POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 643, 14 February 1914, Page 3

POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

PREMIER AT TE AROHA

THE DOMINION'S FINANCES. The Prime Minister, Right Hon. W. F. Massey, accompanied by the Minister for Railways, Hon. W. H. Herries, commenced his tour of the latter's electorate on Tuesday, and arrived at Te Aroha in the afternoon. Dr Pomare, member of the Executive, representing the Maori race, was also of the party.

During the course of speeches, both gentlemen replied to recent statements by Sir Joseph Ward. The Prime Minister and his colleagues had a rousing and enthusiastic re ception. In the course of his remarks Mr Massey referred to the occasion as being practically the opening of the political campaign. The session of 1913, with the difficulties which had to be met by the Government, was reviewed and Mr Massey went on to deal with the various Acts passed during bis term of office. Speaking o! land legislation he said that nearly 2000 Crown tenants who were only leaseholders previously, had now the opportunity of converting their land into freehold. The Government also had given them the opportunity of paying for the land by instalments. More was to ba done in this direction next session. As indicating what was being done in the direction of land settlement he quoted figures showing that during the year ended December Ist, 1913, the Government had placed on the land 2143 settlers, who had taken up 677,910 acres. RECENT FINANCIAL OPERATIONS. Referring to the financial difficulties the Government had had to face he Bsked what could be thought of the financiers who had allowed £8,000,000 of loan money to fall due in one year. The fact that the 4£ million loan, recently raised in London had been subscribed five times over in an hour and a-half, spoke volumes for t-ie esteem in which this country was held. The Government had reason to congratulate itself, too, for unless the English investor thought well of the people in control of this country he would not lend his money so freely. The £4,500,000 loan raised nearly two years ago cost £144,049, and to raise theflioney to pay it off it would cost the present Government no less than £235,000, and the charges and expenses of renewal. He hoped that that would he a lesson to the people of New Zealand to avoid short-dated debentures.

It had been said that the Government had done nothing for the settler and the worker. In this connection, he would say that shortly, possilby within the next few days, the Gove*nment intended to put up the limit of the advances to settlers, to workers, and to local bodies. These were the proposals to increase the limit for advances:—To settlers, for £750 to £1000; to workers, from £4OO to £SOO which was the maximum allowed by law at present; and to local authorities, from £2OOO to

£SOOO, for any particular work, _ and these advances to be available within counties or road districts. Advances within townships, including the populous centres, to be allowed up to £2500. During the eighteen months in which it had been in office the Government had lent to settlers, workers, a nd local bodies a total of £2,472,715! Mr Herries said that when Sir Joseph vVard was in Te Aroha recently, he seemed to be altogether on the defensive, and apologising for the acts of the Opposition—and well he might. Referring to the recent industrial troubles, the Minister contrasted the attitude of the Opposition of the South African Opposition party, which had supported the Government in maintaining law and order. Dr Pomare also addressing the meeting briefly.