THE REFORM PARTY IN HEIENSVILLE.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 26 June 1912, Page 3

THE REFORM PARTY IN HEIENSVILLE.

MR MASSEY'S ADDBESS

Mr Massey's address in the Foresters' Hall on Tuesday, June 14th, of which we were only able to give a passing summary last week, was well received by the laige and enthusiastic audience that assembled to hear the Leader of the Opposition,

Mr Massey, in his opening remarks, paid a tribute to the late Mr Richard Monk, than whom, he said, there was never a straighter or more patriotic man in New Zealand, and his memory would not be forgotten. Ho congratulated the people on the progress of the town. "When he last visited Helensville, it was suffering a depression owing to the failure of the timber trade. He was glad to see at the last Auckland Show that a first prize for dairy cows had come to his old fiiend Mr Aitkenhead. (Hear, hear.)

He thought his work was done till after the session, but his friends said that as Mr Mackenzie had conio up here, it was up to him to come and put their side of the question before them, from Avhat was called the Opposition poir/t. '

Mr Massey touched first on the complaint made b} r the Ministry as to the shortage of Ministers. In face of this complaint, however, they had been rushing round the country and neglecting iheii Departmental business. The Ministry were allowed a liberal allowance for travelling expenses, but he submitted that the Opposition, who were allowed no travelling expenses, had done their share of making themselves known to the electors. He condeemed the action of the Government in electing Mr Mackenzie as their Leader at a caucus meeting. He ventured to say there was not one person present who knew what the Government's policy was. The Governor's speech had onlj been a string of promises, and nothing else,- Why did not Mr Mackenzie say something about that policy speech at his recent meeting at Helensville ?

Heading between the lines of Mr Mackenzie's speech here, it was the speech of a man who had not his heart in his work. If the}' aro not fit to put forward a policy, they are not fit to hold the position. As far as we (tho Reform Party) are concerned we have a policy and we are not afraid of it, we have no objections to answer questions,

£4,000,000 loan,

Mr Massey said the one subject uppermost was the financial position, which he dealt with at some length, with special reference regarding the floating of the £4,000,000 loan, The financial authorities were agreed that the longer term for which a Joan was arranged the better it was for the country. He deprecated the system of short-dated debentures. The last loan was arranged for only two years. They had been first informed that the rate of interest would be 3h per cent, and later that there was an underwriters' rate of I per cent, and then a discount of 1 per cent. This meant in all over a rate of 5 per cent, which was an enormous rate of intoresfc, when the State (which lent money as advances to settlers at 4A- per cent) had to pay it. "When lie thought of the great natural resouces of the coun~ try he had no hesitation in saying that we should be able to rai&e money on terms equal to any country in the world. He condemned tho Government's " secretiveness '' reywding the financial position of the country. The members oh his side of the House had the greatest difficulty in obtainiug information regarding the raising of these loans. Money must be borrowed to develop the resources of the country, but it should be borrowed atid expended to the best possible advantage. No country had ever prospered on increased taxation, which always found its way back to the producers.

Mr Massey said that 15 years ago, when he represented Waitemata, lie stood for the laud tenure, and for get-* ting as many people on the land of the country as possible. People hnd no idea of the North till they travelled it, there were millions of acres waiting for the settlers, (food settlers are a great deal better than unoccupied land. The three forms of tenure of leasehold lands nude the burden fall always upon the poorest man, who was forced to take up land upon re newable lease. There was no reason why he should not be given an equal opportunity to acquire the freehold. Fuuher induoements should bo held one to the men working on the vast gum Holds of the North to take up land and settle. What ho advocated was the old homestead plan, to encourage men to settle upon small holdings and develop the fruitgrowing potentaJities of the land,. Reference avas made to the iiuestion of native lands. The healthiest and happiest natives in the country, ho said, j were those who had to work for their living ; and a scheme should be evol- i ved under which the natives would be required to work the land and live upon it on equal terms with tj\Q white j man. (Applause), Finally; Mr^ M.assey criticised the action of the Government in raising the rate of interest on loans to local bodies, contending that the new method had increased the interest from 3 A p'.T cent previous-Jv paid to 5 per cent. Mv F. M. B. Fisup, i\LP. &? W?ll--4XQIO.V GyXTKAf., Opened his address by referring to the necessity for national" instead of paroohial politics on the part ot-pojiticians.

within the next five years the Domin* ion had to raise the sum of £17,000,000 to pay her present indebtedness, apart from any other loans that might be raised. The present Government party numbered 33, and was practically held in power by four Labour members, The Opposition party consisted of 38 members, and was united in every plank of their platform. The present Ministry was in a state of disintegration, and he hoped that this condition of affairs would be remedied by the Opposition coming into power next month.

Mr. . J H, Brad key. m p. tor Auck-

lan9 West,

Did not intend to criticise the policy of the present party, as they had not been long enough in power, and did not deserve criticism. He condomed the Government's action, however, in •' selecting a Ministry out of the remnants of the party they had broken up." He and all his collegues would have been satisfied if Sir Joseph Ward had remained in power until Parliament had met in due- course, but he contended it was an undemocratic action for the party to form a Ministry during the recess. Every member should have a say in the election of the Premier.

Mr. A. Harris, Member fob. Wai-

TEMATA,

At the outset of his address, advocated the necessity for an improved railway service for Kaipaia. As regards the land tenure, Mr, Mackenzie had stated the Grovernment's policy was " closer settlement, closer settlement, and closer settlement," but he did not explained what the Government policy really was—wether it was freehold or leasehold, or any other system of tenure. The Opposition made no secret of its policy, however. It was out for the freehold every time.

All the speakers were listened to attentively, and after answering a number of questions, a vote of thanks to Mr Massey and his colleagues, and that the Opposition Party were fit and proper persons to guide the destines of tho country, were passed with cheers, the meeting concluded with. ' They are Jolly good fellows."