MR FISHER AT MASTERTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 11937, 26 March 1914, Page 5

MR FISHER AT MASTERTON.

THE MINISTER HECKLED.

BY DISORDERLY SECTION OF AUDIENCE.

BUT CHEERS PREDOMINATE.

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE PASSED

An address was delivered in tho . Town Hall last evening by the Hon. F« M. B. Fisher, Minister for Customs and Marine. The hall was packed to the doors, and the stage was crowded, a large number of people having to be refused admittance. The chair was occupied by the Mayor (Mr J. M. Coradine). When the Mayor rose to introduce Mr Fisher he was unable to make himself heard for some time owing to the noise made by a hostile section of the crowd in the rear of the hall. At last. Mr Coradine got the ear of the crowd, which was making the demonstration. "You may see some fun in it, I don't. I don't know whether you wish to insult the town and your Mayor. You have a. good reputation, and surely you don't want to spoil it," said Mr Coradine, amid applause. The Mayor then introduced the Hon. Mr ,F. M. B. Fisher,, and asked the audience to keep order. ".I am going to ask you to give Mr Fisher a good hearing, and for the sake of the reputation • of the town I ask you to do this," said the Mayor. Mr Fisher was greeted with a storm of cheers and some groaning. He opened his remarks by referring to his visit to the Masterton school, and the illness of the headmaster. He regretted the latter fact, and complimented the people, of their town on the school and appointments. Touching on politics, Mr Fisher said, that when the Massey Government came into power they found a shortage of money (groans, cheers, laughter and tries of "the old tale. a.gain") and in addition to the emptiness of the exchequer they had to fight the trouble at Waihi and Huntly, the costly invasion of smallpox, and •'on top of this we found the worst, germ of all, the Federation of Labour." "In spite of this," continued Mr Fisher, "we were able to go to the Home market and get a considerable loan which was subscribed sevenfold. (A voice: "What about the 7s Gel a week?") A section of the audience commenced to count out the speaker, and after the :din had ceased Mr Fisher said "Just fancy having the country run by a crowd like that!" indicating the section of the audience who had made the noise, his statement being greeted with a round of cheering, followed by groans from the disturbing element. THE MAYOR'S APPEAL. There was more interruption, and Mr Fisher was unable to make himself heard. At last the Mayor rose from his chair and raised his hand. Immediately there v;a,s silence. "Are you going to give Mr Fisher a hearing or not," said the Mayor. "I'm not going to submit to this interruption (cries of "put them out!"). I can scarcely believe that you are residents of Masterton. Now, I appeal to you, to your good sense, to hear Mr Fisher. He has not said anything to give you offence Why don't you listen? If you are not going to listen you are going out, that's all. (Loud applause, followed by cheers and groans). Now, are you going to keep quiet. If not there is the door, and you are quite at liberty to go out If you are so bitter that you can- . not listen you had better go out.'' (Loud applause). THE TORY PARTY. Mr Fisher commenced his speech again, and was interrupted for a few seconds while the hostile section again counted him out. When quietness again reigned, Mr Fisher said that the Opposition had accused the Government of belonging to the old Tory party (a voice: "No doubt about it.") and that they were the party of reaction. The people of the country should be greatful for what these old Tories had done, because long before the Liberal party came into power there were State railways, trust office, endowments, and so on. A voice: "They got their land for nothing." Mr Fisher: "I say they did not. They worked a. darned sight harder that the men who say that they Avere no good or got their land for nothing." (Loud applause). MONOPOLIES. Continuing, Mr Fisher said that Mr Wilford had told them recently a lot about monopolies. When Sir Joseph. Ward was in,power why didn't he wipe out the monopolies? The Liberal Government had twenty years to do it in, and they failed. Mr Wilford did not refer to the monopoly of the Union. Company. The members of the Opposition party complained of the land monopoly. They did not tell the people of the monopoly of the brewers. The numiber for the Hutt did not refer to this monopoly at Masterton. For 21 years the Liberal Government protected the brewery monopoly, and this mono-poly-would soon be destroyed. The capital of the brewers was £477,000, and the profits, excluding rents., etc., £25,------000. There were GO breweries, employing 741 hands, a reduction of 12 brewery companies and an increase of 10 hands in five years. This was a monopoly which must be put down. "If you are going to take it out of the hide of the man on the land who produces v*ool and mutton, then you must take it out of the hide of the man who is producing criminals and lunatics," said Mr Fisher. (Applause). He hoped the Government would destroy the tied house which was squeezing the life out of men who were trying to conduct the houses in proper style. MORE INTERRUPTIONS. More interruptions followed, and on. resuming his speech Mr Fisher said that five out of the nine Ministers aro New Zealanders. The New Zealand party was supported by young New Zealanders. If Mr Wilford wanted to see a young New Zealand party he must look to the Government. Mr Russell, the man who attempted to ally himself to the Social Democrats, but who was pushed out of the window, and other members of the Opposition had said that the Government would wipo out old age pensions and other humane measures when they got into power: But they had not done this. They had voted against the old age pensions because the principle in some respects was wrong, and the Government had .rectified the matters, and now the pensions were on a sound basis\ He referred to the action of the Government in providing military pensions, and thus givingto deserving men something which they i were entitled to. The speaker 1 then | referred to the reciprpcal arrangement

with Australia iv regard to old age pensions. The Government also hoped •ot introduce an invalids' pension scheme, too, this to include cripples, men such as had been injured iv mines, and so one. They also intended to bring down further proposals iv regard to pensions. DEVELOPING TRADE. The Government were going to develop the trade with the United States, and were going to spend £15,000 in exhibiting the products of the .Dominion at the Panama Exhibition. Trade with Canada would also bo developed. People who attempted to artificially regulate the price of products ot the country would find it like attempting to make water run up hill. The man on the land was paying his taxes as avcll as duties through the Customs. Tho member for the Hutt did not tell them this when ho was holding forth at Masterton about the tax the working men paid through the Customs on tobacco, attempting to make a point at the expense of the man on the land. Mr Fisher said that the Government 'recognised the value of cutting up land and getting men thereon. They would then have another man in the town. (A voice: Another special.) "Yes, and another man to come to town and keep the luav breakers in order." (Cheers and groans). THE LAW-BREAKERS. No man has a right to break the law. The Government was not going to alloAV an obscure minority to break the law and disturb the country. (Applause) . They had been told that the State Fire Insurance would be destroyed when Massey got into poAver. This avus totally wrong, and there had been record business done during the past year. (Applause). The Government had increased the grants to settlers, and had advanced the sum of £SSI,OOO. The individual amounts had been increased from £750 to £.1000, and this amount Avould be further advanced to £1250. Referring to the accusation that the Government had refused to give returns, this avus absolutely incorrect. Mr WUford hail stated that the Opposition could not get a return of •the cost of the Hon. Mr Allen's trip to England. This avus incorrect. '•The return avus produced five days after it was asked for," said Mr Fisher, "and here is is"— thereupon throwing a number of the leaflets giving the return down into the audience. "Mr Allen's trip cost less than Sir Joseph Ward's." (Applause). THE ADMINISTRATION. He avus convinced that the administration of the Government Avas going to result in it keeping in power for a long period . (Applause and groans). A voice: "What about Rovd liartick?" As far as the Guriirk enquiry avus concerned, said Mr Fisher, he thought the only mistake that had been made was in not having advertised the position. But if it hud been advertised they could not- have done anything better than have appointed Mr Garlick. All the agitation raised avus brought about by a few disappointed prospective candidates for the pu-dtion, headed by Mr Wilford. NAVAL MATTERS Referring to cava! matters Mr Fishc said that the Governim-nr were g"ii!:j' to -ive Xt-w Zealando;> a chance to join the service in thai" own country A; present they had three out-of-date shipa which were of no use to the nimitrv. As the British Government was unable to carry oat its agrcomeut of I !>'»!> Now Zealand should assist itself. The Britol cruiser avoul-I «-,,<[ i-pHi.uiip. very little more than the subsidy. The a esse! would be equipped with New Zealand officers and men. and would be "built in England and always available for Use to the Admiralty. Touching on the Civil Service, Mr Fisher said that he defied them to say that any one ha! been aide to get into the service since the establishment of the Public Service Board. (Applause;. if- hoped the Civil Service would, soon be aide to take their part in local bodies. The setting i:p of the Civil Service Commissioners would allow Civil Servants by merit to obtain their .ju-r positions, and not political lick-spitals who stood on the door mat with tales awl Availing for their reward. In referring to the bite strike. .Mr Fisher said that the strike would cost -every penny of £4U0,00i). The threats made by the labour party iv Wellington that neither Mr lieidmaa nor himself would obtain a hearing in Wellington had no effect on either of them. USE CONSTITUTIONAL METHODS In. conclusion Mr Fisher said that if any party —labour, social democrats, call them what you like—came into power he hoped it would be by constitutional methods through the ballot box. He did not get a hearing in Wellington because there was a. minority who would not give the majority a hearing, and who Avere in faveur ot' la -,v!ess:ie-s. (Ain.lause j. ! QUESTIONS. Tiie Mayor said that Mr Fisher would be pleased to answer any question. In reply to questions, Mr Fisher said he did not pledge himself not to take oflice in a freehold cabinet: he was u::-------abie to give certain returns in regaad jo advances to worker-- as lie did not. carry an oii'-ybipcdi.-i in hi- head; and that' by tin- policy of the Government land could be taken up under the leasehold system He had believed in the leasehold system, but when he got into Parliament he found Sir Joseph Ward, Mr Russell and others were in favour of the freehold, so it did not- matter what side he was on. He was a believer in the land policy of the Govern merit THANKS AND APPRECIATION. Mr James McGregor then moved the.