THE OPPOSITION LEADER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10305, 9 November 1911, Page 1

THE OPPOSITION LEADER.

MR MASSEY BEFORE HIS CONSTITUENTS. [Per Press Association.] POKEKOHE, November 8

Tho leader of the Opposition, Mr W. F. Massey, delivered his first speech in connection with his candidature for re-election to the Franklin seat at Patumahoe this evening. The audience was a large one for a country meeting. Mr S. E. Pilgrim, chairman of the Mauku Road Board, presided.

Mr Massey was received with applause. He said that keener interest was being taken in public affairs at present than during any previous election campaign, and this was gratifying, for the absence of such interest might reasonably be accepted by the Government of tho day as an indication that it was master of the situation. But those who had made could unmake, as tho Government of Canada had lound. and as the Government of New Zealand might learn in the near future. (Applause.) The Opposition could make no promises of railways or bridges. All it could offer wore clean hands and honest service, and he honestly believed that the Reform Party had now a majority of people at its back. Very soon the country must realise tho necessity of preserving a more equitable relation between income and expenditure, and when that time came it would seek men of grit, energy and ability to administer its affairs. (Applause.) Mr M&ssey referred to several points discussed by the Prime Minister at Win ton on tho previous evening. Sir Joseph Ward had compiled an extraordinary table regarding the manner in which the leader of the Opposition had voted on tho Land Bill of 1894. Ho declared that Mr Massey had voted against the measure'oil thirty-seven occasions, hut the fact was that on the second reading, when the principle of tho measure was submitted to a vote, he had been paired, and 011. the third reading there was no division. It was significant that the Prime Minister had been forced to go back seventeen or eighteen years to find a flaw in the record of the leader of tho Opiiosition. Ho did not need to look back seventeen months or even seventeen weeks to find any number of llaws m tho record of tho Government. While checking the figures drawn by the Prime Minister from ancient history he had been reminded of tho interesting fact that Sir Joseph Ward had voted against Sir | John Rail's proposal to extend the franchise to women (laughter), and in that division he was accompanied by Sir James Carroll, tho lirst lieutenant of the present bekniglited Ministry. . Mr Massey maintained his contention that the borrowing under the present Government had been excessive, and added that the Government, instead of determining the extent to which the country might borrow in each year shirked its responsibility, removing H to the shoulders of members. Discussing the land policy of the Government, Air Massey said that it was absurd to suggest, as the Prime Ministei had declared, that every facility wa: given for acquiring the freehold. Nc man could say what the land policy o tho Government really was. At'ojn time it had raised its colours to th< mast on a purely leasehold Bill, thei it had submitted a half-and-half Bill which had in turn been followed bv i freehold Bill, and the last was droppec because of th© opposition in tlio rank; of the -Government itself. The Refoni Party proposed that settlers 011 lease ln-perpetuity lands should be allower to purchase their holdings at the origi Ral rauie, so that the invested capita would be released for the purchase o; other lands for settlement. The Prim< Minister made the ridiculous reply thai the efteet or the proposal was that lane would bo given away to the value o over fire and a half millions. The Goverament desired tho settlers to pur chaso the freehold at the present value or, in other words, to pay twice ovei tor the improvements made by their during their occupation, Sir Joseph Ward was reported tt T* said 111 connection with the Mokar deal that a claim for £SO,OGO had beer mont wi? 11 1! c °' mtry - That stateI m nt \\ o.s absolutely incorrect. H< had endeavoured to draw a herrim across the scent by tint + Natives had received YXh 't for the estate. Tho real am*. was justified* . 10 Government he soured the consent oi'X Natltes re£old 4G ' 000 acre.oi the land at a profit of £35,000, am the second speculator disposed of- il Soo&n.*' a furfchci p r ° fifc ill), 000. The proper course for tin Government was to have purchased fj SII V d ,fc selection cn the opthTt thoit it had sold the land, but what il had done was to sell to a company oi speculators the right to make a i/rofil ouo of the settiers in the years to come, and ho assured nis audience that the company was „ot a philanthropic inetituLion. Ihe Government proposal lithe policy measure of 190!) was t]H no man should hold more than 33£ acres of first-class land acquired frou the Crown subsequent to the passing of the Act of I9i>/. 1 lie penalty foi any man who acquired an additiona area was a fine of up to £SOO, or five years imprisonment. The settler wa? to 1)6 made a criminal, but the treatment for the speculator was an OrderKO Ann"" 1 Permitting I; im to purchast 5.5,010 acres in one block, and to make a lingo profit from it. The Goverimienl might attempt to gloss over the Mokau dealings but the fact remainec that a gigantic swindle had been perpetrated. (Hear, hear and applause.' Mr Massey added that he was prcparec to i epsat Ins statements on every platform in the country and in Parliament The amendments made in tho deati duties were due, Mr Massey said, ti tlie criticism which he had made ii Uinstchurch some months ago, and ii which he had been simpnrtod bv othei members of the Reform Party. Tlk speech of Ihe Prime Minister at Winton was, in brief, evidence that the Government had not a scrap of policy (Applause.) The only policy at present before the country was that of the Reform Party, and it was withoul doubt the most liberal and democratic ever submitted to tho people of New Zealand. Ho described the preseni Ministry as windmills twisting am, turning to catch every breath of public opinion, or as a phonograph readj to play any tune. Rut the public hai to pay all the time. There was tu indication in the Budget of any policy, awd the proposals advocated bj Sir John hindlay in his opening cam paigu speech had been disowned by th<

Prime Minister, who declared that the Attorney-General was speaking as a candidate and not as a member of the Government. Dealing with other questions, Mr Massey said that the Hine charges were proved up to the hilt, and lie objected very strongly to the remarks of Sir John Findlav on the subject on Tuesday evening and in Wellington some months ago. He urged the necessity for publicity in connection with all the details of public expenditure, and advocated the Canadian system of showing tho items of all expenditure in an annual return. (Applause.) There must be reform in the system of expending public money. It was tho duty of every member,, whether Government or Opposition, to obtain his share of public money in proportion to the amount available and to tho needs of bis district, but filter eighteen years' experience he was convinced that tho system _ was abominable, degrading, humiliating and extravagant. (Applause.) If the country was to preserve its democracy and any of its rights beyond the right to ho taxed, it must very quickly find a definite remedy for the despotism of the Government. (Applause.)

A vote of thanks and of confidence was accorded to Mr Massey.