MR. MASSEY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17732, 4 December 1919, Page 5

MR. MASSEY.

GREAT MEETING AT OAMARU.

STRONG PATRIOTIC VOTE.

(Per Press Association.) OAMARU, Dec. 3

This evening the Prime Minister gave a public address in the Town Hall, Oamaru. when there was a very large attendance, which included many settlers frpm districts adjacent to the town. A number of ladies and genjtlemen occupied seats on the platform, all other portions of the house being crowed.

The chair was taken by the Mayor of Oamaru (Mr J. McDiarmid), who in introducing Mr Massey, referred to his splendid and robust Imperialism. (Applause.) Mr Massey, who was welcomad with warm plaudits, spoke first of all on the privilege he had of representing New Zealand at the Peace Conference. So far as the Peace Conference and War Cabinet were concerned, he had done his best and given of his best in the interests of Empire and of the Dominion. (Applause.) Many changes had taken place since he last spoke in Oamaru five or six years ago. Who thought at that time that the country would have to take part in a great war and send away 100,000 of its manhood to fight for the liberty and freedom of their fellow citizens? Who thought that New Zealand would have expended one hundred millions in connection with war. Yet it had all occurred. The Dominion had not quite recovered, but he was sure there were not many people in New Zealand who regretted what it had done. He believed the great bulk of the people gloried in the part the Dominion had taken in the great conflict. (Applause.) It was well they should remember the 17,000 of our young men who gave their lives for the Empire. Their graves were scattered far and wide, but their names and the deeds they had done would never, be forgotten. (Applause.)

NEW ZEALAND'S POSSIBILITIES

Mr Massey went on to say that New Zealand was more prosperous than any other part of the world, and she would recover from the war more quickly and with greater ease than any other country. We must, however, have increased production. Fifty per cent, increase was needed. There would always be a demand for our produce, so long as the qualitywas there. Land was being opened up and more closely settled every day, and this policy would have to be continued. Railway construction would be pushed on and roads and bridges made, so that young fellows who were waiting to go into the hinterland and carve out homes for themselves would be encouraged to do so. Hydro-electricity would also require to be developed. There was not a country in the world so well provided with water as was New Zea-, land, and we were only beginning to realise how valuable was its undeveloped water power. Canterbury, with its supply of electricity, was leading the way, and was showing an example to other parts of the Dominion which they would not be slow to follow.

THE PARTY FLAG,

"I am sorry/ proceeded the speaker, "that I am compelled to hoist the party banner. I have seen enough of party wits and extravagances and even iniquities, which is a strong term, and trust we shall never get back to party Government as we knew it a few years ago. When we get back to normal times it will not be my fault if there is not a great improvement as compared with the party system of the past."

An elector: Sir Joseph Ward will be Premier then.

Mr Massey: I think the wish is father to the thought. There are not many prophets in Oamaru, and this gentleman is not one of them. (Applause.)

TAXATION,

Referring to taxation, the Prime Minister said there was need for an amendment in this respect, as at present a man was taxed on his debts (in the matter of a mortgage) and this should not be. Mr Massey explained the necessity for the loans last raised and justified the using of the accumulated surpluses to reduce the amount of borrowed money. Money had been borrowed for settling soldiers on the land and homes had been found for 6000 of the returned men. In the new legislation affecting taxation he hoped to be able to ease the taxation on married men with families.

"GO-SLOW" POLICY.

Mr Massey sjiid the "go-slow" policy in coal mines was unpatriotic, and ought to come to an end as soon as possible. (Applause.) Coalmining was dangerous and unpleasant, and therefore should be particularly well paid, and the miners should live under the best conditions, but when demands were made that, if given effect to, would seriously increase the cost of living it was time for the Government to draw the line, and that was the position to-day. He had thought two or three weeks ago that they were on the eve of a settlement, but apparently they were not. The Government would have to take the matter in hand and appeal to the right-thinking sections of the citizens to assist in connection with what was a serious difficulty so far as industrial matters were concerned. (Applause.)

DISLOYALISTS FLAYED,

Mr Massey next dealt with the Parliamentary Labour Party. The title was not a proper one. It implied that the party represented labour, and it did not do so. He himself represented Labour as well as other sections of the people.

A voice: Look at the cockies at the back of you. (Laughter.)

Mr Massey said there was no "goslow" about the cockies. The prosperity of the country depended on the cockies more than on any other part of the community. He only wished the country had more' of them. Coming back to the Parliamentary Labour Party, he asked what that party did in the war?

An elector: Nothing,

(Applause.)

Could anybody in the audience point to a single instance when that party helped in connection with the war ?

There was silence. No one could give an instance.

The Parliamentary Labour Party, said the Prime Minister, did not lift a finger to send men away when they were required to assist in the defence of the Empire. They took every occasion to harass the Government, notwithstanding its tremendous responsibilities. The difference between the Parliamentary Labour Party and the ordinary workers and wage-earners was that the ordinary workers were loyal and did their share in the war, while the other people were not loyal and did nothing. (Applause.

An elector: Who are the "other people?"

Mr Massey: They are the I.W.W. and the followers of Messrs Holland and Semple. They are not doing much that is objectionable now. They have changed their tactics. Butter would not melt in their mouths at present. They are out for the interests of the soldiers—God help the soldiers if they have to depend on the Parliamentary Labour Party! (Applause.)

Continuing, Mr Massey said that one r.tember of the party had said that if he was in Russia he would, he a Bolshevik. He (Mr Massey) believed the worst had not been made public about Bolshevism. The people would hear more about it than had been made public up to the present. From what he had heard on the other side of the world, sometimes from those who had had close experience, he believed more would yet come to light of the horrors of Bolshevism, and the man who was proud of the Bolsheviks was a member of Parliament.

A voice: Turn him out

That, said Mr Massey, was for the electors. When the National Anthem was sung in the House, these men left their seats. As a mattter of fact, the members of this party had qualified for Parliament by serving terms in gaol for sedition. (Applause.) It was becoming a qualification. He asked the intelligent, right-thinking, and patriotic people of this country to think out where we were getting to. Were these things to continue, or was it to be stopped once and for all? (Applause.) This Parliamentary Labour Party desired to dictate the policy of the Government of the day, and there was only one way to prevent it. That was to give the present Government a working majority. (Applause.) Presently, he believed, New Zealand would bring into operation a scheme of immigration. The Dominion badly wanted more people, but they must be people of the right sort. If he was in power no disloyalist would come in. (Applause.) New Zealand must be kept a loyal community, and it was a loyal community, with the exception of a noisy few. (Applause.)

THE NAURU PHOSPHATES

The rich phosphate deposits of the island of Nauru were next referred to. Mr Massey explained how he had secured a share of these valuable fertilisers for New Zealand, and said he believed the supply would last Australia and New Zealand for at least 20C years. If our output of produce was to be maintained and increased, we required phosphates to assist in the net result.' The application of phosphates in basic slag to country that had been considered almost worthless was turning the land from poor country into fertile country, carrying large numbers of cows, and supporting many families. , He looked forward with interest to the time when we would get phosphates from Nauru, and he firmly believed that in time those phosphates would be worth millions to the people of this country. (Applause.)

RAILWAY SERVICE

Regarding the railway service, Mr Massey said that the system under which the men were dealt with was unbusinesslike. In order to satisfy the men, and at the same time to do the right thing by the public, he had suggested the setting up of a Wages Board to go into the whole question of salaries, wages, and the cost ot living. That proposal had been agreed to, and each branch of1 the Department would be represented on the board, with Mr Justice t Stringer as chairman. The Government wished to do what was right towards the men, because if they were to have a satisfactory service they must have a satisfied service—(Applause)—and he believed the position would be better solved by the appointment of this board than by any other method so far suggested. If the board proved a success it would be made permanent.

As for the Postal Service, the position was very peculiar. It was said that at a social a promise of a bonus was made to the service, but there was no record of it, and nothing definite to go on, besides which the promise—and he wa.3 prepared to admit somo sort of promise was made —was allowed to remain in abeyance for about 12 months from the date of the promise until after Sir Joseph Ward's retirement from the National Government. Nor was it known definitely what the promise was, and eyen Sir Joseph Ward had difficulty in saying what it was. In this matter also the Government wished to do what was fair, and in his opinion a commission of inquiry should be appointed, consisting of one or two well-known men, to go into the matter and make a recommendation. It would then be for Cabinet to say what was the right course to take under the circumstances. The Government wished to get at tlie facts, and whether they were obtained before the Christmas holidays or not did not matter very much.

Mr Massey was rapturously applauded on resuming" his seat after spcjaking for over two hours. A hearty vote of thanks and confidence in*the Government was carried practically unanimously.