POLITICAL SPEECHES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15768, 17 November 1914, Page 4

POLITICAL SPEECHES.

SIR J. WARD AT WINTON. REPLIES TO CRITICISM. DEFENCE OF LATE GOVERNMENT. DEFENCE AND FINANCE. [BI TF-LEliKiin.—Pit ESS ASSOCIATION.] WiMON. Monday. Thy. bender of the Opposition. Sir Joseph Ward, addressed a meeting of about 1400 people at Wiulon tonight. Sir Joseph and Lady Ward were most cordially reLived. Sir Joseph pointed out that the Government had not commenced the small but import ml bin* ..f railway, such as the Wmto" llr.l.Cn Hush 'one. which were an:!;.'i.sed In-fore lie '.eft office; yet no less than live new lailways had been cominccrd in four Ministers' electorates. Protection by Navy. As for the war, there would 1* no two opinions thai the present unparalleled war "as a just line so far as Britain was conci ned Oar best and most effective course was to support wholeheartedly the good old Hinish Navy. (Applause.) The British Navy, liy keeping the main portion nf the

l Gillian Navy bottled up, bad enabled New Zealand and Australia to secure two valuable positions in the Pacific which oi;_;hl never to have been in possession of II.<• Hermans. (Applause.) He had always blood siioiigly for an Imperial and invincible navy under the control of the Biiti.-h Admiralty and assisted by all parts ot the Umpire. I he rjiesent Government was wedded to the establishment of a local navy, and the people, must realise their responsibility at tin) general election. If the Opposition Party was returned, its policy would b' to strengthen the great Imperial Navy. (Applause.) Even were the local navy proven to be the best system, the financial ntirden would be absolutely ruinous to this lountry. The initial expenditure on a local navy, based on Admiral Henderson's tunics, would he £23.290,000. and reserve stores, £2.000,000, which would result in the imposition of enormous additional

taxation and retard the prosecution of essential public works. Touching on the preferential tariff, Sir Joseph said that the Liberal Party pointed with pride to the fart that it gave a lead to the Empire in this vital question by instituting a 10 per rent, preferential tariff. Military Training Scheme.

Sir Joseph s.ttil, in preference to military defence, that it was cool impudence on 'the part of his opponents to attempt to deprive him of what was his just due in regard to universal training for this country, l'hey were trying to take credit for the establishment of the system. He had prepared the whole scheme, had pledged his Government to it. and established it on a basis to cost, about £400.000 a year, lie had a written statement, sent unsolicited this year by General Godlcy, staling that but tor what ho (Sir Joseph) had done, and the assistance he had given him. that they could not have carried out the work oi sending and equipping trained men as they had done at this critical juncture in the Empire's aftairs. (Applause.) At the last general election he was attacked all over the Dominion by his opponents fof having established the system, and among the Reform candidates throughout New Zealand thc-re were only two who had said a word in favour of it. Cost of Borrowed Money. 'I ho present Minister for Finance had adopted the rules „| blaming his predecessors lor all kinds of troubles in connection with the finance of the country, and declared lie had effected great reforms. II he had, ho certainly had done himself great injustice by not having disclosed them. He (Sir Joseph) left the largest surplus oi any Finance Minister who had ever held office in this country —£807,000. He left £4,750,000 of loan authorities, against wh'uh advances pending the floating of loans could be arranged without the least difficulty. As a matter of fact, he had arranged in writing for a clear £1,000.000 of advance for his successor, not one shilling of which was pledged. The Liberal Government floated loans to the extent of about £46,000.000 during its time of office, mainlv on the basis of •>i per cent, interest. This was confirmed by the present Government in its last Year Book. The saving per annum in interest alone effected by the Liberal Party was £7,386.000 annually. This, over a period of £0 years, the currency of a long-dated loan meant a saving to the people in interest alone of £29,530,000. He referred to the criticism he had rereived over the £5,000.000 loan floated in London. It included a large sum for the cost of the Dreadnought. He floated it at 4 per cent., with the right of conversion in five years to 3; per cent, stock. Of tho loan, about £1,800,0009 was actually converted. When the present Minister came into office, he immediately started floating dated loans in London at 4 per cent., and any hope of converting these loans into 3j per cent, stock immediately ceased. The only object lie had in going for a short-dated loan was to secure a 3J per cent, rate, and that he did in the general interest of the taxpayers. The rate the present Minister had paid, a half per cent, increase, represented a sum of £3.000,000 in interest on loans amounting to £15,000,000 in 40 years.

Government Finance Criticised. During the time that the Government had been in office the ordinary expenditure of the consolidated revenue had increased by nearly £2,000.000, and the surplus had fallen to such an extent that the Minister for Finance in his last Budget provided for .i transfer out of revenue th'« year to Ihe Public Works Fund of only £350.000, so that while his i rpcnilitu'.' had increased by nearly £2.000.000, In- nbd'tv to transfer from revenue to the P.il li"> Woiks Fund had decreased ,n .imou-ly. I'nder various In ids of -axatii.n th.- amount that the y< plo provide.! had gun- tip by >aps and bound < (Hear, hear.) Sir Joseph qui.led official statistics shown)'.' the ma iked inn-ease in interest rates mi mortgage:-, under the Massey eminent, as i oinpaied with those existing under the lepme of the Ward Government. Tim present ; tion of the finances were fur from being as satisfactory as the-.- ourjit to be. The surplus revenue f. il from £807.000 in 1012 to £426,000 ■ less £00.000. I.;, i.. n payment of naval sobsidv or £376.000. That was a drop . f iy.3!.000 in two years. The expend, tore, out. of the ordinary revenue a.' .lint, Had in, ceased by '£1.585.000. Los', '. eai'a "Xiieiifliturc increased £7-3 4.000, as a<:;:;nM an increase of '''"''"""•• f"i the same period of only £191.000. Increase in Expenditure. Tin- six months of this year aggravated this unsatisfactory position still further. 'J in; expenditure incensed over the .-ami' six m -Hi lis of the previous year by £4ti1.9.30. and the inciea.se in the "revenue for the same period »as only £i22,05b\ The position of the railways 'finance was equally dls< oncerling, as tor the first six months of the present year the revenue had increased by £7*3,000, but the eX|H>ndituie had gone iip to 11175,000. The Opposition Policy. Sir Joseph, in conclusion, outlined the Policy of the Opposition Party as follows: — »i. A ' n . ? ID P» re Mv witil «»els placed by the Admiralty upon the coast of New itS to be available in any enterassL i ' ■ ■ * K., <~>i ..... ...

Proportional representation for the House of Representatives, .with small groups of electorates bo as to ensure the preservation of the country quote. Increase of the graduated land tax, commencing at estates of an unimproved value of £20,000 and the imposition of a special graduated land tax to force subdivision of estates prevention of aggregation ; land settlement in small areas so as to assist men with families and with limited capital to make homes for themselves ; acquisition of land near towns to bo cut up into areas of from one to five acres, upon which workers' homes will be erected, the worker being given tho right of purchase of both homo and land ; further extension of the cheap money scheme for settlers, workers and local bodies by Uw establishment of an agricultural bank. Further extension of State functions to combat monopolies, especially where the f(od of the people is concerned. .A cheap, more, efficient, and purer milk supply for the cities and towns without adversely interfering with those engaged in the business. Abolition of all duties upon necessaries of life. Removal of anomalies in regard to trade unions. Repeal of section 20 of the Factories Act to ensure ,-i 45 hours' week for women in woollen lactones. Assistance to cripples, invalids/ and other deserving cases by the introduction ot an Invalidity Hill. Ere,, nurses 'for back-blocks settlers. Assistance, to fruit, gum, and timber industries. Children to be carried free on the railways up to live years of age; half rates up to 14 years of age. Expenditure of £b6,U00 per annum for extension and additions to open linescompletion of all Alain Trunk railway lines m tour years by an annual expenditure ot £2,000,000 ; expenditure, of £40,000 per annum on district railways; limitation of public borrowing for railway construction and public works to £3.000.000

per annum.- special assistance to the backblocks and roads. 11 co State ferry service between Wellington and I'irton on completion of Main hunk lines. Development of trade and commerce; preferential tariff to be applied to British' Isles, Canada, Australia, and South' I -\:.-i-:i and recognition of America; appointment of ,i trade commissioner for Can;. and one tor America. Reduction of public budding votes bv at least one half. J | Internal defence of the countrv to he I maintained at a cost of about £450.000 j annually. | Lake Waikaremoana water power scheme I to be carried out. I Public Service to be placed under Par- , liamentary control. I To encourage thrift £5 to be deposited j in the Savings Bii.nk and placed to the I credit of every child born in the Dominion, : the money to receive 3 per cent, compound : interest, and not to be withdrawn for . 14 years.

Preservation of the present system of free secular and compulsory education, with adequate provision for free access to universities or technical schools, teachers to be granted and salaries paid accordingly. Extension and perfection of preliminary system of education. Encouragement of mining by providing money to enablo prospecting to be carried out, relieving mining taxation. Extension of agricultural education with up-to-date agricultural colleges in both islands. Afforestation to be carried out throughout the Dominion in selected areas. Sir Joseph Ward was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, which was carried with enthusiastic cheers.