Zealand some twelve millions of capital at the lowest rate of interest, and have so helped no less than 32,000 settlers. It is with this aim that we have lent £51,800, in a few years -to 6487 workers. Contrast the opportunities thus given with the days when small farmers had to pay eight or ten per cent, and ' more for their money, with legal costs and. procuration fees into the bargain, and when workingmen were unable to borrow on almost any terms. Should the Liberal Government continue to enjoy the confidence of the citizens of New Zealand? The aims which guided us in the past shall continue jto be our aims in . the future. We cannot forget that our opponents in the present election, by whatever name they describe themselves, are the same party who were in power before us, and who have tried to stand in the way of progress and have persistently opposed the principal Liberal legislation provided to bonefit the masses of the people and now the law of the land.

If you want a safe lest as to which side, Conservative or Liberal, is on the path of progress, nek yourselves this question : Behind which party stands tho great land holders ? Land monopoly and progressive smaller settlement are as far asunder as tho poles, and no man can bo a true friend of tho principle of smaller settlement, and the increased resumption of the great estates for settlement who is supported by, and stands in public life,'- as a champion of the great landed interests.

Finally, I ask my fellow citizens to judge us by deeds nob words, to survey fairly and impartially what we have attempted,: what we have done, and on that test, not in vague promises of our opponents, to decide for themselves whether the Government of the country is to continue along the, path of progress and development or is to be handed over to the party of privilege and reaction.—Joseph GEOEOE Ward. Invercargill, December 5, 1911. r • SOUTHEBN POLITICAL FEELING. MR. L. J, BAGNALL'S IMPRESSIONS. Mr. L. J. Bagnall (late Mayor of Auckland) has just, returned from a visit to the Sooth, > and on being approached by a Herald representative yesterday, he gave some of his impressions of the political feeling that prevails in the Southern electorates. " I was in Dunedin for nearly a fortnight,'* said Mr. Bagnall,* " and in Invercargill for a week, and found there was a good deal of excitement over the contest* in both places." The opinion prevailed that the Hon. J. A. Millar would have a

very hard fight to win the Dunedin West seat. The Opposition candidate, Mr. H. 1). Bedford, was meeting with very strong support, . especially from his . no-license friends, and it would not be surprising if ho was successful against the Minister. Mr. G. M. Thompson, Opposition candidate for Dunedin North, stood an excellent chance of being re-elected, while the prospects of Mr. Arnold, Government candidate for Dunedin Central were considered good. Mr. 'C. E. ■ Statham, Opposition candidate, who is opposed to Mr. Arnold, was having good meetings, but not quite so good as other Opposition candidates. It - was considered certain that Mr. J. Aller. the Opposition candidate for Bruce, would be re-elected, and it was considered that the Government candidate, Mr. J. A. Hanan, would be re-elected for Invercargill, although the Opposition candidate, Mr. T. Fleming, was putting up a good fight. For the Wakatipu, Mr. W. Fraser, the sitting Opposition candidate, was having a harder fight than he has experienced for 18 years to retain his seat, but Mr. Fraser's record and experience would carry him through against his opponent, Mr. J. Horn. Keen interest, Mr. Bagnall continued, centred round tho contest at A wain a, where Sir Joseph Ward is opposed by Mr. J. R. Hamilton, Opposition candidate. At first it was thought that Mr. Hamilton had a very small chance, but as the campaign advanced his supporters became more hopeful, until now there was a general feeling that it would take the Prime Minister all his time to retain the seat. Certainly there was a much stronger feeling in favour of the Opposition in" the electorate than was formerly the case. • Mr. Hamilton is the energetic chairman of the County Council, and is one of Winton's most highly-respected citizens.