THE PRIME MINISTER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 52

THE PRIME MINISTER.

INTERESTING MOTOR DIJVE. AUCKLAND, March 6. ■ On the way from Waipu to Maungatoroto, the Prime Minister, Lady \V\rd, and party, in a motor car, encountered a thunderstorm. The trip, wliioh should have been accomplished in 45m in, occupied an hour and a-nalf. The road was so greasy that the wheels would net grip> and it was scon a case of all hands oift and push. Occasionally the car skidded perilously near to the edge of the ravine. The party was, however, a. hearty one. The Prime Minister cheerily sang snatches of songs, and Lady Ward seemed to thoroughly enjoy the novel experience. Near ing Wells-ford, darkness having set in and the read being bad, the last 10 miles were accomplished very slowly, the party frequently dismounting to keep the car moving. In one very soft spot the oar wheels sank, and it seemed as if the party were settled for the night, but the car was eventually extricated.' The District Engineer, who had ridden five miles to meet the Prime Minister's party, guided them safely to Wellsford, where they arrived at 10.30 p.m. The Prime Minister was unable to speak at Helensville as announced. Sic Joseph Ward returned to Auckland from his northern tour this afternoon. In «n address at St. Benedict's Hall to-night he deprecated the attacks made on the financial position as being likely to hurt the credit of the Dominion on the London market. He intimated his intention of replying to Mr Maesey at a later date. March 9. The Prime Minister attended a demonstration at Papakura prompted by the OneI hunga Branoh of th<: Labour Federation on Saturday. In the evening Sir Joseph Ward delivered an address in the Public Hall. Referring to financial matters, he said that New Zealand was not heavily taxed, although the opponents of the Government declared to the contrary. The average wealth per head, man, woman, and ohild, • was £347 — the highest in the world. It was fallacy that the indebtedness per head was the heaviest. There was a lot to be grateful about when one considered the advance made by .New Zealand with a population under one million. The debt per head was a useless method of reasoning, for the Government owned large areas of land, which, together with advances to settlers, came out of borrowed moneys. Not a shilling had been loßt out of the moneys advanced to settlers, amounting in all to some six millions, and wer« they to be told that thig was a portion of their indebtedness? During the last 10 or 12 year* th« only tax placed on the people was the Graduated Land Tax, anf this only dealt with those possessed of over £40,000 worth Of property. Against this reductions in railway rates amounted to £850,000, Ou« torus tariff had been reduced £406,000, postal and telegraphic oharges £275,000, sheep tax £29,000— a total reduction of the charges in public services of one million and a-half. During his recent travels he was astounded at the vastness of the | Dominion's resources. There was no doubt but that in the future, with scientific application, the north would carry a lerge population. The country v»as not yet fully roaded or bridged, neither had it sufficient railways. Under the circumstances it would be moral cowardice not to approach the i situation or to deny those out in the country facilities enjoyed by those in the towns. In doing this it was necessary to be prudent over borrowed money and i^s expenditure. Notwithstanding wild and unfair criticism, the Government was pledged to th* country and the town as a whole to make conditions «o that the poorest son or daughter would be on conditions equal to the richest son or daughter in Ine country in getting about or on the land. — (Applause.) . . ■4 vote of thanks to the Prime Minister, coupled with confidence in the Government, was carried unanimously. The Prime Minister, accompanied by

Lady Ward left Auckland for Wellington via New Plymouth yesterday by" the ».s. Rarawa. Sir KG. Ward intends to return to Auckland about a week hence to visit the j King Country.