THE-PRIME MINISTER AT GORE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14978, 27 May 1914, Page 10

THE-PRIME MINISTER AT GORE.

(l-UESS ASSOCIATION* TEUCC-LAM.!

GORE, May 26. The Prime Minister addressed a big meeting in the Theatre Royal tonight. He was enthusiastioally welcomed on his arrival, and when he rose to speak Mr Massey expressed his pleasure qt being able to meet such a big gathering of the peopTe of the town and surrounding districts. He said"that ho was not there to speak for Mr G. J. Anderson, M.P., or to

help him in any way, because he did

not need assistance. He (Mr Massey) did not expect that they were all of the same political opinion, but what he did expect was that there would be a great many, more .supporters of l.ho Government in the hall before

he sat down. (Laughter and applause)

Proceeding, the Prime Minister dealt with the allegations made by Mr G. W. Russell at Gore some weeks ago. With reference to his statement that t!he - Government had increased taxation to the extent of 3s 4d per head since they came into office, would they

believe him when he id that there had been no increase in the indirect

taxation, but there was an increase in the direct taxation. They had for instance increased the graduated tax on all estates over £30,000', and. by

this stop they had brought in £40;000 per annum. That was with a view to encouraging the subdivision of large estates, and he would show them'be;

fore lie sat-down that the tax had un- • doubtedly had that -effect. (Applause). That more money was collected there was no- doubt, but he insisted that it to'as.done .in...a way. which was to tlhe credit of the Government. (Applause). The; -Government, Mr Russell had stated, had* done nothing, but ,Mx Massey pointed out that wio.-Govern-ment could only, be expected 'to,'.-lay; the. .foundation stone' ot" their poiicy during'the tsession. , But*they had done more .than--lay the foundation of their policy;, they had built the .first'of the structures .which. lie hoped and believed would;;'stand for many, years. They. had. put through a great deal of legislation iii face, of rifisuperaUlO difficulties. .. "-'. : V,~- '.._■ With regard to the Legislature. Council, Mr Russell said that he: -,_(Mr Massev) had done just exactly what the Liberals had. doho.. Well, .what had-he to comnlainof ? (Laughter.) The Government had'had three weeks to prepare for the session, but even with that short time they,: had...:prepared a Bill which they : had "introduced to the Council. 'Why had it gone be-

fore the Council? ' Because, it -was acr cording to constitutional under' which either : chamber had theright to reform itself. This-Bill would go up again, and it would not be laid aside. They had not done the same' as •tho Liberals, and for the 'reason that during the 't'weilty-one years the Lib-erals-were.in power they had never appointed to.-the. Council a man who .was not- ofVtHeir "own- political colour. ( - Then iMr Rtiseell had by „ innuendo insinuated >that Mr. Herdman had done .something* wrong,'and in that conwanted; to say right there that if Mr Russell had anything to say', let him get -up and say it, and the Ministry would be prepared to take the consequences with the electors of the country. V ..,■'.. : - Referring to the strike, and Sir Joseph Ward's sta'terhent to an interviewer that he would have settled the strike either by the secret ballot on'by the Riot Act"., Mr Massey said the foolishness of going to. a thousand excited men for.;-a secret ballot would be sufficiently apparent to justify him in passing it over without comment. Then,' as to'the Riot Act, he .had in his hands an interpretation of the Riot Act* The Riot Act meant ball and he submitted that the loss of one. life was a far greater consequence than -the loss of the method, of settlement'adopted.

Passing on to general questions, the Prime Minister referred to the difficulty which was faced by the Government in • the matter of. finance There was ho one who." could honestly say that they haa not faced their difficulties. For many years money had been fairly easy to get, '-but, iii.' 1912 the conditions changed fairly suddenly., 'On©-of .'-the causes, was the European war and the other -was the fact that during that year a - number of other countries went to-tho London market for money for development," and here the old law of supply, and demand camo in, and up wont the price of the article. - They were told that they were borrowing more inoney'than was ever borrowed in any one year before. Yes, they had to raise twelve millions 'this year, for, quite apart-from the work of the country, they had to raise £8,000,000 to pay off short-dated; debentures. This year they would have to raise £12,000,000* of money, but they had to do so because their predecessors; had so mismanaged the finances of the country as to allow £8,000.000 of short-dated debentures. to fall due in one, year. After dealing with the loans to local bodies, Mr Massey went on to show how advances to settlers had been increased. The Minister of Finance had that day told him that" they were paving out at the rat© of £100,000 a year. - . A Voice: Yes, but you are getting near election time: again. '•'. * Mr Massey.- "Yes, but when the election is over, we will take care that the finances of this country are in as good a state as they are to-day." (Applause.) In summarising -his- remarks- oh the financial position, Mr Massey said that although they -were going- to see-that the people of New. Zealand': got full value for every shilling of their money, whether it was borrowed or collected oy way ..of revenue, the' Government didnot intendto pursue a skinflint .poliev, and what he did contend was that "it was better to pay. a.first-class man a brst-class salary, than to'pav a thirdclass man a third-class salary. ■.'■ Referring to the subdivision of land for settlement, Mr Massev, said that subdivision was going.on very satisfactorily. Just to show them'what the Government were doing, he wished to quote the figures for the last three years. During the year ending March 31st, 1911 14,399 acres had been purchased, while last .year * 141,062 acres

were purchased, so that the- Government had purchased ten acres during last year, for every one purchased by the Liberals during 1911. Minister also referred to tho extension of the system of workers'.dwellings to the country, and the establishment of settlements at Willowbank in South Canterbury." He made a prediction that during the current year the expenditure on workers' homes would be increased to very little short of £100,000 and the Government would pay it. (Applause.) Mr Massey referred to the clearing up of anomalies in the pension system, the audience applauding .vigorously his remarks upon the improvement of the system in regard to military and widows' pensions. On the lines of his previous addresses, the Prime Minister dealt with the anomalies of the tariff and the necessity for amendment. He said he did not know that they- would be able to do all that they wished to do next session, but ho hoped that they would be able to do some of the things. Making brief reference to the Libera] '-Hying squadron," Mr Massey said that there was no one point of public policy on which they were agreed, save that it would be a jolly good thing to oust the Government and get on the Treasury benches and get control of the Treasury chest.

Mr Ward moved:—"That this meeting"accord a very hearty vote of thanks ,to Mr Massey for his' able and Incid address, and express its confidence in Mr Massey as Prime Minister."

Mrs" Stewart seconded the motion, which was carried with great enthusiasm.