GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 73, 9 November 1911, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTIONS.

REPLY TO THE PREMIER

MR MASSEY AT PATUMAHOE

tPor Press Association.)

Pukekohe, November 8.

A political address was delivered by Mr Massey at Putumahoe this evening before a large audience. He dealt principally with the subjects discussal by Sir Joseph Ward at Winton on the previous evening. He said all the Opposition could offer were clean hands and honest services, and he thoroughly believed that the Reform Party had now a majority of the people at its back. One division on the Land for Settlements Bill, against vhieli Sir Joseph Ward said bo had voltod 37 times, was on the motion for the second reading, and on that occasion ho had been paired. It was significant that the Prime Minister aad been forced to go back 17 years to and a flaw in the record of the Leader if the Onuosition.

Mr Massey maintained his contention that borrowing under the present Government had been excessive. He said it was absurd to suggest that every facility was given for acquiring the freehold. No man could say what the land policy of the Government really was. The Government desired settlers to purchase the freehold at the present value, or, in other words, to pay twice over for improvements made by them during their occupation. The real question of the Mokau land transaction was whether the Government was justified in issuing an Order-in-Courcil to allow a speculator to buy 53,009 acres of land at 10s 4}d per acre. The Government denied that it had sold the land, but what it hud done was to sell to a company of speculators the right to make a profit out of settlers in years to come and that tire company was not a philanthropic company. By the Land Bill of 1809 the Government proposed that a man increasing his holding from 333 acres of first-class land, acquired subsequent to the passing of the Act of 1907, should be treated as a criminal, but the treatment for the speculator was authority to purchase 53,000 acres in one blocic and make a huge profit from it. The Government might attempt to gloss over the Mokau dealings, but the fact remained tiiat a gigantic swindle had been perpetrated. Tne Prime Minister’s speech at Winton was evidence that the Government had not a scrap of policy. (Applause.) The only policy at present before the country was that of the Reform Party, which, said Mr Massey, was without doubt the most liberal and democratic ever submitted to the people of New Zealand.

Mr Massey urged the necessity for publicity in connection with all the details of public expenditure, and 4,d----vocatod the Canadian system of shoeing items of all expenditure in an annual return. (Applause.) It was the duty of every member, whether. Government or Opposition, to obtain llis share of the public money in proportion to the amount available and to tho needs of his district, but after eighteen years’ experience ho was convinced tifat the present system of public expenditure was abominable, humiliating and extravagant. (Applause.) : i ' A jvote of thanks and confidence was accorded to Mr Massey at the conclusion of'his address, ' - : • MR. HINE’S’ CAMPAIGN. ■ A correspondent writes:—“Mr J. B. Hine addressed a meeting at Tarata on Wednesday night, the audience conjwsting of farmers a.ifdßhtdjfeiJ £o -Ihe number of over one hundred. Mr R. C. Tcmpler was voted to the chair. Mr Hine took similar lines as on previous. occasions, and tho meeting was pf a most enthusiastic nature throughout. A motion was moved thanking Mr Hine for his address and expressihgiacontinued confidence in him as their-member and no confidence in; the -present administration, and'was carried absolutely unanimously with ‘cheers and acclamation, after which three cheers were called for Mr Hine and the call was responded to in a right royal manner. A committee of over forty voluntarily offered their services to further in every possible way Mr Hine’s candidature. A vote, of thanks to the chair brought a most successful meeting to a close.”