THE GOVERNMENT POLICY

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 31

THE GOVERNMENT POLICY

IMPORTANT SPEECH BY SIR J. G. WARD. A BUOYANT REVENUE. FINANCIAL INTENTIONS. PROPOSED EXTENSION OE SUPERANNUATION. " SCHEME FOR ANNUITIES.

(SPfeCIAL REPORT TO DAILY TIMES.) AUCKLAND, February 7. The Prime Minister (Sir J. G. Ward) addressed a very large audience in the Royal Albert Hall this evening. He was accorded a most cordial reception. After greeting the audience the Prime Minister went on to say : — My speech must of necessity be both retrospective and prospective. My only regret is that within the limits of the time that it will be reasonable for me to occupy your attention I cannot hope to deal with every important public subject, or even as fully as I would with those that I do bring under review. It is not necessary for me to assure a New Zealand audience that anyone filling the position that I have the honour to occupy is daily impressed with the enormous responsibilities attaching to it, and in the performance of his work he must of necessity expect to find differences of opinion both as to his views and actions upon pnblic questions. — (Applause.) Indeed, it is scarcely possible for it to be otherwise ; but if one endeavours to do what he believes to be his duty fearlessly and fairly, even though he provoke adverse criticism from anyone, he must accept, as I do, the responsibility for his public acts and public utterances. — (Applause.) Politically. in recent times, owing to the death of the late distinguished Prime Minister, a position of very great difficulty presented itself, and apart entirely from the recognised Capability and commanding influence of i my predecessor, h's removal at such short I notice brought in its train a situation tha-t, to put it moderately, was surrounded with many difficulties. I acknowledge the great consideration which, under the circumstances, was shown by the people throughout the country, who, with that spirt of fairness that has ever characterised them, gave every evidence of their desire to see that the :new Government under my leadership would have a, fair trial, »nd I am satisfied that from the same source we will have a just judgment. I also, for my colleagues end myself, express my appreciation of the support and assistance we had from the members of our own party and generally for the courtesy received from the Leader of tie Opposition and his 4)arty in Parliament and outside of it. It is quite impossible to expect that everyone can agree with what the other does. There is plenty of room for differences of opinion, both inside and outside of Parliament, but we con at least exalt the plajie of public life in this country to a level that no one seed be ashamed of. lam not a believer in the system that calls for personal abuse of opponents or of Insinuatory traducments of the reputations of public men merely for the purpose of trying to hold a place or position or endeavouring to obtain a place or position. I am a. believer in appealing to the reasons and not to the passions of the community, and though in the case of public debate bard and strong things have sometimes to be said, it i 6 the spirit and the Tvav in which it is done that sometimes make public life ; even to. the most hardened of our public men, objectionable. REVIEW OF LAST SESSION. May I for a short time ask' your attention ■wnile I refer to the work of last session of Parliament. I claim, and without ex- , ggeration, that the Government did work uring that session which, if judged by its •nportance alone, stands out in favourable omparison with that of any other session That has been held in this country. Upon what grounds do I make that claim? The cession was the longest on record, lasting J ive .months, less two days, and was_ in many respects a memorable and certainly an eventful one. The difficulty of avoiding a long session will be recognised from the fact that there was an accumulation cf publio work, which circumstance, almost entirely beyond the control of Parliament itself, necessitated compressing a great deal of work into the session. — (Applause.) Seventy-eight public bills were passed through "Parliament, and I am necessarily unable to review all of them in the course of one speech. I take the opportunity of stating that no one can conscientiously eccuse me of having attempted to drive measures through Parliament. Long experience shows clearly that for some unaccountable reason during _ the earlier periods of the session it is exceedingly difficult to get measures passed, and it seems to me that the remedy, which members themselves will not assent to, is to meet jnuoh earlier and sit for a longer period than Parliament does now. So far as my persoTial desires goes, it was lo avoid long sittings, to have short hours, and 'to lead the business or Parliament •without unnecessary friction or unpleasantness, and I think I may claim that a reasonable measure of success in that respeot was achieved. — (Applause.) LAND AND INCOME TAX LAWS. The change in the land and incorse tax lews of the country of the most advanced character that we have ever had in operation, providing, as it did, for the stopping of the future aggregation of lars-e landed estates and for the prevention of the obtaining of a series of estates under one holder, even though not nair>ed as belonging to one holder, is in itself a remaikablc piece of legislation, the value of which will be better understood by the mass of the people during the years to some, as_ a, great adjunct in bringing about that which the vast majority of the people in this country desire^ — namely, the preventing of large areas of land being held by indilidualfl, *ud thereby bringing about the

close settlement of the people. It is the more remarkable from the fact that on a division upon th:s measure in the House, even though it was strongly criticised by the opponents of the tueasui'e itself when passing through, every member excepting' the two supporters of the Government who specially called for a division, voted in favour of thi? advanced piece of land legislation, so that I can for the Government claim that, the whole country, through its representatives, supported the putting of this impboTtant measure on the Statute Book. A very largely increased revenue will be obtained by it. — (Applause.) """**" NATIVE LANDS. The settlement of the. large areas of Native lands, particularly in the North Island, is one of the greatest importance, ■which no one can deny. The legislation passed last session has provided the basis upon which a great superstruction~~in the interests of men, women, and children can be built up, and I have no hesitation in declaring that the man who for party reasons attempts m any way to sprag the wheels that under the Government are now revolving to bring about the active uses of these lands is an enemy to his country and his race. A great revolution, such as is now being worked, cannot in reason be expected to develop to completion in a year or two ; but I am persuaded, as the result of investigation, that we have at last, in this , country, got our great Native problem on [ sound lines, and that permanent and ia&t- • ing good' to both the European and Native races will be produced by the careful and | vigorous -carrying out of that policy. j The Native Land Commission, which was set up by the Government as an active preliminary, or a corollary, to enable the working out of this policy to be given effect to, has already done most valuable work. Up to the^ present the Commission has had under -consideration about two million acres of land. Seven reports were sent in to his Excellency the Governor before the end of August last year, another report is ready and* is at the printers, and two others are ready but are waiting for decisions of the Native Land Court before* completion ; and I am informed by the president of the ; Native Land Commission that they expect j to have altogether five further reports, beyond the seven put in last year, ready in March next. I am officially informed that the Commissioners actually dealt with an area of about 769,96* acres up to August, recommending for sale or lease to Europeans 311,730 acres. The other reports will be. done by counties where possible. The Commissioners' report of the Waipu County is now ready. So far as that county is concerned there are about 380,000 acres of Maori land, of which 110,000 acres are under lease to Europeans, and of the balance the Commissioners expect about 160,000 acres will be set aside for European settlement. — (Loud applause.r There are 2600 Maoris in "that county, and the land is mainly pastoral land. The report* of the Cook County and Rotorua district will be all ready next month, and large areas will be recommended for European settlement. From what I have stated it will fAther j be seen that the policy of protecting the Native interests and of providing sufficient land for European settlement is being pro- ! secuted vigorously and intelligently, with the object of gaining that goal of land settlement which has been the longing j aspiration of numbers of sturdy Europeans | in the North Island, who have too often, under the old system, found their expectant hopes unsatisfied. Out of 769,000 acres dealt with by the Commission in previous t reports, nearly half has been set aside for > European settlement.— -(Appku%e.) If anything like this proportion can be maintained* f 0! it will be— at least, in some districts — the area for settlement will be enormous. The Commission will probably have to deal with about four or five million acres after they exclude hilltops and useless lands— 1 most probably five million acres. Then half of- this— let me .put it at at least two million acres — and even if only one-third • is available for European settlement it will represent an enormous addition to our land for settlement. What an impetus I this must give to the North Island and j the country as a whole I need not predict. — (Applause.) SUPERANNUATION. It is generally recognised that our public service employees throughout this country are doing "good vork.— (Applause.) Many | of them have spent the greater portion of a lifetime in the employ of the Govern- • meat, and numbers who have joined in recent years look forward to a time when they will have reached that age when ■ retirement becomes necessary. I feel sure that the country as a whole will not grudge \ the very excellent system of superannuation now provided for all branches of the public service. The cost, so far as the country is concerned, in my opinion is money well spent, and what has been done ensures that a. large number cf people who ! were m the position of being thrown out upon the world without some provision I bting made for them will not now have the possibility of want lying 'before them at a time when they are no longer physically able to work for themselves. — (Loud applause.) The superannuation as now provided for all branches of the public service in the Dominion suggests to my mind the importance of going further in this direction, and giving the opportunity to _ a large class of employees outside the public • service of having a superannuation system provided for them. For example, jjm, have

in the cities a large number of municipal employees — those engaged in the ordinary work of municipal life as well as a Wge number of tramway employees — and even in the case of privately-owned tramway cervices, such as you have in the city of Auckland, I see no reason why legislation ehould not be passed making provision for the omplojoes, either municipally or privately employed, of havimg a system similar I to that which the puiblic service enjoys. I propose in connection with this to give an opportunity to the employees of muni- i crpalities, harbour boards, county councils, road boards, and all our local public ■bodies to come under 6uch a magnificent scheme. I do not, of course, suggest that it should be made a matter of compulsion, but I feel confident that those concerned will recognise the value and advantages of such a system being brought into operation. Then there comes the question of the larger number of people in the Dominion itself who would not come under the category of public employees or those I have named. I propose to submit a scheme to next session of Parliament which I think j wall be recognised as a well-thought-out / one, and under which reasonable provision 1 for every section of the community under I a scheme of annuities will <be provided.— f (Applause.) This will require to be worked in connection with the important life insurance offices carrying on business in the Dominion. We have now the old-age pension scheme as well as a large section of the people in our public eervite provided for under a superannuation system, and I tihink It is but right and logical ihat tho I extension of it upon safe lings should ex'st i to _ eeaible others to avail themselves of ' doing that which ie of such great value to a large section of the people of our country.— (Loud applause.) FINANCE. ',M, M , Revexue. The revenue for the 10 montns ended 3L»t January, 1908, aomounred to £6,944,718, and for the corresponding period of last year to £6,422,841, or an increase for the period of £521,877. This increase Mas made up as follows : — Customs £128.241 Railways 136.607 Stamps 128.557 Land tax , 89,248 Other receipts , 39,224Comparing the revenue for the past, ten months (April to January, 1908) with the same period two years ago (April to January, 1906), the increase is "better by ao lees a sum than £1,225,600.— (App1au5e.) Dealing with the revenue for a period of ' twelve months (February 1, 1907, to Jan-u- ' ary 31, 1908) the total receipts ar3 ' £8,950,551, as against £8,388,060 received , for the corresponding period of last year (February 1, 1906, io January 31 1907;— an increase of £632,871, The principal in- ' creases were:— Customs -.. s .- , ... £144,878 Railways - 203,265 Stamps 134,293 Land and income tax 125.039 The estimated revenue for the year was £8,200,000. The Treasury has already received to January 31, £6,944.718 Add to this an amount equal to February and March, " 1907— receipts £1,935,398— and we have a total revenue of £6,880,116. or an ' increase of £680,116. But in tjcw of the continued buoyancy of our revenue I think I may safely ect down our excess of revenue at the end of this financial year at £750,000. The estimated results of' the year are : — Revenue .., £8,950.000 Expenditure 8 121,610 Excess of revenue over expenditure- £828,490 Add balance from last year . . . 717,825 And other receipts 3,8.00 Total £1,550,115 Less transfer to Public Works Fund 800,000 Estimated credit balance £750,115 I It is truly a wonderful result, and its value and importance to all our people cannot be over-estimated. All the loan money under -the authorities provided by Parb'axnent last session has been successfully raised. RENEWAL OF DEBENTURES. Nearly eight and a-half millions require to be found in the next three years ior renewal of debentures. This fact has exercised the attention of some critics of i the Government, and for general information I would like to state the position. I I have already made arrangements for the ' renewal of the debentures fallin.gn due, not only for the current year, but for the coming year; and at the right time the publio will find that the renewals have been effected or the money found to redeem the debentures at very little cost to ; the country. — (Applause.) All the loan ' moneys authorised last session had Deen successfully raised. The million loan for carrying on further works was actually arranged before the act had received the Governor's signature, and the money was in the Treasury a few days later. This year the amount falling dme is £2,500,000, and of this sum £800,000 has been redeemed out of the released sinking fund, £200,000 of 4 per cent, debentures were converted into 3i per cent, stock, £100,000 of 4 per cent ; debentures "were redeemed by the sale of 3£ per sent, stock, £850,000 was renewed for seven years at 3g per cent, and satisfactory arrangements were made for the renewal of the balance (£600,000) before they matured on the Ist instant. A premium of 2 per cent, for renewal ' has been obtained for a parcel of these debentures. Applications for a _ large amount of renewals have been received. — j (Applause.) Of the three millions due in ! 1908-9 about one and a-half millions are ! already arranged for, and, as to the balance, arrangements are now being made w ; th the holders either to renew or convert as they desire. The two and three-quarter millions due in 1910 have already been considered, and when the time comes to re- ' deem the debentures the result, no doubt, will be as satisfactory as those already dealt with. In short, I wish to say that from the start I have, as Minister of Finance, been working far ahead, as I fully ! recognised the great responsibility attach- j ing to my position and the all-importance of taking nothing on trust. A sericus mistake of judgment or omission in the country's finances would very soon tell its tale detrimentally on all classes, and even though one does get .pin-pricks from certain quarters, and is sometimes told what he ehould do by well-intentioned people! yet I cannot afford to w*it fox their

advice. I must act many months ahead, and with the 'esponsibility attaching to my position do what I believe safest and best, and I am thankful to be able again to tell th<> people of the Dominion that we have never in ray time been in. such a strong position, financially as we are to-day. (Applause.) ROADS. The opening up and the settlement of and assisting of settlers a'ready in the back-blocks is of very great importance. From the figures I have placed before you regarding the Public Works expenditure in this country, I think I can claim that the Government has not failed to recognise the great importance attached to this portion of our country -ife. I propose next year to make a departure, which I believe will in practice prove to be valuable. There are certain portions of the country which require more attention in the way of roading than others, and I propose, in addition to setting aside a large sum for what I term ordinary roading purposes throughout the country, to provide a special sum of £200,000 a year for five years, and to have a map prepared showing the roads upon whirh this authority is to be spent yearly. From following a course such as this it will havt- the principal advantage of providing for some of the most necessitous roads in the country, and it will enable those concerned, after the passing of the first \ote, to know exactly what amount and upon what road, for a period of five years, this expenditure will bo incurred. This, I feel sure, will do an immense amount of goo'i. I feel confident that in addition to the amount we are now providing for roads thi; year, which is very considerable, a larger sum for this urgent purpose is desirable— (Appiause.) POST AND TELEGRAPH DEVELOPMENTS. If there is any branch of the publ'o service whose business may be regarded as a reliable index to the prog-ress of thi Dominion, it is the Post and Telegraph Department. In touch with people of all classes at all points, it carries their correspondence, transmits their telegrams, remits their moneys, safeguards their savings, re ceives their taxes, and in a hundred and one different ways forms the medium by which they are brought directly into contact with the machinery of well-ordered government. The business done forms a barometer, which is affected alone by the increase or decrease of the people's prosperity. It is, therefore, gratifying to find the figures which have just been compiled for 1907 show that the satisfactory increases of recent years have been more than maintained.— (Applause.) The letters posted last year show an increase of five and threequarter millions over 1906, and reached a »^-aii<3 total of 77,600,000. Other mail matter accounts for a further increase of a million and a-quarter articles— a seven million increase in all. The prosperity of tht Dominion is further shown by the increasing amount deoosited in the Post Office Savings Bank. The deposits for the calendar year just closed amounted to- £9,351,664, and exjeeded "those of 1906 by almost a million and a-haif sterling, while the excess of deposits over withdrawals was £1,226,541. This increase of deposits was not made up of 'arge sums, for the number of separate deposits increased by over 57,000. — (Applause.) The money order business shows a total issued and paid of some £3,300,000 — a cu-nover which is steadily increasing,, and which should, with the recent reductions in ithe rates of commission, tend to show greater advancement. For the remittance of small amounts over a million postal notes, valued at £3*5,000, were sold last vf-av. The telegrams sent numbered 6,863,211, which exceeded last year's totals by more than a million messages, and which produced a net revenue of £220,000— an increase of £27,000 over 1906. It is not only in increased business that this groat department has advanced. Charges have been Tedueed and increased facilities offered. The rate for post-cards has been reduced from one penny to a halfpenny, andl a more convenient card, practically free* of printed matter on the front, has been provided. This has already proved itself to be a popular change, and where statistics have been taken the sales have been very large. The fee for registration of letters and other articles has been reduced from 3d to 2d The maximum insurance on parcels has -been raised from £50 to £400, thus allowing ample cover to be obtained on valuable packages. A new And clearer issue of postal notes has been brought into use, on which the previously small poundage has been materially reduced. — (Applause.) - Money order commission within P\ew Zealand has been reduced by 50 per cent., and material reductions have also been made in the charges for remittances beyond the Dominion. The fees in the larger centres for telephoning telegrams to and from business houses and private residences have been reduced from £5 to £1 per annum and from 6d to 3d per message, while in the outlying districts such service will in future be performed free of charge. — (Applause.) In the four chief centres the free delivery of telegrams has been extended to the three-mile limit between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., and to one mile and a-half after 6 p.m. At a large number of other places the free delivery has been extended from one to two miles. Private-bag facilities have been extended; and at Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington the frequency of letter-carrier deliveries in the busanes3 areaß has been increased to five _ times daily. Auckland has shared alike in the benefits and the increased business. The prosperity k general, and in" no whit ha 3 the northern province been behind in the marked growth which has characterised the work of the Post and Telegraph Department. . , It is unneoessarv to tire you with furtner figures, though the facts that Auckland letters increased by 1,365,000. and reached the considerable total of 13.600.000, and that her people have £1,820,000 in the sa-wngs bauk are worthy of record.— (Loud applause.) Qp The rise of prices in New Zealand and the cost of living must be admitted, but they are not due to the operation of the i Arbitration Act. for these reasons: — Firstly, if the rise is due to the rise in wages, then, assuming wages had ri6en in the absence of the act, the same increases in prices would have followed. If wages ■would not have risen in the absence of the act, then the court "has at least secured an increase of wages to meet the increased prices. Secondly^ the increased cost of living und the higher prices are not confined to New Zea3**"^ £nfc are universal in

1 progressive countries. For example, tht i price of necessaries has been increased in England for 'some years oast, and is much higher now than it was iff years ago. The proof of that is this: England imported in November, 1907, foodstuffs to the value . of two millions more than she imported in. November, 1906. But this increase of two millions wa6 entirely due to the increased price of foodstuffs, mainly wheat;) in fact, England imported not lees wheat' in November, 1906, Ijut more wheat than she did in November, 1907, but for this decreased quantity an absolutely increased sum of £2,000,000 had to be paid. This means, of course, a dearer Joaf, and, along with other commodities, makes the cost of living in England greater for the working classes. Germany, perhaps the most progressive country in the Continent of Europe, presents an even more striking proof. The average rise for all the main articles of consumption in 10 years lias been 33 per cent., and in the case of food the rise hd been even more serious than, this. Gerrriany's chief cereal has risen 62 ocr cent., wheat 44 p.er cent., beef 36 per cent., veal 41 per cent., mutton 50 per cent.;* swine flesh 40 per cent., and potatoes 12 per sent. In agricultural districts, where *the usual food is rye and potatoes, and the wages average from 10s to 12s per week, the meaning of all this can be readily" realised. One feature of it is that in the schools of Berlin the number of children who must go dinn-?rless every day has risen from 4059 to 8900. No doubt „ wages in Germany have increased, but it " seems universally admitted that the increase in prices has been far more in proportion than the increase in wages. I have had the best estimates that can be prepared by those who are interested i» these matters, and the results show that while prices have increased in New Zealand, wages and the material conditions of workers have been far more proportionately improved, there seems no de'ubt that in the Old World, and possibly even in New Zealand, prices have been abnormally increased by the operations of monopolists. In Germany land monopoly is one of the main causes of increased prices — land monopoly, not only in agricultural land, but monopoly of city lands, resulting in absurdly high rents. These sources of increased prices the Government has 6et itself to check, and will, with all the mean* in its power, prevent monopolies in tfnatever place they arise and for whatever purpose they are created, when they are found to be to the general detriment of our people and absolute freedom of trade. — (Applause.) It has been well said that < we should measure our comfort and our happiness in comparison with that of others, and if the workers of New Zealand will but read as I have done the anquestioned account of lh« wages paid and the prices existing foi commodities in all the prosrre6sive countries . of the Old World, our workers must admit that, while they have much yet to ask, they are better off in every material reSDect than their fellow workers in other lands. —(Applause. ) CHINESE AND MARKET GARDENING. The Government, as you know, during the last session of Parliament introduced legislation to prevent the introduction of Chinese into New Zealand. Now, i» addition to tne poll tax of £100, nt Chinese can land in this country unlest they pass an educational test in English. There can be nothing of greater importance to the future of our race than preserving it from contamination with the coloured races, and everything that il is possible to do to maintain the purity of our raca should be done. It is of far greater importance to have Europeans with their wives and children carrying on successful businesses in our towns than to have tht individual Chinaman, who does not as a rule take family responsibilities upon hi« shoulders, carrying out work of this kind. One of the difficulties, particularly in large cities, that has presented itself for years if the fact that the Chinese who so successfully work the market gardens have almost a monopoly of them, «uad large numbers of people who would prefer to obtain, vegetables from Europeans find it impossible in practice for them to do so. I neednot go into the causes that have brought about ihis condition of affairs. The fact is that it exists. It is worth our while to consider some measure of overcoming or neutralising the present unsatis- _ factory position in this respect, and I suggest a scheme which will have for its object the uplifting of the criminal classes m our prisons, the finan- , eial assistance of the wives of prisoners, and the breaking np of what is an- admitted cvil — that of the Chinese monopoly of the market gardens. My proposal ie that by way of experiment -there should be established on suitable areas at Auckland, Wellington, Christen urch, and Dunedin market gardens, to be worked by the prisoners. Under such a system I feel confident that enough vegetables could be grown to supply a very large proportion of the requirements of the people. Married men and boys who unhappily find themselves prisoners should be employed, and the wages assessed according to the work done. The money would not, "of course, be paid! to the prisoner, but the married men's wives who now are too frequently dependent upon charity or the assistance of their fr ; ends should receive half of the amount credited to the working of the prisoners, while the other half would go to the cost the upkeep of the prisoners by the country. The payment of half wages to the wives would make them independent of either the assistance of their friends or of charity. Why, I ask, should the unfortunate wives be called upon to suffer for their husbands' sine? In the case cf youths, who not infrequently have a mother or someone dependent upon them, the half-earn- - ings system will equally apply. I +ake fe it that a large proportion of the criminal* class comes from the cities and towns, andthis healthy work may give them a taste for country life, and so fit them for farm j labour. ~lt would a!*o enable a proportion of the voun<? fellows who ara j imprisoned from time to lime to have a chance of healthy occupation a-nay from the ordinary prison surroundings. — (Loud applause.) The European market gardener is almost extinct, and so little or no harm •can be done in that direction. Under such a scheme I am confident that vegetables could be delivered to tbe cities by | our trains early in the morning. The difficulty of successfully competing against the Chinese gardener would be overcome, and the consumers of the vegetables would have the happy consolation that they -were helping the unfortunate -wives of prisoners, -who usually axe the sufferers, as well as helping to lay the practical foundation of a Jiettei life fox the prioners when they come

£out of gaol. — (Applause.) The cost of living is admittedly becoming a, serious question, and the price at which vegetables are sold leaves a large margin for profit, i *o that if gardening is undertaken as suggested a great reduction in the cost to consumers will be assured. I feel confident that much good could be done upon '.he -lines I have indicated, and it is worth «t 'ca^t a fair trial. — (Loud applause.) I REVOLUTIONARY SOCIALISM. | Vhr-re have not been wanting signs of ,-n effort on the part of some people to an impression that the Go\ eminent .s not so Liberal a« it should be in Jt« 'vi*Liiiei=. us aims. ito actions, or its legis*tion. Some -seek, to coincv this lmpresion clcailv with the object of getting into 'arhament oi of obtaining power i< r bemselve* The object it. a worthy one. v.'nd is open to e\erv ono to attempt to 'Ochieve. It i= both the method and the Muation that I feel it to be my duty to

[ examine, and I fird in =ome cases misrepresentation and e\en a complete distortion of '"acts is le^oited to b\ liKlmduals who attempt '■<> place me a-3 it -wie. be tween two fires. But a« Ido not propoie to be burned by either of the files, nor even scorched. I feeJ it nece--ary to explain my position and that of the Government. — (Applause.) Political terms and names suffer much from wear and tear. We are repeatedly told inside and outside the House that " we are all Liberals now."' Some of our opponents like the term so mnch that I ha^e heard them claim it for their own party. Surely no more conclusive proof of Liberalism triumphant can be aeked than thi*s. The Conservative Ethiopian (to use purely figurative language) would change his skin and the Tory leopard his spots, but this misuse of the term "Liberalism" is a pe; version of its tx-v.e meaning, and makes it expedient lhat I, as leader of the Liberal party in this country, should broadly define the aims of Liberalism as I use and understand the term. Before stating what we are. let me emphatically declare what we are not. We 'are not revolutionalv Socialists. We Ere not of anj' re*olutionarv school, nor, on the other hand, are we hide-bound individualists who look upon State action and enterprise as hateful and pernicious. Between these great extremes any thoughtful man can trace the zigzag path of the history of Western Europe — years of sordid .<*elfishncss, of oppression of the poor, of the enriching of the few at the expense of tho 'many. Individuals may pursue and dream of impossible ideals and no great harm result ; but once a majority or a large section of a people give themselves up to a mad career after Utopias, whether it be revolutionary Socialism or any other impossible " ism " be certain that anarchy ia near, and behind it disaster, suffering, and despotism. France, in 1789, plunged into blood for universal liberty and equality, and produced Napoleonic despotism, thus rppeatinsr the same old story sin^e the beginning of history. The country tbdt gives itself up to the one extreme produces the other. — (Applause.) Nations, like men, revolting against grindnig social oppression and injustice had started conflagrations like revolutionary Socialism. Inevitably they get their fingers scorched in their own fires and fall back to earth more heavily than ever. Thu« one extreme follows another, profligacy follows puritanism, unrestricted freedom of contract (he reign of restraints, and despotism the Goddess of Liberty. If revolutionary Socialism took possession of us to-morrow it would leave our people maimed amid social wreckage, and miles and miles behind our present stage in the path of progress. Unfortunately. «.lir>rf cuts to the millenium do not exist, and while we fully recognise social diseases we know that they must be dealt with, and rt is our duty to do so, not fast and not slowly but firmly and in the proper season. Time is required for their cure. While, then, we are not rc\olutionary Socialists, we are, indeed, far away from those whose rule of life in private and in politics is " every man for himself and the de'il tak' the hindmost." We are widely divided from the men tho distrust all State action? ; who* want unlimited freedom from all forms of State activity and State restriction ; who want unrestrainpd competition, including for the weakling, the poor, and the oppressed unlimited freedom, which \o them invariably brings disaster, e\en to starvation. This is the old hidebound individualism which dies ''hard even in New Zealand — which dies hard in the heart, and still harder m the pocket. It may not be acknowledged or even con=ciously felt, but it lies at the core of the reactionary forces arrayed against us to-rlav. It is the main undeclared article of faivh with many of our opponents, however much they may do homage to reforms based on State activities and enterprise which have, under the Liberal Administration, justified themsehes beyond cavil. They dislike them with an aversion which is the deeper because it springs from settled prejudice and not from reason. We are not. theii, Coneerv'at'ves, and we are not Revolutionary Socialists. — (Applause.) This much we are not, and now for what we are. We believe that by and through the .State and the prudent use of its power and influence equal opportunity in this young connrry can be secured for all — (applause), —that every poor -nan's sou can be as well equipped in education as the richest, that every man who is willing can be taught a trade or settled upon a piece of land, and bj and through the j State sweating and other forms of oppres- j sion can be stamped out — (applause), — that j a fair wage and healthy condition of labour can be secured to all, that the highest pos- ' sible in the land should be open to all by their personal effo;t« to obtain — (applause), — that by and through the State (and by that means alone) monopolies in the land and in certain commodities can be prevented or eradicated, that by and through State regulation all our main products can ' be improved in quality and expedited to local and foreign markets — (applause). — that every legitimate effort on ' Sound practical lines should be made to help our producers, our workers, and our traders 10 get the full result of their labour and enterprise, that we should not set capital and labour at one another's throats, but that we should do what is fair and risrht and help to a mutual adjustment and co-operation between them, and that by prudence in our legislation the trouble and strife which necessitates abitrament on either side from time to time should be settled under the process of law and reason, and not under the old barbaric conditions of money \ersus physical force, which always in the long run results to the injury of both. Tho mothers and the children in the pasr have been sufferers, j and so they would be in ihe future. These and many other objects are embraced in one great cardinal aim — viz., to pursue with/ firmness and caution the object of making our people as a whole healthier, happier, human beings. But to secure thi« you must help and foster the=e external and material conditions which make it possible. Our aim as a party, then, is to help, hs far as Go\ eminent action can. the largest possible number of families to obtain sufficient incomes, to inerea-p tho security with which these incomes can he relied on. and to protect the purchasing power of these incomes against the unfair prices due to rings, monopolies, or legal privileges. This cannot be done oy vi=ionarv methods or by violent radical changes, of our present sv-tcm. but by courageous and cafeful extension of State action along prudent and prosperous, lincb. I desire, as much as any man lning, to see the condition of our worker's steadily and increas- i iiirlj- improied. I yield to no man in that desire, but an aopiration is not a system. The paths to many greai. social

ideals are strewn with wreck and failure. I share, as one who has worked hard all my life, the workers" kleal, not in a direction of putting e\ervone down, but in a direction of gi\ing the opportunity to every man, no matter how humble his position in life, to build himself up and to avail himself of the opportunities that arise to enable him to attain to a higher position than that in which he finds himself to-day. To those who criticise us I say, " Show us some safe path that man can trust, and we, as a Government, will go with you hand in hand." The Government does "not profess to be able to meet the conditions of the extremes upon either side, and from the extremes upon either side we do not expect support or assistance. They did not support my predecessor ; but to the great progressive moderate party in this country, whether they be workeis, farmers, tradespeople, or belong to the professions or the public service, I ask them to recognise that it is in the truest interest of ihe progressive moderate party that you should have a stable and strong Government, and that the splendid and prosperous condition of our country under good Government is of the utmost importance to them and their families, and should not be lightly upset by an attempt on the one hand to lag entirely behind public opinion, or, on the other hand, to pursue a wild and visionary course that public opinion would not support, and that, if perchance it was adopted, would result in ruin and disaster to the great mass of our people. — (Loud applause.) NEXT SESSION'S WORK. I do not wish to convey the impression that I am giving a complete forecast of what the next session's work will be. I have alluded to some matters of importance, which I think should engage the attention of members during our next session of Parliament. Upon the whole. I do not anticipate that the session will be a long one. The fact that it is the last session of Parliament, added to the untoward circumstances of the destruction of the Parliamentary Buildings by fire, naturally makes it impossible that the session will last much beyond three months.. I take this opportunity of publicly acknowledging the indebtedness of the Go\ernment. of Parliament, and the people to his Excellency the Governor for so kindly giving up his residence in Wellington to enable it to be used for the sitting of Parliament. It is not only a. great difficulty overcome, "but it has also meant the saving of a good many thousand pounds of expenditure that would have been entirely lo.?t. as it would only temporarily provide suitable accommodation for Parliament ; and this we have been enabled to avoid through this considerate act of his Excellency. — (Lour applause.) HON. W. HALL-JONES. I am sure all present will be gratified when I tell them that my colleigue. the Hon. Mr Hall-Jonos. who suffered so severely from a serious illness, has returned to the Dominion very greatly improved in health and able to take up his official work once more. His being laid aside was a source of considerable, anxiety to all his friends, and I am sure that all will rejoice most sincerely at his restoration to good health and join me in the hope that it may long continue. — (Applause.) I would like to take the opportunity of saving that my colleagues have co-operated with me in e\ery possible way to carry out the important work of the administration of the Government of the Dominion. To our party in the House I acknowledge many kindnesses and assistances from them individually and collectively. Naturally at times a large party such as ours cannot agree upon everything. There are even great public questions, not unnaturally, upon which there is diversity of oj)inion, and there are occasions when one agrees to differ. I am justified, however, in saying that the party, on the whole, has done its best to promote that which in the opinion of the members is calculated to advance the material interests of the Dominion.— (Loud applause.) .LAND LAWS AMENDMENT ACT OF 1907. At present there are 465,000 acres of lands open in the Auckland district, and 100,000 acres are in the progiess of survey, and will be open within six months; 10.725 acre?, known as Tautari Settlement, at Cambridge, are beintT i-eacW for setltcraent wn<Jer the Land for Settlement Act, and about 100,000 acres are being surveyed for the Maori Land Board for leasing purposes. The amended land laws are now upon their practical trial. I feel confident that the people of the country who are so in "terested in the settlement and the utilisation of our lands v. ill give the important provisions of the Land Bill a fair trial, and extremist: upon either side upon the matter of lend tenure s-hould recognise that the measure comprises a well-thought-out an<» practical method of dealing with the lands of the Dominion. — (Applause.) NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS. The National Endowment Act. wh'cb sets aside about 7.000,000 acres of land for permanent endowment for educational and old asre pensions purposes, and which prohibits the selling of that land, makes an important dcr&iture in the interests of education and old-age pensions, and in view of the fact thai the expenditure for education within the last iix years has increased by £344.982 and the total amount now stand ing is £823,575. it will, I think, be recognised by everyone that in addition to the consolidated revenue providing for the cost of education, it is a wise procedure to have a national endowment, which under the law may increase from seven to nine mi'lions of acres by the addition of land held under the small grazing tenures. As the country grov. s, and land becomes scarce, and tne value of national endowments in years to come increases in value, it should be, a considerable auxiliary financially towards the upkeep of a well-equipped educational system. — (Applause.) There are to be found a few people who declare that comparatively no relief has been given by the remission of taxation to the consumers. It is difficult to understand how they oan make such a statement. The fact remains that the concessions amounted to a sum of £405,250 — truly a stupendous sum to be given away at one stroke from one branch of our revenue. Upon articles of food the total concessions amounted to the sum of £272,330, upon articles of clothing £69,750, and upon articles used in our industries and in connection therewith the sum of £63,300, so that, as I say, anyone who declares that large relief was not givc^n in this way is simply some person who is unfair"? and who will not recognise what is aij actual fcuAi

CLASSIFICATION OF^PUBLIO ! SERVICE. I regard the classification of the public service as a matter of very great importance to' a number of officers in different i branches of the service who for many years i ha\e beci in the unsatisfactory position of finding a different system in operation in different branches of the service, and frequently an unfair one, as the outcome of the different systems carried on in different departments. The board has recently been set up, and I look forwaid to valuable work being done to the service as a whole, which j deserves to be placed upon a peimanent basis, with a uniformity of system applic able to the whole. — (Applause.) INFANT LIFE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION AND PURE FOOD. In the matter of the preservation of infant life and the providing of pure food under the Pure Foods Bill of la«t session, two valuable measures have been put upon the Statute Book the value of which cannot be over-estimated. The preservation of the lives of our infants, particularly in the face of the unsatisfactory increase of our population, is a matter of the greatest concern, not to the present alone, but also to the future generations of our country. Quite a number of earnest women throughout the Dominion are, I am happy to say. taMng the matter up 'actively, and I look for good results as the outcome of their organisation with the valuable assistance that the up-to-date law now provides. And so it is with regard to the food consumed by the people. Some take exception to the system that the examination .of Pure Foods Act for articles of human consumption necessarily brings into operation, but in these dajs of people competing in the manufacturing business, and endeavouring to make money as fast as possible, it is highly important that everyone who consumes certain articles of food should at least know what they are consuming. — (Loud applause.) PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE. Some people throughout the country who make extraordinary demands for public works expenditure, should sarefully realise that £2,954,915 ha 6 actually been expended upon railways, roads, public buildings, telegraph extensions, and other requirements of the people during the last 18 months. From July 1, 1906, to December 31, 1907, the sum of £1,319,363 was expended upon railway construction, and £451,931 upon additions to open lines. Public buildings absorbed £502,060, and £268,654 of that amount was spent on school buildings. Since July, 1906, the constructions. of the North Island Main Trunk railway has advanced by 37 miles, leaving less than 18 miles to complete. I have no doubt that the statement made by my colleague, the Minister for Public Works, that it will be open by the end of the year will be borne out. The acquiring of the WellingtonManawafu railway is a matter of importance to Auckland, as also to the whole of the Dominion, and the Government is desirous of facilitating, so far as it can, the important work of the acquisition of this railway, and 16 willing to do anything in reason to meet directors of the WelhngtonManawatu Railway Company in order to expedite the line becoming the property of the State. — (Loud applause.) I understand that the Arthur's Pass tunnel — some five and a-quarter miles in length — the contract for which is £600,000, has occasioned some comment in Auckland. I desire to point out that it would h_ave been almost criminal negligence on the part of the Government of the country if a great railway undertaking, which was entered into by the Atkinson Government years ago. and which has been carried on on both sides towards Arthur's Pass ever since that time, were dropped. To have allowed the railway line at. both ends to have stopped at the place where the tunnel ought to have been pierced and not to have gone on with it would have been at least an act of stupendous folly. The present Government was not responsible for the railway being commenced, but I cannot ajree witi those who believe that the traffic when the line is throue.h will be comparatively small. Mv opinion is that (he timber and mineral resources upon the West Coast are not pronerlr eauged, and that when (he line is finished there will be much greater traffic from east to west and o^er the railway that it serves than many people contemplate. — (Applause.) DEPARTMENT OF ROADS. From the Ist April, 1901, to the 31st March, 1907. the Gevornment has actually expended £1.927.834 on road expenditure —from the Public Works Fund £1.599.902, from the Consolidated Fund £25,860. from tho Loan* to Local Podies Account £191.376, and fion- the Land for Settlements Account £110.696. The total ways and moans provided for roads expenditure for the current year amount* to iho sum of £528,300 — the largest amount provided for a number of years. The road work annually constructed by th-> department from Ist April, 1901, to 31st March, 1907 (inclusive), is as follows: — Dray roads constructed, 2888 miles ; bridle tracks constructed, 1854 miles ; 831 bridges constructed, of •a total length of 72,818 ft. The average length of. reads maintained has been : — Dray roads. 2568 miles per annum ; bridle roads, 1372 miles per annum. Of the above totals there were last rear constructed : — Dray roads, 637 miles; bridle roads. 512 miles; bridges over 30ft long, 17,800 ft. Maintained— Dray roods, 2722 miles; bridle roads, 1891 miles. POPULATION AND IMMIGRATION. I regret to say that the position of the population in the country is far from satisfactory. The increase this year was about 8000 more than the increase last year, and (hough the natiual increase of births over deaths shows a steady rise for the four years since 1904, it is smaller for 1907 thanfor 1906, and from all sources — both from outiide and from natural increases — the rafo in 1907 was only 2.28 per cent., as agaJns^ 3.26 in the previous year. This brings me to the point of immigration. I am against the -system of immigration in the sense this word implies. It is a matter upon which a considerable amount of care requires to be exercised. I am confident, however, that in the truest interests of this country more people are required, provided they are of the right class, notwithstanding statements made •'o the contrary. From the information in possession of the Government it is beyond all question (hat suitable people are readily absorbed. lam opposed to a general system of immigration, but am of the opinion that the policy we are pursuing now, of careful examination on the part of the High Commissioner and his staff, and the selection only of those of a suitable glass in limited numbers, who up to their arrival in the coxmtty arc able anj]

willing to work, should be continued. There is at present a large demand, both in tho *• country and in connection with some of the manufacturing industries, for a suitable class of labour, and I think from the point o£ view* of the turning out and utilising of our own products and manufacturing in New Zealand itself that it is against our best interests not to ha\e a steady increase in the numbers of our people, so long as we sec that they can be suitably absorbed. It must not be forgotten that yearly to meet the public requirements of the people of the country we are increasing our financial responsibilities, and it is desirable that we shouid, theiefore. have an increased number of people to share the cost of colonisation and development with us.— (Loud applause.) ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. The work done by the Advances to bettlers Department is of a most gratifyingcharacter. That it has conferred enormous benefits upon the settlers is, I think, generally conceded. The loans authorised and taken up to December 31, 1907, by 19,179 applicants amounts to £6,546,345, showing an average of £341 each, proving' that it is the small farmers who have benefited.— (Applause.) For the current year I anticipate that the advances to ■settlers will exceed £1,000,000 and the advances to workers £200,000. In the Auckland district to date the number of appli- - cants is 5243 and the advances authorised £1.619,783. Sixteen securities to date have " been taken over by tho department, but ' in no ca6e has a loss been made, and alt _ the securities have been realised. A care- ~ ful estimate that has been made shows that by the reduced rate of interest the amount * saved directly and indirectly by the mortgagor exceeds £9.000,000 sterling, whilst up to £700,000 has been saved, in procuration fees and legal charges. — (Applause.) The Government Advances to Workers Act is also doing excellent work. It has been in operation since 1906, and it has already advanced £195,540 to 777 applicants, and of all that amount £53,210, to 213 applicants, has been advanced in Auckland, the "average being £250 each. OLD-AGE PENSIONS. For the support of our old people the 6um of £1.771,780 has been expended since the act came into operation. Of that amount £29,224 is the total cost of administration; and this, it will be admitted, is a very economical cost for the carrying out of such important work. Of the total amount provided last year — namely, £335,000—1 understand that £325,000 only will be required up to .the end of the present financial year. I am at present going into some aspects of the matter which I hope to be able to deal with next session of Parliament. OVERTIME. I was astonished to learn from a press telegram that there had been any hitch about the payment of overtime to telegraph messengers at Auckland for Christmas work. On inquiring, however, I find that this refers to suburban messengers only, and that some, seven boys only appear to have been concerned. It is to be re- - gretted that representations were not made - by those concerned officially either to the head office or, if necessary, to myself, as overtime in such cases has always been . allowed, and without question to suburban! as well as to other messengers. The matter, however, has been put right, and tho payment was to be made to the lads to-day. I may state that the officers responsible for checking overtime hours in; Wellington are fully aware that such claims ehould be passed without question. I am informed that the mistake arose from; some misunderstanding on the part of an officer who was of the opinion that that was not the system that was followed in that respect. However, he was mistaken. CONCLUSION. I find that I l«ne now occupied youc time as long as I feel justified in doing. You will, I think, admit that I have given both these who are listening and those whe* may read some food for thought and reflection. I have placed my views before you at sufficient length, I trust, to enable the> , people of the Dominion to gain at least X fair knowledge of what the Government bas been doing in their general interests. I have had the pleasure and honour foe upwards of 20 years of being in the Parliament of the country, and during that time it has been my privilege to take an active and, may I hope, at 1-cast an intelligent part in the discussion, the treatment, ant)' the settlement of every great public question that has occupied the attention o£ Parliament and the people. I point to that! record without attempting anything in th© shape of vainglory or exultation, and I do so for the reason that I want* the many, thousands of friends that I have made during my parliamentary career to raview. that, record carefully and impartially. la doing so, if they can find even an echo of any want of effort upon my part to help the people of all classes to a betterment of their conditions, then I am pre* pared by them to be judged as to whether, with the increased responsibilities of thy; head of the Government and leader of a great party upon my shoulders, I am wanting in a recognition of the needs of tho country and requirements of every class of people. I with mv colleagues, when' the timo conies be quite ready to be judged impartially, which ever way the decw siou of the people may go. — (Loud applause.) A man in my position would not' be worth his salt if he yielded to every, tepre&antation mar!" to him or •<-" noc prepared to say " No." or to decline to follow a tortuous path if he believed by s» doing it was likely to bring about injury to the country or to any section of the people in tho country. I am persuaded that any Government in this or any other country that adopts a policy of legislating in the interests of any one class, to tha detriment of the interests of the whole, instead of taking a broad, comprehensive, and far-sighted view of the public requirements of the people, would in the lonff inn do a great injustice to the people.whose general interests it is in duty bound to ser\e. While I do not propoee a policsc of heroics. I do urge tbat in the general" interests of the country our policy shoului be one of progress, development, solidity, in finance, and calculated to inspire a feeling of confidence and respect, and to promote a feeling of national pride in the, breasts of the people in this free and happy Dominion of the pakeha, the Maori, and the raoa. At (ho conclusion of the address Sic Joseph was loudly applauded. At thi3 6tage Mr W. Richardson, well known in prohibition circles, created * diversion by wishing to ask questions. The Mayor held that Mr Richardson was put of order, whereupon an attempt w&i

fnade by the prohibition advocate to move kn iEt.mendm.ent to the vote of thanks. This was followed by a further uproar. The motion was ultimately carried most unanimously, prolonged cheers being given fox the Prime Minister, the Government, Lady Ward, and the Mayor. SOME LOCAL VIEWS. Mr J. F. Arnold, M.P., when asked for en opinion on Sir J. G. Ward's speech at Auckland, said, en the whole, he was delighted with it, and thought it the 6peech of a statesman. Mr Arnold, criticised some of the details of the address-. He admitted the country was prosperous, but the public debt was increasing out of all proportion, fiHcl taxation was becoming very heavy indeecL Nothing had been done to provide a living wage for the worker, and even in (government employ there were men who did not receive a living wage. Mar Barclay, M.P., thought the speech one of the most comprehensive, clearest, and in many respects the ablest, Sir J. G. Ward has ever made. Mr Barclay also criticised some of the details, favourably and otherwise. The national annuities' scheme, he thinks, will be the piece de resistance for next session. Sir Joseph advocates and practises Sociajism to a certain and limited extent, and finds it gcod. Mr Barclay hopes, with others, to induce the Prime Minister to go farther. Mr T. Mackenzie, M.P., likes the fire and spirit of the speech. His Government •was fully alive to the dangers of Socialism. The industrial position is most serious. A numerous and powerful section of the workers were using every effort to nationalise' all_ industries and means of production and distribution. The other parties were Struggling for power or office, and the farming, mining, and manufacturing interests might suffer enormously. Mi Donald Reid, M.P., when seen, referred to the speech in general term";, and concluded by congratulating the Government on the improvement made in matters <if administration.