VISIT FROM MR MASSEY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13738, 31 October 1908, Page 5

VISIT FROM MR MASSEY.

LEADER OP THE OPPnSITIONMr W. Ma-ssey, leader of the Opp&vition party in the iToitse of Representavisited Temulja■ . <>n Thursday,, "ami I'imaru aiicl delivered a-political address at each centre. Fot" his meeting at. Thursday night, the Volun-Hall-was well tilled, 700 or BCO being preiieiK.- He had a very good rceept>o.ii, aiij spoke for a couple of liouis, devoting about lialf liis- address to explanation and advocacy of Mime ot tliL- pianks of Oppcsition platform. - and the other hair to a criticism of various Government, measures and administrative doings. At the close lie- answered a number of qu-iistiocs. Mr Frew. deputy-Mayor, presided, and Mr Jeffries. Opposition candidate for - Geraldine, also occupied a seat on the platform. Last evening Mr Massey spoke in ihe Theatre Eoyal. Timarn. The building was crowded from end to end, hundreds of people standing- in the passages and iit tlie back and sides of tlie stage. Mr V» ■D. Campbell, the Opposition candidate, and members of his committee, occupied front seats on the stasje. Mr T. Hawkey. dciiitty-Mavor, presided, and extended a hearty Welcome to Mr Massev on this, his h'rst- visit to Timarn, and .made sjime reniarks- on the long programme of work Mr Massey had before hiin. It-'-1 ween now and the date of ■the elect-ion. In view, of this, he was sure the. people -of Timaru were glad that Mr Massev had been able to earmark a dav for Timaru. Mr Massey was greeted with prolonged applause when he. appeared on the stage, and lie soon found tliat. lie was face to face, wiih a sympathetic, as well ts a crowded audience. He again spoke for a couple of honn=. and speaking very rapidly, got over a good deal of ground. He thanked ihe audience for their reception of him. and said he took their cordial welcome to be partly a compliment, to himself. and partly ian indication of the_ terest they took in the political position' of tlie present day, and he had no doubt there would have been more prevent if they had had a larger building.. Mr Massey referred to the "long time that Timaru* had been represented by tlie Hon. W. Hall-,Tones, and lie would like to say. though thev were on opposite sides of the House, and did .not- see politieal matters from the same point of view, Mr Hail-Jones had earned th- ]ic*dtion to which he had been promoted. (Applause.) He hoped and believed tliat lie would fiH the position of . High Commissioner with credit, to himself, and with benefit- to the country. Mr Mafsey's two addi-eeses. at ■ Temuka and Timaru, in part dealt with the same material, though in a different way, and it will be convenient, to combine the. report g of both of them, , adding to the report of the Temuka address a . summary of the new matter dealt with last, night. .Speaking at Temuka then, Mr Massey said that in order to secure a straight forw'rtrd and. economical Government tliey must ; liave a strong Opposition. It was therefore, a great pity, that t-.o many Opposition members were put out at the last election, so that- the Opposition was not strong enough to do mudi good.. Among the members'in .the House there were only sixteen iQpposit 'onists with one or two Independents to assist thetn occasionally, so that on sixteen fell the responsibility of the analysis, and criticism of Government proposals.'; They had done their best and he believed as much as was possible for gucK a small number. They had on man}' .occasions by their criticisms prevented improper expenditure and bad B-lls frenn passing—Mr McXab's Land Bill for .instance. -They had a weak-kneed Government in possession now, a- Government without principles and without • a policy, and susceptible to any influence that "might be brought to .bear upon them. Such a Government was a danger and. wanted more watching and keeping in order than should' be the case. It had been said that the Opposition had no. policy either, and that all they could do was to criticise. But an Opposition could not put forward a policy. -they had, however, put forth a platform or manifesto, and he would deal with some, portion of this. The first items of it. referred to the audit, department, regarding which they demanded th_e restoration of Parl-a-mentary, control of the public finances by improving the system of public audit and by restricting the power now possessed by the Ministry of the day of expending npon one object moneys voted by Parliament for another. This referred to a Bill passed a few years ago, which gave the (lovernment power to take moneys voted for one public work to be- spent elsewhere at the discretion of the Minister. This was a'most improper power for any Minister to possess, and should be taken away. In the case of a difference between the treasurer and tlie audi-tor-general the treasurer wac; to settle the diserence according to liis own ideas, but must report such cases to Parliament. This was not so satisfactory as it seemed, the auditor-general should be the tinaf* authority. The old system of pre-aud'.t instead of post-audit should ali-n be restored io prevent- moneys being paid away improperly in directions whence perhaps they could not be recovered. He believed in publicity and publicity would have prevented a scandalous ease in tlie 1 session before last, when it was found out that an officer who had had a salary of £BO3 :l year for eighteen veans, had liv-en drawing 30s a day travelling exjK-uses fur sewn davs a week, whether he travelled or not. The Minister in charge of the Department probably knew of i'. but Parliament did not. He did not think there were any such cases remaining, but if h return showing every penny expended was laid before Parliament they could be suie of it. iApplause.) The three great revenue producing departments I tailways. l'u.-toms. and lands) had long bren free from control by the andir department, but-L»y means of persistent public agitation, tills had been amended, and the Opposition could claim credi'- for that icform.

The wcnnil iumi «.i ili> Opposition lii.inif<sto w;i* the csMliliivlimen: of a Civil. Scrvkv lio.ml with tlu- olijvct "f -x----<lu-"un'_r putiiiral inliuctuo n making public appointments. liis to thpttlilii- wi-vice vt-n' ;>ui to Ii- mailin.in aiming p-r.«<ms who pas>e! On" iivil m i vice examination. The majority w<-re nut mailt' in that way, I m t I'V |» >1 it: t;i t in'luorH-. I Hear. hear. ani applause. > Knijlaml. Imla, Canada. and Australia, liiil public i-erviee l>oanl>. ami marly all '.he appointlm ills w> re :nadi! act.m din;; I') tin* r>"-ult of <xamina'.ioiis. i !l> '- • boards Mere riuo syfll! there, and hj" t no rcaxnii u liv su< h .'i t>o-ir.l slum!'! no. be snr.-.-sful "here. Ho wani-l to i'"' rivil service in sm-h a s!a'.<' 'ill! 'He nl th- ji.mie-t li:aii wuiild llav- all 01(11.11 l haii. o wiMi I lie run of Hi- rirhevt f,,! " a i-m in I"' 1 ' 5 " I ' ol vie-. 'l it- ii-xt : - mi i*f ill'ir niaiiif-i't'i w,.> wm-iu (if !o-aI -"Verniii' 111 ■ Jinan-e tvitn a' vr.v t.i :1k- ' iju:(al>l" di 11 ibti; ion and . , „n..iiiu jil exp' mlimiv "f l'l'l'l'i" 111 plate 11l- \V';-m of a: 111 t [Hi I \ van-.l M.tii-ii'i:-'! jiiait::-. *' 1,. old" in t '.i Ii t •-J I'll I v »>!■• <•>'>' I*'M "fiat—- !>• : li.it lli-V kli' » la.'h Hj-. 1 1"" . i h t'- * 1 l1 "" S. nil 1 -laii<i. Wii. ii a 1". un..i.:- !" ii- "I r:<!,-.-. n e..u!d «•';'• r t ■' i.r a-U the (J..V iiiiiim: > I aim ii i -r.'a;v „t.u.S. I: V" .in t..'rai ? «. 1-.3.1: then «•' X *i:• ir r to L l i* i ;l j M n;-'.<r !<.r fui.l:• W-i'l.'- -■ >- i.us a grant <>" tli" i v-rj it iu' tii'l *" K ii- liU :ri'a'-urtT. !•■ W.i» -.i-y :■> ! 11• • •nii.-l- I I.>» f «»• m, "' ! * " u!,l.v tin" in. f->r mi

pecumous districts conM- not call their souls> "their'- own tmiil the • estimates had iiesn laid before the House, and it was ; quite ■ curious to s<-e. how freely . sonie of those people spoke and voted after t-bey had.got their items'.ptit.djtnrn. This was I a "system " of bribing people' with j their own money, and it offered more posfor improper influence than any- j thing else he could imagine. The remedy was an improvement- of the status ot local .bodice, an'vasuredi,finance, and "the proyis-'on of moriey-at the lowest possible ; rates- of interest with, a graduated system of the "rat?s- 4hev .struck. This would relieve Parliament ot an immense* amount of • detail work." - They would be astonished if they looked Jivei' tbe jmblie works estimates at tlie hundreds " of n?'mes of plrtces for which grants were -mkde.': Members had notr'heard of five per 6eiit.' "Of them." Each member knew- his rewir '4«stri?t' and: its wants,-, bui he could nor- ' possibly know the'; "wants of < others. Parliament • therefore control oyer 'tJiS class of. expenditure. He wahM .b get this' improper-intineiice and interference with' independence of members entirely done away with: * This influence was particularly! noticeable in the year 'of an eleclion'-when it had be.como customary, -to .-i much larger .total sum fur expenditjire : n than in other, years. For example, in the cose of the last election, tlie, total was £209,000 more than the veaT beTore and no- doubt- that had its influence. And here was the satire of it ; The amount' actually expended was less than that voted the year before. This year nearly £250,000 extra, was voted for roads and bridges. It-should be interesting to wait and see how miich of it would be '. The-next- plank in the platform was the encouragement of land (settlement by restoring "tlie ,system of granting Crown lands upon ilie optional plap. witli power to*all existing aud- fut'ure tenants to acquire tlie freehold upon; equitable terms, but fiubjeei -to."provisions for preventing the creation of large holdings. On this -point-'Mr Massey reminded his liearem of the three tenures of which they liad the option in Canterbury a " few yean? ago—crtsh deferred' paynients," and occupation with rightf.oi' r jifirihaSe. He then : reminded them of Mr McNab's Land B ll of-1906; which the Minister siid he would standi oi - fall by, sink' or.swim with it." The Government did riot standby it. but ran at the .firsts attack. (Laughter.) He (Mr Masiey) "addressed ■ twenty-eight public,; meetings . in Opposition, to that Bill, and whencthe Government:found that pubiic.,op;nion> agdins;t • it '-..the Bill was quietly dropped. _ He then spoke of the Rational • Endowments ' Bill, and- pointed oht tbat v neither education, nor old age pensions..- would, be 'assisted a-jingle penny by tlie-Wtiing of"those- millions, of acres. - ..On lianjj the Bill had definitely tiW; up" the laiii} to: the single tenure of-the. 66' years' lease, .and, it would probably take -ail-that t : itye to-bring the reserved ;]atids> irit'o " profitable 'use. Mr Maseey \next condemned .Very 'strongly the Applied to certain other lands, on the; ground, that this term would Just about to enable a man to bring a; bush or swamp section into profitable.. use and then: lifc" couid look forward to' tlie valuer coming; round, discounting all his improvements and raising the unimproved value by the vnhie which' he had given . it. He- Instanced the crtse' of a block of hush ..land at Pahiatuti. :whicli. was originally let at 2s per acre for 21 years.' and at the. end of thattime the ■ tenant" who had'" cleared it had his rent raised to-27s 6d. That was not "the-w&y. to; encourage wanted' io get the land properly settled, they' must- give ihe .settlers .the option of tlie freehold ..in • every cane. (Hear, hear, ancli Applause.) The present Government," hj« warned them, Vere nationalising; the- liind at the rate of ,bnlt. a million' a\yeji-r, He <U<l not beljeve...in landlordism; pi;iya,te, : State or Maori. I/If they gave .the* settlers the freehold they would get enough for.it fo,"enable them Ho purchase. other lands, \arid it would not be jMcey^Siiry ; to go, to London or iborrttw locally for- that purpose.' .Massfy then amused his audience ,|>y .quoting .some «• traord.inacy I'emarks made iby. ;Mm'sters as recorded * l*i Hansard, : regarding" _:he views, of the 'Opposition on tlu> question, and quoted aga'nst them tlie demand of one Minister that, the land tax exemption should b? abolished and the ordinary tax itself doubled. The Prime Minister had said that the .policy enunciated by the Cabinet represented the: opinion of the majority. That being so, it- was clear tliat the majority of- the Cabjnet held opinions detrimental fo the interest of the people on the land on whore' prosjierity depended the prosperity of the whole country. During last session ~on» fould hardly pick up a Wellington paper without seeing ?n. it. a reference to sotne prominent pettier who had .gorve to .Queensland and taken his money there for investment. If Now a oa landers- took their money there it would be followed by the pick of the young people, and it would never do to allow that sort- ot* thing to continue, and replace them !>>" an iinmigration front the Old Country of a class of people, manv of whom were likely to swell the ranbv of ilie un.mplo/<ed. "Tlie bevt ]>-:opKi they could h&ve verc* tlios*? of their ovni they should make this country more attractive to them than Queensland or the Argentine or liny other place th»y could name. So long as the. single t.ix am! land nationalisation element was i<-jiie. rented in the Cabinet this could not be done, and he hoped it would net be long IK-foiv this element was .-quee'/.ed out. He hoped the people would it:urn wsmbeiu to Parliameut who would restore the contideuce in the country that had txen temporarily l«>i. The next subject of lh<- mamffs o dealt with was nativo lands. The Opposition desired to tooure the set!lem<ru »f ths- native land quest : on by the rapid iudividualisation of all naiive titlui and hv affording t» the native race tin- emmon privilege id disposing of ih'"" lands !" thu be t advantage in Die open m;.ik.-t, but eubjei til! :o a .sufficient aiv-a of good and accessible land (King i< s< r\> vl ina! enablv for the support «>f »mc,i ii.ilive and hi* .deiccudants, i2\ to the. <ame as t-o area to be arquued by -,inv cm- siU-etur per...in ic ( town lands with the object of prev-nimg the aggregation of large fc>tat>'*- - xlr said that the statutes icvi-ion .-oninuiNe had reported that they found th- native land laws mi complicated and s» i-ontr.T di< torv that could ah-olui-lv <to nothing'with them. Two or line-.- .van. ag" a „p.ei'ial cumtnisM'in \v:is rippointed t« inquire into native .«jhol>. 1 ■ " ,,1! mk-si..!! hud e..>t about £8G0». and -o far as hr kn-w n.»t a an.- ot land >'•" be n settled a« a I-Milt "! "ha! i> had don-, and all this (inu-. * toat.y l.idli.ms of ;«ere« w.-re lying i'H.-we-'ds. producing no.huii; i'.ul itije.:;. io th.- Kill..p» an jieighbotni.. and ■ii'.'U <>■> lie. s \v. re pr.n ticaHy uneinployci. He did not hlatnc th.- natives; l h-y Uff ihe victims of a Stupid < y-'etn. 11-- .lid Iloi v rv 'hat thi v v.'eie equal to i ! <iio pcalis in evety way; phy-ieahy tln-y wet.but thev lnrl..d thill! ami th-ir l- iii'e.lci vi ry car. till ll ..;l>Hi:'1 in- nalivi- ipi- -llon «.•>• nev. r j -'.t'.;. qtl< liioli; his i id.- U'-i.- .drt.'-'y- v, li'i.i,; a-'- 1 ..! tin- (iov< rtitn>'!it !i 1 ioii to i.it.'gtiard tin- int< r«'sts >-! tin-th-v had no chame. Native T'.t'.i'- w-' l ' til- Vvuli 'lit- < l-.li C„-MV'l to I s.-e ii.lt.Vf land -' itl' d liiid. I "i..it: ;■•! I IiUVC- th.!; -II- Oi j i iy-' -.•h:.ii "Old-! . i!.. at I ih I.?- -ii.lt aiia-m ::..lil til- I T- 'lit ! M atf , ; ' Til. jiiipro',-, ;i;t jit f.f th- .i.f.'i. - ! n! 'hi' 1 loiii'.n-'.li !•> f " s 0 111 •'■■ ■: j iitirrn to take a )t:-"ii-'i : * '" '''

defence of his country and lib home was the next proposition dealt, with. this .s s id Mr Massev was of veiy great: importance. If anv of them had read the report of the Defence Council they mu>t have found, it sorry reading. Volunteering had never been at such a low ebb as ;! was just now, and the idea must have occurred to them that if the Empire became involved in war, Xew Zealand would find itself almost defenceless. \et thif .was-a question that the (iovernment would not- face. He did" not bt-lievt? - in" conscription. but he believed that ilie country could make ilie volunteer service a success. Bv beginning with the cadet at the schools a system of na-f-onal training for every youth under 21, thev would in a few veaivs liave tlionsands of men drilled and disciplined for the defence of their country. If they looked-to what was "going on in Japan and China no one would undertake to predict what would come in pass in ton. years.. Theii motto should be "If this ■ country worth living ?n if is worth fighting for.' (Hear, hear, and applause.) - He thoroughly approved ot increasing the contribution for the . Australian squadron from £40.000 to £IOO.OOO, -beeauee • thk was necessary for ihe defence of oar commerce a; sea." but in case'of war New 7.. cilynd.vs ashore would have to 'ake cfare of ihsmselvess. - He did not want {«; speak moi\» plainly, but the (ime wouki come'when : the. people would hav* to (iffht fc-i' lht'ir wives and" fahiilko; anr they "must, get" themselvte' into a condifc'on to do it effectively. ' (Turning to the 'business of the late session Mr ?MasseV raid that not much real btisine.-i? was clone: membenj were toe busv electioneering.. talking io their const intents ' through- the newspapers anc "Hansard." ami Ministers, would not in-' iroduce anv thing contentious if they could help' it. "■ However, they passec one or; two Bilfe . that ? the country d\c not want, and one of these wai? the Second Ballot Bill. Generally, when newlegislation is re.illv- wanted, members were astute for it- or the people in the country talking about- (lie need for it. niontlii before a Bill was prepared. There hadi been no jequest, no petition, no agita-. tdon for' tii© -'Second Ballot and no one wanted it "now thev had it. - It was a quite un-English thing; no British community had- it, it had been tried in Bel-gium.-and the Belgians had sense enough to drop it. It had been in use for some years in Germany, but the political ci'ri"ditions there were entirely different from onrs, tend it did not. follow that a- system that nvght be successful in Germany would be satisfactory here. Mr Massey explained shortlv the application of the second ballot, and then offered an explanation of its purpose. This wasi tt coerce a section ,of the electors which for years .had. supported the Govenumnt. and "now was: inclined to break, away from them. He did not think the «cond ballot would' have the coercive effect; and it was politiwlly bad. because it went on. the prnciple that majorities onlj should be .represented m Parhatitent. a hot \ens quite a wrong principle. Majorities should'rule; but imnoriuei> shonld have a sav. and tliere' was a system that would cive minorities voice and vote in larliament. 'They had ii, in some Austrnlran Bta'Us and It was known as pr6pornonal iepre^ehtation; It- . wis :l bbe'raj, mocritie arid progressive eysto-n,. thai cave each section representation m proiiortion.'to its numbers. If one-third of all rite 'tlectors Opposition or Labour,thev woiild get one-third of-the members, ({lit? so on. Mr Massey proceeded •to condemn the clauses wh-xh had been dropped,, and topredict -that- the second ballot would be a; gbastlj' failure. Electbm" would' hot. have the local option poll to bririg them out, and in the country thev would be busy with shearing and haymaking: H£ hoped it would "b« a failure ; awl then .they Would get- a better system 'in its place. (Applause.) Mr Miissey's li'e'xi- Bubject was borrowhi"".. "N~e\v"Zealand must, conHinu* to borrotf "for tlie constniciton oi public works, railways toads and; hr.dgee. Olul * tlie rountry was in this unfortunate position, that, if 2i millions was borrow- ( e.l in London each year not a penny of it could be brought to Xew Zealand, every pennv of it must, be left in London to pay interest on money borrowed liefore. Thai was the unfortunate position. He cbd lior wish to predict disaster, but the i>osition required them to be very careful "to avoid all extravagance, and to see ihat everv petifty proporly spent. There 'was' nothiiig vrcmg about- liorrowing so long as tjie interest did. not increase 'faster than the population, if it d'd rhey were on the way to disaster. Another phase of the questi«»n was the sc:ir<itv o£ nionev just now. that was paiuv dii'e to the fall in the price of w.iol, laM year bill due also to the way the t.o Vern'meiit had been borrowing money within ihe conntry ;ind inking it oil' of business channels." The million or so a \var depo«iietl in ihe Post. Ofiice Saving* 'Bank liin e\-f . llcnt lit-lit ntioni had all bivn liocioiv'd by the' Wovernmeni, by

" Invesum-iii "»i in Government. ><■ eimti.-*. The Prime Minister wouUl no driuht try so explain it away, htii tic could not do it. He (Mr Mas.-, y) w f ,uld prefer to sc* i-oni* method adopt**! of lOttflintl the mori< y direetly to settlers instead of through" the (Jovsniment. Another niPthod of hot the spare capital of the country was by felling short-dateil d.-bputun,; bearing 4 per cent. iniei'St, and large .sums vr.ro collected in ;iiiri way. Tlis A.M.P. Society had lent larife "amounts, and tliiri was not as Fome people supposed Australian money; it was the r<tail'. of the Society s business in \v Half ft million lent to 'ilie Govcrnm-tit by tins Society hit it so much ks* able to ar>sisi settler.-: tin- j.i<« (.1 inu'ic-t nf-cev-avily ios* wiili tlw short• age of tiupplv. >■> that financial help was tooting the -ettl.-rs m«.rv when Uw> yvKv-s of produce were low. Thru a ue«" |>»r-vow-ng device was adopted I.«;t A Bill wat passed whi<h ie«|tiir. "> all local bodies which in future cieate soaking fundi; for their loans. t*> .'iive-d them through ili»- public trust*e. whether ;h».loaiv were not from the < .'overnnieni or not and that motley would h- mopped tip in -debentures, liiiihei- <educing the amount of mon-y available for the public. The Advances to Svithis l>cparl!ii-nt wan an ■/.Xcel!<-nt one. bm owing to the shortaj£o a! moiicy in the mutiny n hoi l«-m----[torar ly broken down. Sir Joseph Ward van! ihere woufd be plenty of tc.on<y by next D.cemb-r. but in th" meantime, the applicant- w. u- jii!.' oil with small .-anomits. and tie v had to wait for thein. Mr Massev j»avv the ca-e of .i nouhcru ta-ld.r who ua.** pi'tiiin "*d an advance, and on the strength "■ th- promise got a hov.iv hull!, and lien cutis! not «,■! th.- ninii<y io pay for it l.rcati-e f h<* 1 )< par;mclil«arh-Uo\ cam.- do-,mi :o \V.. Iliiijjtoii airit!? it, and Mr idcam-d lor ban a uii'.leii p'oloiv.- that l!.i- .uiVale >' Would ll'- illade in a lU.a/. I;, and lh.it Ileitis iiaiil.i-:. I.a--' the t.o----v-; inn. i.t «... ii |.o«. r t« la*.- large j ,/Miin- i.l nioii: \. .'.iid it' iin-y aiteiiiptid i to la«e lie 111 Ol X- a/> :ij.,l;-i i: '.Vol,id ;-,t- a \ iV had '!( on ! I .on alid lii ! divti v. and ti»-r. J< i on t!ie «ajo-* ui •i, u~i !..■[■ • i k- ■■ i!. Mr Ma- '} -aid hi' -e. . .til.i 1...1 !,a\.Jltfi- i-av iiiaiji ..(M.iif tax.ua'li. "i'lo ! h'- lIIU-1 ill lil»- '.a\ i rio l - alt-,' a 'i. - pi u o o! moo. y !•>; r :i- ---■ i, . v ill'.i. 1,.;*:.. .1.1-1.: 111 ; -It.v h-.s--.ti' . -<> •• :"| p-f ' I'nt . -"id . .-1.-fiii. ■ in;' tha lis j -;..-? iof i„' v'i !■■■ «.iiid ; !ia -, • • pay :.Mi.,i.- • O a i Pit! ;! ia •: In- llioiif-v ill thv Ili-'UK- 1 -"' ?-<t'-l. hj" ■'"ir i h.;\ff . !.' . I % .1 lilOl',a..a. • : )„■ i, : ,-u '.-a*. .1 «;a! r- .. He I r i; : ! lua -- a V til-' !o' -ihoui i tio*' ; !,.- ;.t\ d. bai so : \ -i:oi:!.l 1, t.n.d : ~T I ! !!i-. • til - ll M-." -aiol.o I'. ; t.j ,'Ji, lii'iii. v tK i : "a . I'-r.} I't |a- i (.-I'tmn. 1 Ir.l 'i • hv-:'

thai. The mortgagees of conrse, did not pay.it; her passed it on to the settler by raising the rate of interest. Mr Massev spoke * next of the Dairy Regulations which had caused a great deal of annoyance and disturbance of confidence, and this led to tome remarks ou the "duty of the Government to :•&- farineis in <.> very way. and to avoid harassing them unnecessarily.

For rears, said 'Mr Massev, ?Cew Zealandera bad boasted that their coumrv ivis a land wit limit 'striken, and they attributed tins to ihe Conciliation and Arbnmuon Act,. There were some who 'hnd ft-ared that: the Act would not bear the slfafc -lif hard times, and in fact :t- had broken down before a pinch tame., Mr. Massey. briefly explained the nature af the '"of Conciliation, provided for by the amended law, and spoke hopefully of the application of the principle of conciliation ; -it""had answered well in Canada. "where it w;ts well supported by public opinion, .somethiug mr-st be done to bring, about a renewal of. corilidenci\ which had' been great Iv disturbed by the introduction -or tlitr principle of. compulsion.- v This had divided '.employers and' ,;niploj=ees<4jttto oppcssing camps, and eveTT zendenev of. thai kind was to b.v deplored, and got- -lid. of or; fjmckly a* possible. He hoped -the new law would do some-:hing-iri this direction. If not it must b$ amended.,. and her would: b? very glad to help. He could claim to have done a good deal -to assist the workers, and that, he had received more letters of thanks from individual workeis and workers' organisations than any other member of. the House. He wanied to see the workers getting a fair day\? pay for a fair day's work and giving a fair day's work for it; to see . them enjoying life, and making provision fur a Tinny day. and to sec the workers sons'getting She isaineE, chalices of\ public, employment, as the sons of the rich. Thfe ' Opposition were as anxious for th* welfare of ihe workers —he believed'- more go than so.iik> who made a great, deid of them at election times. > -It. win? he (Mr Maosey) who .secured the.:parsing of tlie Bill for mak•ing advances (to woTlcers. " Hf> did not, claim thi 1 fii.st'. sn£r[resH6ii. but- he putit into practical slrw 'before "tlie House : itid lie- -wai 'glad'to know that it " had been 'taken advantage of by 'many men to "obtain a homer of their own.

Mr Massey - askotl lus hearers to think of the most liberal laws that- had been passed' ih New* Zealand, and they would find- that they had beim passed by men 1 holding^ths- same as the -preeent 'Opposition. ■" He believed he could ' select "hem "as tlvev. would thmselves:" 'Mr .Bowen\ Edticatiotr -Act, S'r lolm (then Mr) Hall's*Femlilfe Franchise. Sir Harry Atkinson's proposal for national annuities, "hot but nt\w revived, and it ought'-jo' ."be paetsed ; and Mr Rolleston's Land, Act. more liberal than the present lS})d .law. Mr Massej- said 1 hat p-any public mjin in Xe'w Zealand had ever had deserved a national monument, it it as fvr H{trrj- Atkinson, for the great work he - did in rescuing New Zealand from the verge of bankruptcy. The Op\josuion liad been, twitted with the question which of the laws passed by the present adminktratiou tliev would repeal- He would' gfve a string of tliMii. bat- it '.vfas' not A fair question, for - the Opposition had done it* share of work upon all".tlw> Jaws, some of them were irnich less nnwis« in consequfitcc than :)i<\y would otherwise have br-en. Tliev repeal the .Second Ballot Act; yunend the land laws to give Statfe tenant. option of the freehold; and amend the (Saining Act, which by compiling, racing cjubs uiiing the totalinatov to license bookmakers also, had greatly increased, gambling. Mr Massev spoke •-for- some '«a- the' latter subject, showing the inconsistency of Ministers in their ! attitude' towards it, and pointing put that gamhUng had increase<l, for the totalisator retptins were «<v large as -'ver, while the bookmakers also handled large ■<ums, or; they could not afford ths' £2O license ft*.

, T)i£ constitution of thf- I'vper House cj»Jne in for some severe mit i.-isiu. Mr Massey said v h& had contt'sted iive flections, and <verv one of his tlefeated opponents had, been provided for —t wo of them in the. Upper House. Tlhiv \verfi some good ,men there; but others had no Jltness /or either House, and had been rejected as candidates lor the lower. The Minister in tlie Upper House. Hon. Dr Finlay, had never been able to get- into Parliament in the ordinary way. The electors-should take thw matter in hand and insist on .candidates pledging themselves to reform the Legislative Council Jo far a!v tlieir vote would do it. 'J'he Upper House should be made elective, or els? be abolished.

In hi- address at Timaru, Mr 'Massey adduced ns' one of iha evidences of the tendencies of t|i<* Uovertmmtt to extravagance', their pm]«Si;(!i> to erect new i'arliitnientaiy and.: administrative buildings, and u upw OovernorY* residence. becaus* a wing of the jl'urlianieiitmy buildings had b* on burned down. He detailed tin- larger itoils- of the proposal*, totting up tlieir co« to half* a million, and'" lk- stated emptmtienlly' thai uU that 'ns needed was a rvt;troati<jt» of the port ion destroyed. at ft cost of not. mare than one-filth of thaiamount. Kxtravaganee was illustrated l>v the growth -of the public debt. X-w Zealand had borrowed 25 millions since the present party came inut oftice. 'l'll,- selfreliant- jtolicy of jolm Balhmc: an borrowing outside- t.he. colony, and no borrowing at ' all if juwsible—had bren put. u&ide. Mr Ballanee actually reduced the public debt in his year. Borrowing for public works; was nec<**ary, within limits, but the debt. shouldi not, l» allowed to grow faster than tlie population. It had grown bv £lO per head sinr-e 1835. It would not be neovssaiy to barrow another penny to continue ;lit- land for ret! lament .policy if the tenants were allowed to buy tlii- fri'thnld. While borrowing borrowed money should not be <1 k^(piUtn.-.l iis it wan I'nf roads itud brid# is. Parliament. had ceased to l>i' a l.eai-d.ttivo Axetnbly; it had become a huge lto.nl Board or Board of Work's, ami saimliinei* a v-.ry corrupt Board of Wwte. All the«ie local mat Sets, should be relegated to local bodice;, who know the cirTwnstanc.o. But our local govcinimnt. it liftv voars behind tlio times. Th-- chief conditions of continued pros-petit-y were confidence that the results' of energy and enterprise wen' as good and as safe here as in any other country, and were not to !*• .made liable to colnliscatory taxation. And if indit'trie.-' ale U> prosjier there must be cmitidejicc in the mind of the capitalist. and « mutual understanding ami (jood will between employers and em-|>liiVi->-i. Parliament, nil .-ides of it, was anxious to do all it could to restore and maintain that confidence, and indeed that was one. of the mcs t itn! ies nf Parliament, He had no objection, Pallia mem. had )i" objection to nnion* ; or anv objectirm to labour bcin:» tepr. ciued in Parliament in proportion to ti>« ir mini hers. 'lhty bad jun as mtieh ii_>!,i t,» lie ropi-cseti'ed .1* any other -<.!iun o( the community. He wi«brd *.<■ »<" every norkifti* man have the ambition .m pi-iiv>* It;" piMtifm: and tln-v h.i-l ati a ample in th? ptn|«-»rfson <■! pic*^ni cinph vei < wbft If-jati « ni' ii. and were «o inneii "»he Uticr f»r the fun- tIM V gained; l ie- Public S. tvice < l.i-.kilieatie.ri ;iitii SitJ> r.inmiatmm It.II h.iv n>it. given (I** cftli-ielrrait".!! tll.i! nil li »!iiiuld hr»ve ' b. • ii jcf.-ite,! t., ~(»* i.r Kilter .if the !>fiprt>priaie u hi. Uiiiild t-ikefi aP-iice, -ahi< h l«A'.e been p;ir.te-t f«.r the inforiiiatn>n of ni'inbers. It Wa* la.! icf-Tlvd, an<l the Bill #'.i» nHi'd thr<mgli near th* end id tlw in-avy 190? \r"v»i.-.|i. It ha.'i mit glvtn -!inn !. > thi' l>e*ip!r it ftiJe. sed. and that *'.» n.i! (<> 1-e Wf.ndrtid at, <i«:ts;; lite I'-U V hi'-h I' -a a.-; put t)il f.'a^'il the If*-«i;<;e. The fe«|'-un^;bii;tv fi.r if* <'r fe. i- mtivt b': with the fk.v<:mm?t»*. 1

b&lieveil th=* "public was prfcpjrei? to, pay the public, servants- well, vUCCt.Tdiilg to tfa# responsibilities of their positions and.willing to provide or to assist to -provide, superannuation for them. But it- was also light, to assist private individuals Uiake provs-.'iou for their declining rears , too. (Hear, hears snd great., applause,) Mr Maxsey spoke of amendments that-; had been made in the old age pension system, and of the anomalies still remaining which ;pl«ced a penalty upon- thrift. . It would becdiftkult perhaps because tlia Cost, would be groat.. but the tin.® must come; when (Veryone would be-, entitled to a-pens'on, s-'<>, iCs,. a week..;

Tn closing his speech; Mr Massey spoke of tii? tremendous responsibilities that now tested onj the electors,;: and of which iliey could • not divest themselvesfor upon the character of the members elected itoxi mouth would res*- tlu> responsibility of increasing the prosperity of tlie' country or of retailing its progress. Thev .would for three years have control of the enormous revenues of- the xountrv. and of largo amounts of borrowed money. He wished; the electors to determinethey would ..select able, honest anil reliable men. because: suub men more' required ,in -Parliament than atrlthe pivwnt moment. (Applause.) : They im:st. have a strong Opposition, or they coujd not feel -sure,,of careful administration. Tlie late Opposition was weali in number,, and he claimed that they'had done fairly well their duty as an vOppoMtibn. Th«. followers of the • Government would not criticise Government properils; said it was not their duty, >but the auty of the -..Opposition; aridthe> Opposition had >. dona-what it could.? Mr Massey read a passage from tlie ''T&mika. Leader,' emmie rating;, certain things"whicli thi? Opposition \hadr§temanded, and;-which had beeiydonc. > They would have - liked ■> to do more, but wefe not- (strong enough; and .he hoped the ■electors of » Timaru would say that the Opposition ought; to be stronger, and would see their >yay to strengthen the party when they went to the poll on the'l7th. (Applause.> Mr Massey concluded with rending a 4ist ,of things the Opposition desired* to do, and of things they desired to undo. ai>d sa* down amidst- great applause. t QUESTIONS. Replying to qtfestions at Temuka; a good many beinghanded up. Mr Massey said he did not se® why a double accident insurance fee 'should bo paid to secure a Mtortgogeej the, Advances to Sftttlem did .BOt niand : it-j.- He did noiobject tothe tuw inentertiahHig <l»e ; fit ' was the: "duty of the <eountry , tt>, ; show' honour to suoh a vaMtor. -*PerhaP» tliere ■utis s»m« .fstmvagancA -in »pe- • cial .train; to. tak« up members! of Parliament, ! H«i could not s«y- •whether £IO,OOO -vras .too mnch-to spend ;oik a,, new Hermitage. > Tlio holder, of th« l.i.p. section could nqt make it nucleus of\ a large, freehold estate. \He must.i. ;pofc hav<.\ freehold ami' leasehold . iogelher, more than 610 acres of first cIuJS The s-ile "of the - goodwill of sections at- high, prices.had two elteclcs. Tho first,was finding a buyer; the isecorid th« power of ih« . Land )Qoord to say wheth't'r a fair prico was being given for if. ,■ ' ... ' f Other questi# is. refetTod to ihe pay and alio'wjinces of 1 "Nfinie>(eK; the appointment of ctiinsjsl to'the" law draftsman, which lie tmid was not a " job," but !k> «;ould not bay whether the work was 'worth £IOOO a year; and the free pass.privilege* of memlJer#* wivto and families.. -, A still larger htenber of qnectioos proposed #t- ,tl«s Tiniartt meethig hnd some of v them ■elicited lengthy :* repliei, among these l»ing ; tli« first; Srhicli was Jm inquin,- concerning the MeSkle case. The voting in thtf Hon» t.he . othe3r day had been misunderstood ; it was not. a: vote flgftinsfe giving Meiklo £SOOO, but. against the' reduction of *»it-hp- to'; £l. ifeikle's friends were moving' to get- a. ntw trial, and that, would be the bestt wa»;OUt of it. Tf acquitted he shoftld be compensjited. - Mr Mi«*t?y *aid W vote! !(gain.vt <he-fitsfr Advances hettlers Bill beeau«o .he , liad pledged Jffen*elf then :to resist all • lMilrrowiiig. did ndt Iwlievfr in the distinctions made> 4n tl» railwfty <«rvk>6 with to »ick pay. : Hfi would not vote ■fori'Stat* flonr mills, imleni : V£i«b \ras a last resort -to" break np a nuinopoly. He would not interfere witli the decision of th> Jndgtr ih the farm labourftlfs' 4,1*pnte. Hf strongly favoured the Improvement- of the Vancouver mail ■setrice. ■ AVa« surprifed when 1m? heard how the Depart • mem interpreted (he Teacher's Bill, he, and ht> wn* sure a majority of tho Tnftnbors, understood that the sivlartw •were to be raised 'at onee.i sChHrtrwn trained- in Catholic schools • .were eligible to -rtiter the Public (?«rvie«. He was opposed to fdmpDliaiy.. Taeq&ir' tion. rest could not be" in-*"' dulled in ret; were too Tunny laws requiring nmendinenU If .the " Tiniaru postsaid the Ojtposirion hlouked nl! Liberal mrasares they, had brtter not Iteliew all the "Post" said. If-meat was too dear, tliev voiild try tion. Ht> did not think shtv could g« away from 'the party system, by luiviti mi t-lective <x>'cutive. H»* did not. foi wo any slump, and if ow did come it might not be co bad as to require reduction of salarii ; as was the case ill 1887 90. ' lloiv inquiciiivf you Timaru people aiv!!' renwrked Mr Massey as the quflstions piled up. lie howt-vcr eagerly an.swered th>* last oti« i . '• What is ,jW tip for the coming .•lcciion in Tiiiiuru !"—■■" My t'p io Camp-bt-U." ■ (Applaust-.l A vote of t li:inl» moved by Mr J. WallaCf and Mr Vtrdim. carried by accliimation and duly aeknewlcdged, closed a highly 10.30,