UNITED GOVERNMENT’S RECORD

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1930, Page 7

UNITED GOVERNMENT’S RECORD

NOTABLE ACCOMPEISIT^ENT'S

In connection with tho birthday of the Prune; Minister (the Right Hon. Sir J. G, Ward) the following cony gratulatory message was’ dispatched to Si? Joseph MJard by 4jho,' Dominion, >' Executive '.jaf /'vtl)© Unifod Political Party ;—; ■

If’ Pear Sir Joseph,— er; The United Political Party extends to, yoq its hearty, congratnla-. tions birthday greetings, , and sincerely • trusts that your progress, towards':'.recovery will continue. lt/iaex treipely' gratifying toy your /ma ny thousands.i. of, friends /and/Mipportors in New, Zealand to/note ( , t hat- -four temporary ? pliys'i cal ■ cßsabi] i fy,' h as- not in any impaired your'' uiidofibtod powers ■ to..,a|bly;lcad tfio y/nited Government,/which has sheeoedj’d/in .its initial sessieVi in passing- progressive legislaiioiy^of-the, most irifobrtant nature* ■/'. ffv , ,

In./tendering to /yon our felicitations nhiy 'ive take this* opportunity oe recording- our appreciation of the Wirk you and y.our • eol- , league,s have n chi eyed , in drilling promptly and efficiently with 1 ho important business, econouui}, .and. social ■ prphlems/With hyhit-li’nhe'; Govern-. Jnent hvas/faced when: taking office. Had jfohi/Government been ..rotuyiiedwith ap./absolute majority-,- much great//'progress would assuredly have been 'mjd-Te'rjn"carrying esf.-crt. tU t progreßsjye- policy •ouiliphfPiftt/'tpi;e-sessionalV'-addresses, but/;- lespite/this dismhraißhge—-which mils#fit//npparont. to' all 'intelligent 6Jecton~/|ts record • is hptie, of which yoU/ »h>T ybin-colleagues-may justly’ htf .fbifoyU . • Spate . the hiost ia'c-boni-plishm-ints ■; pfo the WOhiterl 4; U» vornment, pf.-which/you are/fche respected leader, v'tyjj.m'li/Yiinke special - appeal to the ■ U-nitgd./ Political Partyy,.jnd' >w are to .the ■ elec tors of ?? p w ZeaJttndtL'inay' be suipinarised as', fol- >/',;■ ' 1 ' ’ * do'fijpit of;'/£4 i 21,252 ’/ ie£f . } ;•' Jyp-i forte<f^'oixnenti hto a 1 stti’jpl us of. £l5Qj()00 • at.' . the end ’ of the. ’ JJjptiSd GoyeMilnelitf s • first ’ financial, year 'cf office, r/ \ '... - ;'2y wfiidatefo/Stpek/which /£iatui/d/ in Nbyem;||ei//lQ294r.ptje c. f ribcl,.-bgt/;in/tlie ’ minion > %’■s ' • 3.' “Specessfully, S37^f)OQ,QhQ loan/ ;was over-sUbs(^b)ed)yiiust before HierfLondon, rates J|ai|ki4ed< *on better ■ other AStatefU borrowing time. ••/■/ „ . ; - '§s*s; f- ?' *'■ ‘ 4. '• Writable TVhjjt e9taiil'ishl)|^ii : .tdng the ;&ar jus£ :e ; nd,ecl). and' ; j|foil'd|itj|"lbitns : on/ sheep-hfaihuh, • dairy gess blocks, etc, •,•,./ ilfJf, Gave wider application 1 to the instalment ,i amortization -.system on ■ loans and uruievelßped ’ Crown

.•benefit to borrowers, and granting poans on sheep and dairy farms at a time when ruial industries most luiecied them.

6. Passed important amendments to the Land Laws for the promotion of settlement and undeveloped Crown and Settlement lands, protecting and iurtherig' the, interests of 'Crown tenants.

7. Provided £5,000,000 to assist present and new settlers in effecting improvements, an,] assisting in ab- / sorbing unemployod on re]) rod net ive .works;

8. .Provided £1,300,00-0 more fluids for Public Works, State Forests, Railways and Drainage works; and £112,500 as/subsidies to local bodies to orb. uh work for the unemployed on useful and reproductive works. r . 'O, 'Wiped o.T the enormous arrears of the' State Adranoes Department left by the. .Reform, Government—vis/ 3971 applications for loans for settlers and - homes, totalling £4.108,200 —within six months of taking office. 10. Established a record in, granting loans for settlers and building homes since coming into office, viz. £5,197,0-10 to settlers and £4,346 22 ' ibr homes.; repa.Muents covering interest and principal. 11, Pas.iOd important nnicndments to the Land and IllcOme Tax Act, and introduced it more ecjui table system of tn-Xfttion, levying a special land ua.v on large rjiral est: tes of an unimproved value of oyer £14,0.K>; tho ainemlment ' pro7'ding a special appeal tribunal •so that no undue hardship iV"".dcl be imposed. This ensures that a'fair share of llm -bin den of taxation fads on, the shoulders of those last able to bear it. . .

12. Stopped the costly and unnec-' essary Palmerston North Railway deviation which would have greatly depreciated the value of central business property, and correspondingly increased the value of land (previously taken up by, speculators) near the proposed new railway route and station site.■ -I;

13. Introduced a progressive PublicWorks .and .Afforestation Policy, which ni ado ci ally- 'helped to absorb surplus labour. -

1.L,. Passed 4 leg’islatipn. compelling, .solicitors - to’ esta-hjish Fidelity GuarJ- : antee. Funcls, .protecting, moneys cn;tf ps.tc'd''to_„soiiditars for investments, and; 5 suffering loss through'theft, by any solicitor.

15? Passed amendment to Rural Tn■tefmediate ...Credit Act,- increasing from ’ £IOO9/do;: : ’. £2OOO the maximum .anibulit that may' be lent to one por-

,- '16.. Took steps to strengthen the Pubjic Supefaiuruntion Fund, whicli the Reform Government had allowed to become actuaricllly unsound.

J 7. Appointed’special Gcmmission to ..examine into aiy] report upon the best methods'to 'l:-e v adopted' for the rehabilitation of returned soldiers, so thftt- -legislatidii- ; may he - introduced during the coming, session.. ; 18. Passed the Transport Depart- ' jneiit Act] i establishing a Transport Department, and entrusting it wiih important administrative duties.19. Passed' important humanitarian, legislation establishing rest homes for unfortunates', who by reason of age or

infirmity are unable to- take proper

care of themselves, and who before could only he committed to either gaols or mental hospitals. , 20. Abolished unnecessary training camps under the Defence Act, and while preserving efficiency in defence and encouraging aviation, proposes to curtail the huge defence expenditure which has continued sinco the termination of the Great War. 21. Settled the serious difficulties in Samoa by adopting firm, bat paciiieatorv methods.

More -could bo written of the splendid work accomplisned by the Gmcrn-

meat, -but sufficient has been enumerated to fully justify the claims of yourself, the other Ministers.,, and United members of Parliament that ■ the- work' accomplished during your first year of office has been of outstanding 'merit. Again extending to- you our si it cere Birthday Greetings, and assuring you and your coileag -es of our unswerving loyalty to the cause we espouse. On behalf of the Executive ■ Yours sincerely, JAMES W. HENLEIRSTN, Chairman. SIR JOSEPH WARD’S REPLY. Dear Mi* Henderson.— I deslijo to acknowledge the receipt of the recent letter signed by yourself as Chairman of the Dominion Executiv.-> of the United Political Party, and ask you to accept and convey to your 0,/lleag; cs- ray very sincere thanks for the birthday greetings and good wishes as to my health so kindly expressed in it. I can, assure you .1 warmly appreciate the thought which prompted the message. • I am happy L< say I am continuing to make satisfactory progress Imre, and’look forward to returning, to Wellington lit and well at no distant date. 1 am keenly sensible of your ExerntiveAs appreciation of tho work which', lifts ...been accomplished by my colleagues and myself during our term' of qffiee ; ■ and this expression fortifies me in my claim that the Government can;.-look back .with satisfaction on their record, especially having rggp-rtl to the Circumstances under which they have' been working and the difficulty of the problems, both social and economic,' which they have had to face in the course of their administration of the country’s affairs. With assurances ■of my personal regards and good wishes, I remain, Yours sincerely, JOSEPH WARD.