MRS HERRIES AT DARGAVILLE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2119, 9 April 1914, Page 7

MRS HERRIES AT DARGAVILLE

THE BEOOItD OF KEFOKM. (By relegr&plj.-Pioss Association.) . Uargavlflej April 8. iu * political speech at Dargaville last Bight tho Hon. W. H. Horries placed before tho electors vital peiiiical questions and the positioa of the Massey ■ Government, Keplying to statamente mads by Messrs. Thomson and MaePonald, liberal M.P.'s, he said his party represented a majority of the electors, air. Payne had been pledged to Itetornj, but voted the other -.way ana would bo counted ass a Liberal. Hr. Fov/ids was also down, as a Liberal supporter, but had walked out of the Cabinet.- The.■election before- Mr. Seddon died gave Reform a tremendous thrashing, only eighteen members out of eighty being then in Opposition. She party had gradually gained! until in lfll-2 it had only been beaten for supremacy by oih> vote, a casting vote. Sir Joseph Ward resigned then, and the Mackenzie Government wm formed. Then tho Bef»mi Party had a majority of nine. It was a wrong statement that the party was in a minority. , Tho Opposition would not test a no-confid-ence- motion. Mr. Massoy had gono through two strenuous sessions, and put all tho Government Bills through. The Government had not sirffercd a defeat. That was a record even Mr. Soddon could not boast of. Tho jato elections had proved tint public opinion was turning; the- liberals were always at tho hottow of the polls. Mr. Horrios said there hod been a thorough investigation into tho Dominion's finance, and the Government was now keeping borrowing within reasontibia bounds and preventing wasteful expenditure, Certainly there had Keen increased e:r&enditure; but could tiwsy strike out loam to settlers, workers, and local bodies, it cut down railways;, roads, and bridges o.xaendituro? ftis party undertook to discourage wasteful expenditure, and tho result showed this had been done. Tbe- Minister dealt with short-dated loans, and said that in consequence of these the Government had this >-*>ar spent £9.601.00!) in redemption. This huge amount was ma do m> of the ■ Mvors loan of £4.500.0(10, &ir Joseph Ward's of £3.300.000, in addition to amounts raised for advances to local bodies, settlers, and workers. Mr. Allen's loan cast less than any previous loans. The- present Government had raised the salaries of Civil' Servants, police, and railwny-ser-vants. At the close of the meeting there was a- lit-tlo booing, hut a vote of confidence was carried,