THE PRIME MINISTER AT HASTINGS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2322, 2 December 1914, Page 6

THE PRIME MINISTER AT HASTINGS

LOANS AND TAXATION MIS-STATEMENTS EXPOSED (By Teieerapn-iTcBS Association I Hastings, December 1. the Prime Minister arrived from Dannevirke at. midday, and this ovenmg delivered a political address at the Princess Theatre. ■' Tho meeting was timed to commence at 7.45, but by 7.15 every part of tho theatre, including the stage, was crowded, and when tho Mayor took the chair there were several hundred, people outside who could not gain admission. .The Government candidate, Air. H. M. Campbell was ad-' vertised to spoak for tho first halfhour, but he cut Bhort his address in the theatre, and held an overflow meeting outside.

The Prime Minister, who was in splendid form,, spoke for two hours and a half, and was accorded a great reception, and obtained a splendid hearing. A fair number present wore opposed to him politically., and they interjected when he said things with which they disagreed, but the meeting was devoid of the senseless interruptions which have been frequent at political addresses elsewhere. Mr. Massey .traversed subjects mainly on the lines of speeches already reported. He made a clear statement of the Government's position in regard to loans, authorisation of loa'ns, and tasation, which he said Opposition candidates and newspapers had incorrectly stated. He emphasised them as they continued to ignore the exposures of mis-statements. It was necessary to again'quote the truth from official records to enable all the taxpayers to have a proper understanding of the figures. A common misrepresentation the statement published without details that the Government lias borrowed, fifteen million pounds in twti 'years. Another assertion which amounted to misrepresentation when published baldly as in a number of Opposition journals was that the loan authorisation sanctioned by Parliament last session made a total of £12,425,000. Some of the criticism had implied that the Government's intention was to raise the whole of'that money during tho current financial year, and the readers or such comments were led to believe that the Reform Government's borrowing was at the rate of £27',000,000 in three or four years.

Borrowing Compared. Regarding the first contention, the Minister of Finance save the following official figures in the House on October 27 last':—For the ■_ 27 months, April 1; 1910, to July 19, 1912, when the Mackenzie Ministry went out of office, the Ward and Mackenzie Governments borrowed £16,496,775, comprising £10,031,950 for current expenditure, and £644,822 for redemptions, For the 27 months, July 10, 1912, to September 30, 1914, the Massey Government borrowed £14,636,880, comprising £9,788,680 for current expenditure and £5,558,200 for redemption. Thus the'total borrowing of the Massey Government showed a decline of nearly £2,000,000, and the loans for current .expenditure showed a decline of nearly a million. The redemptions by the Massey Government were for loans raised by the previous Governments. Thus the official facte put a very- different face on the "fifteen millions" as displayed in some journals.

Loan Authorisations,. Similarly, the authorisations for £12,425,000 took a different complexion when the facts were given, and the total included the railway improvement loan which was to be spread over'five years. The Public Works loan of £3,000,000 included £1,000,000 for road 6 and bridges, to be spread over three years. An amount of £2,000,000 was assigned to the war, and this .was unquestionably _ a necessary provision. The authorisations for State advances amounted to £3,250,000, but the borrowing would extend over a period, according to the condition of the money' market. On this point Mr. Allen stated in the House on October 27:—"In December we have to meet a little over three millions of money, which was borrowed by Sir J. G. Ward four years ago, and which has to be paid in London to the large financial institutions, which hold the debentures. That loan has to bedealt with, and if we can get it out of the way there will be no difficulty in providingthe local bodies and settlers, if they will be patient until things improve, with the advances they require. Until t then we can carry on with our public'works at the same irate as they have been carried an for the past few years. That ought to be satisfactory to honourable members. The other items in the list of authorisations which, as Ministers had repeatedly explained, would not be used till the money market was favourable, were: Land for settlement, £500,000; motor power, £285,000; irrigation, £65,000; special loan for local works, £125,000."

Another Mis-statement Cleared up. A third statement of the Opposition Press was that the Reform Government had increased taxation, and the misrepresentation lay in the omission of the classes on which the increase falls. The truth was that the increase was creditable to the Government, because it was restricted to people who are comparatively well-to-do. The rate for others bad not been inoreased by one penny. The Customs tariff was still the Ward tariff, except that a few anomalies such as tho duty on packing caaos discounts had been removed. This duty was formerly added ultimately to tho retail price of the goods. ' Mr. Massoy received prolonged applause on resuming his seat. A hearty vote of thanks and confidence in the Government and a pledge of the meeting, to do its utmost to secure Mr. Campbell's return was carried by a large majority. An amendment expressing dissatisfaction with the explanations regarding the stoppage of the East Coast railway when railways were being constructed in tho districts represented by Ministers', and also expressing no confidence, in. the Government, was lost, very few voting for it.

THE MAORI SEATS

NOMINATED CANDIDATES. ■ The following nominations have been received for 'the- elections of Maori representatives in the House. These elections take place on December 11. The official Reform candidate is shown by, an asterisk *. NORTHERN DISTRICT. Heremia to Waka. Tau Henare. *Riapo Timoti Pubipi. Anaru Ngawaki. , Nau Paraona Kawiti. Paraone Hori. Noho Teni. /■•■■■ Hemi to Paa. '•■ EASTERN DISTRICT. Apirana Turupa Ngatai *Hetekia te Kani Pero. WESTERN DISTRICT. , *Maui 'Pomaro. Homa ltopata te Ao. , Popenc Eketono. , Tuwhakarikika Patena. ■ ■ • Rangi Mawkoto. Hori Tiro Paora. SOUTHERN DISTRICT. *Tcone Matapnra Eriliana. Taaro Parata. yapareta ltoro.

HON. P. M. B. FISHER AT MARTINBOROUGH

A SPLENDID RECEPTION. (From Our Special Correspondent 1 Masterton, December 1. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher. Minister of Customs and Marine, addressed a largo meeting in the Martinborough' Town Hall to-night, Mr. A. Considine, chairman of the Town Board, being in the chair. The meeting was at tunes' somewhat lively, the interruptions being chiefly of _ tho Social-Democratic order. The Minister dealt at considerable length with the different political questions of the day. He specially referred to the naval policy of the Government, and emphasised the fact that the Social Democrats of the West Coast had re-' fused to load vessels with coal for the transport steamers and for the British He also touched upon the land question, the Buntly disaster, and other questions which are prominently before the public. At the conclusion of a most successful meeting a vote of thaukß and confidence in tho Ministry was proposed by Mr. G. W. Cobb, and was carried amidst tremendous enthusiasm and prolonged cheering. The . gathering terminated with three cheers for Mr. Massey and: three for Mr. Fisher.

THE HON J, ALLEN AT NELSON

ißy Tclcerabh.—Press Association.) Nelson, December L The Hon. Jas. Allen addressed a crowded meeting here to-night in support of Mr. T. A. H. Field's candidature, and had a good reception. His speech, was on the lines of his recent address' at Winton and elsewhere. A resolution of confidence in the Reform Government was carried by a substantial majority, and the meeting concluded' with cheers for Mr. Allen and Mr. Atmore, the' Opposition candidate. ONLY STANDING ROOM. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) " ' Nelson, December 1. The Hon. J. Allen addressed a crowded and enthusiastic meeting to-night.' The theatre was crowded, hundreds standing on the stage and in the doorways. Mr.. Allen spoke on the lines of his Milton speech. A voto of thanks, and confidence in the Reform Government was carried on a show of hands by a large majority. The meeting ended with cheers. A largo number joined tho Reform candidate's committee a+ the end of the meeting.

FORGED LETTERS

REGARDING MR. J. P. LUKE'S OANDIDATURE. At the conclusion of Mr. R. B. Williams's meeting at Newtown last night,' the chairman(Mr. G. Flux) referred to a letter which was being circulated in the electoiate, which appeared to have annoyed Mr.. Luke and his secretary. The candidate would have referred to it, hut did not understand what the matter refeired to. The chairman said that h© knew very little about the matter, and asked if anybody in the audience coxdd enlighten him. Mr. E. J. Jones explained that, some-.' one hadbeen circulating letters,, alleged to be signed by Mr. Lnke's secretary,, to the effect that Mr. Luke was standing down in the interest of Mr. Wil-. liams. It was impossible to know who was responsible for such a despicable! thing. The candidate rose heatedly at this, stage and said that ho understood how ea6y it was at these times for anyone to do underhand things. "1 would' rather walk from here.now," he said, "and say 'After to-night no more,' than have any part in such a despicable tiling. I have heard nothing about it till now, and if anybody thinks tliey are going to forward my candidature by 6uoh means I wish them to stop it. I don't want to be damaged by such a.thing, and I despise such an insult to my honoured friend, Mr. Luke, and he knows very well I would not take part' in such a thing," (Applause.) * Mr. Jones said that nobody even suggested that Mr. Williams had anything to do with it. The people to whom the letters were sent immediately Eaw that they were forgeries.

The chairman said that ho was glad he had brought the matter forward, so that it could bo cleared up. (Applause./

SOCIAL DEMOCRATS DIFFER

OVER THE BULLER^SEAT.' (By Telesraph— Press Association.) Westport, December 1. ''' - A meeting of the Westport branch of the Social Democratic Party-carried the following resolution: "That this'branch heartily endorses Sir. Hugh Gillen's candidature as a Social Democrat for the; Buller seat, and pledges itself to .do all in its power to further his candidature;; and further'that wo form ourselves into a committee to further his interests." •

Mr. E. Gillen in an advertisement, in a local paper this morning says:—"ln to-day's issue of your caper you will'no doubt be announcing the candidates for the Buller election. Amongst thoso will bo found mine. I offer no apology as a labouring man (and one who has dono much during my career to assist my comrades in every_ possible way) for contesting this election as a Social Democrat. The position has been forced upon me by people with certain unscrupulous methods 01 attaining.their end, viz:, by, circulating slanderous statements concerning mo. In my opinion the one and only reply I can make is to visit every possible contro and denounce my oppon. ents publicly. I ask all to hear niy statements from the platform and then judge between my accusers and myself." ■ ' '■

Mr. P. Fraser, national 6ecretarytreasurer of the Social Democrats Party, has handed to the Press a state-' ment in.connection with tho announcement of Mr. Hugh Gillen as the Social Democratic candidate for the Buller electorate, to tho effect that Mr. Gillen cannot' be regarded as beiug in any sense of the word the nominee of the Social Democratic Party. Mr. Gillen, ho states, has not been selected according te the method of selection adopted by the annual congress of, the party, which mot in July last, and his candidature has not been, and cannot now f)ssibly be, endorsed by tho National xecutive of the Social Democratio Party.

Sir Joseph Ward, in his defenct of the baby bonus on Friday, night, explained that he did not-propose to pay it on presentation of the baby, heeauss somebody might "knock it. down." There is that risk, of course, and there is also the risk in Sir Joseph Ward's plan that, when the babies reach the age of 14 they will "knock it down" themselves'. Tho real advantage of the postponement of payment which Sir Joseph Ward advocates is that in'the interval the Minister of Finance will have, the privilegeof borrowing it and "knocking'it down." Better still, 14 years is n long way off,; and Sir Joseph is taking the chance that' another Minister of Finance may have tr- find the money to give the 14-year-olds of his period a royal time. This is unkind. Sir Joseph should really add seven years to the term of tho loan, so that the "Minister who has to find'.the cash may have the chance to get something back on the first polling day after payment.—Auckland "Herald."