A BID FOR FAVOUR.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1880, 14 October 1913, Page 4

A BID FOR FAVOUR.

OPPOSITIONISTS ON TOUR,

RECEPTION AT PALMERSTON.

(By Telegraph— Special Eeporter.)

Palmerston, October 13.

I By way of answer to the successful | Reform rally held hero a fortnight ago, five supporters of tho Liberal party in tho llouso of Representatives addressed a meeting in tho Opera House last evening. Those wero Messrs. G. W. Russell (Avon), R. W. Smith (Waimarino), J. C. Thomson (Wallace), L. M. Isitt (Christchurch North), and H. Atmoro (Nelson). Tho Mayor of Palniorston (Mr. J. A. Nash) presided. "The Hordes of Asia." Mr. Atmore was the first speaker. Thoy had come, ho said, to give some reply (and it was for liis audience to say if it was adequate) to tho case mado out by tho alleged Reformers who had spoken hero a fortnight ago. Thoy would show that tho party was • not composed of true reformers, and that it was not the people's party. Tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher had told them that the party was not the friend of monopoly, but nothing had been done this session to show that his statement was well founded. If the Liberals had to remain in tho Houso till Christmas they would not be a party to slipshod legislation, and would do their utmost for_ country, which deserved bettor legislation than it was getting now. The speaker went on to urge that the Reform Party was tho supporter of land monopolies, usinu, as ono of his main arguments, tho old, well-worn list of shareholders in The Dominion. If they wero to put a big landholder in the House, und blindfolded him, ho would find his way to the side of Mr. Massey by instinct. Thore must bo closo settlement before they could havo an adequate system of defence. If they did not break up tho largo ostates and settle them, tho hordes of Asia' would come dowu and do it. (Loud laughter.) Ho contended that Palmerston would bo doubled and trebled in sizo if tho big surrounding estates were broken up. Voices: Where? Tho Prime Minister daro not touch tho monopoly, for if ho .wero to bring down a really cffectivo graduated land tax, ho would bo kicking away his props. No Government—Mr. Massey's or Sir Joseph Ward's —could exist for any length of time unless it attacked this huge monopoly. The speaker mado tho statement that tho. Hon. Mr. Fisher was not allowed to speak for tho Government except in tho presence of tho Prime Minister. A voice: He's good enough for-you. Mr. Atmoro: There aro somo in tho House who don't think so. If Mr. Fisher wishes so, I am perfectly willing to meet him whenever ho chooses. If ever he conies to Nelson, ho will liavo a very hearty welcome, and no ono will greet him' more heartily than myself. "For Twenty Years?" Mr. J. C. Thomson said that it had been asked why the big estates had not been broken up before by tho Liberal Administration. It was because, night after night, when Liberal proposals for land legislation wero brought down they were strenuously opposed by tho thou Opposition. Fourteen men with a knowledge of tho rules of tho House could prevent Parliament from passing any legislation. A voice: For twenty yearsP The two things which New Zealand needed in order to bo prosperous wero closer settlement and cheap money. Mr. Massey had opposed tho establishment of a "Stato pawnshop," but ho was now being forced by tho Weight of Liberal opinion to proivide cheap money. Tho Minister of Financo had opposed a proposal for a State Fire Insurance Office,, calling it a luxury, but it had shown a profit. The Überal Chech. Mr. R. W. Smith said that thoy had como to blazo tho track ou which they were confident the Liberal party would return to power. Now Zealand was undoubtedly a Liberal country,- and, although tho Liberal'party had received a check, it would como to tho front again. Tho "political chloroform" in tho form of innuendo aud misrepresentation had been losing its cfl'ect in tho last few months. T'lio weight of public opinion was leaving the Rotorm party and going tho other way. Could anyone dispute that? (Crios of dissent.) .'They would see that ho waa right in a few months' time. (A voice: How?) Mr. Smith: Wait and see, my friend: just wait and see. Tho present Land Bill, the speaker continued, would not havo tho results tho Government .expected of it. It was a doublo-edged sword.

Mr. Isitt put liis audience into a ' good humour with a few anecdotes and examples of repartee. He said that what ho had seen of the stato of the peasants of t'lio Midlands, amongst whom ho lived in his boyhood, had mado. hnn hate Toryism as tho very devil. Suck conditions, of courso, did not exist in this country, but what lie wisliod to seo was the land, in tho possession of tho many. There were three or four hundred peoplo who owned estates of an unimproved value of over £20,000. It was these landholders and others liko fchem who stood behind the Reform party. Tho speaker paid a tribute to tho integrity of Sir Joseph Ward, who, ho said, was a clean man in every respect. Mr. Russell's " Message." Sir. G. W. Russell read a telegram from Sir Joseph Ward in which lie said "l trust you will got our friends to establish tho Liberal league throughout tho electorate, i'leaso explain tonight that my duties here provent my accompanying you, but I hope to visit i'ahnerston i\orth later." Tho speaker traversed tho remarks or previous speakers with regard to tho alleged " campaign of calumny and innuendo " which had been directed against Sir Joseph Ward and tho Liberal party, at the last election. Ho prophesied that when the next election toon placo, and 110 0110 could say how soon it would be, it would sweep from office tho " banditti" now occupying the Treasury benches. Ho quoted the figures of tho last election to support a contention that tho House should contain more Liberal members than lieformers. Tho speaker spent some timo in reviewing the Reform party's platfor which be contended had not been carried out. Instead of reducing taxation and borrowing tho Reform party had actually mado an increase. The Reformers, Jig urged, were not capable of reducing taxation for tho benelit of tlis people, or of legislating for tho good of the masses. If the Government had been sincere in its desira for reform of tho Legislative Council they would have introduced the Bill into the Lower House. They sould then take tlis Hill to the Council and say, " )isr« is the mandate of tho peoplo." Inttaad of.that they had askml the nwmbers of tho Council to cut their own throats an(l to walk out of public life. They refused, naturally. Tho speaker reviewed tho work of tho fifteen weeks of tho session,, and road a list of the measures yet to bo considered. So far they had passed only olio policy measure. (A voice: Get to work and don't waste timo.) In conclusion, ho said his message to the Liberals of I'alnierßton was: "Closo your ranks." When the Liberal party canio back into power it would tako up its policy of progress whoro it was when they went out of office, and would go right on. "Cand for tho landless"- would bo its motto.

Mr. Russell finished with apiece of verso purporting to bo a political epitaph on Air. Massoy. Tho verso waa in extremely bad taste, and detracted greatly from tho general effect of tho speech. ■ Major Garner moved, and Mr. W, Adams seconded, a motion of confidence in fill' Joseph Ward, expressing tho nope that lie would soon bo Primo Minister or t'ho Dominion. There was a/ largo response to tho request for both Ayes 'and "Noes," and tho chairman declared tho motion carried. A vote of thanks to tho speakers was' also carried, and tho meeting concluded with cheers.