THE PRIME MINISTER.

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

THE PRIME MINISTER.

PROMISES STRONG DEMOCRATIC POLICY. A SPLENDID DECEPTION. The Prime Minister, when he rose to speak, was received with thunders of applauso and cheering. I'eopl® stood up in all. parts of the hall, many of them waving handkerchiefs. Before Mr. Massey was permitted to speak the audience sang "l''or He's a Jolly Good l'ellow." This was followed by further cheering, i "Before £ go on to say a few words about other matters," said Mr. Massey— "and you will have noticed that wo are not making policy speeches to-night—l ; ■ want to thank you heartily, for the cordial and enthusiastic reception which you' have just accorded to me. It was a great reception and it was just such a reception as the Leader of the Reform party might have expected from the citizens of Wellington. (Applause.) I .cannot'' forget that When, for many-years, wo were in the cold shades of Opposition, the citizens of Wellington, speaking generally, were loyal to the party which is well represented on this platform to-night. Having been loyal in times of adversity, the citizens of Wellington, I feel sure, will not bo less'loyal now that the parly has leached the Treasury benches. (Applause.) I want to talft this opportunity uf publicly expressing my appreciation of" the work done by that great conference which has been sitting in Wellington diirin" tlui past few days. 1 think that it was without; exception the most important political gathering over held in the Dominion of Now Zealand. (Applause.) It is a strong indication to mo at all events, that the people of this country have made up their minds to have thoir public business well ; and satisfactorily conducted. I appreciate the fact that delegates eanve to that great conference from, as wo say, the Bav of Islands to the Bluff j from every district in New. Zealand, and that -women to the conference, from as far nwav as the semi-tropical North of Auckland, from the centre of Otago. The ladies rendered very important assistance to the other delegates in the business which they hod to deal with. (Applause.) I appreciate this fact,'and want to call your attention to it because it will become historical— that for the first time in the history of New Zealand tho Native race sent representatives to arrange with-the European delegates, who were present, pood measures for tho better government of the country lo which both races belong. (Apnlnuse.) I consider that the results of the "conference will bo exceedingly valuable to this country and exceedingly valuable to the Government, .because they will liclp us to get back (b democracy, back to domocra- J tic methods. Wo believe that the country should be governed byfllio people, and for the people of the co.untry as a whole." (Applause.) At this stage an auditor on tho leftwing of the hall caused some merriment by exclaiming: "This way, William!" an invitation to the Primo Minister to faco towards his interjeetor. Democratic Ideals. Mr. Massey seemed to be tickled by tho interruption, but remarked that the interruptor had broken into tho middle of n sentence. The Government believed that, the country should be governed by the people, for thte people, and in the interests of the people. There, in threo phrases, was the policy of the party that at present occupied the Treasury benches. (Applause;) The Government did not eipcct to avoid criticism. It expected, and invited criticism, and no one in (his country would ever be punished for adverso criticism of Iho present Government. (Applause.) They did not expect lo please everybody, nor did they expect that their action and proposals would meet with universal approval. They did not expect to please the present Opposition, but they expected to gain renernl approval, and. to pleaw themselves, btcausg.

they were confident of (heir ability to I steer ;i course in (he best interests of tho J country. The rest they would leave to I the electors. (Applause.) ; Ministerial Personnel. The personnel of tho. Ministry had met Willi general approval from one end of tilo country t<f the other. Every ono of its members was capable of controlling and administering his departments ami of defending them, on the platform or on the lloor of the House. (Applause.) Individually and collectively, the Mini-try ■ had made up their minds to give of their very best for the good of .tho country. ; The only members of tho Ministry not colonial bom were Mr. Hemes and himself, and if they were not. Mew Zealantlers by birth they were New Zealanders in every other sense. (Applause.) Their interests and sympathies were here, and they were heio to stay. (Applause.) Government's Policy. He"lnd hinted that it might not lie necessary to maintain an official Opposition. He believed that when the policy of the Government was laid before I'arliament on 1 lie morrow it would be found to be so satisfactory, so Liberal, so progressive, and so democratic that; members all round the House would leet it to tie their duty to join the Government, mid help it to give its proposals legislative effect. (Loud'applause.) There had been a demand lately loi the abolition el party government. Ho did not know whether this was possible, but if there was ono way of doing it, it was to support a good Government: with a gocd policy. (Applause.) The policy of the Government would be laid before tho people on the following night. He did not suppose that tlvev would bo able to give legislative effc'ct to the whole of that policy during tlie present session. It might take more than one session and more than one parliament to give effect, to the po'icy, but the policy would be adhered 'o. They had put their hands to the pkmgn, and there would bo no lookin? Ixick. • Applause..) They would ask Parliament, to give effect to every principle for which they .lad'contended in the years gone by. Projected Reforms, He did not want to anticipate the Financial Statement, but the Government proposed to provide for. financial reform, for the reform of the Legislative Council—(applause)— ; A voice: No mora old fossils. (Laughter.) Mr. Massey continued .that the Government would introduce proposals for the reform of the Public Service— (applause)—and for such land reform as.would satisfy the pioneers who were fighting their battles out in the backblocks. (Applause and cheers.) They proposed to provide a much-needed reform in legislative methods—the methods by which the business of the country was conducted in Parliament, —and many other reforms. Economy, But Not Parsimony. The Government .was! anxious that the people of this' country should get fair value and full value for tho money which lielopged to -them, whether provided by way of revenue taxation or by loan. There would be economy, but there would be no parsimony and no cheeseparing. No man who was doing his duty to the State would bo worse oft than ho was that day, while a. great inanv would bo better off. '(Applause.) Tile gentleman on. the wing who had previously interrupted now ventured another 'remark: "Don't forget this sidf, William." • (Laughter.) Mr. Massey: "I regret exceedingly, Mr. Chairman, that I find it necessary to turn. my back upon so many of my friends, .but.there is one thing that, even my enemies have never liecn able to say, and it is that I have turned my back en iny opponents." (Applause.) The Ministry, continued Mr. Massey, had been very busy during the few weeks since they had been culled to office. They had had to clear away arrears, prepare Bills for submission to Parliament later on, and— most important duty of all—prepare the Financial Statement. The Credit of the Country.. • He honestly believed that the Statement would be the most important submitted to the people of this country during the last 21 years, (Applause.) The Statement was intended to give confidence, and, he believed, would give confidence, in New Zealand to people both in and out of this country. (Applause.) x In talking about confidence, he did not want to speak of preceding Ministries. A sportsman should be able; to take cither a victory or a defeat with equanimity. >But they could not shut their eyes to "tho fact that the credit of this country was not what it ought to be. This was proved by the reception accorded to the last two loans placed on tlio London market. . What had happened in London was not the fault of the country. This was a great country, with a good soil, magnificent harbours, and plenty of rainfall. (Laughter and applause.) Mr. Massey: "Well, you know, you can't do without a copious rainfall." He asked his hearers to think how glad some people in Australia would be to imve the rainfall that they had in Wellington during tho winter months. This country, he continued, had many assets, and tho best of all was an industrious, enterprising, and energetic population. ' A Restoration of Credit. It would be the duty of the Government to take such measures as would restore the credit of New Zealand. They would not relax their efforts until the credit of New Zealand stood equal to that of Canada and second only to that of Great Britain herself. (Loud applause.) The way to restore crcdit was to go in for a policy of energetic development—(applause)—and there was plenty of room for development. The Government would promote land settlement generally, and so increase the number of producers. (Applause.) He believed that this was the way to restore credit. They must not forget to encourage an inflow of capital from 'outside. They could do it by letting investors understand that money was perfectly safo in New Zealand, and that it would bo put to a good purpose. (Applause.) Imperial Policy. A point that lie had reserved to tho last was possibly the most important of all The Government of New Zealand intended to join with, the Governments of tlio other nations of the Empire in doing everything they could in strengthening the Imperial organisation. (Cheers ami applause.) A voice: Don't give any Dreadnoughts! (Laughter.) .Mr. Massey said that the Government would do wliat it believed to be its duty in connection with Imperial matters. Thcro had been no hanging back in the past by the people of Now Zealand, so far ns Imperial matters were concerned, and he ijelieved that they would continue to do their duty in maintaining the Imperial Navy, anil also in connection with land defence. Tho time would come when tho Empire would call tho younger nations to its councils. That time might not have arrived, but there was one fact of which they ought to bo particularly proud. If New Zealand was not the'most loyal Dominion of the Empire there was no more lo.vnl part of the Empire than this Dominion. "There is a democratic principle 1 which has passed into a proverb," said the Prime Minister, in concluding. "It is 'Trust the people.' Tho Government of this country trusts tho people, and > we ask tho people to trust the Government." (Loud apnlause and cheers.)