THE LIBERAL CAMPAIGN.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12253, 2 June 1914, Page 2

THE LIBERAL CAMPAIGN.

SIR JOSEPH WARD IN TEENORTH. By Telegraph. X (Special to Oamarn Mail.) Thames, Juno 1. j " Despite a. torrential downpour of rain, which succeded a- very wot day, !• Sir Joseph "Ward spoke to a crowded meeting at the King's Theatre tonight. Tliere were 1200 or 1300 persons present, including a large number oi: ladies. The Mayor (Mr H. Lower) presided. Sir Joseph was received with loud ' applause when he appeared on the platform. He referred to j\lr 'Massey's recent speech at 1 hamos, when ,th>; Prime Minister had reiterated his state-, ment that when he took office lie found the Treasury . chests •. depleted. Sir Joseph showed, as he has done from the ■ public platform again and again, that the Prime Minister's'statement was m-\ correct. He pointed out that .Mr J. Allen, the Minister of Finance, had proved this to be the case in his first Budget, while the Ota go Daily Times, a recognised Conservative paper, had. in a leading article also upheld him (bir Joseph Word)- in this very important quest-ion. by. showing that his (Sir . Joseph Ward's) .figures in regard -to the finances when' he went our of office, were correct, and that he had left a balance or £'807,276. He.then went on to quote the prospectus issued , by the Massey .Government when raising the : recent £4,500,000 loan, and. quoted the information it contained as the finest eert-iliente of character, he could possibly have received from his opponents. In regard to the gift Dreadnought, Sir Joseph again explained that lie provided for the'payment by increasing the tax on bank-notes. the- totahsator tax. and mainlv bv an increase in the death duties.' • They were the only sources ot revenue from which the Dreadnought was being paid, and the electors were deceitfully imposed upon before the last general ■ election when a card was circulated pointing out that the poor. , worker and the poor farmer were pay- j ing ;for the battleship.. . In reply to an interjection. S.r Joseph said- that of course Mr Massey had voted for the gift.- "He had to follow , me when there' was a great lead given, j •added the, speaker, amidst tremendous ; applause. , , r r < ' In criticising the Massey GovernI raent's toy navv scheme, and upholding I the old British Navy, Sir .Joseph said lie' believed in. international clatence, ' but he did 1 not believe in the system running away with us.—(Applause.) ' \lreadv the expenditure had gone up front £400.000 per annum, as recommended bv Lord Kitchener, to £505.000. Referring to the indications , that have been manifested lately to the i effect that there is to be a system ot ; proportional representation introduced th's year for the cities. Sir Joseph said the Prime Minister had not made a declaration, but the matter had certainly been suggested in certain quarters, it i this were done, it would _he uniair to I the peonle, who were entitled to know what system of voting was to be enforced. How long were the people to -be given to adapt themselves to the contemplated change? What righthad the Government to prevent the people in city electorates front selecting candidates who would be able to light lor new seats under ihe group or electorates? It- was not in the interests ot the peoDle that the Government kept back this information. At the conclusion of his address, Sir Joseph received a tremendous ovation,, the aoolause lasting some considerable

' On the motion of Mr F. H. Claxton, ex-Mayor, the following resolution, wascarried unanimously and amid a scene of much enthusiasm: "That this meet■j'no- of inhabitants of Thames thanks Sir Joseoh Ward for his interesting and'instructire address-, and expresses its confidence in him as leader ot the partv in 2s*ow Zealand, and ti lists he will secure a majority at next election." .