ORGANISE!

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7039, 29 January 1910, Page 1

ORGANISE!

LIBERAL GATHERING AT TOWN HALL PRESENTATION TO ME E. GALLICHAN. "WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS ' DONE. Recognition of the services rendered to the Liberal party of New Zealand by Mr Edward Gallichun, the organiser, was made last evening at tho Town. Hall, when ho was presented with, a purse of sovereigns by tho Prime Minister, on. behalf of the Liberals of the Dominion. Thero was a large .gathering of supporters of the party. All the members of th* Ministry -were present, except the Hens. T. Mackenzie and A. T. 'Ngata. The chair was occupied by Mr G. Hicks, president of the local branch, of the Liberal and Labour Federation. Apologies were received from, the Hoxjs. A. E. Guinness and C. M. Luke, M.L.C., and Mr W. 11. Field, M.P.

The Hon. G. Fowlds said that Mr Gallichan "was a. very important factor in the success of the Liberal party. Tho party stood for equality of opportunity. Union was strength, and if they desired to maintain their position they should see that their organisation was perfect in every electorate in New Zealand. They must lose no opportunity in seeing that their people were well organised, so that when tho next election day came round they would still Beo the Liberal flag flying. Mr Edwin Arnold, organiser of the presentation, said he had received numerous letters from all iover the Dominion, expressing appreciation of what tho organiser had done for the party. PRIME MINISTER ON THE PARTY'S WORK. The Prime Minister, who was received with hearty applause, made some allusion to . tho generaL position of the party and the country. Organisation, he said, was recognised to be the keystone of success in the future, as it had been in the past. He directed attention to what their opponents were always saying they were going to do to the Liberal party, and to the threats of a "terrible I time" which the Liberals were going to have during last session. But, after ail, the party came out triumphant from the most memorable session the ••Mun.try had ever seen, and now it was remarkable how indifferent the ' Opposition people were to the great and far-reach-ing work which had been done. It could not have been accomplished without the assistance of a. party united throughout the country. He was quite sure that if that united assistance had not been, given, the Government Ivculd not have been able to place upon the statute book many of those important measures the qualities of which were now, by their opponents, being qx itp ignored. Several o"f the more important poli-cy measures were particularly referred to. including the new Hospitals Act, which, the Prime Minister said, introduced a system superior to any other in the; world. But what chance would the country have had of getting it if the Liberals had not been returned with .« substantial majority It was the fashion of a few people here and there to say that the Government had done nothing for tho workers, but to that he .gave an absolute contradiction. lie drew special attention to the provisions of the- advances to settlers and workers schemes and the half million a year which was being provided at a low rate of interest. It was something to he proud of. ,w was also the conciliation and -arbitration legislation which savd the country from so much stress, strain and unhappiness. Ho was- confident that if the confusions of misrepresentation could bo stopped the heart of the people would be found in the right place with a determination to see that there should be no turning back in political matters. THAT ALLEGED EXTRAVAGANCE. The. Prime Minister dealt at some length with those critics who charged tho Government with being extravagant, indifferent to responsibility and nnwatohfnl of tho country's financial interests. It was really ludicrous to see the extent to which the Opposition papers were driven in this matter, even to the length of elevating every little unimportant matter to the position of a scandal on .the part of the Government. In this connection ho alluded particularly to the outory in some Opposition papers respecting the shipping commissions paid in London, and the allegation that some .fioOOO a year had been wrongly expended over the arrangement made for carrying out the business. The suggestion that something improper had been done was quite wide of the rnaTk. The Prim? Minister's explanation of the position was similar to his statement to a "New Zealand Times" interviewer last week. This, he said, was the sort of thing on which their critics were trying to belittle the administration and to ignore the great work it had done for tho people. No Government had gone to the people under greater difficulties than tho Liberals had at the Inst election, but it had emerged triumphantly as the result of good organisation and a determination on the part of the people to keep it in power. Sir Joseph Ward then spoke highly of the work Mr Gallichan had done for the party for many years, and in. making tho presentation said he hoped Mr and Mrs Gallichan would spend many years of happiness. THE RESPONSE. Mr Gallichan said that to receive such recognition made it extremelv difficult for him to express thanks. 'With reference to his organising work he sa-'d he. always felt dubious of the places that professed strength because he had always found thev had weaknesses. This applied to some extent to Wellington, and it would be better for tho party here if it gathered together and discussed their prospects and line of campaign for the future. He expressed his intention of handing the sovereigns to his wife for the assistance rendered to him, keeping the puree- and the letters for himself in recognition of tho occasion. (Applause.)