MR MASSEY AT WHANGAREI.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2155, 2 April 1908, Page 2

MR MASSEY AT WHANGAREI.

STRONGLY CONDEMNS SOCIALISM, SECURITY OF TENURE AND GOOD ROADS.- . PUBLIC DEBT INCREASING ALARMINGLY. (Per Prose Association.) WIIANGAREI, April 1. Mr. Massey addressed a crowded audience hero to-night. He traversed the recent speech of tho Premier in Whangarei and other-places. After dealing with various aspects of tho Land Bill oil tho lines of his previous utterances, lie referred to revolutionary socialism, quoting Kcir Bardie, the Fabian Society, and under authorities under socialism. As he defined these authorities, the community could ho divided into two classes, State owners of land and State employees. Socialism and Liberalism were not synonymous terms. True Liberalism advocated individual en j terprise. The most important part of the question was that in the New Zealand Parliament, including the House of Representatives, the Cabinet and the Legislative Council, there were contained a majority of_ men who were prepared to accept as laid down by the authorities quoted. The revolutionary socialism, which the Socialists claimed they wanted ,meant a steady progress towards nationalisation of land, of enterprise, and of liberty. The only policy the Government had to offer was cno of compromise. If tho Government members were not revolutionary., socialists they, bad strong leanings that way, and were friends of the socialists. Failing to find any Government policy flic offered to lend them two planks’ of his own, those being security of tenure and good roads, which, if' adopted' by the Government, would be of greater advantage to the' country Than anything else. The public debt of New Zealand was increasing so alarmingly that the time had. come for rigid economy and obtaining value for expenditure. He could only account for the Premier’s mixed financial remarks at Papakura by the fact that the Premier paid his visit that morning to Waerenga. vinery. The system of public accounts are kept ill such a wav that it is impossible for anyone to “understand them. They ought to be so simplified as to come within Hie comprehension of all. He advocated an amendment to local government, a system of revision of the public service, and was willing to support universal old age pensions. A vote of thanks for his address, and confidence in Mr .Massey as a political leader was carried unanimously.