THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9113, 19 December 1907, Page 1

THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION.

♦ MR MASSEY ENTERTAINED AT PUKEKOHE. [Peb Pbbss Association.] PUKEKOHE, December 17. Mr Massey, leader of the Opposition, was entertained by the local branch of the Political Reform League here this evening. There was a large attendance. Mr Massey, who was received with loud applause on rising to speak, referred to the change of * the status of New Zealand from that of colony to that of dominion, and went on to speak of the rush and scramble which took place at the end of the session. He condemned the custom of suspending the Standing Orders at the end of sessions ' for the purpose of getting Bills through quickly. In referring to the land legislation passed last session, Mr Massey said that the taxation Bill did not seriously affect the working farmers of the dominion, but there was one objectionable feature in it, viz., the proposal that when less than 25 per cent of the purchase was paid m the oa,*se oi sale, the vendors ehould remain liable to taxation. After a severe struggle, the Opposition succeeded in getting a clause inserted to the effect that where the Commissioner was satisfied that the transaction was a bona, fide one the vendor would be relieved of further liability. He did not, however, think that interference of this kind was necessary at all. This policy of interference with individual liberty was party of a progress towards Socialism, which a large number of people in this, as well as in other countries, seemed to be clamouring for, and which was quite antagonistic to true Liberalism. In referring to the Land Bill, he pointed out the contrast between the, Fabian-like 'measure ,of 1906 and the modified measure of 1907. The former Bill aimed at making freehold impossible upon the whole of the Crown lands. This had. now been modified by making it possible to obtain freehold in regard to one-half of the Crown lands. As to the endowment policy, he said that the lands reserved would produce no more than £49,000 a year, whereas xne oost of education and old ago pensions (whioh are proposed to be benefited) amounted to about £1,200,000 a year. .. The whole land legislation ' was a piece of the most arrant humbug. There' was too much sway 'exercised by people who had never heen half a mile away from 'a gats-lamp or an asphalt pavement. As to the Bill of 1906, which waß brought down with such a flourish of trumpets, the Government backed, down at the rirat sign of attack, and executed a strategic movement to the' rear. If the Bill was right the Government should haye stuck to it, and if it was wrong they ehould have taken the consequence. The Act just passed was intended partly as a sop to the' freeholders and partly as a concession to the Socialists. "Do not let anyone imagine," Mr M.assey went on to say, "that the last has been heard of ' the land question. It will come up again aj;. v-the . next eleefeion r ...wl_en^]r*^s^*Hal=ists'will be asking for more." The freeholders, he said, would endeavour to have the existing conditions modified so as. to make the torms of obtaining the freehold easier than they were,tinder the present law. They would not rest until they obtained for future Crown : tenants the option of the freehold in regard to land for settlements as well as ordinary Crown lands. By the recent legislation a great blow had been struck at successful land settlement, from which a recovery wo,uld be impossible until some amendments had been made, in the existing law. In re^ gard to Native lands he said that this question had not been satisfactorily dealt with last session, when, as was usual, a Bill had been introduced and rushed through in the dying hours of the session. These belated Bills invariably consisted of amendments which were necessary to remedy defects in previous Acts, and the consequence was that the Native land laws had got into such a state that nobody could understand them. Simplification and modification of the existing law was required so that they could be generally understood. Serious as was the fire at Parliamentary Buildings it wae a matter for congratulation that the library, which was probably the best in the .Southern Hemisphere, had been saved. It was impossible to say what was the actual amount of the loss, but he was quite certain that, no less than £150,000 would be required to rebuild and refit the buildings for _ use. The fire had disclosed a most serious defect in the financial policy of the dominion. In the first place, there was no insurance on public buildingß. They had. a State Fire Insurance Department 6et up for the pbrpose of insuring the property of private individuals, and it jt was right to thus provide for private property, it was also right to insure

Ciiiiihiiiwii ■iiiMi—iiiwiwiui 1 niiwrnnnTMip 1 State property-. There was another and ] an even more important point, and mat was that there was no depreciation account in connection with the public buildings. The money 6aved by not having a depreciation fund might help to swell the annual surplus, but it was not' sound finance. So far as the policy of the Opposition was concerned, there was no'obstruction. It placed the. interests of the oountry before' those of party. It endeavoured as far as possible to safeguard the people's money, and he claimed that it now. exercised; an influence for good on the legislation passed. In regard to the tariff^he Spaid that whilst the revision had given relief in certain directions, the new tariff, he was isorry to say, was more protective in some respects than the old one. Several articles of mining and agricultural machinery ]H-hich had previously ■ been free were now subject to duty. Speaking with regard to next year's elections, he said that many people were under the impression, that they were going to haVe three parties. He himself believed that indications pointed in that direction. He alluded to the Socialistic Party, which had recently been asserting itself. This, party was for a long time the powe^ behind the throne, but it was no longer satisfied with that, and wished to get on' to the throne itself. Many people agreed that the time had oome when the line .should be drawn between 'Socialism, and genuine Liberalism. The people had to decide whether they were going to be governed by straight-out Liberals or straight-out .Socialists, or by opportunists who .would, pander to the Socialists in the way experienced during the last few sessions. The most, liberal men in Parliament wefre those who sat on Uie Opposition side of the House. (Applause.) The encouragement that was given to his party by such cordial receptions as he had received that evening would encourage him to go on fighting, as they had been fighting, _ . \^'.:J,..- .'iy ■' !W*rT_f,or r *fhe cause that lacks assistance, ■_. For the wrong that needs resistance, 7 For tho future in the distance, And the good that we can do. ? Mr Bollard, M.P., said that the land nationalisers, faddists and Socialists had built up a stone wall round New Zealand which would prevent immigrants purchasing 1 any good Crowh.land. As to the policy of the Opposition, he said that even the Hon G. Fowlds had admitted that. th© State was indebted to the Opposition for guiding the legislation of the oountry. Mr Mander, M.P.. in a few remarks on the land question, said that it was enough to give a man appendicitis to listen to soniie of the extremists, in the House. . There was not a single typical representative of the country interests on the Treasury benches, and the North Island, although it had four Ministers, was not represented iri influence to + i**. extent that the South Island was represented. gathering concluded with the usual votes of thanks. ,