THE PREMIER AT OPOTIKI.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1208, 14 February 1914, Page 3

THE PREMIER AT OPOTIKI.

The Prime Minister gave an address on the lines of his Te Aroha speech at Opotiki on Wednesday. He said he realised that Opotiki had been Folaled for a long time, but the time of its isolation was coming to an end. (Applause.) He and bis colleagues were fully impressed with the idea that the means cf communication must be improved throughout the Dominion. The Government realised that if the settlers were to be encouraged they must be given roads and railways, and last year they expended more on railways than had beeu expended previously in the history of the Dominion. Mr Massey reviewed the Government’s land legislation and financial operations. Referring to the Government’s

efforts to assist settlers and local bodies, Mr Massey said it was quite impossible for them to borrow sufficient for all local bodies. He referred to the intention of the Government shortly to raise the limit of advances to settlers from to ,£I,OOO, and to workers from ,£4OO to ,£450. During the last eighteen months the Government had lent to settlers, workers and local bodies not less than ,£2,472,715. A few remarks ou the recent strike and the Government's attitude thereon led the Prime \Tillietpr to <;intp that while he

Minister to state mat wane uc believed in trade unionism he denied the right of any man to stop the wheels of industry. The worst enemies the country had were the men who went about attempting to stir up strife between different sections of the community. (Applause.) ' Passing on to defence matters, | the Prime Minister outlined the [ agreement between the Imperial ; authorities and the New Zealand Government. He took the opporr tunity of correcting a misappre- } hension on the matter which had j arisen through an error in the 1 transmission of a telegraphic 1 message from Te Aroha, and Mr . Massey said he had no doubt that the Imperial authorities were in 1 their judgment doing their best t possible in the interests of the 5 Empire as a whole in giving us I the Philomel as a training ship. ' The New, Zealand Government,

t however, thought a commencement should be made to improve the naval position in the South Pacific, and if no more satisfactory arrangement was arrived at before next session Parliament would ' probably be asked to agree to the building of one fast modern cruiser e —probably of the Bristol type— P costing about to be ' used in the event of necessity re- > qulring it in the protection of our trade routes. > - Mr Herries spoke interestingly 1 on the native land question and a other matters, and Dr Pomare delivered a brief address.