POLITICAL SPEECHES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13352, 9 April 1914, Page 7

POLITICAL SPEECHES.

(Per Press Association..

WELLINGTON, last night. In a political speech nt Dargavillc List night Mr Hemes placed before the electors the position of the Massey Government.

Replying to statements by Messrs Thompson and Mac Donald, he said his party represented a majority of the electors. Mr Massey had gone through two strenuous sessions and put all his Bills through, and had not suffered defeat — a record of which even Mr Seddon might boast. The late elections ha<l proved that public, opinion was turning, tne Liberals always being at the bottom of the polls. He said the Government had made a. thorough investigation into the Dominion's finance, and was now keeping •■borrowing- m reasonable bounds nnd preventing wasteful expenditure. They had certainly increased expenditure,, but could they strike out loans to .'settlers, workers* and local bodies, or cry down railways, roads, and bridges expenditure? The party undertook to discourage wasteful expenditure and tho result showed it had done so. He dealt with short-dated loans, and said that, m consequence, the Government had this year spent £9,500,000 m the redemption of a" huge amount made un the Mvers loan of £4,500,000, the Ward, loan of £3,300,000, m addition to amounts raised for advances to local bodies, settlers, and workers. Mr Allen's loan had COSt 4 per cent, less than ,any previous loans. The Government had raised the salai-ies of civil servants, the police and railway servants.

At the. close of the meeting there was a little booing, but a vote of confidence was carried.

CHRISTCHURCH, last night

The Postmaster-General (tho Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes) ' laid the foundation stone of tho new post oflice at Akaroa m the presence of a large gathering In the course of his speech he said that the Ward Government put a vote on the Estimates for the building, but the mat-, ter got no further till the present Government took office, although the necessity for the new building was very pressing. Referring to < the Post and Telegraph Department, the Minister 9aid it- was one of the most — -if not the most — progressive departments m the Dominion, and, under the present Government, was continuing its career of progress. He instanced the extension of the telephone system, reduction m parcel rates, m. wireless and cable rates, and increase m the rate of interest m the Post Office Savings Bank as evidence of the progress of the Department under the present Government. Afterwards the Minister opened Daly's wharf, which has recently been rebuilt at a cost of £800, and which will be of value from the tourist and mail point of view.

Mr Rhodes left for Wellington to"'Sl^- ______