THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14979, 28 May 1914, Page 8

THE MINISTER OF JUSTICE.

HON. A. L. TIERDMAX AT

METHVEN.

POLITICAL ADDRESS LAST

SIGHT.

At the Methven Town Hall .last night, before a large audience, tho Hon. A. L. Herdman. Minister of Juslice, delivered a political address. Mr W. Morgan, a member of the Ashburton County Council, presided, and tho Minister was greeted with applause on taking his seat on tho platform.

The chairman briefly introduced the speaker, and bespoko for him a fair and impartial hearing, which, with ono exception, was given, Mr Herdman, in the earlier part of his remarks, being interrupted by a gentleman in , the front, whose interruptions were, "however, inado good-humouredly.

A POPULAR GOVERNMENT. Mr Herdman, who was received with applause, said that v was a great privilfgo for him to be able to visit Metliven for the first time, and he had had aii opportunity of seeing" a great part of the rich surrounding district. The absence of Mr Dickie, the member for the" district, was due. ho i:# # lenstood, to business detaining him. Ho (the speaker) had visited several-districts of the Dominion, and had found that the Government was popular and growing in popularity. If they met with any difficult}', it would be in a plethora of candidates anxious to stand in the Government interest. They were desirous of seeing only one candidate standing in the Government interest, and ho advised those who believed in sound government to meet with that object jn view. (Applause.)

THE "PLYING SQUADKON." • . Heferring to the Opposition "flying 6quadron," he said that the members of that body, instead of doing their own cause good, were solidifying public • opinion in favour of tho Government. The "flying squadron" had shown an amazing contempt for accuracy, and they had manufactured charges against . the Government, but these had not had the desired effect. There were two circumstances that mitigated against tho success of the Opposition: Sir Joseph Ward's past political actions anrl utterances had seriously discounted him in the public mind, and the Ward party could only,get back to power by hang- , ing on the coat-tails of the Red Federa,'tion. If they got back to power,, it would be by allying themselves with extreme Socialists.' The national ally of -.' the Red, Feds, was Sir Joseph AVard. and the national ally of Sir Joseph Ward was Mi- Webb and the Red Federation. When Mr Webb offered himself „for. the Grey seat, Mr Robert

McNab telegraphed to Mr hqp-

;.'•■.-*■ ing that he would-go in and win. Mr " Z McNab had been chosen as the Opposi-. tiou candidate for Hawke's Bay. .

"WILD CHARGES." Dealing with some of the misstatcr ments made in the past' few months, Mr Herdman said that the ywildness of

■•■\L their /charges proyod how weak the .case of the Opposition was. , Tho 'jvl-. legations concerning Mr Rby'd 'Garlick —that political influence had been used :in his- appointment;—had been utterly and were disproved by. an enquiry made by a Parliamentary Com- ■ -mittee. ■'. Praise was being given in tho Dominion wherever the system was . being carried out by instructors under ' Mr Garlick, and the charges on which 'co much time was -wasted had disappeared. ' It was declared. by Mr G. Wl ..' itussell that the.whole of tie postal and telegraph officials were out against the "■Publics ..- Service.?- Commissioner, -and - would vote for; the Liberals at tho next ..■" election. , . ■■■■;'■■::* -.,'; ■■.■:,/.■. -; ■.' " ' ■'.'■'■•' At this* juncture the gentleman who> i had been interrupting was•;..removed... .ironi. the hall; , ■;• ■: Continuinsj > Sir' Herdman said/thao those opposed to th&iGovernnjentha'l gone out of thoir way, to stir. up strife' ' in. the Government* departments, including the Police' Department, but the ■■:• members of the Servicesaw through tho •■- thin artifice^-\He referred to an article ■in a lato edition of the "Katipo," to r the "effect' that the officers of- the De- ■■:■■. partment considered, that they- had I never' ' been ;■ better .dealt with. - Hβ j . quoted from the "KatJpo".—"Never be- /: fore * lias- there been such general re-. . joicing- over the changes made between, the iseue of one classification list and /the next."rMr>llussell, "at Ashburton; | ."had also stated thatithe . system ;pf spoils to the victors ivas more rife, thaa ; •'. before; but -what proof; had he to>giive. He (the speaker) of no appointment\made since the Civil Service Commission "w^ , set hadbeen influenced by any member of the Crown,, :' or; by, any other .politician, ; and the ;, Publio Service Commissionci , had aeeured Mm that' since:his appointmenr r lie knew.of no instance of any appoint- ■ i ment 'bemg made regarding - winch it could-be eren;b.inted'that; any political " influence wa' eusod. (Apolause.) Mr 3tus§eH,'could, not -fool- the public by . eboutin«?with a : voice.of brass that a ?nlicy of spoils to- tho vlctore.obtained.he public would demand a proof/,.

: INACCURACIES RECTIFIED. ; Ssr.' Joseph Ward had declared', that taxation-was. being increasdtl. The only taxation that Tiad been., increased by-the Government had been the taxation upon 'large incomes, and the graduated tax noon; large, estates. Sir Josepfo "Ward had also declared that borrowing had been increased. Now he had a table prepared by the Treaeury which refuted that statement.;-Tho ! facts were that in the iwontv months from October, 1910. to July Ist. 1912. the "Liberal" .'Administration borrowed \ £13.866,740, while eince July 10th, 1912, when' the Reform Government came into power, to MaTch 31st. 1914, ! a similar period of twenty months; the Government had ■Borrowed £13,619,580.! therefore, in the same time, the Government hd borrowed less than the previous Administration.. (Applause.) "WThat are you gointe to make of a politician who wandered around the country making statements of this description, which cannot be supported by facts P ,,, asked ihe epeaker. Mir Herdman weat on to refute the etatexaent that tJhe people had drsjwn their money from tho Post Office because tho Government had come into power. The real reason, -as given by the Secretary of the.Post Office, was that the.money •was withdrawn because a higher rate o.f interest "was paid, outside, for the Government could hot regulate the prico of interest in the money market. Referrina: to tho strike, Mr Herdman said that Sir Joseph Ward claimed that he could have settled the strike.in two days, but Sir Joseph had never told haw he would have worked this miracle. Perhaps he would have given in—a favourite method of the gentleman— Eaid Mr Herdman. (daughter and applause.) The .Government did not give.in, he said, amidst further applause. The suggestion that the strike; could have been settled, by_ the reading of the Riot Act and making everyone into a special constable was merely, ridiculous, and not: in accordance with the law of the land, - •:'•:';. \ THE'FUTpRE. Turning to the future of the political parties, uie\6peak«Yeaid the. present

feeling ofthe country was one.of in- •' creased confidence in the "Reform Government. The people believed that tho Government would not do anything extreme or revolutionary, and that while • they occupied the , Treasury benches, they would be on. sound, solid, and safe lines; that no class legislation would be. passed, "but .the-interests of the workers considered with-the interests of the farmer and the businessman. The next election would be specially interesting. There would be Social Democrats in the field. Liberals, and representatives of Reform. It was difficult to state accurately the- direction in which public opinion was tending. From the three tests held sinco the last election, it was fair to assume that tho Reform Party (J id totter than it iiad done for many years. In Taranaki Mr Wilkinson had defeated the Liberal candidate, and would easily win again. In Grey the Reform man got into the second ballot, defeating the Liberal candidate. At Lyttelton, too, the Liberal man was out of it, and tho finish was fought out between Reform and tho Red Feds. Tho inference to be drawn was that the Liberal Party was rapidly becoming discredited, and that it-s supporters were more* and more inclined to support the Red Feds.

KEEPING PLEDGES. Tt had been said, continued tho speaker, that the Government had not kept its promises. Now promises could not bo broken till the whole- time in whL-h UiOaC pledges could be tuiullett had elapsed, ii'r Massey had mademany promises, but tho 'Government still "'had a session to- go. In tiie twenty months in which jt hadSbeeii in power, an astonishing number ot pledge.?' had been fulfilled; Tlio <Jovpinmcnt had niade substantial-progress in reconstituting i.iie nuances of tho country. The Minister of Finance had done a great deal to put tho finances upon a satisfactory, footing. The Government had placed tile Public Service upon a p.opor footing in morally sound conditions. The Commissioner and h!s assistants' had supreme control of the ge.ioral bulk of tab Public Ser vice in New Zealand' and the Ministers of the Crown had nothing to do with appointments. Tho land laws had been ininroved, and tho ri"'-;t to acquire tho freehold granted. The old-age pension scheme had been extended to benefit women and military pensioners. Native land legislation, had Been improved, and, the limit-of advances to eettlers raised from JL'oGO, ns tho Liberals lent it. to £1000. (.Applause) ft was due to tho improved position of tho finances. Naval defence had been ucalt with, and the railway problem had been grappled with. The pay of railway servants had boon levelled no. J»?r;V "r'-.ojr conditions improved. Thcv Magisterial Bench had been n.laced upon n satisfactory basis, and the Bank .of New Zealand placed u'no'n f> better The second oal]6t had been.abolished, nnd tho Trads Disputes Bill had been passed to assist in the regulation of. industrial peace. A Board of Agriculture had been established and assistance granted to tho fruit industry. .All departments had been .overhauled.and reorganised by experts. Business principles had been introduced whore before tlwo" was disorder and. chaos. ; The Government's record for twenty months was not to be despised. ,;.-.. . • ■ •

ONE MORE.SESSION. : ;In tho, coming.''' session, additional legislation 1 would."bo placed on the Statute Book if. there were: no etonowalls— .'their time was not : wasted, i ..First.;'of all the Legislative Council ■ , Reform- <'- JLSill would be .introduced, ~ and passed into".v^:law.-.^;,-.;The system s had;,yet. to 'beToyerhauled, but, "a Bill %i been draftedJby the.Minister, and w6uld:bo" A measure in which lie.'..was.; interested was that: which would deal* with the system of; 'public grants, ■'rh'e.fpresent system of J was.-, open ,to" abiise for adlstrict which "did Cnofb xetuf n a Liberal member was^tarve'd',!'bu*. py ß *© lll . to He; Wi>ed a 'system.wpuld'be;iritfodiiced ■ w]iidJ?-woiild-^ttt>'^> : wh9le:'tMag;uppn 'a different"fpotiaß/aiicl public patrpn«nge'.in tliis direction would be stopped once.and "for"all. : \CA.pplause);. '.' ■

■: ;,,;•? v PURCHASE. ■■ ■ - ,' .Complaints, had "been .made, that the rich sgua,tters;l.in. Hawke's; Bay ha 3 not had any; of^their; laiids under the Land; for, Act,, but' during the, .12, -niontJis.-; ]. ended :;Maith 31fit, 37,i500 acreeroj; '.rural; llgnd » Hei'ke's Bay -had ;becn acquired'.'ahd,'subdivided and disposed; of .the number of : subdivi.sions \ being 336,! or ,an ;of . 11l ,a«res per A Fi;om July 13th, 1912y+o"March;31st; 1913: the Governhad acquired -28,366 acres for eettlement, from April 15t),1913, to March Slit',' l9U-, - : , thoirea,:«cquired was 14,062 acres; an'd:the commitments no to-May 22nd of the present'■year totalled 12,563 acresjl.or *a "total of-181,991-acres. It \v"as:allegetl that: the Government had ; opt -rpurchased any nattive land, but in fche'year the purchase of Orekei,'near'Auckland, the sum of £257,711 liad'. been^..spent.'. The.land finally acquired by the. Land for Settlements department for- the year 1912713, tofallecL,s^,o9B'acres; and;in ; 1913-14, 141,000 ■' acres. ']' In. j . connexiott with dwellings,' 'the figures were vei*y' interesting. - From ; July, * 1912, to Mardx 3ist, 118;; dwellings were erected,; and since /March,' 1914j .87 dviiellings had, peen built, and now 100 more • had been ! authorised by the Cabinet: This madea total of 305 dwellings,* but between 1906 arid June 30th, 1912. the ■Liberals/ erected 5 only 210 dwellings.for workers. asked them to contrast- .ttieir figures, and see whoro the advantage.lay. '{Applause).

.-v^:;, ; /;'"_■■ . ." :,The;,Hon. \slr ■Herdinan dealt at lengthl:.:;:with . .the: . sltrike.. The TJnion . jCompany- 'had' . been, quit© juntjfied-;' mv ;;repUicing men. who refused' to '•--. ".work with men , who wero wiUiing to work. .The wharf labourers -then took - charge of the wharves- and, tredted disorder.. It was the dut-v ..--of-the Government-to maintain>oraer.i.' and as ;it was recognised that, the.- regular ■. police .werje not. able towmtrol -the situation,.the "specials'had to bo called outl: .Only some 160 or »17(> regular; police were available in ; and- it.was Useless to suggest that,!these could have arrested the*lawless men. on ■ the 'wharves. It was mero/wisdom "lo.risk nothing until the, situation could be controlled without j any. fear, of,defeat.;, H©; would remember to * the' end of his days the magnificent spirit Vhichj caused the . "specials' *' r to come forward." 'As .soon as they came down, order:was restored, and the result was that the. produce of the jcountry- was sent -- away."> (lioud applause). * -"/It j was '.ridicnlous to suggest tliat the strike cotild have been eettled in ,two. days; Why* had Sir Joseph not advanced a scheme which would'have done that. The truth was that he had no suck'scheme; and the idea had- only come to his mind for political purposes in the last ;few days.' If'he really had had sucH an idea, he was to his country on withholding it. He considered not- his country but politics, arid nis speeches in the House only added, kerosene to tho fire.

■; ' ~.■'-.; •;. ' . •- Mr -Herdman. dealt'exhaustively with tho Opposition's contention that there was a full Treasury when the liberals went out of office.. Whilst-there was, on . June "30th, 1912; ten : days' before the Government; took office. £a 42,102 tothe credit jOf Fund, there was,;'on,the same date, a' balance on side: of the-Public Works account amounting v to £537,741.:

, PUBLIP- TRUST OFFICE. Mr Herdman, in dealing with tie Public..-Trust' : Office :report, eaid that no completed report bad-been presented last year. Hβ, as the responsible Minister, disagreed with the draft report presented by. - the -Public Trustee, and referred it back,,to him. It was entirely in 14 s w n discretion as Minister

to say whether a report should be presented. He denied that he, as a lawyer, was opposed to the Public Trust Office. He agreed with the recommendation of the Commissioners that the work should be expedited by the employment of local men, instead of all the work being sent to Wellington. The question of a legal bureau was a different thing from tho Public Trust Office. The lawyers of the Public Trust Office would have to be employed on that office's business alone.

NAVAL DEFENCE. In conclusion, 3lr Herdman dealt with the question of naval defence. If the British Government had carried out the 1909 agreement there would have been no difficulty, but last year the British Government said it was unable to supply tbo two Bristol cruisers needed. In this event New Zealand found it necessary to bring its own defences somewhat up totho 6amo standard, and that would be done by securing a l>ristol cruiser for the Dominion. The naval adviser was Captain Hall Thompson, and the question of naval defence would still have to be gono into in the future. A conference would beheld somo timo next year, at which New Zealand would be represented. It was ridiculous to suggest, therefore, that there was any suggestion of a "toy" navy, for the question was riot as yet settled for all time.

TH'-ANKS AND CONFIDENCE. Mr Alexander Drummond moved a vote oi thank- to the Minister for his ■address, and of confidence in the present Administration.

Mr Donald McLean seconded the motion, which the chairman asked should bo carried by acclamation.

There wore a few noes. The chairman announced that the motion was carried.