THE OPPOSITION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 430, 12 February 1909, Page 5

THE OPPOSITION.

INTERVIEW WITH MR. MASSEY,

GOVERNMENT POLICY AND ADMINIS-1 TRATtON CRITICISED. THE POLITICAL SITUATION. (BT-I2LEGRAPH—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) -V Palmerston North, February 11. Mr. jW.P. Massey, Leader of the Opposition, arrived here by train from, Wellington this morning, in-order to attend the first of a sor'ies of complimentary gatherings on 1 the West Coast' to successful Opposition, candidates 'at the:recent: general election.' Interviewed the train by a representative ; of The Dominion, tho Leader of tho Opposition made an interesting statement in regard to the Government policy and the political situation. " ' ■ ■ .' ■' Tho Farnwrs'. Point of Vlow. ;. "From a farmer's point of: view," said.Mr.; .Massey,; .''the season jn the north has been a fairly gpod one'. Dairy farmers particularly have reason to bo satisfied. . There has been an abundance of feed, and after the .rest which the land received by the drought of last . year, .the. growth, ' both' of ■ grass and crops, has in many places been abnormal. Unfortunately, tho prices of cereals arc likely ,to.bo. lower than_ they, ; have been for some years past. This: is on account, of the exceptionally good ; crops in Canterbury and ■Ot'ago, and .the.larger.area which.has been cultivated. On tho wholo I think that the season will be a satisfactory. one., for.- the agricultural community. , . V . Stringency of the Money. Market.

■ - "Settlers in many places complain of tho stringency of the'money market, and the increased rate of interest which is now being charged for borrowed capital. This is a matter .which L have, no .. doubt v time .will remedy, although .I am sorry to have to say that I_ see, no immediate ; prospects .of t-n.v, great improvement in' the .hear future. ■ I do not think it will bo possiblo for the Government to raise much money in the country, by: way of loan just at present, nor. do I". think they should do; so. '. I see .that they - have; been, placing'. Joans in Australia and ,in London, , and at what seems to me a higher, rate,of interest- than- the Dominion: should; be galled' upon : t6'. pay. -. That, however, is a matter which I have no doubt will bo discussedexhaustively when -Parliament' moots. . ■- :■ -.■>,• The Treasurer's Estimate. • "I noticed the ,ot-her day' that the - treasurer, .said, he expected; to liavo a surplus of somewhere about one hundred-and',forty thousand pounds at the' end, of the .'financial year.';, Even if that is the case, and .wo are all anxious .to have tho .balance' on .the right side,; it: means : that ;the>re,:will -be'less" by at - least r.six,:hundred, thousand pounds ■'■''to transfer; from; the Co'n'solidated Fund to;the' Public 'Works Fund than was the case last year.. - ; The consequence will bo that' there will bo so much more to. borrow or so much less to spend' 1 on- public works'.' I; do.not think; I: am' at . all pessimistio, but it"seems to mo that the outlook, requires the utmost caution on tho part of tho people who. hare tho control of our finances. , ■ ■ The Railways. "Recent events have confirmed'me in tbe opinion;.which I have,expressed .on-previous 'occasions, namely, that-- under the existing circumstances . there; is far , too /much.,niter-! ference in, connection,.with- tho management of our railways, and something - will have to be done,in the near future,to.place tho heads .of the railway, department. in. a more independent position thaii - they. are . now. ;.I am quite ..satisfied, thati' witb ; proper ,up-to-date management, ' the railways of the Dominion iWiU. pay their, way, that is to say,-will p4y iinterest on the whole'^of'the capital,invested,' and even then give more facilities -to the •Jublio than are provided now; bufc-if that-is ±o. bo. the . case, they must be managed on purely, business and commercial ; lines;'.: arid without, 'any; regard for party- or political inr •tercsts. : ; ■■;';;; -;■ Troublo With the Miners. , , . •"As to ,the , mining';trouble,'"; : said; Mr.= Massey, ■ "what lias, been done is only d temporary solution of .'the, difEoulty,* and not; :by any .means ,a. .satisfactory . one l \at. ,that:' The Act of. last year will, of courso, have to 'como up - for .amendment when Parliament; meotß..;Aftor ! reading 'and hearing the toping ions of; medical, and legal experts-on< the subjects dealt with, I am very.-.'.strongly'-.of - opiniori that though,there has .been' a-tremen-dous fuss, tho .section of tho Act of '1908 dealing - with • miner's -■ comjilaiiit. is of ■ ; very' little : ; value,; and. •. would '; not stand -the test in a court of law." '"' -V'' ■'' '■■■ : The Clsborne Leases. "Yos," said Mr.-Massey, "I have noticed that . Sir Joseph his'. capacity ' as. Minister for Lands, has backed down on the tjuestioii of the Gisborno leases.. This subject .was discussed 'in Parliament on several occasions last session, and I then expressed the opinion .that was being showii to a very, prominent .Government, supporter at Gisborne, whose lease.was, being renewed, At' the same .time other men,. whd, i were, as nearly; as -possible, in a ; parallel - position to tho man referred to, but who Were not.Government: supporters,.. were;"': notified . that . their runs" , wero required for / subdivision. AH. is well that ends well, hut tho .action.of the Minister: in renewing the'wliole of . tho leases as an admission -that .;we . wefe' right and that tho Government wero' wroig in tho position which they had ' taken . ,up prior to, the portfolio of Lands being taken over by Sir Joseph AYard. . ; -

. Our Land Laws. ■ _ "Speaking on tho land question generally, I'have not the slightest, idea what, the intentions. of the Government; aro'with regard tothis matter, but I do know, that tho settlers generally are not satisfied with, somo'of the ■more important alterations made by the Act of 1907. For instance, settlers-will not take up land wider tho renewable lease if they caa get it under, any 'other form of tenure which gives them a hope of the freehold, and. what I am saying now applies both to land purchased-, under . the Land for Settlements Act and- to ordinary Crown lands, I believe that as time goes 011, and the land which has not been.set apart under 'the.pretext of en-, dowments booomes occupied, there will be a very strong demand'. for the 'optional 'system; being extended to those : lands ■where the. only tenure now is 'tho renewable lease. I know that. the. changes which were, made in: 1907 have had tho effect of practically locking up large areas of really good land in the northern districts ,of tliis, : country. I consider that as the prosperity of. tho Dominion depends .upon successful .land settlement a; very: stupid mistake was inado: by ' altering the tenure in the way provided .by the recent Land Act, and ; the _ sooner Parliament and the .Government recognise 'that fact and set' about' putting the matter right the .'better it ; will bo for all concerned." Tho Government and tho Farmers. ;• Dealing , with the question of the pqssibil-' it.v of tho. Prime Minister retaining tho portfolio of Lands aiid Agriculture, the Leader of, the Opposition said: '-I .may point to' .this fact, that, there is. only one. farmer, in., ,'tbe' 'Ministry.''. I refer to Mr. Buddo, ancl speaking from memory' I think he has always voted oil tho leasehold side of the laud question.' I suppose that the Prime Minister, considers that it would not be 7 wise .-to entrust him with tho-administration of tho Lands Department, just at' present. So far. as the Department of Agriculture is ! concernod, T am quite satisfied'that with a good praotical man as' its- Ministerial head, many thousands of. pounds might be saved to t)ie country, and much more benefits be conferred upon the farmers and settlers than is tho case at present, but there is'no such man in the Ministry. 1 Next Session. - ■ "Next session should bo a vory interesting I one, and I think it will bo more than usually important • as, there :aro several' questions of magnitude which must come up for settlement, not tho least important of which I think will bo < tho probable scarcity of employment during tho.';winter months owing to the 'shortage of;money as oompared with a.year as two asLO,

"As a party," ooncluded Mr. Massey, -"1 majj say that the Opposition have no desiro or intention to. harass tho Government in connection with anything that' might be foi tho good.' of the country, but you may bo ?uito suro that wo .shall look after them care-ully,-aiid cndoavour,to keen them up to the ; inSrk.','- 77 :: '7'.7'7'