THE PRIME MINISTER.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1616, 6 December 1912, Page 5

THE PRIME MINISTER.

INTERVIEWED AT CHRISTCHURCH. ABBITBATION LAW AND iMMIGBA- ' TION, (By Telegraph.—Press" Association.) •""•'/. Chrlstchurob, December B •' The Hon.- W. F. Massey (Prime Minisi ter) passed through Otoistohurch this morning on his.way south to attend the .;...- banquet to be tendered to tho Hon. J. Alton, at Lawrence to-morrow evening., .'■■... When asked if he would sav.anvthing ■ With regard to the Government's.policy ,m tho matter of tho British Navy, Mr. Mastoy replied: . ■ ... , . ... "The Government' is ready to take tho public into its confidence on the question - of naval matters, and it will certainly do so, but that time ia not yet. All'l can' ; eay is that the question is not being neg-. . ,; lected, and nothing is being left undone as far as the Government is concerned. The reporter endeavoured to obtain from ; Mr. Massey 6ome information as' to the ,: ' .. Government's proposals regarding ■ land;. ■ : legislation and electoral reform> but .the „;.. Prime Minister -remarked that. Cabinet;..,;. had not yet had time or opportunity . todiscuss the legislation to be laid before- ■ . Parliament next session. That would be done before the Houso met. Tlio mention of land legislation -re*. . * minded Mr. Massey that under tho'legisJ' , lotion of last session giving the Crown tenants-the option-of converting ..their . leaseholds into freeholds. A great number-" '• .; of applications have been Teceived by the Department: for permission to acquire the,.;.. ; freehold. This legislation applies to no" ■ fewer than 8500 Crown tenants'. - - •.■:-. . Mr. Massey added that there would ba introduced next session a Bill dealing. with industrial conciliation and arbitfa- ] tion, providing for necessary amendmente,,"',;, < of the existing law. Probably it. wuld j be a consolidating measure, asi. there tart :, i been so many amendments of the principal _.'.-. - Act that its interpretation was rendered. , difficult to many of those interested in.it.,,,. j ''As to immigration, Mr'., Massey. said that-,' '-■• .>, the encouragement of the nght- stamp o£ immigrant and the granting of assistance , to the right stamp of emigrant is part o£ the policy of the Government, and is receiving attention: at present.-. As to the reported absence of advertisement of the.Uoj;,,;,. ; minion in Great Britain, Mr. Massey raid .-,., ; that the new High Commissioner was aU ; present attending to this important maw -/- Members of the recently-appointed Civil Service Board would enter r actively upoa ••- their duties on April 1 next. -'.'■■ ■~"•• .Questioned regarding the finanoial out* look, the Prime Minister said. that tM ■ Hon. James Allen intended leaving shorty ly for England to make financial arranged meats' necessitated by the present position,; including the renewal or conversion of t the , „ accumulation of'short-dated debentures. -«.;' and the. placing of- the loans authorised' , last session. . •-- _.-•■ .-.- y—• "From the country's point view, • Mr.-Massey concluded, "theoutlook fmerj. ~. ally has never' beai'better than at the) -.- ■ present moment." AT TIMAETT. '. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ' ; _ , Tlmaru, December 5. .- The Premier passed south to-day. W representatives-' of the "Waterside Union' interviewed him, and stated their • case.! ; The Premier promised that Mr. Hemes« in Wellington 'should sea the secretary] of the union now in that city, and cojM ~ Bider what he lias to say about the way men over whom the strike* arose. ' The Timaru Borough Council propose* to give Mr. Massey a civic reception nexj . Thuirsday evening,'after the' Premier Ba4 attended the pioneers', fete at Temukfl iri the afternoon. Both these enragemenfcv hoirever, have to be cancelled, ad the . Premier' is required in the north.to meet -■ 'the new Governor;