MR MASSEY'S TOUR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11028, 17 March 1914, Page 8

MR MASSEY'S TOUR.

SPEECH AT NELSON. LIVELY PROCEEDINGS AT CLOSE. MAYOR LEAVES THE CHAIR. [Per Press Association.] NELSON,. March 16. The. Prime Minister, the Right Hon W. .I<\ Massey, addressed a crowded meeting at the Theatre Royal to-night, having a good reception and an attentive hearing, though the proceedings at times were somewhat demonstrative. Mr Massey spoko on practically the same lines as at Blenheim bust week. Ho criticised the financial arrangements of previous Governments, which, he said, left his Cabinet face to face with tho necessity of finding £5,000,000 by tho end of tho year to pay off shortditcd loans, in addition to live millions for ordinary development purpose's. Tho Government had increased the limit of amounts lent, to local, bodies and settlers. It. could not supply all the demands of the former, but tho State guarantee system would assist those who required more than, the Department could advance. He would see that a flaw in the Act preventing harbour boards from benefiting by it was put right. The present Government had lent to settlers, workers and local bodies £2,4 72,710, including £1,005,()2u to settlers, £-198,075 _to workers and £019.020 to local bodies. The result of the last loan flotation in London gave New Zealanders every reason to be proud of the grand little country in which they lived, for tho London financiers were the best judges of tho financial condition of the country. The bad times and low wages predicted when tho Reform Government took'oftioo had not come to pass. Tho country never was more prosperous than at present, and of that the Post Office Savings Bank was an index, deposits for the months of January and February exceeding withdrawals by £193,438. while the deposits for February of this year exceeded those for til * corresponding month of 1913 by £117,472. The present Government had increased the rate of interest ou post office deposits from -.3$ to J,f po cent. . ■ '

Ho contended that the Government had kept its pledges on', tho land question, and between -19,000 and Crown tenants now had. tij«* right- to convert their leaseholds into fro. l holds upon easy terms. Leasehold li.v 1 few supporters in Parliament now During the present financial year tho Government had purchased ll9,0(ii) acres of land for £559,606, and hart settled 22,000 settlers on it. The experiment of providing five-acri holdings and houses for farm workers in Canterbury promised good results, and he intended to repeat it in the North Island. He was out to give the man on the bottom nui£ a chance to climb.. The Prime Minister dealt with nava defence and the recent strikfHn similrK* terms to those of his Blenhcm speech. The strike had killed the old. Libera - Party, and the "parties of the futury would be Reform Liberals and Red ed. Liberals. The Government would keep the present railway construction polio going, and perhaps do a little nioie. It proooaed to allow sr>ttlers and loco I bodies to construct lines of standard gauge. If the Government had ,iot'p.s vet redeemed all its pledges, it was noo its fault. It. had built up. a policy which would be for the good of tuo dominion in years to come. As the meeting draw near its conclusion a noisy element, developed at tho rear of the hall, which Mr Massey treated good-humouredly. In conclusion Mr Massey read a report published in the " Nelson Mail from a. Hawke's Bay newspaper of an address by Mr At more, member for Nelsou, in which among other things it was stated that Mr Massey was now head of a house which had been left £165,000. He said his father died two vears ago and left £2OOO. He. presumed it was his father l who was alluded to. Mr Atmore, (speaking from the platform, denied having made the statement. , Y\ r Massey said that he had quoted the paper correctly and no correction had apoearetl in it. A motion of thanks was moved and spoken to by several members of the audience. Mr Atmore then moved, an amendment to delete the .words expressing confidence in tho Government and proceeded to criticise the Government. He denied referring to Mr Massey s father. It was Mr Herries's father he alluded to, and he had been misrepresented by the Hastings "Tribune." Mr Atmore proceeded to deal with the Government 'when objection Mas raised to his making a speech. A scene of some disorder ensued, but the Mayor held that-Mr Atmore was in order and he continued his efforts to Speak amid constant uproar and counting out. After the lapse of some time the Mayor declared the meeting closed and left, the chair amid cheers and counterdemonstrations, the motion not having been put. Interviewed after the meeting, Mr made the following statement: " I intend to make another speech by way of reply to Mr Atmore. I <lo not blame the"Mayor for leaving the chair. \Vhat has taken place is the most miserable exhibition I have experienced in my twenty years of parliamentary iife. l am now speaking of the interference Mith the meeting by the member for the district, Mr Atmore.'' Mr Atmore afterwards addressed an impromptu meeting outside the theatre.