SIR J. G. WARD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2850, 28 October 1908, Page 30

SIR J. G. WARD.

VISIT TO FEILDING. FEILDING, October 20. Sir Joseph and Lady Ward arrived here this morxtang. They were met by the Mayor and Mayoreee and ofcber leading citizens, after which DEPUTATIONS waited on the Prime Minister. 'Mar H. Tolley (president <rf the Chamber of Commerce) asked for better facilities on the railway for trucking of sheep, pcintdng oat th© serious incon renience and loss occasioned by waiting for trucks. In reply, Sir Joseph said the department would do all tthat was possible to meet the requirements of the settlers. Increased rolling stock was being provided for the Main Trunk line, which, when running, would! help the department to provide trucks quickly. The Government would run more trains, which would assist in handling stock. Mir ! F. Pirani asked for favourable consideration o£ a proposal to extend the FoxCbn-Sandon railway line, owned by the Manawatu County Council, ,to Feilding. He pointed out that the extension would unite by rail two very rich districts. The only difficulty xfAs that- it was not a Government line. Sir Joseph Ward replied that the Government -n as not favourable to the private line mentioned. Local bodies were likely to get themselves into a serious position with, these lines. The matter ougbt «to be overcome, and he vould give it carious consider at icn. APITI POST OFFICE. Sir Joseph Ward and party left here aft 10.30 for Apiti by motor car. The Prime Minister will 'officially open the Apiti Post Office, anfi be banqueted «feere, and will return to FeUding at 5.30. THE SPEECH. The Drill Hall was packed this evening, w,hen Sir Joseph Ward delivered a policy •peech Referring to the progress of the Dominion, Sir Joseph quoted statistics showing that during 4he seven years from 1890 to 1897 the population had increased fey 48.60 per cent., imports 170.97 per tjent., exports 109.65 per cent., New Zealand produce . exports 109.82 per cent., ; Ous'toms revenue 99.78 per cent., Excuse duties 100.11 per cent., butter exports £43.36. per cent.,, cheeae 485.48 per cent., «ul frozen meat 161.97 per cent, LAND FOB WORKERS. ; - He considered that special efforts should .&a made by the Government on lines which -it had already initiated' to settle work*.men oa the public works On land in t&e 'ficinitv. ifo wsyfc woWd be paid for. the.

first three years, tie rental after that to bo paid da the usual tnanvaer, thus enabling a man to go upon a small piece of land rent free and afterwards the rent of those three years to be added to the rent "being paid. The revenue on timber from the laind would be paid into a special fund for his use, under restrictions , preventing speculation. The land would be leased to workmen for 66 years, and tiiey would thus be encouraged to settle in the vicinity of the land instead of drifting back to the -towes. They would thus become New Zealanders attached to the soil in the true sense of the word. PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION. After referring to the "gag" clause of the Second Ballot Act, he dealt with the question of proportional representation. The Queensland Premier had said that the system was a failure there because only 5 per cent, of Che people going to jthe polls used their* preferential vote, and the only way to make that system, perfect was to- compel every man to use his contingent vote, arid that was an impossibility. He a&kM what proportional representation meant. The principal advocates of it suggested that three or four electorates should be made one. and he wanted to know who would have the real advantage. Men in the public eye, who were well known, would have the advantage, but the man of moderate I means or the poor man could no more go i. over an electorate like that than he could jump over the moon. SECOND BALLOT. | He had come to the conclusion that the only way to let the people say which | man was" the popular choice was to have an election between two men,, and the second ballot gave that. In a country where the second ballot had been in use for 40 years it had been found that more people went to the poll on the second occasion than on the first, and he felt sure that the supporters of a candidate would support him on the second occasion as on the first. Personally, he apprehended no difficulty in the working of the Second Ballot Act in New Zealand. DEFENCE. Tn connection with the question of defence he pointed out that there was a development going on in the Old World to which t-hey could not their eyes. In the race for "the supremacy in commerce we should do our part in our small way as effectually as we could. First of all we had carried out' a system of preferential trade to the Old World which had not gone as far as it should go. buE it showed that we were in earnest in our desire to do our share. For the reason j tbV" i£e real protection, to our products 1

' was to be obtained from the British navy we had given £100,000 a year towards it. He was certain that the heart of New Zealand was in lavour of that grant, but we had to guard against any insidious system of militarism in this country in the shape of compulsory military training being driven down the throats of the people. We should be practical to recognise that there was need for internal defence. The existing voluntary system was not as good as it might be, and it was our duty to see that it was effective and that our young men were trained to be effective soldiers, to reduce the age of Volunteers to 16. and to see that our School Cadets passed into the Volunteer corps. It was upon those lines they ought to work, and upon tliose lines the Government was working. He referred briefly for the necessity to keep New Zealand for the white race. J.be people were determined to keep out the Asiatic races, to keep the white race of the Dominion pure, and the only way to ensure 'that -was to make sure tha* -the Dominion was strong in defence, that the men of the Dominion were trained for its defence, and* that nothing likely to strengthen the position 01 the Dominion was neglected. On the motion cf Mr E. H. Crabb a vote of thanks to the Prime Minister and confidence in the Government was carried with enthusiasm. • HIS NORTHERN TOUR. FEILDING, October 21. Sir Joseph Ward left Feilding this morning for Palmereton. He was .thanked by the Mayor for making Feilding a stop-ping-place" for the Main Trunk express. The Prime Minister replied that it would be impossible to ignore a place like Feilding, with the magnificent back country it possessed, and he felt sure the traffic would justify the arrangement. PALMERSTON N.. October 21. A deputation representing the Chamber of Commerce and the Manawatu A. and P. Association -waited on the Prime Minister to-day with 'Several requests, including one that the past office should be elevated to the status of a chief poet office, also in regard to the extension of the telephone service with the surrounding centres, and freight rates on the Manawatu railway when the Government assumed control. In regard to the first request, Sir Joe-eph Ward said it was impossible to grant it, the office already possessing all the advantages of a chief post office. To grant all telephone requests novr being- made would' cost about £7,000,000, 'and the present service with. Wellington could not be improved. On the question of rates- on the Manawatu tj rai3way T . the Prime Minister indicated that ttiere was not much likelihood of the present fighting rates being maintained, but said the probability of competition by sea traffic to Foxton would have to " be- con--wdexeck. To "expend large sums of money on improving the facilities between Wellington, Longburn, and Palmerston, and to maintain the present rates, savoured of burning the candle at both ends.