THE OPPOSITION CAMPAIGN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2131, 4 March 1908, Page 2

THE OPPOSITION CAMPAIGN.

AIR. AIASSEY AT HAAIILTON,

REPLY TO PREMIER’S POLICY (SPEECH.

Press Association. , r Ar HAMILTON March 3. air. Massey addressed a crowded audience here last night in reply to Lie policy speech delivered by the Premier at Auckland recently. He -Rated that he had studied the speech carefully, and could find very little of policy m it. He quoted the Lyttelton limes in support of his contention that the only policy he could find was of the cabbage garden sort, which he suppo :ed was intended to make people healthier and happier sir Joseph Waid had said that they ivere neither Conservatives nor revolutionary Socialists, but he (the speaker) did not know what that meant. There v. as a great difference between State aid to individual enterprise and energy and State compefcition. He challenged the -audience say they we?o in favor of nationilising land aid industry, and yet ■say they were not revolutionary Socialists. He wanted to know where •bir Joseph won d stand if not a Socialist. Why had Government introduced the Laud Bill of 1906, -which was socialistic i:i every line? If Government were not socialistic, would it afford an opr irtunity of acquiring the freehold? This was a straightforward question which should be inswered in a straightforward way. iir Joseph Ward was strongly of opinion that youth should be afforded an ipportunity of learning trade. So vas he, but lie 1 new Sir Joseph Ward vas a member of the Government liat had placed difficulties in the way. f Sir Joseph Ward was desirous of emoving those difficulties he pledged limself to assist him. The Arnenduent in the Arbitration and Concili--tion Act had proved somewhat like he Land Bill. Government had run iway from it. Were they sincere n their desire to place it on the Itatute Book? A careful study of he party list led him to the conclusan that the great majority of mem>ers —the Upper House included — ■ ould accept socialism to-morrow. .Vhat were the electors going to do? vas the question to be asked at the general election. If the Government ad a policy wo. thy of the name othr than that of expediency, and split he difference, then, for goodness ake let them tiot it out, and let the lectors express an opinion. He • ould not say the country was bankupt- pi- galloping to a deficit, but ;e maintained the financial methods • ere not all they should be. Two practical men from outside the Doiiinion should investigate them. The eport would be interesting to the people of the Dominion. Those who aid there was not much difference jetween the Opposition and the Government took a superficial view. He ,vas willing to admit that since the backdown on account of the Land Bill, there was not the former difference, ■ but there was that difference between a party which acted -upon principle uid that which acted solely upon expediency. There was still important lifferences upon the land question. The Opposition was anxious to grant die freehold wherever possible. The .aqt of Air Fowlds being a single :axer would make him an opportunist. The 'Government had shown bv olieir actions that they sympathised vith the socialistic theory' His party were opposed o it. 'There wero many other points of difference, more than were usually found between the inns and outs. The Opositiou was honestly desirous of promoting the welfare of the country md the happiness of the people.