POLITICAL ADDRESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14857, 11 June 1910, Page 8

POLITICAL ADDRESS

MR ALLEN AT HOKITIKA. REPLY TO SIR J. G. WARD. .(Tee "Dotted Pbess Association) v _ HOKITIKA, June 10. Despite boisterous and dirty weather Mr J. Allen had a very large meeting at Hokitika this evening. He spoke in reply to the Prime Minister, ancl dealt with the Government's ireatment 6f ■ the Dominion newspaper. Sir J. G. Ward had said that tho paper was started to opposo the Government's land policy. Wnat was the Government's land policy—its back against tho ■ door or nailed to the mast? Tho Dominion started to givo fair play to the other side, and Ministers utilised. the people's taxation to bolster up tho Government paper. The Government's extravagance was exposed, and it was proved by Ministerial administration that £250,000 could be saved without impairing efficiency. Specific instances of extravagance were given, including the financial adviser, Mr Smith, Parliamentary Buildings, and the Native Land Commission, -which cost £9842, of which a Minister received £1915. 'It was snown that retrenchment was necessary owing to the increase in expenditure increasing beyond that in revenue by £376,000. As regards misrepresentation, the Prime Minister was responsible for comparing in his speech at AVinton his revenue for -the year not with the revenue of the previous year, but with his estimate. As a matter of fact his revenue Increased only in three departments, railways contributing £339,000. Tho magnificent recovery referred to by the Prime Minister in his speech at Winton amounted to £31,667. It was also pointed out that tho 'Treasury bills .had been reduced: to' £100,000 on the 31st of March. It was quite likely that they would go up again by June, as happened last year. The cry that the Opposition never helped the Government was quite untrue. For instance, it did' so in regard to land l settlement, finance, workers'homes, amendment to the Old-age Pensions Act, education, social legislation, and defence, but no credit was ever given to the' Opposition for this or for finding a policy for the Government, and thus keping it in office. No credit was given to the Opposition for having urged the transfer of improper charges on the Public Works Fund to revenue, for assistance in making superannuation schemes sound, for finding a policy for the Government, and in respect to a sinking fund. Loss of parliamentary control was referred to, Mr Allen did not oppose borrowing, but opposed the wasteful expenditure of borrowed money. The possible borrowing and guarantees was £8,425,000, and tho public works expenditure last year approximated £2,000,000.' The cost for .railways had risen since 1908 to £2012 per mile, and, judging by his experience m his own district, there was a tremendous waste. The late Mr Soddon had Said that a previous continuous Ministry had been kept in office by a lavish expenditure of borrowed money, but this was more true of tho present' continuous Ministry. It was like a limpet, obstructing the Ship of State. It had backed down on the Land Bill, on superannuation,, the KnyVett case, and the capitation to school committees, and he prophesised that it would back down on the new railway regulations. The injury to tho finance of local bodies By repealing the act and the misstatement of -the i Prime Minister in. regard to £800,000 at T>)> per cent, without including the 1 per'cent, sinking fund were alluded fo.

Mr Allen referred to the constructive proposition of the Opposition in defence, 'land, and other matters, and ended by an appeal to find a real national life feeling in New Zealand.