THE PRIME MINISTER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2159, 27 May 1914, Page 6

THE PRIME MINISTER.

SPEECH AT GORE. REPLIES TO OPPOSITION^. STATEMENT REFORMS FORWMD POLICY. (By T*i«Xr*P!i..--'t'rii3S AtAoci«tlo9l / ' Gore, May 26. ■The Prime Minister (the Bight How. W. 1". MasSey) addressed a big meet-' ing in the Theatre llojal to-night Ha was crttthttsiastically woleoutefl on a> tinl Mr. Miisjsay expressed liis pteesuro in being alik* to nieet eifdi a bi.g meeting of the people of tltotowit and surrounding districts. Ho said that lio was not ttere to speak for Mr. Andersen, er to ■helfi liiin in any way, because he did not jifeei help. Ho .(Mi , . Ma-ssey) did nqt tsspeet that they ivero all of"the same political opinion, /bat what lio did expect was *hat there tfoukl l>o a greet sa-pport-oi:s of tho 'Government in the liall bofere he sat down. (Laughter and applause..)

A Reply to Mr. C» W; Russell, Tho Prime Mi.nJH.ter dealt with *h<s allegations made by Mr. G. AY. Russell, 51, P., at Got© si>mo weeks ago with reference to liis statement ttet t-ho. Governaent had increased taxation to tho extent &i Ss. 4d. per head eiflco j they caroo into office. Wo-wld tHey lievo him jvhen lie said that there had j Iseon bo inprease hi tho indirect tasa- j tioai? TheFe was an Swereaso in direct ■. taxation, , Thoy had, for instanee. increased tho graduated tax on all estates over £3Q,Q00.j an& by this st.et>' they hsd brought ift £40,000 per -ail-: num. 'flvat was with .a. view to e,neouragiiig the siibtlivbioii o.f torgo ev' tatflß wici iife would show them before lio eat down that tho tax liad «n-' <feulrtodly'had th<it ■effcet. (Apptaj.se.) i'liat more money was eoMectod tiere irns no doubt,, but, he. insisted that it was done in a way/ which was k> the credit of the Osjve.riifiient. (Apiplatise.) Tlio Gorewi:tnP4rt, Mr. R-usseS tori stat- : ed, had-dene nothing' hiiij said S&. Slassoy,. tlto Govprnnient couW..e)vly-laj tlhe fouftjktiwi stone -ijjsilfcy during the se'sßtoii; Imfc they lad olomo moro than )»v tlio faimiktlon of a paliey—they' had .built the..first,;«rf ( . tto stl'uotares. whwh lie.- hoped and b'eJieved would-. stand for. »rmy years. Ttifijy ivaci put through a gtoat deal of tyjjislation in the lace of insuperablfl cjAißeiaity. ; Leglßlaflvo Coun.ol! Reform. Witt regard to ilio Legialiitiyfe Conn*cil Mr. BuSS.efl liad said that lie (Mr. Jfassay) had dons just exactly w'Mt tfto Liberals h*d done. Weilj, wiliat had ho to complain of? (I/anghter.) Tho ©onSMimcnt had had tbreo ivotfej ta prepare for the session., hub even with fta-t- short time they ha.d prepared a Bill which, they ha*l i»tr*d : ii.ced to tho Oeuiwil. Why had; it geu.o beforo the tkmneil? Beeaiisg it- v\*as ae«ording to donstiiiiitional pract.loe under which cither -Ohain.bei- had tho righi to *eftrroi itself. Tins Bill vvoitld go up itaaiu and it would fiat bo laid fl;sWe. Tli.ey ha 4 not dnfte : t3io ssirte ijs.thp Liberate, aftd for the reason fcfeit dflfiiig twaulj'-piji) years the JtibDrale were hi" power they bad never apiwfavtefl to tho <&iir>ci!l a nsan ftho was Hot </i their own politioal Challenge to' Member for .Awn, Tien. |If. RusseH. had, by iiuiucndoj inaniiatcd that the lion. A, li. Ilerdltiaii had doilo soniotliilig wrong, ai%4' ift tiKit connection ho (Mr.' Massay) wanted to say rifiht thero that ir' Mr. Rsjssell had anything to say, let him got up a»d Say it, lifid the Miiiisti'y -tfouldilj'o preparefl to take thq. eousequeilces with. the'electors of the coivfttty.

Referring la strikes, and Sir Joseph Ward's statement to an interviewer thitt Kβ Would have Settled the statics either by the sesrei bajtob or by tko ftjot Ae-fc, J.lr. Masses , said the fo&l----islniess of referring t<j a tliousancl cscifced inoa for * sectet-baflp't ttqtsld So ■sulfioi<sitl.Y apparent to justify him -it* passing, it over without donimeui Then, as to the Riot Acta lie had. in his hands an interpretation'of .the Bidfc Apt. IV Biof, &ct fiscant wl cartrWpies, aii-d , Ira svlimHted that the joss, of &n& life' Was. a. far greater cmrte* queue© fha-n flio Iflss of the tnctjxjd , of Settlement adopted.

Load oJ $.lrort-D.&tSfJ Loans. Passing ott to .getwral questions, J'lr. BJassey referred to the diffimi%.*hieJi was faeetl |.y the Oatprnitigat jn the matter of finance.- TWo was n<> one who could, heitesila? say that i'hey hiril not fiicfid 'difficulties.' for , malty years inwtey had bfceii foirly easy to pot, tint in 1912 the eortditfens changefl fairly suddenly, One of the reasons was tho Enropean war, and ttie other ivas itio.iaet- that during that year a xmttt* hat ef nth*) , counties went to the Loftdm niarket for money for ■de-vßlapojeiit, land llerjj the «M law 0f Supply and «■ 'nialnd cftnis'a, And up.went the price of the ertfclcft. fh.ey were told ttist they wore WnMviisg m.Ofo .rafl-Uey tten was <jvo.r bsrrowed hi aiiy onfe year befqve, jee.l They hatJ to raito twefcs mjJlioiiS ttii's yeat, for, quite .apart frtfift the work of ilie cenntty, tlic.y had to raiso £S,Ooo,t)p& to pny of short-dated (lebewtaros this .year, They wowtft have to xoisfe £'I.2,.of!& s QQa of jfloney» but t'tjo-v W to do bo bee*uis6 their preejeftnss&rs had so misiftapagwd the fiances of Ae countr.v as to allow £8-OooipoO of shori-tiated debentures to fall Su» in ofte year. • ' ' After dealing with I/oajis to itosui Sedie-s. IVIr, Shssoy went on to show tew Mvanccs to Settlers had Ifeen.mcreased. Tho Treasiirnr had tliat flay told him that they were pft.yiftg ptft at tie fate of £100,009 a month. A veide: Yes J but you_ are getting near the election time again! Mf. Massoyt Yss;..bftt wheii tlio dectloii is over Wo will take eare that the fttanee's of this country ivre in aa gftod « state as they are to-day, (Applause.) :

Will Pestle No Skinflint Pbjftsy, v s , ■ In sumijisrtsiiig Ms roflHrlfs en ~(.he fiiiaiickl .ptvsitto-nj' Sfr. MssSey said that nttt'iotprfi they were •gflJng to s?e Hha* tlift people of Ncav Zeatend gat full value for fcrary sWIIi'BS Of tiwjr mttnfey, wlcetitsr' it Was. tefrwed or collcttiMl ty way of roV«uue, tho Gpvwfnmtint did not intfitrtTt-o ptirsufl a .skinflint iroliny, nnd what lio dii wnten4 Wag Ocit it *y»s bciiw to pny a fii'st-ctos-s f»aii at. h fetWkss sajary Ufmi.:to a ; 'tMr«U class itiWn, tiuwl-olas s(\i(vry> ; . BefMriiig to tlio siiljclivisitffl (>f fends for sottlct'iieiii .Mr. HaSsoy sq.i'd tfat stibtlirisien was gqsiig on aJitisfM'Just'to slimy Ufe'tri wlfat tfco Govewjiiient Wns dpiftp lie \vfslied to nfiote fipiires for tiie lSst thfeo ycafs. purine tlrs! year etdi.ug Maxell 31.; 19-31, acff?:s }m<\ boon Ji«.*cl«(set}, wjvtle Jast-year Ul.flGS acres »rerp piU'eiinsed. so that the fiqvfiniient hp:d jnErelrascc} tpis acfes {Hiring ljtst Vfaf-. 'for evmy own ]mvf}»aso»l by tl'.o Liberals drtrkiK J9ll. The- Miuistoj- also refen-ed t« t.Jje pstflßSKßi of Mia system ©f wovlcwr' (k-olljnes tn tlift coufttfV and Ilio. cstaliIjsliiriotit oi v sntUfWeiits at Wiltowtaik, Soijtii Cantorbviry, Ho t>mi:o x pr<t<Hfition that tloring : tho, ciiitpnt year tlm pSiiFUfliiufe tui wteii' isomes wmiiiit tip iiwvoasi'f] to very RllJe sliofffc of £100.0.00, nwl the C*«'fii-vminiK ivoiild it. (AplAalMlfl.) 'lip. Mess'py T6turred to tlto clparing tip of nuow-aiics in tli<? pension sv-stflni. the aufietvoe apv ; !g#f&U6Jr Jus remarks upon iho itorJroyejßiCa.t- cf tho system, h ie-

gfl.rd to fiiilitary and widows' pensions. ' The Primo Minister dealt with the anomalies ef tJm tariff aflfl the -Mcos*: sity for awemlmcnt. He itui net know that tlioy ■ would lao aMo to do.ntl tliat. they wished to <Jo next session, biit ho 'hoped tJiat they would bo abls to do sojiro of the things. Making '-brief . nrfwwtoo to the Opposition "Flying Squadron/' s|f. Massey said that there was not true point of public policy en. which they were- -agreed saw %f; it wotild be a jolly Boad thing to oils*. W Gas'ornmfinfc .and go* on tiw ' teasuxy . beiwlws and α-antrti ths JJreasiity ■ekwfc. ■ . ■ Mr. Ward moved a very hearts veto ■rf thanks to Mr. Masaftj- for Ms afrlo i au<l lnci.Cl address, and -that tho meetkig cspress its' eoftfidoneft to Mr. Massoj' as Prtao Minister. Mrs. Stewart Sc«i_de4 tho eiflfaon, which was carried witU gJ'C-at enthttsiasnu

SHORT OTEftVISW, (By Ttel*ETil»t>b--»PlF*«e Association,.) C-hrlstGhorolt, May 26, . The Hou. W. P. Massov and t-lle Hon. James AUw went sßutii l)y ■ tlio fet express. to-oay. Interviewed ky a ig■|Tortier.,, Mr, Masscy was optinvistio *e> gafdi'Uja ti' 6 ptospeets of t'hto Govejft Hicn't in both Islands at Ao fqitliooffling election. He also spoko of a iieW Laud Camifiissioii ta 4aal with West* land ii.nd ethcT ni*tters, bu.t -was tottoeiit ivith regal-ct to eldetora'l rsfoini. Hβ, however,,stated that 4 Dill Was n-0w iu Govstso of ptepmratioii, and fed jet to <;ooifc before Cabinet. Tho Meat Trust wquM, he said, fysca-isMly wn-tdi* I'd, (Slid, if its. operations We.ro injiiriotis to New Zeahnd produets.j the Govfrfffnient would step in. i