SPEECH BY MR HERRIES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1292, 22 November 1911, Page 7

SPEECH BY MR HERRIES.

ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING AT KOTO- . I?UA.

(By Telegraph-Press Association.) ; Rotorua, November 21. Mr. Hemes delivered an address to a ccowded and enthusiastic audienco tonight. Ho asserted that tho Continuous Ministry was in tho backwash of tho wave of Liberalism that swept the country in 1891, though ho admitted that much of the legislation, such as advances to settlers, and of tho lands-for-sottle-ment policy, had been for tho advantage of tho Dominion. The Government was vacillating, and did not agree amongst themselves as to their policy. Sir John Fuidlay had at Parnell expounded a Native lands policy at variance with that of Sir James Carroll and the Hon. A. T. Ngnta. Sir John Findlay knew nolhing about Native lands, or he wouid not expect to get profitable lands alongsido a railway at las. per acre. Ho criticised Sir John Findlars scheme for settlement, asking what procedure would be substituted for the ballot. He complained of the autocracy of tho Premier, instancing the Dreadnought gift and the proposals submitted to (he Imperial Conference. Tho Opposition was striving for the introduction of tho Canadian system wherein all payments of one dollar and upwards were made public so that the people knew exactly whero tho money was spent. The Government was accused of making for election purposes promises which they never kept, tho .61,000,000 grant for backblocks roads being instanced. Mr. Herries then dealt seriatim with tho planks of the platform outlined in Wellington in July by the Leader of the Opposition. Regarding tho reform of the fiscal system ho said it was laid dawn by English statesmen that, a surplus showed that too much was being taken from the people, but though SJr Joseph Ward had largo surpluses ho increased taxation. In 1909 tho Premier anticipated extra expenditure of .€330,030, including tho Dreadnought, superannuation, iuterual defence, and armament, the toxation being increased by i:-HS,OOO. The extra expenditure was only .£3.'»,000, $0 that for two years tho peoplo had paid ,£IIS,OOO annually more than was actually required. Tho Opposition would retain "tho graduated land tax to prevent aggregation. Referring to tho Mokau transaction ho a.skcd who was the friend of the fat man— the. Government that issued tho Order-in-Council or the Opposition, that exposed the transaction? The Government should have niado conditions as to the maximum price at which the land could bo sold to settlers. The whole Native land policy had been one of stagnation until 1909, wheu an Act was passed that was a credit to Sir James Carroll, the Hou. A. T. Ngnto, and Mr. Salmond, tho law draughtsman. Tho Opposition considered that while the trend of legislation should bo to weld, not to separate tho rices, the Natives should he on tho same footing as Europeans, and if any were considered inraimhle of dealing with tho land when subdivided a small area should bo set aside and the rest sold or leased. The Upper' House should bo elected by large constituencies on tho proportional representation system. A Civil Service Board should be set up and Ministers" veto in appeal cases abolished. He twilled (he Government with neglecting to introduce a Local Government Bill, and advocated that the present system of votes should bo abolished in favour of granting local bodies lump sums for expenditure 011 works. The Opnosition should not bo judged altogether by tho past. The electors had the riplit to ask what were they coins to do in the future. IK- combated the contention that the Government puu'shcd the constituency for rclurnins an Ooposition candidate, but asked what good return they had derived from a Government representative. The Government supporters who urged that against him were maligning their side- The Government. w.t= not. as bad as that, and did their .best in distributing votes. Mr. .l-torrifis received a. unaaituoui rote , of think; and confidence,