THE REFORM PARTY

Wairarapa Age, 18 November 1919, Page 5

THE REFORM PARTY

DEFENDED BY A MINISTER. (By Telegraph—Press Association) Night. The Hon. W. Nosworthy addressed a large meeting at Ashbufton this evening. Mr. Nosworthy, who was well received, spoke of tho .unanimity of the Reform Ho "said .tljat he, wi:h a/dozeh*" Reform members, opposed the formation of a National Government, but had loyally sup ported it as a war Government onlj. before the Peaco Conference. The olive branch, was held out to the Liberal Party, who rejected the offer, preferring party government Tb# Liberals had left the Reformers tc do all the washing up. The Liberals hoped for the soldiers' support by their gratuity amendment, but the soldiers were satisfied with the.present provision. The Reform Party were able "* form a strong Government administration. The Minister stressed the increased direct or land and income taxes during the war, this being the conscription of wealth. The tax incidence was unjust, especially,-the land-tax, which wo 3 heavyj on mortgages. The gratuity was paid by the conscription of wealth. The Reform Party was determined to revise the unjust system of taxing farmers on their debts. Inland and overseas 'transportation development was favoured. Speaking of the uu'-ter equalisation fund, he favoured the present scheme by a payment from the consolidated fund. The wheat question was very complicated, but the speaker's polioy was to help the farmers over a period. If elected, he intended to ponßult; tho farmers re wheat after the election, to mako definit arrangements. As Minister of Agriculture he was making arrangements for the grading of Island fruit, so as to supply plenty of cheap fruit, which would be free from blight. ' Encouragement was to be gsven to immigration from Britain. The Cabinet was opposed to militarism, but the elements in the Pacific gave cause for watchfulness. Some reasonable form of training was necessary, both military and naval. Regarding land monopoly, the Re- j formers had passed legislation to' abolish re-aggregation. , The party was fighting the meat and .commercial monopolies. The speaker said he was out against the brewing monopoly. It was not the man on the land who bied the people, but the middleman. There was an outcry about putting soldiers on the land, but many soldiers wanted to go- into business and commerce, where the close monopoly held them out. He favoured taxing the mercantile community and burdening the farmer less. Sir Joseph Ward favoured nationalisation, which showed his sympathy for extreme Labour; which Sir Joseph carefully denied. Tho Liberal and Labour members would combine to fight for a Government, if they were in a majority, but the Reformers had no dealings with extreme Labour, nor would they accept their support in the Government, He referred to Sir Joseph Ward as a political opportunist of the first water. The country would be better with its decks cleared of Ward, Myers, Wilford, and Company. In conclusion, he quoted Lord Kitchener's message at the beginning I of the war. He appealed finally for a strong government. A vote of thanks was passed to the speaker by acclamation.