A POLICY SPEECH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1061, 8 February 1913, Page 2

A POLICY SPEECH.

BY HON. MR BERRIES.

Replying to the toast of his health at the complimentary banquet tendered to him by the Foxton Borough Council on Thursday Tht the Hon. W. H. Kerries, Minister for Railways and Minister in Charge of Native Affairs, said it was the dpty of a Minister of the Crown to become familiar with the interests his department controlled by personal inspection. As Minister of Railways, it was his duty to go over eygry part of the country where the railways touched, and as Minister in Charge of Native Affairs, to come into tpuch with the natives in the interior—despil? opinions held to

the contrary by the Opposition press, which held that Ministers should transact their business in Wellington. He instanced the fact that his visit to Foxton had created different ideas as to the harbour, etc., than he previously held. Reverting to the purchase of the wharf, he said the Railway Department were quite ready to make a fair deal with the Harbour Board. It was •>« ;ly i matter of finances. His po .cy far as the railways were concewas to get out of the wharf h"siuess—but on good terms. The Harbour Board thought the price (,£28,700) asked by the Railway Department for the wharf was too high. His officers thought the price a fair one. He had the greatest respect for Mr Ronayne’s opinion—a man who knew his business. Possibly the man who was coming from the Old Country to manage the railways would hold the same opinion as to price as Mr Ronayue. The value of the wharf was what it produces, and this was capitalised. There was no other way of arriving its value. He asked them to send a deputation down to Wellington, and they could inspect the books, and possibly they could come to some agreement on the subject. He would keep the offer open until after next session. I ,! the meantime the wharf revenues from flax, etc., would be increased.

So far as the Government is concerned,.continued the Minister, it was said before they took office that Mr Massey would not be able to form a Ministry, but wh-.ii the Ministry was formed the press throughout the country were almost unanimous in stating that it was the strongest Ministry tbit had ever been. Having been so -v. long in opposition, they had learned their business. Having to fight a man like the late Mr Seddon, the Opposition had to study their business. The present Government knew its business from A. to Z. The defeat of the Massey Party in February by the casting vote of the Speaker saved the Government from themselves. If they had won on that occasion, the Government might now have been out of office. They took office with a fair majority, which they hoped would be increased at the next election. The Government had carried out its pledges, > aud next session hoped to com,;' what it had set out to accomplish. The freehold had been given to Crowu tenants ; pensions had teeu given to military settlers, and increased pensions to widows ; Civil Service Commissioners had-been appointed. This latter had' bgeu an act of self-denial on the part of the Government. Civil servants ' now would be independent Df political influence. The railway classification scheme was an improveraent. So far as the Civil Service was concerned, merit alou,e would be the qualification, . aud not political influence. It had been said of the G overu—ment that they belonged to the old Conservative party, and when they got into power prices would fall, wages go down aud the patty would work for the squatters. He said there were no squatters in New Zealand in the Australian' sense. They had increased r f>e Graduated Land Tax, andnecessary will further increase it, had increased the Graduated Income Tax. The railway servants salaries bad been increased _by ,£42,000 per year, and he antici- , pated that it would go up to * £85,000 in April. Instead of this ; Government reducing wages they - had increased them. Prices had risen for our staple products. The only fly in the ointment was the question of cash. The Government had been left a legacy of debt by its predecessors and had to face the difficulty. They had ■ sent their treasurer Home to confer with the magnates there, and get the money to renew the short dated debentures. The Government were opposed to short dated debentures aud favoured long loans. The present was a bad lime to arrange loans on account international unrest. But he was sure the Hou. Mr Allen would be successful in his mission. Lcfal bodies were restive because Government cauuot at pre. ... satisfy tbeir demands for loaus. This was not the fault of the Colony which was never more . prosperous, aud it was foolish to blame the Government for the stringent finance. Before resumiug his seat he stated that the Harbour Board aud others interested must not think he was stubborn about the wharf. He, would do'what he could to promote the welfare of the port. He believed iu a short and quick route to ports so that produce could be shipped with quickness and ease. He did not think the price asked for the wharf was extortionate, and suggested that the Minister for Marine be approached fora grant for dredging- The Hon. Mr Fisher should be asked to come here and inspect the port. He would do his best to assist any grant through the House for this purpose. As Minister for Railways his duty was to get full value for any asset he parted with, otherwise he would be brought to book by any member of the House. The Minister resumed his seat amidst applause.