REFORM POLICY UPHELD.

New Zealand Herald, 29 June 1914, Page 8

REFORM POLICY UPHELD.

MR. WILSON AT TAUMARUMLJI.

THE WORK ALREADY DONE,

[nr TF.i.F/;itAPn.— coiirespoxdkn't.]

Tacmarcnvi, Sunday. A i.,uiGE number of people assembled at the Theatre Royal on Friday night to hoar a political address by the member for Taumaruniii (Mr. C. K. Wilson). The Mayor (Mr. Simmons) presided. Mc Wilson warmly supported the policy pursued by the Reform Party during its term of office. Ho was listened to with sympathy during the greater part of bis speech, but t/nyajrds the end it became apparent that there was a hostile element present. Mr. I!. Komple, Labour leader, was present, and tried to get the uso of the platform after Mr! Wilson was finished, but tho request was not granted. A vote of thanks was carried by acclamation, and cheers were given for Mr. Massey. Counter cheers were given tor Sir Joseph Ward. Mr. Wilson, in the course of his address, went largely into the question of finance and claimed that the increased confidence shown in New Zealand and her improved credit was duo in a great measure to the Stability of the Reform' Government. He dwelt on the greatly improved facilities for obtaining loans, remarking that all recent restrictions had been renin veil. <wd that borrowing was now permitted up to the original limits. He dealt at length on land settlement, and said it was the most wicked of things to put settlers on the land and leavo them to th>}if fate, unprovided with roads, He would be' in favour of borrowing Jvery year up to the full limit aa authorised by law for advances to settlers, loans to local bodies, etc., so as to give tho unfortunate back-block settlers proper access. Tho speaker showed from statistics that all fears that ho Reform Government would abolish the old age pension scheme wero utterly groundless. Tho Government had enlarged And improved the scheme, and made it more generous in its "working." In" tho matter of workers' homes, the Government had dono a great deal, for in 23 months it had built 300 of those dwellings, whereas during the whole of Sir Joseph Ward's Administration only 200 had i>een built. Mr. Wilson detailed the circumstances connected with tho strike, and" applauded Mr. Massey's firmness in putting down tho utterly illegal seizure* of (he ports fry the waterside workers. Tho speaker scouted tho idea of the Reform Party being identified with tho hide-bound Conservatives.. The party was only too anxious to remedy any real grievance from which Labour' suffered, and bo asked Labour leaders to state specific instances of hardship, and he would guarantee they should be rfxjrpfl.'igi