THE PRIME MINISTER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2313, 21 November 1914, Page 8

THE PRIME MINISTER

ADDRESS AT INVERCARGILL

AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETINC.

(Br IWeeraph.-Prese Association.)

Inveroargill, November 20. The Prime Minister (Hon. W. F. Massey) addressed a huge audience in the Municipal Theatre to-night, the rising of the screen being the signal for an enthusiastic scene. The Mayor (Mr. D. M'Farlane) presided. ' On rising, Mr. Massey was continuously cheered. He touched on the war and the part New Zealand was playing in the war. Also the debt of gratitudo we owed to tho Australian Navy for assistance afforded to us. Mr. Massey's reference to the Sydney's exploit wa6 loudly applauded. Up to the present we had not got in these waters sufficient ships and armaments. After the war there would be a conference, and he hoped there would be an agreement by- (vhich there would be placed in these waters a fleet sufficient to hold its own against anything likely, to come along. (Applause.) , '■■.'.■ In regard to land defence, New Zealand was the first to offer assistance, the first t<> send its troops away, and tho first to occupy. German territory, but without the assistance of the Aus■tralian Fleet New Zealand would not have been able to take Samoa so quickly. (Applause.) He believed , that more sacrifices would still bo required from New Zealand and other parts : of the Empire.- Operations would probably bosuspended during-the European winter, and before spring they had an opportunity for preparing for a movement that would bring the. war to an end. New Zealand would do its duty if called npon. No sacrifice would be too great to keep tho old Flag flying. (Applause.) The Leader of the Opposition had eaid the borrowing of tho Government had been excessive, arid that the Massey Government had increased the indebtedness of the country to an unprecedented extent. The facts ' were that during the last, two years of the Ward Government the Public Debt had been increased £574 per head, while during the first: two j'ears of theßefonn Administration the increase waa £49 per head. (Applause.) . Sir J. Ward also twitted the Government with., cutting down , the facilities of local bodies for borrowing. As a matter of fact the reverse was the case. When tho Government came into Siwer the Treasury was empty and the cal bodies were crying out for money. There was, only one alternative and. that was to stand behind tho local bodies and assist them to get the money, which the Government did. (Applause.) In regard to Customs duties, Sir J. Ward said the Government had increased taxation by 13s. Id. per head. The truth was that the Government had not increased the Customs taxation on one single article.' \ He had intended to rovise the tariff, but the labour, crisis iii 1913 and the war in 1914 had preanything being done. < So far from .increasing taxation,) sources 'of needless irritation had been removed. In doing away with taxation on discounts and on paoking-cases, altogether the remissions amounted to £50.000 ' a year He (Mr. Massey) would like to see the duty' on plug tobacco reduced and placed on something else. During the two years ending June 30 the exports had increased by x £5,000,000. If it had not been for tho war there would have been by the end of this year an increase of another £3,000,000. ■ It was the duty, of the Government /to give facilities to settlers and increase' production. Mr. , Massey quoted from Hansard to show that in 1906 he moved a motion which was the beginning of the 'advances to workers mov.ement,' and there was nothing comical in his claim as was suggested by Sir Joseph Ward at Winton. 'His motion in 1906 was to enable the Government Department to lend up to £400. His motion was knocked out, but only after the Prime.Minister had promised his followers that he would bring down a Bill containing a simtf provision that session. The Bill ij ; brought down and vas passed, and evtvi' included a little errortnat had occurred in the speaker's original motion.' Mr. Massey referred with pride. to the prosperous condition of the Dominion in spite of the war. In 1910 when ■there was a- drop in the price of wool, 1014 publio servants were turned on to the streets. To-day not one, publio servant had been dismissed, and no one had been turned off publio works. Indeed, the Government saw its way to largely increase the number of men on 'public works., . . . , , The people had now to choose between tho present Government and a party that, if returned, , would be dragged a the heels of tho Red Feds. A motion of-thanks and confidence in' the Ministry, _ moved' by Mr.. Gilkison, and seconded in several places, was carried. " ■ . •' .

The meeting was, a lively .one, but good-natured- and: friendly throughout, and Mr; Massey was accorded a cordial reception, and an excellent hearing. The meeting closed with cheers and .counter-cheers. ■■ ■