SIR JOSEPH WARD AT MARTINBOROUGH

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 64, 9 December 1919, Page 8

SIR JOSEPH WARD AT MARTINBOROUGH

PARTY DIFFERENCES EXPLAINED

VIEWS ON AFTER-WAR PROBLEMS

By Telegraph-Special Eeporter. Martinborough,. December 8 Sir Joseph Ward, Leader of the Opposi-' tion. 'addressed a. crowded meeting m the Maryborough Town Hnll to-night. Ihe chairman of the Town Board (Mr. M. R. Smith) presided. . , Sir Joseph Ward said that he had come to Martinborough by invitation to speak in support of the candidature oi this representative of the Liberal Party. I here had ken a different between Mr. Horiisbv and himself and other members of the j bartv on nnblio Questions. It had not been a personal difference. It had been one in connection with tho actions ot the National Government, of which tho Liberal Ministers were part. After his (Sir Joseph Ward's) return from the Uld Country, as it appeared that Mr. Hornsbv was going to stand" as an Independent, he (Sir Joseph Ward) had to take the course of ascertaining whether someono else was prepared to stand to represent the Liberal Party. Not long afterwards, however the differences between. Mr. Hnrnsbv and the Liberal Party were completely healed. Air. Hornsby wrote professing his loyalty, and agreeing to stand ns a representative of tho Liberal Fart}'. Tn vimv of this it was quite.proper that the old adherents of. the Liberal Party in the Wairarapa should support Mr. Sir .Tos : ooh Ward referred to the formation of tho National Cabinet, aim' justified his retirement from it after its work had been done. He was not elected a member of the Reform Party It was verv unfair for anyone to try to make party capital out of his action, ho spoke of New Zealand's war 'effort and said that while New Zealand had done magnificently, the country was still peaceful and prosperous. We had a debt of two hundreo: millions on our shoulders and wo must reconstruct our ideas m •such a manner as to bear the burden without increasing taxation to an enormous extent. We must bo prepaid to do things during lie next fw years that were not necessary before the war. we had nol tho problems of the war-stneken lands of France and Belgium, but we, had a' problem of a like character, and it was our bounden duty to recognise it, ano' take a course accordingly. "I want to. ask you," ho said,, not to be content with anybody waving he hands and saying 'Sir Joseph Ward w out for wholesale nationalisation. That •is absolutely contrary to fact. I am out for coininon-senso and practical, nationalisation in some things, because I feel it to be necessary in the interests of this country."- He declared that New Zealand had already, under the leadership ot the Liberal Party, nationalised many thines-tho State Advances Department, •tho Stale Fire Office, the Public lrust Office, tho Railways, the Telegraphs, ami so on. Had the employees of any of these Departments ever gone out on strike since the establishment of superannuation for the employees? Even if the men wished to. their wives would not let them. knowing that it would involve the loss of superannuation So he -advocated nationalisation of some of the coal mines, believing that it would stop strikes. Ho thought the Government should order at once the machinery for all the; water-power schemes in the whole country, lncluilin" tho Waikaremoana scheme, and havo the machinery ready -against' the time when wo can get men, for men must be obtained to put the works through in three or four years. Tho result of cheap electric power would lead to a great growth of industrial activity in tins country. He advocated a btate bank. He had never considered this necessary (vefore the war, but he had seen enough of operations in France and Germauy to understand Ohat a State bank would be necessary to this country in the trying years to come. Europe was virtually bankrupt, and in thr?e or four years there would be a financial crisis of a magnitude hitherto unheard of. Our country was stronger financially than any other that had been in the war, and he believed that our finances could be sustained, by a strong State bank. Also he would like to see a State ferry servicebetween tho- two islands. Eβ considered all these nationalisation proposals sane. He urged more rapid completion of the railways, and he had a joke with.the Martinborough people about their little line. Ho said that it could be finished in six or nine nionfiis. Ho had advocated more rapid construction of railways 15 years ago, and he claimed credit for the rapid conclusion of the Aortn Island Main Trunk, railway. In three years we must finish all the authorised railways in this country. It. was no use to say that we had not'tho men. It wls true that we had not the men imuie,diately, but we must get them. There was work, for 15,000 men on public works for four or five years. Tho Government must find four million for rebuilding and the maintenance of main roads within then next four years. There must .bo great development ,in motor lorry services. He advocated the importation of 500 chassis of the best kind, suitable for motor lorries. The bodies could bo built here, and the lorries made available for the carriage of goods for the peoplo at the samo rates as were charged on tho railways. The Government ought to own' all -tho petrol coining to this country to enable- the people to obtain it at a fair price. The provisions being proposed by the Reform Party for railways and wade wero. not to him satisfactory. "Within tho next few years the exports of this country must be increased in quantity-he was not speaking of value —by at least 50 per cent. Tho present war prices would not be maintained during peace timos. ' For this reason ho wished to seo manufacturers established in this country in order that we should export not only raw materials but manufactured goods. .He had proposed also a very advanced housing scheme for people in'receipt of under '.£3OO a. year. This country had to provide at least COOO homes within'the nextifew years. Hia scheme would not cost tho Slate a penny, and it would enable a man to get. a homo of his own' upon payment of a rental of 10s. Gd. per week. Those (5000 homes should be provided in town and country within four years. How would ho propose to find the money? Not a penny of additional taxation would have to be provided. He would take part of tho surplus of the people's own money in tho Post Office Savings Bank, one million a year for three years, and clurgo interest upon it pt 31 per cent. He undertook that the asheme could be carried out, ami that it would be as great a euweya as Ilio State advances scheme hud proved to bo. He did not think any Govern, ment could carry on the affairs of this oouiitv.r during the next four or five years and have industrial peace unless they considered in a eensiblo way tho ranks of labour. He was opposed to direct action and direct force. He was not in favour of any irrational policy a= proposed by ii certain seclion of the people, who wero far too extreme for him. He did not for this reason quarrel with these people and call them names, and when a new Government was to bo formed moderate. Labour would have to be recognised. , Sir Joseph Ward was applauded when In sat downj having bee.n accorded a very quiet hearing. Mr. Murdoch Roso moved, and Mr. F. Arldo seconded; a voto of thanks and confidence. The chairman put tho motion, and Ihere was a moderate response from tho ayes. There was fi lead of applause, ami the chairman declared the motion carried, without calling for noes.