SIR JOSEPH WARD

Timaru Herald, Volume CI, Issue 15506, 17 November 1914, Page 7

SIR JOSEPH WARD

ADDRESSES CONSTITUENTS. A FIGHTING SPEECH. THE LIBERAL PROGRAMME. Per Press Association, . "WINTON, Nov. 16. Sir J. G. Ward addressed a meeting of about fifteen hundred people tonight. In introductory remarks the" Mayor said Lady Ward had just handed him a cheque for £IOO for the Liverpool fund, an announcement which was received with loud applause. Sir Jostipn -Ward complained that the Government had not) commenced, small but important lines of railway such as the Winoon-ilecl'ioa Bush Juno, yet no less than live new railways liad been commenced in constituencies of four Ministers, including the Prime Ministers. Keierrmg to tne War, Kir Joseph Ward said there Uiould be no two opinions thai- the present unparalle.ed war was just, so far as Britain was. concerned. The most effective course for New Zealand to follow iras. to support the good old British Navy. (Applause.) Without- a British Navy New Zealand and Australia would have been unable to do what they had done in the Pacific, (Applause.) If the Liberal party were returned their policy would be to strengthen the great Imperial Navy. It was idle to talk of a local navy and he had no hesitation in expi-essin<* his strong conviction that even were it the best system, tie financial burden would be absolutely ruinous. (Applause.) He urged in connection with foreign trade that New Zealand should institute a 10 per cent, preferential tariff. Ref erring to internal defence he said it was cool impudence .on the part of opponents to attempt to deprive him of what was his flue in connection with universal training. He had prepared the whole scheme, but he did not think that the cost of mniversal training should be more than £400,000, because they did not- want a military caste in the country. (Applause.) On 1/bo point of finance fie said that .he.had left the largest surplus of any Finance Minister in this country—£Bo7,ooo. As a matter of fact he had arranged in writing a clear million of advances Tor iris successor,, not one 'shilling of which was pledgedV The average interest- charge on the national debt outstanding on March 31st, 1891. according to the present Government's own Year Book was £4 10s 3d per £IOO. durincr the period 1890-91 to 1912-13. therefore the average rate was found to lia.vo decreased by 16s 5d per .££loo. f Applause.) After '"criticising the Government's N borrowing policy Sir Joseph Ward said the present position of the finances was unsatisfactory." The surplus revenue fell last year from £807,000 in 1912 to £426,000, less £50,000 by non-payment of naval subsidy, which gave a real surplus of £376,000. The expenditure out of ordinary revenue had. increased by £1,58-5,000, and last year's expenditure, included in that sum, increased £744,000' as against an increase of only: £494,000. Dealing with the advances to settlers, workers, and local bodies, he said that during the Liberal term of office this Department had lent nearly £16,000,000, and in his last two years of office £3,439,805 was advanced to settlers, as compared with £1,915.850 advanced during Mr Massey's two years. The land legislation ,of the ..present Government had. proved a rank . failure, and had given the poor man or the men of slender means little or no chance to compete against 'his more wealthy opponent. (Apolause.) Sir Joseph showed that under the Liberal' Government the total benefits to 'users of railways and employees up to the present was £3,695,000. (Applause!) He quoted results of divisions showing strenuous opposition of the present Government to the old age pension scheme,. _ Mr. Massey himself having voted 87 times against and nine times' for tlho Bill. He said the responsibiity for the Huntly disaster could not yet be definitely placed, but it would not. have occurred, if the recommendations of tbe Royal Commission set up bv the Ward Government had been carried; into law. No country in the world could show so many progressive measures as New Zealand, and the Liberal party were wholly responsible). He said the Government's _ native land legislation had caused distrust in the mind of the natives, and he promised if returned to make stringent provision for preventing aggregation and to secure more rapid settlement, and to assist the Maoris themselves. The cost of living question should be dealt with and increase couild easily be prevented by organisation. He detailed many broken promises of the Massey Government and outlined the : policy of the Liberal party, including Empire navy, proportional representation, increase of graduated land tax, workers' homes, cheap money, action against monoipolws, dheap and jpure milk, abolition. of2duties on necessaries of life, removal l of trades union anomalies, assistance to cripples and invalids, free nurses, for back, blocks, assistance to fruit, gum and timber interests, expenditure of £5(K),000 a j-ear for extension and additions to open lines, completion of main trunk lines in four years, limitation of borrowing for railways and public works to three millions a year, special assistance to back block roads, ferry service Wellington to Picton. development of. "trade within the Empire, reduction by one half of the public building votes, internal defence not to cost more than £450,000 a year, Lake Waikaremoana power scheme, public service under .Parliamentary control, £5 in every savings ba,nk for every child born, preservation of present education system, with free access to university or technical schools, grading of teachers and ; salaries, encourage, ment of mining extension, agricultural education and afforestation, and concluded by forecasting tfhe return Liberal partv under the- motto "Progress and still more progress." A most cordial and enthusiastic meetine closed with a vote of and confidence. :