THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11748, 7 February 1919, Page 5

THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

Speaking at the luncheon at the Peilding Show on Wednesday, the Hon. W. D. H. MacDonald, Miuistar of Agriculture, said :—The National Government had had to do great things both for the Dominion and for the Empire. He felt that a great deal of the criticism against the National Government had been unjustifiable. (Hear, hear). In spite of the blame apportioned, he believed there was not one of the Empire’s Dominions would come out of the war as well as New Zealand. The National Government had been formed a year after the war started They had received a good deal of both praise and blame. They did not worry about that. All the members of the Government had endeavoured to carry ont what was right and just for the whole of the people of the Dominion. Let them realise what the people had done in the way of production. Government departments nad been hampered owing to depleted staffs The Agricultural Department alone had sent over 1000 men to the front, and the Postal Department 4700 men, and this made it all the more difficult to run the country. The National Government had been formed to do everything possible to win the war. They could not carry out any other policy. Very shortly he hoped—he sincerely hoped—the people would have an opportunity of electing another Government and party to power. He could not say whether he had been a success or not, but he could say the same for all his colleagues. He wished to thank the people of the country for the help they had given the Government The farmers, both in *he South Island and in the North, had loyally supported the Government in trying to produce a big surplus for export. There were a few Red Feds amongst the farmers just as there were in other sections of the community, but so great had been the productive capability of the country that they had sold to the Imperial Government £84,000,000 worth of produce, and that did not nearly include the whole war period output. A large sum of money had been borrowed to carry on the Dominion’s share in the war—£6o,ooo, - 000 borrowed in this country, and the whole of the funds necessary for carrying on the internal affairs cf the country had been found. Up to March last the Finance Minister was able to show a surplus of £31,500,000. This sum would form the nnclens of a fond to relieve the taxation of the peopls of the country. The time was cmiing when the loyal and patriotic people of the country must stand shoulder to shoulder and elect a Government that would do the right thing to the people of the country and to the boys*who[had fought for them. The war was won, but there were many, big problems to settle yet. He believed there wonld be a fair adjustment at the Peace Conference. There had been a Jot of talk about the disposal of the position in the Pacific. Be did not believe there was need for alarm. Our future destines were bound up in the Pacific, and their leaders would see that their trade routes in the Pacific Ocean were [kept clear. They bad not had one authentic cablegram from the Peace Conference yet to indicate what was being dnue. There had been only a lot of newspaper talk. Mr W. M. Hughes, Prime Minister of Australia, had been represented as having too much to say. That might or might not be. He (Mr MacDonald) had met Mr Hughes, ana he fonnd him an able, farseeing statesman—really a phenomenon of a man. Their interests in the Pacific would be carefully maintained. Regarding the returning soldiers, nobody could convince him, said the Minister, that these boys meant to be a menace to New Zealand. The Government would try to do justice to the boys. The Government were as one man on that point. And in any case, the common sense of justice of the people of the country would see that justice was given the soldiers. He asked critics of the Government to deal in realities, and not in mere supposition. He hoped the country would ever move upwards to a brighter and yet more glorious destiny. (Applause).