THF HON. W. H. HERRIES AT GREYMOUTH.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14969, 16 May 1914, Page 12

THF HON. W. H. HERRIES AT GREYMOUTH.

(PEJtfIS ABHOftIATION , TEI.KGKAM.) • GREYMOUTH, May 15. The Hon. W. H. Herries arrived at .Greymouth • this afternoon. Hβ received a deputation from the County Council in. regard to a grant 'for county works. Subsequently he visited the. line to Rewanui, the terminus of the line- to the Liverpool mine.

The Minister addressed a meeting in tho Town Hall' to-night." ( ~O wing to tho wet weather the attendance was not large. The Mayor occupied tho chair. Mr Herries had an excellent reception. *He devoted the, main portion of his speech to. replying to the attacks of the Liberal "flying squadron" on the Government. He showed that it was incorrect to say that the Government represented a minority vote. He jaintod out that the largo majority held by Mr Seddon dwindled rapidly under Sir" Joseph Ward's leadership, showing that Sir Joseph had not the confidence of;the people. . Sir Joseph recognised the fact, and resigned the Premiership. , •

Mr Hemes took the platform issued by the Reform Party prior to ilio eicetion, and dealt with jbh© various items. He showed that the promises' then made had either been carried out or would be fulfilled during the coming session. He defended the""appointment of Mr Hiley as' general manager of railways! and said that when that fen tie man was familiar with the- conitions of the country he would make the ablest manager they had ever had in the Dominion or in Australia. Hβ defended the Minister of Finance from the attacks mado on him, and showed that he was burdened with a legacy left by his predecessors. Air Herries pointed, out the evils of short-dated debentures. Ho referred to attacks made on the naval policy, and ho said ftjac the policy was forced on tho Government Dy the Admiralty failing to keep the 1909 agreement. Dealing with the native land question the Minister said the object of tho present. legislation was to allow the iNatives to sell their land if they chose to:do so. The Natives were not compelled to sell, as was asserted by the Opposition. The aimof the legislation was to place the Natives on an equality with the Pakeha, and weld tho two. races into one.

Rof erring to the strike, Mr Hemes said any Government worthy of the name would have acted as the present Government had done. The Reform Government were prepared to stand or fall by their attitude on the strike, and he was confident their action, had the approval of the majority of; the people of the Dominion. The Minister was heartily applauded at the conclusion of his address. Hβ was accorded a vote of thanks for his address and a vote of confidence in the' Government was declared carried by a largo majority. ,