SIR J. G. WARD AT ELTHAM ELTHAM, May 25.

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 16

SIR J. G. WARD AT ELTHAM ELTHAM, May 25.

ELTHAJM, May 25. Sir J. G. TVard: delivered a* political address at EJtham in. the presence, of a verylarge audience. In contradicting: the rumours of. a quarrel between himself and the Ptexaier, he saidi that he' bad' never hacL a personal quarrel since her had' been, .associated" with the Ministry,. He characteri&ed the- progress of Taranaki as a record. the 10 years, 189*-o*> the exports, of 1 • butter had increased ivoxn £60,23 Lto £355,515, and cheese- from £3007 to- £25 } 093. Ha dealt' fully- with the financial position ;om the^ line adopted! by Mr Seddon, and said no, man. could? truthfully; say thai; the< progress of New Zealand? lisrcb not been_ bhe most remarkable in the history of the world comparatively: On* of the things^ the colony Had! to fearr was: the ficbitiour value- being- put on land. The tendency toinflkte the value of lands should be discouraged and carefully, reviewed! The BTinistfer dealt exhaustively with the land question, commending the appointment, of 1 the Land Commission. He would set his teeth resolutely against the aggregation of large estates, and, he- heliaved that. i£ approached resolutely and honestly tlie. land question was capable of a satisfactory solution. Personally, he was keeping a. perfectly, open mind until he> knew-, for whatever it was worth, the report of the commission. When the report came to hand it should be» considered irrespective of party polities". He did not believe in. thenationalisation of land- in the sense somewere advocating it: It might have been right at the time- of Captain Cook, but? vested interests must? be respected. The theory was next door to impossible, and white the single^taxers weTe earnest believers, they were entirely on the wrong track. He went on t-o deal with theamounts spent on railways in the North and South Islands, showing that the Government opened more railway lines in the north. He was absolutely and utterly opposed to the cry North v. South. Dealing, with mail matters, he referred to the com-

munications with the Commonwealth Post-niaster-general regarding a more ' equitable adjustment of Australia's contribution to the San Francisco service. New Zealand should, in addition to the San Francisco and Suez services, hav-e a Vancouver service. He believed the- peace of the world would be preserved for a generation at x least by a defensive alliance between Britain, Japan, America, Canada. Australia, and New Zealand. He believed every soul should set their faces to be ready in time to prevent aa invasion of yellow and black races to New Zealand. It would be a good!, thing to have recipro«ty with Australia. Referring to the rates of freight on butter, Sir Joseph said that there had recently been an agreement for the conveyance of butter from Australia at rates greatly less than those ruling from. New: Zealaaid. The>« rates of freight from New Zealand shcralcl ha as cheap as tHose from Australia. A larg& butter exporter had informad him. that under the new agreement butter would ba carried from Australia, to England* at 3V 6d per Hundredweight, whereas from- New^ Zealand its cost was 7s per hundredweight.. Unless a reduction was made from New Zealand alsc^it would be a .handicap against, our butter exporters. He had oemmunicatedi with, the steamship, contractors some time* a#o, when a. reduction, which proved to beof a- temporary- nature, had taken placat from Australia, but without practical, effect,,, but as this-- news agreement was reported "fco> ber for- five- years; h& had agaam at fhoi request, of some butter exporters, brought--the- matter- under- the- notice of the- steamercontractors, and' he felt sure that in the>* interests- of an important trade they would! 1 readjust the rate under tlieir present agreer menr so as- to part New Zealand butter shippers upon as good' a footing as those* from Australia. The matter was- of verygreat inrDortance not only to; butter men,, but to the colony as a whole, as it was desiiable that in connection with all our jirodhoes, we should; be in. the position ol competing an. equal- terms- with other countries- who were- selling in -the markets ofr the world. What New. Zealand wanted* was a fair field and no favour, and thequality of her. products would ensure her holding her own^ — (Applause.) Regarding the- reported adulteration of colonial butter in Denmark, he had undeuteken to cable the* Imperial Government regarding- legislation, to check the practice, and he was hopeful o£ preventing a recurrence of anything of the kind. He strongly supported civil service superannuation and the utilisation of water forces. Individualisation in titles to Nativen land, should now be done effectually. Speaking, for himself, he would buy the* whole" of the- Native land, and then treaf the Natives the same aa the West Coasfc. settlement lairds were dealt with by MrBallance. They would then haver all Nativ© land except that actually reauired by theNatives open for settlement. Personally, her favoured taking the land for settlement under .the old system of allowing the owner to state his own valuation, the Government, having the right of making the purchase on alO per cent, increase. It was proposed ta put that system into operation again. In. conclusion, lie advocated a vigorous goldfields policy and the crpation of new markets for produce, and cheap freights. Votes of thanks and confidence in the Go« yernment were carried unanimouslr.