THE PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2324, 4 December 1914, Page 15

THE PRIME MINISTER'S MESSAGE

!?.' 'Because; the Reform Government Has proved by its aotioas th'at it Is composed of honest,,'slrong, anil courageous ''administrators, equal to any and every emergency,' and wno in the hour of national peril may be > 'trusted io" safeguardi ".the'inierests of 'the .people,, ■'.. * V .**-■" ' ,> '" s - : -' : ' -'>>'•:.'■• ~. , ' > *';: - , '-. , ~

2. Because tie policy, legislation and aotiong of the Reform Ltdministfatioiihave sfrpjm''' it 'truly' Liberal; Progressive &nd Humanitarian in interests and tympathies;"' ■ '■'""""■"'''"•' 8. Because ijhe Reform Government has practicaUyTdemonsiraiscl its'"belief in the principle 'that"the State should-be a~model enijipye'r by'raising the, wages of thei workers'in its several 't)epartimproving tbg conditions' of 'sefvioe^'pius: .. -The employees of the Goyernment Printing Office, haye ; had;long standing'gneyance&''rerdedied.. "*r' "'; ?:i ' ■■'■'-"

annual payments now made by. the .Government totalling as against the £55,000 spent under "the financially .unsound schemes adopted by the .Ward .Government.;

5. Beoause Mr. Massey and his colleagues in the Ministry are believers in the principle of ~"equaf opportunity'' for 'all,'' and because as tlie'first "step;'in this directiqn they have set about improving and have so'liberalised our educational system as to provide for the health and welfare of the children in the primary sohools by means of medical inspection and' physical exercises tending to develop healthy bodies and healthy'minds, provision being "also pade so that a child can go right through from'the primary schbol tq'the university free oif cost' to its' parents.' _ 6. Because the Reform Government has eyidencjed its genuine solicitudefor 'jhe '" " " '"'"' "'.

The Marine Department's seamen are receiving advanced rates of pay exceeding those pi any Colonial "shipping "compgny,wiiH'greatly'improved conditions, including the right £o superannuation. .(, "" '■"' ' :" : ',

The wages sheet'; of the Railways "Department has been raised by oyer £12Q,0.00 per annum, 1 and concessions in the , shape of'holiday'arid sipk pay, etc., have been made,' jhe cost, of %hich is estimated by the Department at at least another £50,000 per annum. - ;'' . T}ie Police Department has been placed on a better footing, the rates of pay being increased in ail ranks. In the Post and Telegraph Department salaries have been raised by'£42,ooo per annum. '. ."'"■''" In the Public Service salaries have been similarly raised by £48,000 per annum..'. '' ' . >.. . . 'A minimum wage of £140 per annum has been established #ie Public Seryige for married men. In the Education Department the system been greatly the amendments passed into law providing inunediate'an| substantial increases in t]i"e salaries paid to 'teabhers of all grades to the ultimate extent of £iSQ,QQO per annum.; TKe Massey Policy is one of adequate.for adequate .work.

4. Beoause the Reform Government has handled the public finances in masterly fashion, placing them,' for the first time for avjiy yg&sr on a thoroughly sound "basis', thus restpring our impaired credit and providing assured finance for every Department of' State activity, and. now instead of a depleted Treasury, with large outstanding commitments, there are substantial sums at credit in both the Public Works and Consolidated Funds] Thus:

' In its loan finance the Reform Government has abandoned the costly short-dated and loan policy of its predecessors in''fayqur of Jogger dated Joans/vl)ich are materially .cheapening $6 cost of the loan moneys obtained by the State in London. " Payments made on capital acopnnt, such' as'moneys received in respect of the sale of Crown lands, and 'which formerly went to swell- so-called Liberal surpluses,' are ' no longer treated as revenue belonging to the Consolidated'.Fund but are paid into the Lands for Settlement' Account; additional funds' being made available in this way for the purchase of estates for closer Settlement. ■-■•■■'■'--■■ •.'•■■. The Public Service, Teachers', and Railways Superannua- > iim Eunds hap fegp RliQgd ca a aouni flnaacial footing, tha

By liberalising the Pensions soheme and extending its operations 7 ,|p'women'of 60' years of age (the WarcUsif'limit being 65 yews),' fo v the' ohUdren'of widows, and! l! to imlitary veterans, c tKe'latter 'of whom 'had been too long pe'gipcted'by"the/StjiteV "'"' """ '. "'' .'"' ' :" : By so amending the Workers? Compensation 'Act as to permit of cases being heard in Magistrates! Courts instead of Waiting for" a sitting of the 'Arbitration 'Court; the right to recover compensation or damages in respect of any accident tp a worker now exists after the death of either party;*employees of the' Crown, formerly debarred, are now able, to exercise.the same right to a'eceive' compensation in respect of accidents as other workers; theallowance which may be made in respect of Medicaland Funeral'expenses is increased under naw'. law from £20 to J350,'-' "■■'•■' ;;;; ' '

By giving a new meaning to the Workers' Dwellings Act passed'by the Seddon-Ward Government in 1905, under: which m6J years 0n1y ; 205 dweJHngs were provided.by the Seddp'n-iWar'd-Mackenzie whereas in less than three years the Massey Government Eas erected and made proyisipn for 345 dwellings and has extended the benefits of thei Act to rural, as well ? s urban workers. ■ "" '• '"■'■' ' '' ' ,v By legislating in the direotion of extending the (Workers' Dwellings/scheme to 'munipipalities .and County Councils, local bodies now having the' necessary authority to bprrow money for the'efection of porkers' dwellings' ahd tp 'dispose of. the latter either on leasehold or freehold tenure, the latter being provided on the deferred system of payments.. ,•'■■■■•■-' »'' I '' ■.'■''' . By paying the way, with its legislation'for the superannuation of the employees of local bodies. By amending the Distress and Eeplevin Act which .raises .the exemption from seizure of the chattels of workers up to the yalue'of ; £SO for'distraint of debt. By raising the rate of interest payable on Sayings Bank deposits from 3 \ to 3£ per cent.,- the workers thus benefiting to the extent of some '£|PSQQ per annum.' By so amending the labour laws as to reduce the possibility of industrial strife to an absolute minimum.' The Labpur Disputes Investigation' Act, 1913, passed by' the Massey Government and providing what the Hon. J. A. Millar termed "the missing link in ourlappur legislation" and which that hon. gentlenjan said should'be "hailed with delight 1 ' by every labour leaderj-provides for the right of every man, to work Without molestation; aips at the prevention of intimidation and affords the worker the tight to the free expression of his opinions, and provides that V secret ballot of Union members must be taken 'ami fourteen days' notice given before a strike can"take place, The Act makes further provision .for an impartial" investigation of-the facts in connection with any before ,the .estrpmgjteji op b^ pkWi .. :

'* tms country wants, and what this country has, is a Government equal .to any emergency, and the people are going "to support the present Government. The issue is perfectly clear and perfectly plain and perfectly simple. The present Government is on its trial, and I ask any fight thinking man to look into our legislation and into our administration and say whether we have not done the right thing, fighting against tremendous" difficulties.' The verdict of any intelligent person must be that we have done well. -Under our control and under our guidance the country has prospered exceedingly. "It is a Government of New Zealanders, for New Zpalanders, by New Zealanders, and when the time comes the majority of the people of this country will say what we have done has."met with ithdr a^royaX"—The Right Hon. W. F. Massey, M.R, ai.Chrhtchufch. '". ' June 6th, 1914.

Twelve Solid Reaggns why' every SgnsiMe Elector shpelcj SMpppyf: the Bfiforia opyernpi^|:.ahd ; its Party Ipandidates af tfag Polk cm December 10,

•T, Bepauso the Massey Government believes in tHel'dppftifijs pi a free people in a free land and lias so legislated that settlers can now obtain''the freehold'/ 1 or arrange to purchase on a system of deferred payments Crown, Native,' or Settlement laiids''occupied by them, 'mineral'rights only being reserved 'to the Crown.:' r The Massey Government's land policy mates'for closer settlement all .'■ the time. I The Ward Qbyernment only purchased 68,846 acres of . land for settlement purposes during its last two years: of office. The Massey Government purchased 268,160 acres 'for similar purposes - during its 'first' two years v o'f' office. Its Lands for" Settlement 6'chenie is' 1 now'being develpped pi lines that will at no distant date enable the' purchase of estates to be effected without further, borrowing in -London: The graduated land tax intrpduced'by : 'the Massey Government ti," nioreoy'er.' 'having an "appreciable effect upon privately' : ''es&tes. 'which' are peihg subdivided at an ever increasing rate'.' A"s against 369 holdings subdivided into 857; sub-divisions for the six months, ended 3(Tth: September," 1912, 865. '

original holdings of a total area of 252,1542 aores were subdivided into 2190 lots"-during the blx months' :psd£d v 'March 31st, 1914. Thus .does the Massey Government justijcy- its 'policy of "Settlement, [" '■"■';■

8. Because the Massey Government has shown itself superior to mere party considerations', by first of all divesting, itself of all powers of political patronage, so far as the Public Servioe ls'concerneil, and by .appointing men of all shades of political and feeling to public positions, when it has been, called upon'to make such appointments', their action in this respect heing spoken of by the. "Dunedin Star" (a leading Opposition journal) as' <v true Liberalism." And yet it was reserved for an allegedly "Conservative" Government, after 21 years of '-'Liberal"- rule, to establish apreoedent in this direction.. 9. Because the defeat of the Reform Government would place the Liberal-Labour-Red Fed Party in power and much of the work of reform already accomplished would be rendered nugatory at the bidding of the extreme Socialistic element supporting the Wardite .Party{ _several members of which have stated their intention of abolishing the safeguards, established, by the Eeform Administration against political.patronage and nepotism. > '-.- 10. Because a .Government .that has.already aocompUsKed 'so' much in the best interests of the people generally is entitled to a renewal of jthe confidence bestowed in it, and to a further term of'office to enable it to complete .its 'important scheme of reform^ ll'.- Because the Maafeey Government has a sane, progressiye and truly Liberal- programme in hand for the near future embracing better naval defence; further land legislation promoting the subdivision of cerjtain large- estates by an automatic increase of the graduated land tix { exercised under just and sane conditions; the establishment of agricultural and, land ,banks; development of fisheries so as to provide increased food supplies; the establishment of a Board of Trade and Commerce to trade and industries, additional preference io be given to British manufactures with reciprocal arrangements with other members of the Imperial family, and the encouragement of those local manufacturing industries for; which the conditions are favourable; provision for our future timber supplies; additional benefits for workers by an amendment of the tariff, the further extension of the provisions for workers' homes, insurance against sickness and unemployment, etc.; further pension reforms more .directly encouraging thrift; better local government; railway and road reforms, etc., etc. 12. Because the need of the day and the hour is a strong government, fearless in the discharge of its (tuty, capable In its administration and prompt in its action when emergencies arise. There is an- Empire crisis. In these stirring' .times /there is a stern necessity for strong measure and strong menV Citizens, it is for you to choose. :: Minor issues must be" set aside. The issue is unmistakeably clean and plain. ' It is Massey Government or Democratic.