IN WARM QUARTERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8683, 17 March 1914, Page 5

IN WARM QUARTERS

lively meeting at nelson ENDS IN DISORDER. Press Association, NELSON, March IG. Tho Prime Minister, the Right Hon. W. F. Massey, addressed a crowded meeting at the Theatre Royal to-night, having a good reception and an attentive hearing, though tho proceedings were at times somewhat demonstrative. Mr Massey spoke on practically the same lines as at Blenheim last week. He criticised the financial arrangements of the previous Governments, which left his Cabinet face to face with the necessity of finding £8,000,000 by the end of the year to pay off short-dated loans, in addition to -EC,000,000 for ordinary development purposes. The Government had increased tho limit of amounts lent to local bodies and settlors, but it cmikl not supply all the demands of the former; but the State guarantee system would assist those who required more than the department could advance. Ho would see that tho flaw in the Act preventing harbour boards from benefiting by it was put right. The present Government had lent to settlers, workers, and local bodies £2,4/2,715, including £1,655,625 to settlers, £498,• 075 to workers, and £10,020 to local bodies. The result of the last loali flotation in London gave New Zealanders every reason to be protid of the grand little country in which they lived, for London financiers were the best judges of the financial condition of a country. The had times and low wages predicted when the Reform Government took office had not coltio to pass. The country Was never more prosperous than at present, if the Post Office Savings Bank was an index, deposits for the months of January and February exceeding withdrawals by £]p3,448, while the deposits for February of this year exceeded those for the 'corresponding month of 1913 by £117,472. The present Government had increased the rate of interest on Post Office deposits from 3J- to 3J per cent. PLEDGES KEPT.

He contended that 'the Government had kept its pledge oh the land question, and between 19,000 mid 20,000 Crown tenants now had the right to convert their leaseholds into freeholds upon easy terms. The leasehold had few supporters in Parliament now. During the present financial year the Government had' purchased 149,000 acres of hind for £559,608, and had settled 22,000 settlers on it. Am experiment of providing five-acre holdings and houses for farm workers in Canterbury promised good results, aiid he intended to repeat it in the North Island. He was out to give the man on the bottom, rfing a chance to climb.

The Prime Minister dealt with naval defence and the recent strike ill similar strain to the Blenheim speech. Tho strike, he said,, had .killed the old Liberal party, ahd the parties of the future Would ho the Reform Liberals Slid the Red Fed. Liberals. They would keep the present railway construction policy going, and perhaps do a little more. They proposed to allow settlers or local bodies to construct lines of the standard gauge. The Government had not as yet redeemed all their pledges, but it was not their fault.- They had built Up a policy which would be for the good of tho Dominion in years to come. As the meeting drew near its conclusion the noisy element developed at the rear of the liall, which Mr Massey treated good-humouredly. A STATEMENT DENIED.

In conclusion, Mr Massey read an account published in tho Nelson “Mail” from a Hawke’s Bay paper of an address by Mr Atmore, member for Nelson, in which, among other things, it was stated that Mr Massey was now head, of a house which had been left £165,000. Ho said his father died two years ego and left £2OOO. He presumed it was his father who was alluded to. Mr Atmore, speaking from the plat-, form, denied having made the statement. Mr Massey said that what was quoted id the paper was incorrect, and no Correction had appeared in it.' . MEETING ENDS IN DISORDER. A motion of thanks was moved and spoken to by several members of the audience. ' . Mr Atmore then moved an amendment to delete words expressing confidence in the Government, and proceeded to criticise the Government. He denied referring to Mr Massey’s father. It was Mr 'Herries’ father he had alluded to, and he had been misrepresented by the “Hastings Tribune,” Mr Atmore proceeded to deal with the Government, when an objection was raised to a misleading speech. A scene of some disorder ensued, but the Mayor held that Mr Atmore was in order, and ho continued his efforts to speak amidst l constant uproar and “counting out.” After the lapse of some time the Mayor declared the meeting closed, and left the chair amid cheers and a counter-demonstra-tion, the motion not having been put. “A MISERABLE EXHIBITION.” Interviewed after the meeting Mr Massey made the following statement : “I intended to make another speech by way of .reply to Mr Atmore. I do. not blame the Mayor for leaving the chair. What has taken place is the most miserable exhibition I have experienced in my twenty years of Parliamentary life', and I am now speaking of the interference with the meeting by the member for the district, 3lr Atmore.” Jlr Atmore afterwards addressed an impromptu meeting outside the theatre.