MR. MASSEY' TOUR

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1295, 25 November 1911, Page 4

MR. MASSEY' TOUR

INTERVIEW AT AUCKLAND. MORE ABOUT THE WINTON MEETING. BRIGHT PROSPECTS FOR TUB OPPOSITION. illj TclcEr&Bh.-SDecial ComsDondotU Auckland, November 21. Mr. W. F. Mn*icy, tlio Leader ol the Opposition, who has been conducting u hifiiiy H'jcet'.isiuJ camhuigu in tUo south, returned lo Auckland by the Main Trunk express lrom Wellington this morning. A.uiough lie lms unucrgono an nruuuua tour Air. Ma.Sbcy is suit in oxccuuiit ng/iting trim, which he more tliau do-, moustrated Ijy delivering u vigorous and toning si>M)cll at NortUcoio to-night. Uβ will visit the Auckland Agricultural and ra.sloral Association's Sliow at Jipsoui to-morrow and will .spend Monday, 'luesday, and Wednesday in speaking in hie own electorate. On being interviewed by a "Herald" reporter Mr. Ma.wey staled that his toutliftro lour had Ijccn a triumphal progross. Jhe only hitch that occurred was ms inability (0 put in an appearance at laumaruiuii on I'hursdny night, but he was going back next week, probably en ■Saiurdny, December 2, and would ad'drcsa a meeting in the Town Hall there. "Tho most important meeting of (he trip, said Mr. Ma*-ey, "was that hold at Winton in the centre of the Prime Minister's electorate. It is hardly pes. siblo for me, or for anyone else, lo convny an adequate idea of what took place there; but just let me say that when I arrived in Winton I was met on tho platform by the Town Bnnd, lrhich play, ed tho part}-, including myself, up to the hall. Then followed a bauqnet given by the members of tho local bodies and th'« principal residents of the district. After that the public nn-eling was held in tho hall, built for the purpose of a rink— a huge place in which I am quite con tain there were nearer 2500 peoplo than 2000 people present. The meeting was wilh mo from start lo finish, and waa undoubtedly the most enthusiastic I have ever addressed in my life, i lie crowd surged down to the railway station, and teemed to uiq to keep up a continual cheer for tho twenty minutes before tho train departed for luvercarßill. It has been said, I know, that the mcotiu? was packed by residents from other di£ tricts. That, however, was not the case. It was open for anyone who chose to travel by.tho train, whether they wore Oppositionists or Government supporters, and, as a matter of fnct, the trail) must hayo picked up passengers at seven or eight stations within the electorate represented by tho Prime Minister. Even, supposing tho whole of the people carried by the train were Oppositionists, they wero a long way short of composing a majority of the people who assembled in the hall at Winton.

"The other meetings held elsewhere in tho South Island, though not quite so large and so demonstrative as tho meeting in Wintou, were equollv successful. At Oamarii, notwithstanding thd fact that I was suffering from a 6evere cold and sore throat, and consequent hoarseness, tho audience, comprising over 2000 people, was so sympathetic that from t!ie beginning to the end of my address, which lasted over two hours, there was not a single hostile interjection. Thq meeting at Timaru was quite as large as that at Oamaru, and I should think (hat fully three-fourths of those present, were Opposition supporters, and intend to vole for the Opposition candidate. Coming to Palmorstou North, I must, say that ) 'nlso met with a very enthusiastic reception. . "What aye the party's prospects? askod tho interview,

"Passing through Wellington," replied Mr. Massoy, "I met a gentleman who makes it his business to keep thoroughly in touch with tho political atmosphere by reading almost ever} , paper in NewZealand, and his estimate is that there are no less than twenty-four Government seats in danger, while there are only five Opposition Rents that can bo regarded .is doubtful. I may say that I looked, through the list he had prepared, and it was impossible for mo to correct it in any important detail. If his oftimato is oorrect—and I may say I almost entirely agree with it—then the public limy oxpoct very important developments on the 7th and 14th of next month. Whatever happen?, one thing is quite certain, that tho IMorm parly is gaining every dny. Hundreds of (ho electors who formerly sun. ported the Government are. coming over (x> our side, and I honestly believe the days of the Ward Administration are nuiiw hered."