LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN DUNEDIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2667, 26 April 1905, Page 15

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN DUNEDIN.

AN ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION. SCATHING DENUNCIATION OF THE GOVERNMENT. At the Princess Theatre on the 18th Mi <W. F. Massey, M.H.R. for the Franklin electorate (Auckland) and Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives, addressed a public meeting A very large audience met the hon. gentleman. Every Beat in the circle and downstairs was occupied, and the standing room vas well taken rp— all anxiov.s to hear the speech of a man of whom so much has been heard and from whom rmi2h is expected in the future. The gallery was also open, and 200 or 300 persons occupied seals in it. , . , Punctually at 8 o clock his Worship the Mayor (Mr T. R. Christie) appeared on the Btage, followed by Mr Massey, who was accorded a most flattering reception. Seats en the platform wer-3 also taken by the Hon T Fergus, Dr Hocken, Dr Coughtrey, Messrs J. Allen. M.H.R., D. Reid, M.H.R., A Sligo, H. Crust, J. Loudon, J. MacGregor. W. E. Sargood, G. Fenwiek, D. E. Theornin, T. K. Harty, Walter Gow, T. \V. Kemnthorae, R. S. Gilkison, J. Haziest, E. C. Reynolds, G. M. Barr, P. S. X* Macasscy, F. O. Bridgeman, A. D. Aitken, C "W Rattray, W. Brown, T. N. Wilson, A Hamilton. T. S. Graham, R. S. Rankin, D. Uraw£ord, R- Brinsley, W. Earnshaw, vand about 40 ether gentlemen. X The Mayor, in onenmg the meeting, said that Mr Massey had com© to Dunedm- to show the people the "other side ot politics. It was fitting and right that the people should be made acquainted with both sides. No matter what one's opinions ■were, it was right that one should hear his opponent's views. An opponent should be given everything in the form of justice, ax anyrate, -whatever the opinions of the people might be, he hoped every OPP°£ tunity would be given that night to Mr Massey to lay before the people of Dunedin the views of the Opposition party. Mr Massey was travelling round the colony at considerable expense to himself, and not at the expense, of the Governs ant. (Applause.) He fully appreciated Mr Massey s action in that respect, and he had P^sure in calling upon the hon. gentleman to deliver his address.— (Applause.) Air Massey, who was received with prolonged applause, said in the first place he ehould thank the Mayor for the kindly remarks of introduction, and then the audience for the very hearty reception accorded. Although almost a stranger m Otaeo he knew enough of it to know that kindness and a hearty welcome were a_ characteristic of Dunedin people, and of any Otago community He noticed that the Otago Daily Times stated the other day it •was just 10 years ago since Dunedm had a visit from an Opposition Leader, and he had heard also it was some years since Dunedin people had had a policy epeech from the Premier or a Minister of the Crown The audience would- agree with him it was the duty ot the Premier and the Ministers to visit the principal centres and lay before the people the financial position of the country.— <Applause.) Then it became the duty ot the Opposition leaders to go round and put the other side of the question, that the people might be able to judge for themeelves.—^Applause) He should explain that the fact that no Opposition Leader had visited Dunedin for so long was due to the fact that for some years there was no Opposition* organisation. There were some Opposition members, it was true, but they were simply acting each man for himself, and doing his best in his own way to serve his constituents and the country eaneraiiy. The session before last it was decided that the time had come to organise, and the Opposition intended, from that time, to do its duty and criticise the Government both inside and outside Parliament. So, he ventured to predict, it would not be 10 years before Dunedin had an Opposition speech again.— (Applause.) It might be necessary for him to repeat what he said in Auckland and inflict upon Dunedm another speech before the House met, or, at all events, before thc w general election.— (Applause.) He referred to his personal friendship with the late Mr Scobie Mackenzie Mr Sligo, Mr James Allen. M.H.R. , Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., and MiThomson, and went on to say that, as far as nossible, he intended to avoid perBonalities. He would give the audience as much information as possible about the finances of the country; he was going to criticise those finances, and was going to do so now and then with the gloves off. If the people agreed with him, so much the better; if they did not agree, so much the worse — for them. — (Laughter.) The general elections were approaching, and on that account politicians were particularly active. The Premier was visiting the northern electorates, and, as politicians usually do, the Premier had been making promises, and the route he had been travelling over was strewn with promises as thick as Ihe leaves of Vallombrosa, and about as valuable — (laughter) — neither fruit, flowers, nor grain, but simply leaves. The Premier had told the people they should have half a million for roads and bridges, and there should be a Superannuation Act for school teachers. He (Mr Massey) did not see why there should not be a Superannuation Act for the whole of the public service. The Premier had told the people there would he advances to settlers for destruction of r.oxious weeds, etc.— in fact, anything they Jiked to ask, so long as votes were forthcoming. To him (Mr Massey) and many of the people of the colony it must be a pitiable spectacle to see the Premier going about the country endoavourmg_ to purchase support. Here was the Premier, who, as ■Colonial Treasurer, was controlling the finances of the colony, evidently prepared to use that revenue, not for the purposes of ihe people, but for the purposes of the party of which he happened to be chief. — /Applause.) There^ was an act on the Statute BjoV known as the Corrupt Practices Art, *&■$ it required an amendment, which would apply to the wholesale bribery to the constituencies by the right honourable gentleman ■nho happened to be' Premier. — (Applause.) In making a political speech one of his (Mr Massey's) difficulties was to know how to commence. He had not been able to get many points from the Premier's speeches. He noticed the premier told the people that the Opposition had only cne plank in its platform, end that was