A MANIFESTO.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1485, 6 July 1912, Page 6

A MANIFESTO.

THREE MEMBERS JOIN MR. MASSEY. THE FREEHOLD THREATENED. Early this morning the following manij festo was supplied 'to <i reporter by Messrs. Iteed, Conies, and T. AY. Rhodes! "The constitution of tho Ministry waa such that the freehold principles held by us were seriously threatened; I u the Ministry the large majority were leaseholders, and four of the Ministry were revolutionary iu their trsatment of land questions. For instance, during hist Parliament they endeavoured to force on tho Statute Hook a clause in n measure confiscating to the State the unimproved value of Crown leases (farms and workers' homes) on the transfer of such leases. The result of tho no-confidence motion was to decide whether a freehold party should be. in ' power ov a ' Ministry containing ' the strongest lease-: holders in Parliament. As freeholder* wc decided after very full consideration to form a coalition with the freehold parly, ami to establish a stable Govern-; incut'to carry on the affairs (if the country. Wc decided In take this course alter, having the-assurance that (he policy id"' the future (iovoinmoul. would be both, liberal and progressive." Mr. Vernon Reed's Position. In an interview after the division, Mr. Vernon Krai stated that, his pledge to bis elector- .was lo stand by the freebnbl policy, independent of party. As soon as hi; heard the prnpn-ed composition of the Ministry, and before the appointment- had been made, he declined to join the Mini-try. and told the Prime Minis ter-eleet that, he would be a flee Jance,, following his principles only, and would not praiui-e to support the Mini-try on a iiii-eplifiil.'nee motion. He maintained that attitude throughout, until he iis-i-ied in the coalition with (he other freehold, ers."