THE REFORM PARTY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1412, 12 April 1912, Page 5

THE REFORM PARTY.

SPEECH BY MR." MASSEY, •"WHY DON'T THEY PLAY Til/S GAME?" (By Tclogri.ph.-Snccial Correspondent.) Christchurch, April n. Last night's proceedings at Melhvn, where Mr. C. A. C. Hardy's friends ami supporters tondcrcd him a banquet, followed by a puliiicl mooting, were of a most oiith.i.-ia-uc character. Mr. Hardy was cheered u tho echo, and Mr. Massey received au ovation. Tho Leader of the Reform'.parly, iu the course of his address at the- public meeting, after warmly ciiibiiMng Air. Hardy's good qualities and servicer .-aid it was really the best thing tlmt nM happened that tho ,11 crura■ parly u>vi not now on the Treasury benches, 'i'iiey were in no hurry to go on the Treasury benches. Their time would and he was prepared to wait for it. The prosent position had served to show the imperfections, weaknesses, and dis.-.«iisions in Hie Government party. Their dis.snsions were shown nioro clearly by Die selection of tho present gentleman who led tho parly. (Laughter.) Men who had served the parly faithfully lor twenty years had been passed over, and a man appointed who had been one of tho most prominent'.- Oppositionists in Parliament. lie was now leading the socalled Liberal party.. There , fere, only three or four members of tho old Conservative party in the House,, and one of them was leaner of the so-called Liberal party. (Laughter.) Ho did not believe that tic combination of Conservatism and Socialism would be received' with enthusiasm. Let them think, of Mr. Mackenzie lending men like Messrs. Ell, Laurenson, Hanan, and Russell,' or being led by them I To him it seemed to bo impossible. Tho Government now in power was not the Government that «'ent to tho country, yet the Government, nbout which there were grave doubts as to whether it had n majority in the House, was to be allowed to control tho.expenditure of the enormous amount of money that came into Hie coffers of the State. Wert men .who had not been, proved to havi Plie confidence of the people to Have the right to handle that money? That wae a wrong mid improper position. The neiv Government asked to be given a show. ''Give us. a chance; play the game," wag what' Hioy wore asking. "Exactly," Mr. .Massey continued, "but why don't they play the game? Why don't they face the music, and give the representatives of tho people an opportunity of showing whether they have the confidence of the country? . That is tho. way, to. play (he game.' " A Government ':in; that position should not be allowed to make the important appointments that would be mado. batween now and the time the House met. The previous Government when on its last legs went about the country turning the firsi sods of railways, and even , laid the foundation-stone of the iiew Parliamentary liuildings, which were to cost a quarter of a million, and would probably 'Cost mucll'moro. The House should hnve some say in the appointment' of the men who wore'to manage the affairs of the Dominion... One of .the jnjsrepresentaIjons circulated during the 'general elections was thht the Reform'party was under the thumb of the , largo land. owner.'' That" 'statement' \eak ' a slander. The members of the party ''were not under the thumb ot any man, or any section of men, or Of the' large owners. The party had endeavoured to do their best for tho whole of the peoplo of Neiv' Zealand, and had done so better than 'if (hey hnd fought to serve any particular closs, Tho party was. in fa.-our .of, up of all Crown lands for- settlement purposes and the. opening: up: for settlement of unoccupied Native lands not required by their owners. 'They w>re'jn favour of • molting owry unoccupied' r.elo of land available for every settlor who wished to go on it. The Reform party was in favour of the land paying its fair share of taxation, but they Vero not in favour of any unfair tax being imposed nn the landowners of - this .country. Further, tho party was in favour of any taxation necessary to- ensure the closer settlement of large estates, and they were in favour of discriminating between the man who made good use of' bis land and the man who did not. (Applause.) Something required to be done in the last-mentioned matter, because although they were supposed to be taxed •on tho .unimproved value they knew., that the .unimproved value, of the land of tho 'ninli.whQ. improved, his land was higher iif the man who did not improve his land. To meet (his stale of affairs an amendment of the Government,. Valuation .-.of, .Land Act was n"ces«arv, ■• The Reform- party »-i< opposed to all .monopolies* and was oppo«od'to laud monopoly. So; much had been sir'-d by the Government newspapers on lhe Reform party's land policy that ho look the opportunity of putting it clearly before the country. The public debt wan increasing. ;and it was. so;'enormous lhat if was' abinlulely necessary' 'that they should do everything possible to promote bud seltleiuenl and.to inrrr.w the number of producers .jml.tho quantity of tho Dominion'* cxmnts. Mr. Massey's speech ; was punctuated with hi'inty 'applause, by the, large audience. lie visited the Methveii 'Show to-day, and to-night he is (he guest of Mr. John Gri'.'g, a'. Longhead), where he worked for'same time scon after he arrived in New Zealand.