CHAIRMAN'S REMARKS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1511, 6 August 1912, Page 6

CHAIRMAN'S REMARKS.

THE MEANING OF REFORM. THINGS TO VALUE. Tlie chairman said that the occasion of the meeting was to enable the supporters • of the Reform party in Wellington to tender to the Ministry congratulations on achieving office. The occasion was chosen becauso ono of tho greatest, if not the greatest, conferences ever held in New Zealand had just closed—(hear, hear)—a conference which he hoped and believed marked the commencement of a new era in political history in this country. The Reform party had come, and it had come to stay.' (Applause.) It had Tettorcd to tho people what they had longed for for « many years—tho right; to live as a frco ! people—(applause)—tho glorious privileges ; of being independent. He desired, on behalf of the peoplo of "Wellington, to icongratulate Mr. Massey oil tho first de- ' finite step taken away from, tho old rut of- 6poils to tho victors in appointing ; a political opponent as High Commissioner. (Applause.) IK felt spro that this would «nmd the death-knell of the system which had done' so much to undermine tho national life; and the national spirit of this oolony for tlib last 22 years. (Applause.) No .longer would a man in this country be afraid to speak his mind without fear of being made to suffer'punishment cither directly .or indirectly. The present Gov- , ernmcnt had come to oflico faced with many difficulties after 20 years of reckless and dissolute expenditure of the people's money. When the Liberal party came ■ to office there were IS-12 miles of railway, bnilt at an average cost of <£7751 per mile. In the next fourteen years KfcJ miles •. wore opened at a cost of J813.952 per mile. In the next four years a further 30S miles were laid and the cost of them was .£19,678 per mile., Making all allowances'' for heavier rails and 1 tho extra difficulty of railroading rougher country, nothing could justify the jump from seven thous- ■ and to practically .twenty thousand pounds per'mile. He thought that the taxpayers of the country hod not'got Ids. worth for every iitmmK- spent by the'late; Government. ■ Speaking of the conference, he said it had never been his privilege to be associated with peoplo who had impressed him so much as the members of the Reform parly. He did not believe that of nil 'tho' people at the conference there was one who was a political adventurer. (Applause.)