AN ATTACK REFUTED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2306, 13 November 1914, Page 6

AN ATTACK REFUTED

OSTRICH FARM STORY

PRIME MINISTER'S ACCOUNT

REPLY TO MR. GLASS

The Prune Minister, who returned rroni the north yesterday, offered some remarks to a Dominion representative upon his trip and upon party prospects generally, and incidentally repelled certain attacks mado upon himself. My visit was principally to my own electorate, and I need hardly tell you, atter the reports that have appeared in the papers, that I found my own constituents even more enthusiastic than • ley m! 8 I)een on any P reviou s occasion.. The meetings were much larger than usual, and the opposition only a very small proportion of those present." Scarcely Worthy of Notice, Have you noticed what your opponent has been saving about you? "Yes," said Mr., Massey, "I saw his remarks reported in ouo of the Wellington papers, but I don't know that they are worthy of very much notice. There was, however, apparently an attempt on his part to suggest that the Wqiuku railway line, which was authorised by Parliament some time ago, and which is now in course of construction, was intended to increase the value of some property in which I happen to have an interest. The simple facts are that the Waiuku line was surveyed 31 yeavE ago, but was not proceeded "with. . The people in the locality, however, never" ceased uo agitate, and never gave up hope that some d a y or other the promise that had been made would be fulfilled Succeeding Ministers of Public Works promised that the line would be gone on 4 with as soon as the financial position made it advisable to undertake . the work. Among those Ministers were Sir William Hall-Jones and Mr. R. M'Kenzie. The line was authorised in 1912, and the old 1 survey has been practically adhered to. It is correct that the pronosed line touches a property known as the Ostrich Farm, cutting some four or nve. acres off one corner of it, but the Ostrich Farm is already well proyidpd with railway, communication, as it lies close to the main line. As a matter of fact, passengers travelling on the main line must have often noticed the buds close up to the railway.

An Unprofitable Venture. , '£be Ostrich Farm, I may say, was established and stocked- some years ago by a prominent Auckland merchant, who thought at that time there was a big future for ostrich farming in New Zealand. Unfortunately he died some years afterwards, and in his will was al provision to the effect that all his landed properties were to be realised. \£t that time most of this property to which I am referring was -unimproved, growing the usual scrub and fern. It. was fejt by some of the people in' the district that it would be a great pity to allow the industry to die out without . being given a fair trial, and in consequence a- company was formed to acquire the_ Ostrich Farm. As momber for the district, and interested in its welfare, I thought the proposal a good one, and I t took some shares in the company, which I have held ever since. The industry has not flourished as we expected it would, though, during the last year or two, with increasing knowledge on the part of the management, things have been better. But we have had no retujn from our investment in the way of dividends, and in addition to the cost we have spent a large sum of money in improving the pro: perty and bringing it into cultivation. It has now been decided that when opportunity offers the company will cut up the land into small farms, and either sell the birds or move them to some

more suitable ■ locality. That is the ' ■whole story. I hare not been, on the ; land for years, and I Lave taken no part in the management. My main, point is that the property mil not be increased in Value by the Waiuku railway, the route of which was practically agreed upon more than '20 years before the company was' formed, and 20 years before I held any shares in it. "Will Stop at Nothing." "It,is.quite evident that the Opposition will stop at- nothing in-the way cf slanderous statements in order to gain votes, but so far as I am concerned I ani too well known in the locality for this sort of thing to affect me in the slightest degree. It is possible that people who do not, know , the truth of the matter, and who do not know me, may believe some of the statements that have been made." ■ Who Is Mr. Class? . Mr. Massey's attention was drawn to : the fact that Mr. Fletcher had stated ! the previous night that Mr. Glass, now ; Mr. Massey's opponent, had once been ■ Mr. Massey's chairman of committees in an election campaign. "Mr. Glass was never a resident of the present Franklin electorate," said Mr. Massey. "He was never my chair- : man of committees, and whether he voted to support me or my party I am not able to say." Prospcots Cood. Invited to express an opinion on the subject' Mr. Massey Baid that so far as he was able to judge the election . prospects generally were good. "The public realise," lie said, "that the socalled Liberals are simply being used by the Red Federation section of the community 'to down Massey and his Government' —to use their own phrase —and the people know perfectly, well what it would mean to the country if by any chance such an unholy alliance secured a majority of votes. On the other hand it is freely acknowledged that we have conducted the business of the country successfally < through tho , most difficult period in its history, and , the people give us credit accordingly. We seem to have all the noisy section of the community against us, although ■; I have had no experience of them at any meetings I have held to date, but the calm, quiat thinking voter is with us. I look forward to nolling day with the utmost, confidence."

EVE OF THE BATTLE

TOWN HALL SECURED BY ME. FISHER. ' The Finance Committee of the City Council reported to tho council last evening that they had accepted the tenders of the Hon. *F. M. B. Fisher for the lease of the Town Kail on the ovo of the coming general election, for the sum of £10 10s. (big hall) and £3 3s. (Concert Chamber). A councillor: Are those the ordinary prices? The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke): Yes. Hβ was the only tenderer. ; Another, councillor: Were tenders advertised? . .. ' The Mayor: Yes. That includes- both halls?—" Yes." What does one man want two hnlle for?—"I don't know. I only know thnt everything w:is done in the usual way." "Is there any restriction against subletting?" was another question. The Mayor: Yes, that must not ba done.