The Political Recess.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3491, 2 March 1905, Page 3

The Political Recess.

MR SEDDON AT STRATFORD. REPLY TO MR MASSEY. The Premier addressed a crowded audience at Stratford on Monday, speaking from 8.50 till ti p.m. The speech chiefly dealt with Mr Massey’s recent deliverance in Stratford, which Mr Seddon said seemed to him the greatest apology for a speech he had ever read, and if he attempted to follow it only, his own speech would he a miserable failne. The Opposition journals cried out that the colony was tired of Mr Seddon, an assertion which was answered by the vast assemblage that met him that night. It was only the selfish few, the capitalists, large land owners and others who cared nothing for the welfare of their fellows, who had had enough of him twelve yeaas ago, but they were not done with him yet. He did'not say the Government or the Liberal party was responsible for the colony’s prosperity ; it was the people working under healthy conditions _to whom the credit was due. He replied to Mr Massey by quoting several past speeches from Hansard to show what lie stated were changed opinions on the Leader of the Opposition’s part. The Opposition, Mr Seddon went on to say, had steadfastly declined to foreshadow any policy. The people had a right to know where the party was going, and he thought it was better for the people to stick to the evils they knew rather than those they knew nothing of—not that he meant to infer that the present Government was an evil. Former Oppositions had advanced definite policies, and they had a right to demand one from this Opposition. It was not forthcoming. The conclusion must be that there was none, and that the Opposition’s stock-in-trade was merely, “ Wait till the clouds roll by.” Dealing with the advantages of closer settlement, the Premier compared Taranaki with Hawke’s Bay, and the great progress made by the former. The Government desired to encourage settlement, and settlers should not be harassed by land boards and rangers. Loading of lands for roads should be abolished, thirds should be capitalised for, say, twenty six years, and handed to local bodies in sums which would enable reading and road improvements to be effected. Some borrowing was necessary for the development of the country. He predicted the certain return of the Government at the next election. At the conclusion the speaker was loudly applauded, and a vote of thanks and confidence in the Government was proposed and carried with some dissent. A banquet followed. PROHIBITIONIST PROGANDA. HAWKINS AND BEDFORD AT WORK. Mr Bedford, M.H.R., is conducting a v igorous no-license crusade in the Rnlier electorate. On Thursday and Sunday, at Westport, he addressed the largest temperance gatherings ever assembled on the coast. The meetings were presided over by the Mayor, Mr Munro, and the Reverend Rughv-Pratt. The lecturer dealt with the economic and moral aspects of the question and answered the objections to no-lieonsc. The town has been greatly impressed and the nolicense vote is expected to largely benefit. The prohibitionists are hopeful of capturing the electorate at the next poll. A prohibition campaign was opened at Woodvilleon Monday night, Mr W. H. Hawkins, member for Pahiatua, being the principal speaker. Towards the close of the meeting affairs got very lively.