THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1914. SIR JOSEPH AGAIN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 28 February 1914, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1914. SIR JOSEPH AGAIN.

The speech delivered by "Sir Joseph Ward at JDunedin was even more shallow and unconvincing than that with which he tickled the ears of the Wintonites a few days previously. Me started off by railing against the Press of the Doaffion, and comforted himself by the declaration that "the platform was stronger thajx the Press." Then he. complained that the Press Association was not giving him the publicity it should have done, while it took every notice of what JtfLr Massey and other Ministers stated in public. Wihy should he attach so much important© to the Press when the platform, which, is so much stronger," is always at* his disposal P But, as a matter of fact, the Press Association has devoted a great deal more attention to Sir Joseph than it .did to the present Ministers when they were in Opposition* The member for Awarua should bear in mind flint he speaks now as a member, and not as a representative, of. the Crown. Consequently, hie views are only those of an individual, and not those of the head, "or member of a Government. The statement of Sir Joseph Ward, in explanation of

his lack of policy, "that the present Government never gave tlieni. a shreil of policy before last election," was made without the slightest consideration for the facts. Did not- Mr Alassey and his followers toll the electors that, it' returned to power, they would reform the land isystem, the Public Service, and the Legislative Council ? If this is not v policy, what is ? "And theri tlie Leader of the Opposition confided to his hearers that he "had always been on the side of breaking up the large landed estates in this country." Why did he not tell them just h'bw many large landed estates he had' broken up when he was himself in power ? Why did he not tell them that under his beneficent Administration every form % pf monopoly-44and, sugar, kerosene,' and shipping—was allowed to "flour-ish-as the green bay tree" P The Leader of the Opposition again made reterenoe to the naval question, on this occasion ridiculous than before by drawing extravagantlv upon the imagination of his hearers. "What advantage," he asked, '"would it (the present policy) be to the people of New Zealand if by any mischance the British Navy were to go down in a battle and some foreign Power were to take possession of the British Isles P" He might just as well haw asked, "What advantage would It be if the Dominion were swallowed up by a convulsion of Nature?" A fourth standard school-boy must know that an Australian fleet would, be-of little advantage if the British Navy Were desalted. But that is not,Vthfe point. Our first duty v is to pursue t such a course -as . will: fissist in maintaining the supreanaey of the : on the waters. Whether is it better to sertd £IOO,OOO to England for expenditure by the Admiralty, or to expend a larger sum at this m training men for the Navy ? That is the immediate question. Sir Joseph said he was-fully convinced that we ought to liave an effective system ot internal defence. Then, let us put to liinvhis own question, 'What would be the advantage of ou» internal defence if, by any mischance, the British Navy were to go down in a battle and so-ne foreign Power were to take possession of the British Isles?" The Leader of the Opposition again proceeded to discuss the Dreadnought question, and made it appear that he was being cruelly , atr tacked because the gift of a battleship was made by the Dominion. The people are becoming tired or the ab-, surdities that are being iterated and reiterated in connection with, this matter. How many times must Sir Joseph l be "told that nobody ever complained' about the gift of a battleship, and that the only prptest was:agains| the unconstitutional and high-handed: manner in'which the offer was made? According to the member for Awai rua, the Government last session put i a tax upon th© business people of ' New Zealand in the form of a tax on industries. Will he kindly tell us jphat that tax was ? . And will he give a reason why city merchants ' should not bear their fair quota ot the taxation of tbe country? It :nay ' strike Sir Joseph a<s i&olfl&what remarkable that the "tax on industries" he complains about should have induced such an enterprising firm as the Levers to come amongst us arid establish .soap works on a large scale. But that, again, is another story. The Leaded of the Op- . position "alleged that the, increase made in th© graduated land tax 1 hy the present Government was fallaci- ' ous. How comes it, then, that the '■ revenue from the graduated land tax ' i$ many thousands of pounds greater, than it was'during the '-Liberal' regime? Sir' Joseph Ward criticised the Government for n$ bringing down some voting arrangements in ' place of the, second ballot. "Let them have a system by _which the majority can decide," said Sir Joseph. Very well, will'he indicate'a system tfiat will secure majority representa- ! tipn? Did the second ballot .do it ? Would proportional representation do it, "with the country, quota remaining as at present? Would he be prepared to wipe out The country quota? /We have not space to review the whole of the speech delivered by Sir Joseph Ward at Dunedin, hut- we would remind him 'that there is more truth ill his statement that "the. great majority of tlie multitude, are thifking than is/ perhaps, appreciated by liimlelf. It is because the, people have taken to thinking, and because they have refused to be ■longer bull-dozed, that Sir Joseph to-day finds himself in the cold shades of Opposition.. <„