Taranaki Herald. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1905. MR MASSEY'S SPEECH.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 13028, 2 December 1905, Page 4

Taranaki Herald. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1905. MR MASSEY'S SPEECH.

Mr Massey could not fail to be pleased with the very cordial reception given him on , his first visit to New Plymouth, , and we believe we are voicing the feelings of the people here when, we say (that they were pleased to meet ihiin, and to hear from the lips of the Leader of the Opposition the reasons why it is claimed that the present Ministry ought to give way to one chosen from the pther side of the Houso,^ The meeting .was a very orderly one and the speaker, had^ a., courteous hearing, which, is as it should be.

'Whether, , howevej, Mr Massey iniade ,n^uch impression is open . to Woubt. - , ; \ speech '. was mainly •made up of: trivialities, ' and iailed [to^conyinceHh^t- -.the?. Opposi^pn •has any distinct policy of its ;own. The : .voucher question and' the Mapoiirika • trip naturally came in for :notio&, 'and dn 1 the "f ornier Mr MasseyJ attempted "to' 'justify the stand he took:' r°ltr °It isV'^f course, easy,' to b'e^ wfse' after, the"''^^, 1 . but it always^seemed 1 to 'us that Lf Ministers^ k?e *rW -be-seriously expected ; - td 1 defend? 5 every : paltry; charge brought a^dinst- thenf dn6\ theif '^ friends wbf . hare-Krained ! people, then no .self-respecting citizens! will " after' a ' . whije be found "w.illinj^ to^^pti.c^^ttiems^lves,! or r t6 be plaecd^ jtn a . position .to be majje j a target; of jfqr such- k -illnature^l <sand5 and unfounded charges. 8 In his references to Mr _, Gladstone's!

Midlothian, campaign Mr, ; Massey wajj not jquite aqcurate, . , fpr Mr Gladstone addressed : , many gatherings > outside! his \ electorate, -and igained many seats thereby/ -Dealting with theJi'Pwblic ißevenues Act land the audit sVstdm he seemed

to imply- more ' than he cared to say. li 'is- r true 'that the Rail-

ways, Customs, and Lands Departments audit their own accounts, but the '-"Auditor-General has power to • call for' any or every voucher. There .are good reasons why the Departments should audit they:' own accounts,, and we do not think Mr Massey j would care to say .outright .that the auditing is not pjrqperly. done. Then, with respect to the control :of expenditure,, which, as supposed [to be in the hajn.ds->of parliament, |Mr Massey /said .that, { fthe wretched: Public Revenues iAct" en-

abled Ministers to it, ignoring the .fact that Ministers are amenable to parliament, and .Parliament to the country. .On Wednesday next we shall ;learn whether > the country has, confidence or not in the Ministry. It was upon the land question, perhaps, that most, interest- in ;Mr Massey's speech turned* He wanted the last; Parliament to deal with 1 it, but <Mr Se'ddon has-vir-tually referred the matter directly to the constituencies, and, 'we doubt not, will be found willing to carry out - the wishes- ( 6f the people when they are made iknown. Mr Massey, v however, wants too much. One of his amendments to Mr Seddon's motions read "that the lessees shall have the right to a-ctiudre the freehold of their sections at the original value." This would be .distinctly unfair, as we will show by . referring to the case pf two settlers, living alongside, each, other. + One took ifp'his lajttd, on tie dc^upatfon^Vvi^iS^l-

01-purchase system, and his rental] was five per cent, on tlic capital] value. His neighbour, holds a leaseyuyper^etuity and pays four p.cr,, ce.nj,. on ., the , capital, value. It wouldtt mauifesttv bd unfair to th^ first-named- if . the "other were aljflowed the privilege of acquiring th£ freehold ■at--*he--dfciginal value. W$ do -not -agree"- 11 that the Stat^j should -d^ma'nd^res&nt -valites;' be| cause in' many tases'^h'e^apprecial -tion' 1 4s ::r ewtirfel^ dite toj liie-'hfhvp oF the: Settlers J ; 'arid no^ m" arfy .. 2 '^pVrec"iar3jb " measure . tcl btatc exj?enctiture. _ J,n ,<jther in- ; stances public "W. prk^.^expeirditur^ i«. fe: c^ v ,°l I^lyjld? Stai^ sj?fl ul 4» l?S,^ n Mt l e^i i to hthj^t /^ijicr^-' lliciijt© j a „ t s with . M$ M^ss^ey iii^hi.s yij}\v.£.. . . as,-, to the; j Isiasc am .^petpciuit y . w1: - Ji)xperience- ; hxxa- pxovi'd-^ itsA f^jlure, 'the' whole question - /of land tenure ongh't-"" to- be- Revised" during next session. AYe agree with him too thaH. the colony is J ndt likely ta again' siiflcr a serious depression. Why, 'however, should the electors take the c6ni.ro! iHom the' admini-

stration which lias helped to bring, about the cxistuig prosperity and place it in 'the hands '.of nieu who. confessedly were not in favour ,pf» much of v th>: advanced legislation, passed during Mr,, Seddpn's term of; ofs.ce s 'Mr Massey ..'adinitted that $hju ; Go\:ernment has done gopd? work. . during : the last, few years in educational matters. Let it, then,* go on rwithjits, progressive policy. He , wants native; land reform. One of i the measures just passed is going to effect this to some extent. His great 'want, however, is "clean and honest' administration." During last session two or three oi the most vigorous members of Parliament, and' the most bitter opponents of Mr' Seddon, "took the gloves ) off," and fought "with .open fists." They ransacked Mr Seddon's political career' to find some tiling '.with which; 1 to damage him. And the result was to show that for "clean and honest, administration" the present Government can hold its own anywhere. Errors and indiscretions have, perhaps been .committed, but against them is an overwhelming weight of good and useful legislation. The saving of the Bank of New Zealand, and with it the credit of the colony, was in itself an act of Mr Seddon's— for it was he who had . the CQur'age to act— which should , overshadow everything that the New Liberal Party succeeded- in. establishing against Urn. - -jMrv. Massey .would. , repeal fi^he^ oi the .present Liberal Jegisla1 but he appealed to the elec€6^s to' put an end to incipient T^mmanyism that has been growitig/up'in this country. Until he Icai establish; • this charge more isa'tisfactoril/ than he has done yet klkt p'ebple ; are' not likely t.e throw Joier" the Ministry' which has, -on foHiasse'yV 1 owti^^dmiss-ion, done tfiuicfr:f6r" their benefit. • . : r .; ■ . > '■■ •- • * f • . ... - -

I 'Mr. a K J Bellringor will address the 'at 'Kaiauai School toiiiffht. • i ! ! \

:In this issue Mr C. T. Mills, candidate for. the Taranaki scat, inserts an, advertisement with reference to

his political views. "Mr Newton King's next cattle sale lat Stony ' River will be held on Friday next, December Bth instant, of Thursday as previously notified. r >' "As at present constituted, lite Legisjative Council is neither useful Cor ornamental."V-Mr Massey's die-

Xn regard to the Public Revenues Act, during his condemnation of. ;it ■JUx Massey asked :— " How wodd you. like your Town Clerk to- audit *the Borough accounts ? You would mot stand it !" Yet, in important iiovernment departments the accounts Jwere" audited by departmental officers. !J! J As announced in this issne, , the Wajr Hara Freezing Works will start this Reason's operations on or about the 15th December. Intending consignors ■should make early application tor >space. The works have been very 'much improved since the cfose of last .season, and will now compare more jthan favourably with any similar !works in the colony. During his speech last evening, Mr Massey told one or two very good anecdotes. He stated that recently the Premier had visited his (Mr Massey's) electorate, and at one place the school children' were' lined up W greet him. As soon as they saw him they sang "God Defend New Zealand." The audience saw the joke and laughed

long and riotously. ' ■ • The man who likes "different" 5 things to wear, from the common run wall like these fine tailor-made suits now showing at the Melbourne. Silk-stiched throughout,^ with.hair cjptl^ jnterlinings and patent shoulder pads, the only .difference between tiicm and, the high-priced , custonvrtailqred 1 ,, .suits : is. the rprice. ,On offer now at 49s 6c| and 595, 6d4*— Advf.< The 'Services -in Queen -street: Church io-mdrrow r will be' '--Moriiing at'?ll, n "^v, 'John r Nixon; evening 1 a t-7,,, O R^H- .^nieir'The Rev, 'L. NJ^on (v wilf b^ at at,'7^p r .m.A#Kt^ »' *,r A r {i'.'." ..« ; J Tft^.r'B46; 4for Advei'iißift^°Snd "Printing in all DegartanM <&l" aY Herald "^Office, f

Captain Edwin wired at 12.35 p.m. : — 31odrrate to strong easterly winds. GJass little movement, iides moderate, sea moderate. *

Shipments "of butter from Aus-tralian ports since the opening of the season on July Ist hafve ; fallen off. by* about ten per cent, compared with last season.

v Mr BrimtnelL appears; to, J^e drawing F°^ii to^,.hear. him, and,- what is. more .important, is always juccqrd.ed.a, r gpod hearing. No doubt he. jwil! gejtiithat t^is ejening,; his last,^ meet ing^ in-.^ew Plymouth^ ... I, ;^

L ** Give vfki your policy," pdare^i an inicrjdetor u kt Ml* Ma'ssey'fe' { meeting la : 4t' night.; "I'll give itHo you dirccdjf/*, was,' the reply, "and ybu may lipp 4ike it-j^hen you get it." ,\.

Jfolijicah? s&ffairs are . allvthe^ bettsr for-'i piiliHc; i'mtercsti beings taken ->in theifti iThat is Sir 31 ; assey's' .opinion, gi4en^ait''th6 Theatre lloy^l last cv* ening? ,*' r ' ' ,'..» J „,>,'

Speaking at o a meeting", at .Laurence iho Premier announced that dcs?pil.e the attempt made to prevent it,i the Governineivt had -arranged for* fire- reinsurances . '■wty'h ' Lloyds f 6r' ( another twelve ' nion-fch's.' r , . ''/'<■ life i& not often that a Jddj? is ; _ap : pointed judge erf Jibrses at anj Agricultural Stiow? < fttif at vStiow/- in 'Canterbury, the other day, Miss Button had the honour of being one of the horse judges. We draw th« "attention of all suffered from consiunptive troY^les to a very valuable treatise just published \&. Gharlesr. Fletfeher-, Pharmacist, Wellington,- sole agent ior .J'SaCco," the Great South African, Consumption Cure. An .advertisement' in connection i therewith appears in another column of this papei\. , The Public- Trust. Ofece should, in Mr Massey's opinion, -be ymte more .use of .in connection .with the lending of money, and it \^ould 'better were. tho loans in. small sums of, say, £500 instead of, as in a recent instance, a total of £10,500 being lent to one person. . < . % ,In.a m-anner " apologising for frequcut mention of Mr Seddon's name, Mr //Massey, in. his ..Theatre Koyal speech', said the Premier had 'been doin^ .what rjie called giving- him (Mr Massey)' "a -turn." ''He -iratf 'hard Ma?-, soy on -the 'brain for the past : six \v6eks4"' r .' ' "r ' ' -To-morrow, December 3rd, will.be the sikty-seeoud ' anniversary of the appointment of the Key, >V. Bolland to the charge oosf s the Church in the New Plymouth settlement., The .occasion, will be marked by ,- special , ; services at St. Mary's Church, at whghi the Rev. G. A, Carver, Vicar of St. : Scikilchre's, Auckland, will be the preacher. ■ . , , "In a recent speech; %Mr ' Seddon thanked' the ' Creator Wcause there >ver<jj'no« signing. famiHds ;in this colony, but let me.teiryou this, %at\iß tftcrc is one family to, which tSte &>- scriptiou of reigning family" might ap-j ply,, it is to that of the i Bight .Honourable 'gehtl'einan.'' So said Mr Massey l'tist. night, 1 J When' advocating 'the nbwl 'lora'Civil' Sci;vftc Boa<rd.' '■ • Rev. ' Father- ; ,afc Blenheim on- , said, that his address .was prompted 'by a, letter, he ha-d fTom the New Zealand Allianqe,,, f asicing him to preachysp e- ;- cial -.^tsmpopance .- sermon m view of th.M Qonyxig elections. He resented the fetter , -as an as he never lost an- opportunity, of urging his co^ g-1-ega.tiori to temperance. This, incisent \ed -to -conegjand«noe in .the press, -and to -his r apjjearance on the public; platform.. '|fre- i address -stiroaglM disappro-vodrjof c^ prmeiple ,of prohibition, and imo-lipenee/, but .condemned (jhc pi4sen-t oi>en^a^., system- and the evils ■ oi ' the "shot^n-g": He sug^ted -the- Coi\#n^ital -, cafe sysItcto, which :from^«xpsrifinoe, he .could s>ay dift : notrf^j encourage « -excessive drinking. Speaking of. Ashiburt-on, , he had just wired to. Father O'Donnell (the priest' there) -asking him if proMbitjion was really a 'benefit ««d the reply was "No. Taking all things iuto consideration, prohibition is not a .benefit." A crowded audi-snee listened .next evening to, the reply made by the Revl P. "W. JF-aircloug>h, of Wdligtoih. In tht) course of a -defence of tlm nc^-license system, , the' lecturer <k>a\l with father Servajcatt's evidtaice tha,t noJicensc was not entirely -' suc--ce^fulrini.AshbwrtoTi. He produced i&' legrams Eeceived from seven- ministers of religion- in Ashburton,an reply 'to an urgent, wire enq-uirin-g 'whether, no-license -bad benefit^ Ashburtdn. Fiv« f^plies-f ;iwireservedly in the a-ffu-ma'tivfe. ?• -. Thje 4mgUcan| ..minister; telegraphed^. 'OGdmansrcjally .dpub^fuU ? morally ansi ' jstfciftlry decidedly rye?;,'/vr ye?;,'/v At- the conclusion of the -aiddre^s Fathpr Seifva^ean /'ascended 'the. stags, arid ask^a 'a.! n\iSiber of <*utfciii<m6, and the _ : proceedings , were ',' &&&&,

go6d-nratured.r . \ f . „,.-, „l v . THfe SYMPTOMS 't)F 'BHEUMATISjI, The symptoms '6f ijfceuflurtismtasfotf-: Aa t te r^sW offerer.' ,*fe^ kle;ior^ther -Joints/. vf^h/^-Vfrihy ■ly hot, xea, and swollen. .stje ygam, of tfctf shifts' from one? joint to> anoth-er-oife day* it ttayf be %-riand^:|hff. next] perils, jßfe fobt\is lance-tfke 'pains-wnile "the part' IJr# i affected ii«r'*be>«f* " <&sier.« Njwaiter = how severe thesJympioms'M .TOrtm,roatism. - Bh««ino>j^ completely.'baflish them. Hundred* of WVfcifwi people 'testify it* louder ful,po,yrer v , £f c6ii4'ue W ffiwrnalfom-r* Jgrigfe* %r $ and .4 s '6d, f ;frolfQ air <cheroists r {ea*L j * r* ' " ' "'" r***r ■"iff^' vir'*

Charles Heenan (or' Heanon), an old 65th man, died at jOnehunga on TJnmjday , ~ - : > ....... The barometrical readings through-

out the colony were good to-day ; locally the glass stood at .30.27. The

temperature at 9 o'clock this morning 1 was 59deg in tlie shade. - >*~ t

The booking list for the Northern Cos. Ng&puhi's . pleasure - cruise* in February is rapidly filling, and those desirous of making tho delightfal trip should apply at once for accommodation. . -

From the local manager of, the NewZealand Fire Insurance Goy. (Mr~TTT Paton) we^havc to acknowledge ceipt of useful prewsnts in the form of yard rules, bearing a striking advertisement .of thfe Company's whose capital reacKes £1,000,000. Thesja; i form a very Hisef ul household requisite. ' /

Mr Mills, candidate for the Tarana

ki seat,, advertises his final address, which he. will deliver in the Theatre Royal on Monday evening. His Worship the Mayor will /take the chair, and it is " expected a large audience Avill be present on account .of the speaker's intention of replying to the Premier, and the Leader of the Opposition. - , : "Are you aware -that two Independent candidates allege that they have been offered bribes or threats if they i don't stand down to allow the Opposition candidate to win, and is this your idea of purity in politick and sommon fair play?" was a question which caused much amusement onFritfay night- Mr Massey said that he had- never heard of such a thing, and characterised the query rgs a ridiculous one. «-*•.. " The Government fcave been raising - bash foifland sold to the extent of (£50,000 and £60,000 per annum for the last few years," said the Leader of -the Opposition in reply to a question on Friday nught. Mr , Massey, adcled, however, that instead of using •this revenue for permanent' work, as they should have done with money from this source, the Government had deviated the money into the "comjnon pot," the Consolidated Fund.

Some, people doubt what use an agricultural show is to a town. In adHition to the indirect expenditure by visitors,; .a\ hotels, boardinghouses, livery^ 'stables, etc., there is considerable outlay by the Society. Last year the Taranaki spent £95 for labour and material in erecting new pens. This year £90 was expended in preparing . the. new ground, as. Swell as -£60' or. '£70 for new pens. All irrespective of the ordinary, labour required in connection with the show. It will thus be seen that it pays townspeople to support the So-, piety. :-...,. In reply td^ Questions Tori TOday* night, Mr *Massey showed the fallacy r yrf an allegation thatf&e hadr opposed the female franchi^ * "It "was the law of the, land prior to my entennp Parliament/ ho explained. f , He^. ad.-, mitted tha't"£e Tiad .voted against the scheme of State Fire Insurance, be-. cause he had 4 had a good <leal to do with a Bill introduced the same year intended to promote Mutual Fire Insurance Associations. If this, scheme, had been generally taken advantage tof-and'it.Jhad in a few places-theref jwould have been no necessity fora State Fire Insurance Department. He was of opinion then, and still held the view, that the £150,000 of capital* set apart for the Goviernment scheme could better have been utilised for developing the country. Parliament had had nothing whatever to do with decreasing the allowance previously allowed per box on batter stored however much they might disapprove of it. The responsibility rested with the Government for whatever was done. He had raised no objection to the increased passenger tax at the New Plymouth breakwater, as the money, he understood, would be demoted: to . construction purposes. The only existing measure he would repeal was the Public Revenues Act, for the reasons stated in his speech. He J^ a ? never said "when farming in the Wai-| kato 'district" that 5s per day was a reasonable wage for the working man. As a matter of fact he had never been farming in the Waibato, • and had »ever made such an assertion. (Applause). Regarding the railway service, he could not express an opinion whether guards were underpaid. Be had understood that what the men mainly desired was an eight hours flay. " He favoured fortnightly payment of wages at the railway workshops. He thought the BJare-Spenee system of voting an admirable one.

" By the kindness of the manager of j Jthe "C.S.S. Co., the steamer for One- . hunga is delayed -"until 9 p.m., giving:* time for Mr Bruntnell's meeting. Owing to /the Theatre a not being available, Mr C. E. Bellringer will address thctelectors on Tuesday evening in the Drill Hall. Arrangements have (been made for tbe necessary seats. i

The Secretary of the Agricultural

Society advises us that he is holding a small wicker basket, lady's kid glove, and a handkerchief picked up on the showground. The owners may obtain possession on application. *A man, named Frank Daly, who has begn Jlibating during; the last two *Says, up at the S. M. Court this morning on a charge of -drunkenness v hs J?ey^>n Street. After ! evidence by Constable Datson, the cr1 ring one was cbnvieted and discharged with a caution. A meeting of , the Equitable Building Society of New Plymouth was ; held on Friday night, Mr J. Paton presiding., A sale by tender of an uppropriatioh of £300 in the first group realised £50. Owing "to the small attendance, due to the political meeting m the Theatre, the extraordinary general jneeting was adjourned for a fortnight.

With reference to Mr C. Andrews' letter which -appeared yesterday, on the subject of Mr E. M. Smith's meeting at Okato, Mr W. J. Smith, one of Mr Smith's sons referred to, desires us to state that there is no truth ;n what Mr .Andrews states with regard to "a hiding." Mir'T. P. Smith the other son concerned, also writes' .denying Mr Andrews',, statement, and ►adding that" it is intended ia proceed against Mr Andrews' under Section 150 of the Electoral Act.

The following are the winning numbers for fat bullock at the -Show (the correct weight was 8281bs) :— lst, 0. Cook, 828-J-; 2nd, G. Fraser, 327; Mrs Snell 827, G. H. Harrison 827, 0. F. Olsen 827, D. Watkin 827, H. Okey 829, A. J. Bailey 529, Thomas Wilson 829.. The sheep-guessing competition resulted :— lst,, A. J. Bailey, 243 ;* 2nd, A. J. Bailey, 241, Frank Hoslrin 211; 'A\ J. Mack 241. The correct weight was ;2431b5. A. Cook's guessing was very Consistent, winning the bullock- with - £ pound difference and_, 3lbs put for ;sheep.

An. Auckland wire .states :—Proceedings were taken against a number of : well-known*- stationers before Mr R. \f. Dyer, S.M., at the Police Court, for selling slips to the; chief detective entitling him to compete in 1 ifche parltamentary shield\ ebmpetibion, upon the grounds that the competition was a lottery. Mr Mays, on behalf of the Crown Prosecutor, submitted that it was purely a matter of 'guesswork to forecast the successful candidates, and pointed out that . even Mr Massey or Mr Secldon could not do it. . Mr Cot-tor,-for the defence, submitted that.it^ involved skill and judgment to estimate correctly.- The Magistrate to-day gave judgment^ holding that the. Parliamentary shield - scheme kvas notia lottery the meaning -of the Act, and dismissed the information. ~ £■'*- «• .*'*;''■ ' The interest taken ljy the ladies of New Plymouth in the improvement of tlie Recreation * Ground was shown by tho large attendance at Friday afternoons meeting held in the Town. Hall. The Mayoress (Mrs R. Cock) presided. After .discussion as to the. best way of assisting the project, it 1 was • decided to organise a' collection on Christmas Eve, Saturday, Decem- 1 ber 23, when a' systematic .canvass will be carried out.. The fair. sex vill be. provided with* collection boxes similar Ito those used for "Hospital Saturday," and central rooms will be secured in town as. a meeting place for refreshments and handing in the cash collected in the l streets. v The ladies, who are to be congratulated on their enthusiasm, will hold a further meeting on Friday next to arrange details. AH ladies. wishin^Ho assist are cordially invited to attend. No doubt the public will liberally respond to the commendable movement, .which has a more public spirited ring about it than any garden party or similar means of {"raising the wind."

The export figures of butter and cheese are assuming a very healthy appearance. During November there were two shipments of butter sent South, one of 80.88 boxes, on- the 6th, and the seqond of 11,222, on the 20th, total 19,310. The bulk of these consignments were shipped for Home by the Kumara and Ruapehu respectdve-

ly. -The fortnightly consignments of cheese were" 314 and 534 cases. At present there is a large storage of 14,630 boxes of butter and 1007, cases of cheese at the MoturCa works. Ot this quantrty 13,707 boxes of 'butter and about. lOOO.cases of cheese will be sent South «on Monday by the Corinna, most of which will be despatched for the Home markets -by the i Gothic. The fire at the works early last . year m«ke comparison month by month difficult, but without reckoning Monday's big shipment there is already a small increase in consignments this year as compared with last year. For the last two months the increase over the corresponding 1 period of 1904 has. been well over 1000 boxes per fortnight.