OPPOSITION CRITICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15610, 15 May 1914, Page 8

OPPOSITION CRITICS.

MEETING AT ROTORUA.

NATIVE LAND PROBLEMS.

fBT TE/.EORAPH—OWN COREESPOKDEICT.]

Rotors, Thursday. Last night, Mr. G. W. Russell, M.P., addressed a large meeting in Eotorua. Mr. King, chairman of . the Rotorua County Council, presided, and Sir James Carroll and the selected candidate for the seat (Mr. J. Pohlen, of Matarnata) were also on the platform. The hall was well filled, about 400 people being present. Mr. Russell's address was much on the lines of speeches delivered by him elsewhere, and comprised some vigorous criticism of the Government. The Reform Party had made a cry prior to last election that it would curtail borrowing, but had .-it done so?. Mr. Allen had recently announced'a surplus of £400,000, but he would " not express an opinion until he saw the figures. Mr. Masse? had always maintained that the surpluses shown by Messrs. Seddon and Ward were bogus, but whenever the present Government a prospectus for a loan they always quoted those surpluses as proving the'financial stability of the country., Mr. Myers had floated a loan of £4,500,000 at 99,' at 3* per cent. Mr. Allen had floated his first loan at 98, at 4 per cent. It, therefore,- followed, that on a 30 years period, Mr. Myers's loan was £506,900 better than Mr.' Allen's. The roads and bridges policy of the present Government was also condemned, and the speaker stated that the Ward Government spent, in 1911-12, at the rate of £106\-000 per quarter; the Massey Government had only expended £63,000 per quarter. Taxation expenditure, and the land question were also dealt with. Sir James Carroll also addressed the meeting. Any change the present Government had made was to the detriment of the welfare of the people/ The land legislation was a bribe to a section of the community; it offered the freehold of land that should either have, been retained by the Crown' or purchased at a fair price. Mr. Massev paraded the Government as land reformers. Mr. Massev claimed to have put more people on the land, but in reality he had placed less than any Minister during the past•■ 10 years^ Referring to native land, Sir James said he had bee.i criticised but his critics wore absolutely ignorant of the position. 'When he took office in 1900. he'had to make an entire change in policy ' which required two or three years to get into working order. But there was considerable settlement until 1907 and in 1912 he settled over 1.000.000 acres of native 533.000 by sale and an equal area by lease. In dealing with Crown Hinds at Whakatane, Mr. Hemes had said, in reference to the Urcwora'country, that he was going to cut up the area Sir James Carroll hid purchased, but could not cut up because his predecessor had purchased without a title.' and therefore he would have to pass fresh legislation. Sir James said ho was beginning to think Mr. Herries did not know the position. There were 38,000 'acres purchased by the Crown, and it needed only a native land' board to cut out the Government interests.

Mr. Pohlen also briefly addressed the audience, and a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the speakers. A resolution expressing confidence in the party led by Sir Joseph Ward was adopted.