HOT AND COLD.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18481, 8 September 1925, Page 8

HOT AND COLD.

COUNSELLING THRIFT,

AND URGING EXPENSE

SIR M'LEOD ON GOVERNMENT CRITICS. (spbcul to "thi rwws.") WANGANUI, Soptember 7. There was a big gathering at the Opera House to-night when Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister of Lands, addressed a meeting that was attentivo throughout, and in the end appeared to be enthusiastically with him. Short addresses were delivered by Messrs J. Coull, the Reform candidate for the Wanganui seat, and Mr W. S. Glenn, the member for the adjoining electorate of Rangitikei. Mr McLeod said that Mr Masscy, one of the greatest of statesmen, had gone, and his death was very deeply mourned. But those who were carrying forward the torch of liberty must make their lamentations short, for there was work ahead- The Party had taken up tho work and were going on with it under the guidance and leadership of a great young man, the Hon. J. G. Ooates. It was a common expression when referring to Mr Coates, to say, "Give him a trial," and one always was pleased to hear that, as it was British to give a man a trial. Mr Coates already had iustified himself, and was prepared to go on, but if the people said ho was not tho man for the job, he would not twist, turn, or try to amalgamate with anyone else, but for all that would give fair and honest support to those charged with the government of the country. And in that the Party he led was with him. (Applause.) Parliament and Politics. "As to the Party which is referred to as the Extreme Labour Party," said Mr McLeod, "I will say that Mr Holland and his associates certainly havo a policy. They know what they want. They aro driving for a certain thing, and after all a man can not help taking his hat off to a Party JJiat hto a policy and stands by it. I shall fight them on every occasion because I believe them to be on the wrong track, but I admire them, when they put forward their ideas and are not afraid to own them." v^.-i The greatest danger in the political life of any country, he declared, wore the people who had no fixed ( opinions and wore wriggling, wobbling and wavering.

Incon/rt stent Critics. After the a.'nwe iumisusr had asked that a oouuniti*e snuuid De set up to in. estiva* uw cJuugos 01 uie AuuiU«r tTeuuiuT Jdr j**.**s in a recent pouS axidress, nad n»t hesitated W ueal with tne uoverument wßjiecwng Uus question, despite the tact that the question was suD judice. v»cLm tho»e people who talked about the extravagance of the Government like to say tAey would cease their demands ior extra votes of money tor tins, that and the other thing? in their talis of extravagance not only did they shirk the real point and avoid the tauih, but they were not at all backward in asking for more expenditure. Why were they not consistent t He would not to say that the opponents of the Government had asked for an additional £30,000 000 of expenditure, but he did not thmk it was far short of that. And m one day recently when the Estimates were under consideration, they made 1 requests for extra expenditure amountto over £3,QTO 0001 Let the people look to things themselves. If economy was needed in the country it must begin with the peoole. It would not begin with the Government. The Government had endeavoured to guide this country carefully, by not borrowing more than could be afforded, and by spending to the best advantage Requests had been made on tho quo hand f <r something like £20,000,000 for Advances to Settlers, and on the other hand, it wae said the country was borrowing +OO much. The critics *©"M not Miwiiot and cold, and there had been too Hturh blnwiisr hot and coll on tbe part of the opponents of tho Government.

Agricultural Banks. There nau beem a aemand for an. a&icuuurai iwuii, out i»i- too uvue coubiao.u.tion nau ooen tms quet>tlOil. -1.1i0.j0 WuO btUUiuu tiiC Ailifii'lCail Severn would liuu tu«u, «4»o practice Has to amauce hivy per cent, on appraised va*ues, auu ue aslied auy farmer present to say what use fiity per cent, would be to them. It was the experience in .New Zealand that B.vent -five per cent, was not suificient for most farmers. However, the GpTe/ijueut wanted to obtain information on the spot about these baasa, and for that purpose was sending a commission abroad.

Thj cry had been raised that the Government had ho settlement policy, out the fact could not bo lost sight of that much had been done in the way of development, and that for a great d*nl of this Mr Coates had been responsible, having made great propress in pushing the telephones into the rural districts and reading the back country.

Usehold, Leasehold, and Freehold. "I want to say a few words on tenure," continued the Minister. "We have a Party which is advocating usehold, whatever that is. We have another —I was going to call it a Party, but that is an exaggeration—we have another set of men, but we don't know whether they are useholders, leaseholders, or freeholders. Their leader, Mr Forbes, has always been a leaseholder, but the other nighti we put him to the test, and he walked over and voted in the freehold lobby. The Government Party are freeholders and will remain so. All this talk about usehold is fudge. I lived my life in the backblocks, and I know what the people there went through. I think they vera heroic, especially the women. The men toiled in season and out of season, and turned the wilderness into a garden. Should someone come along and value their improvements at £6 an acre when it has taken £2O worth «»f their hard labour to make the property what, it is? That is why we want the freehold for tho people." Thrift and Borne Building. Mr McLeod said he realised that housing was a great problem, particularly in the cities, but he would not make a suggestion to them on this or anv other subject for the purpose of cadging votes. He would say straightout that our young people should economise as tho early settlers had tJ do. It must he realised that the only way to provide for old a*re was to economise in youth. For all that, the Government had done much in giappling with the housing problem. It (Continued at foot of next column.)