THE PREMIER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 5681, 16 June 1908, Page 4

THE PREMIER.

GISBORNE, Juno IT. The Premier addressed a largo audience and received a decidedly sympathetic hearing. 'His address was chieffly devoted to an answer to Mr Massey’s speeches as well as ,to criticisms of his financial policy that have appeared in the Wellington Post, and in this respect lie followed the lines of his recent address in. Christchurch. Referring to the 'contention of the Opposition that it was entitled to the credit, of having removed the sheep tax from tho (Statute Book, (Sir Joseph retorted that the only power cun move for any remission of taxation is Parliament. Regarding native lands he declared that by the end of tho present year there would be 1,500,(100 acres available for settlement and it would bo found that the Govcriy ment hud provided a fair solution of a great problem. Referring to the White New Zealand policy he invited his hearers to look over the map oi tho world ami there they would find tho shadow of Chin a hanging over Australia and New Zealand, ami we must ho declared show in our day ami generation that wo are able to do something towards the defemp of our country. Sir Joseph replied to lh> statement made by Mr Massey at a Farmers’ Tin ton social at Maiig’ere on Friday, which was to the effect that only a few days previously a Cabinet Minister si-ieaking in Auckland hud declared publicly that (the people of the country must choose ’between Socialism and single tax. He had wired that (lay to Mr Fowlds who hud sejnt him the following reply “Auckland Herald report of portion of my speech referred (o reads ’ ‘Thus right through tho world there was a growing- recognition of the need of siume radical change to secure a more .just and eqjuit able distribution of the products of labour than existed at the present time. If the change was not effected in one particular way, it would be brought about in another way—that way might be Socialism I made no statement anywhere in my speed) at Auckland that the people of this country must choose between Socialism and the single tax, as Mr Massey is reported to have stated at the Farmers Union social. 1 had strongly protested against Mr Mas-ley including mo amongst the six socialist Ministers in his speech at Gisborne. I had pointed ou t 'that Socialism and single 'tax were as wide apart as the poles.” Sir Joseph made no special comment on reference to the incident, but churned that it was ridiculous to expect that in any Cabinet there 'would not be a diversity of opinion. He contended that his Mine-dry should lie judged not by rumours concerning- its, individual members but by the policy of the whole.

Speaking at a Farmers-’ Union social at Mange re on Friday night, Mr Massey, leader of the Opposition, said ft was a mistake for the Fanners’ Union to refrain from takjing an active part in polities when their intones ts M ere concerned. Only a few days ago a Cabinet Minister speaking, at Auckland, had declared publicly that the people of tikis Country must choose between Socialism and single tax. It was time for farmers to assert themselves and say most/ emphatically that they would have neither the one nor the other, if the fanners tied nqt keep on lighting they wo! ild keep on losing •until they were groaning beneath the burdens of the single taxi