HUGE MEETING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1696, 12 March 1913, Page 7

HUGE MEETING.

* t HUNDREDS TURNED AWAY. SPEECH BY PREMIER. J i NOISY FACTION. s. ! SOME LIVELY INCIDENTS. FINANCE, DEFENCE & OTHER QUESTIONS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) / Chrtstchurch) March 11. The Prime Minister (tho Hon. AV. I'. Massey) addressed a large audience in tho Theatre Royal to-night. The building was full by seven o'clock, and when the meeting commenced there were as many outside us were in the building. It was fortunate that special arrangements were made to prevent the danger of overcrowding. At an early hour the street outside the hall became crowded with people, and when tho doors were opened at six-thirty, it became only a matter of a few minutes before the seating accommodation of tho hall was fully occupied. Just before seven o'clock the position was such that the doors'had to be closed, and huge crowds were packed back into the street. Hundreds just after this appeared m the scene, and piled vainly up against the iron gales, which were sometimes augriiy shaken. Inside the hall for an hour before the meeting matters were very lhely. On the stage there were seated some three, hundred ticket-holders, who waited calmly and quietly till the curtain rolled up. Included in their ranks were many of tlio leading citizens and prominent members ol' the Reform party. Those in the front rank included the Mayor of the city, the lion. A. L. Ilerdmau, the Hon. 1!. 11. Rhodes, Messrs. T. S. Escott, IC. H. Statham, AY. Nosworthy, G. M. Thomson, and J. G.-, Anderson, M.l'.'s, and Messrs. 11. I). A eland (president of' the Canterbury Provincial Council of the Reform League). , Pandemonium. 'i'he Mayor of Christchurch (Mr. 'H. Holland) presided. When the curtain was drawn up pandemonium reigned for several minutes, cheers and groans alternating until Mr. Holland rose to his feet.

"I want to soy,'', said Ml'. Holland, "that there are a great many people outside, 'and if you doii't want to listen you -.can let them have your seats. X appeal to you to give Mr. Massey a fair aud impartial hearing, and to uphold the name ami reputation' of our fair city, i:nd I now call upon the Hon. the Prime Minister to address you. (Cheers and groans.) Mr. Massey, upon rising, was greeted with further cheers and groans, but these soon died down, the Premier smiling heartily awhile, and waiting cUlmiy till the noise subsided.

"I think you for the very hearty reception you have given me. The Mayor' has suggested that you should give me a fair hearing. Let mo tell you that lam going to say to-night what I came hero to say. (Applause, and a voice, "What about Waihi:"). I spoke in-Waihi, and I got a fair; -hearing in Waihi, and in every other centre I have spoken in. I am going to make a policy speech. The public have now had eight months' experience of the present Government, and a huge majority of the people say—(the rest of the sentence was lost through interruption). "While there is a noisy minority of objectors to-night, the more the people of tlio country know of the aspirations of the leaders of the party the greater will be our support. Last session was unique in its way."

"A Few Noisy Citizens." At (his stage the interruptions again compelled the speaker to pause. The chairman said: "1 have to apologise for the maimers ol' a few noisy citizens of Christchui'ch. It would take ten of tiiem to make one decent man." Mr. Massey then proceeded: "After we cauio into office we brought down the most comprehensive I'inaucial Statement that has ever been brought down in this country." ', , , , ' The Mayor again appealed for order. "A lot has been said about a square deal," lie said. "Give the Prime Minister a square deal." (Applause.) Mr. Massey went on to work accomplished ; last session. "\\ e went throngn hundreds of divisions, lie said, "without being defeated. '-i-hat is unprecedented in the history of Isew Zealand Parliament. We have had numerous difficulties, financial and otherwise. Uur inancial difficulties caused our finance Minister to go Home. I am speaking of the legacies left us by our predecessors —the shortjdated debentures which in the case of the loan of last > car, meant that the whole thing had to be gone into again. Tho policy of the present Government is to spend loan moneys in a manner calculated to bring tho Greatest benefits for the Dominion and the people of the Dominion. A\e are giving local bodies money >at the same rate as it costs us to get it. That is what I call a square deal.

Country Never Mora Prosperous. "Let nie refer to some _of the canards put round the country prior to last election. You were told that if the Reform ■ party came into power there would be no wages and money would bo tight. Now what is the position to-day? Jho country has never been more prosperous/, (A pi>lw«e.) Ono of tho best financial barometers is the Post Office Savings Banks. Deposits now exceed tho withdrawals and we hope that soon money will bo cheaper. (Applause.) Mr. Allen deserves to Iks congratulated upon' the success of his mission— (applause)—and the count rj <lcserves to bo congratulated npon what lie achieved. It proves how well the country ami its Government stand in the estimation of those at Home. Mr. Jlas••ev then dealt with the ,£5,000,000 loin raided by (he Ward Government, which he said' had cost XI 12s. B',<l. per cent. The loan of last year raised by the Mackenzie Government cost JS 2s. f>il. per cent while the loan the present Government raised a month or two ago cost us £.| ss. Gd. per cent. That proves that it was easily the most successful. It speaks most for the Government of tho country. "What Did Judge Williams Say?" A voice: What about the Southland land transaction? . . , , , Air. Massey laughed. ies, what about it? Who Ms on top now? What dia Judge Williams say? A voice: How much did you pay him? Mr. Massey: Such n remark is a disgrace to tho city of Christchurch. Judge Williams is a man whom we hold in the highest respect. (Applause.) Proceeding; Mr. Massev quoted figures in regard to finance. "It is necessary, he said, "for the people, to _ understand how prosperous from the point of view of ordinary reveuue the country undoubtedly is."' Defence. "Now, I want to talk to these military people or anti-military people," said Mr. Massey.- "We amended the Defence Act Inst year. The refusal to take the oath was met with a line which, if not paid, was followed by imprisonment. (Cries of "Shame!") The Act was altered, and instead of imprisonment the penally was altered to military detention." \fter some interruptions and interjections, a seel inn of the crowd sang "Rule Britannia" lustil.v. The Mayor again had to appeal for order.. Labour Matters. The interruptions beeaine more frequent and uois.v when Mr. Massey went on to deal with labour matters, tho Waihi and Reefton dispute* particularly, Aris.

ing out of the recent troubles it would bo necessary, he said, to have inrther industrial legislation. They would stick to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, and endeavour to make it perfect. Legislative Council.. k Another reform they intended to give effect to was in connection with the Legislative Council. The House of Representatives passed a Bill providing that the term of oflico should bo rcduced from seven to three years. The Upper House had thrown that out, but the Government was going to seo that through. There was to be no half-way house. Businesslike Methods. Up to the present time they had never had a depreciation or insurance fund for public buildings. The Reform Government had altered that. They had dealt wit h the thing in*a businesslike way. Dealing with the general estimates, they now had in Parliament a Public Accounts Committee, which had the right to inquire into every item. The Government courted publicity. It meant to take the people ot the country into its confidence. (Loud applause.) The applause was repeated when Mr Massey dealt with the pensions provided-lor the. Maori war veterans and the amendments to the Widows Pensions Act. The State, he said, had a duty to the widows and the orphans, and the Government intended to carry out that duty. (Loud applause.) The Land Question. , ' Mr. Massey, speaking on the land question, said that autlionties the world over agreed that the freeholder was a 'greater asset to the country than the leaseholdei. There was no unearned increment in the lease-in perpetuity. • Where was it if , they, had to wait 999 years for it? T'liey had given the l.i.p. settlers a square, deal by enabling them to acquire the fee-simple of their holdings, lie believed that the Reform Government's land policy had done a good thing for the settlers and n good thing for the country. Jin proceeded to , criticise the land administration of previous Governments, and also referred to the increasing population in tho towns to the detriment of the land, and said tho tide . had to be turned or there would be dc- > pression. The Reform Government were , endeavouring to increase the settlement of the land. i

The Southland l,and Transaction. ' Sir. Massey next went on" to refer to , the Southland land transaction, and said that many Opposition newspaper editors ' wished tlioy had never heard of it. The minerals on that estate belonged to the Crown, and he meant to fee that tlioy were kept in possession of the Crown. I More Noise. The meeting again became boisterous. A call for "Cheers for Ssmplc" was jjesponded to, and cheers were also given' for Mr. Massey, followed by' tlic singing of several choruses liy students. Another saction's efforts were drowned by the discordant notes of a tin whistle and "Rule Britannia" and Socialists gavo "WVll keen tho lied Flag Flying." Then Mr. Massey was able to m-occed again. "Tho editors of the Opposition newspapers were the men most successful in discovering mare's nests," Fee simple, or freehold that excluded the minerals was an old English law. The coal belonged to tho State* The Mayor again had to appeal for order, and his remarks were greeted with cheers. "Fair-minded people," lies said, "resented the attitude adopted by a section of th« audience." Conclusion. The Reform Government, said Mr. Massey in conclusion, had condticited the business of tho country in an open and business-likfl fashion, and placed tho country's finances" oil a sound footing. Their object was that when they went out they should l:e able to say: We'haveleft our country better than wo found it. i Mr. Massey concluded his sneech amid loud and prolonged applause, the opposition having considerably diminished duri lug the last three-quarters of an lionr. . Mr. . 11. D. .Aclaaid, president ~of>.n tho council of the Canterbury Reform League, ; Kiid that he was sure the citizens of 'Christclmrch were greatly indebted to Mr. Massey for his excellent address.. He moved: i "That this meeting of Christclmrcli citizens tlmnks 'the Prime Minister ■ for his address, and expresses its con- . fidence in his Administration." Mr. 'P. Cook,j a Sotialist . and " aiitimilitarist, moved as an amendment: "This meeting of Christclmrch citizens has 110 confidence in Mr. Massey or his brothsr Ministers, and expresses its dissatisfaction at his whole policy a-s being against the best interests of the country, and that we 'believe tho Government's land policy is in.the interests of the land-owning classes." The amendment yas first put to the meeting, and then the motion, and a great many held np itlieir hands for each. Amid cheers and groans the Mayor declared the motion carried, and the meeting then closed.