POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13752, 18 June 1913, Page 5

POLITICAL ADDRESSES.

PREMIER AND ALLEN AT

11EF0RMERS' WORK DEFENDED.

y FINANCE MINISTER'S STATE-

MENT,

[United Press Association.]

Dunedin, Juno 17. At the Garrison Hall to-night the Prime Minister and tho Hon Mr Allen addressed a very large meeting on political topics.

T" ■..' Pnrv'o Ministov, in opening, dealt at some length with the difficulties surrounding Mr Allen's mission to the Homo Country to raise the threo million loan. Money Mas dear and scarce, and, in addition to that, there was a European war, and civilised and uncivilised countries were clamouring for loans. If the loan had not been floated it would have meant a stoppage -of the development of the country, and probably the throwing out of employment of three-fourths of tho workmen on the public works. He next referred to tho short dated debentures, and said that before the end of the next financial year, in addition to the money required for tho development of tho country, they would have to raise another £.9,000,000 to pay off these debentures. It had been found necessary to cut down tho expenditure, but, although that had been done, they had not interfered with tho development of tho country, and they had spent more money on public works than had been spent in the previous year. Thore was no difficulty in connection with tho revenue of the country itself, because tho country was prosperous, and the finances buoyant-, as would bo seen from the public accounts, which showed an increaso of i avenue of £700,000, and against that there had been an increase in the expenditure of £575,000, so that the revenue had boon more than tho expenditure by £125,000. As an instance of tho satisfactory condition of tho country, ho mentioned "that during the last month tho .deposits in the Savings Bank had exceeded tho withdrawals by £100,000. He montioncd that for the quarter ended Jtino 31 the Government would have placed on the market 111,848 acres of land, divided into 854 .holdings. He dealt at somo length M-ith tho chargeß brougnt against the Government, contending that every one of them had been made without the least foundation.

]\ir Allen's opening remarks were confined mainly to th© floating of the three million loan, which, bo pointed out, had been obtained on better terms than those of any previous years,.one of the principal reasons being that it was for 30 years, and several charges in connection with the previous loans had been avoided. Speaking on defence, Mr Allen said that at Homo he had not committed this country to any expeditionary force, or to anything else, but be had brought ceitain proposals for the Cabinet to adopt, or reject, as it thought fit. He wished to assure the country that there would bo mo policy of shipbuilding, and there would be no extravagant expenditure, and all that Now Zealand would do would be* to make a modest effort to take a fair share in the Empire's defeiice, and to make a beginning at any rate in a i ermanent policy of naval defence.

At the conclusion of the meeting a hearty vote- of thanks was accorded to the Ministers

Mosßra Massey and Allen, together with the Otago members of the House of Representatives, and members of the Legislative Council, were subsequently entertained ao a complimentary social.