THE OPPOSITION

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 38

THE OPPOSITION

PRESENTATION 10 MR MASSEY.

LARGE AND ENTHCSIASTIG GATHERING.

ArCKLAND, February 16. The garden party tendered to Mr W. F. Massey, M.P.. Leader of the Opposition by Ki-S con=titnents of the STrsinlclin electorate is

now regarded as an annual institution, ai.d ' also as an annual foregathering of members of the Opposition party. On Sat.ur1 day there was the largest gathering yet recorded, over 4000 people being present. i Mr Massey is taking an opportunity later 1 at Hamilton of replying to Slir Joseph ' Ward's policy speech, and hence the addresses at Saturdays gathering did not traverse the Prime Minister's remarks The speeches, however, all touched on the •pubject oi Socialism ; in fact, the dominant note of each was a warning regarding a coming struggle for supremacy between the ; out-and-out Socialists and the antiSocial ittts. In the course of the afternoon Mr Mas.=ey was the recipient of a handsome silver rose bow 1 and a massive silver tea and cofice service. Amongst those present were Messrs J. Bollard. M.P. (Eden). F. W. Lang, M.P. (Manukau). T. Mander. M.P. (Marsden). A. E. Harding (who will be a candidate for Kaipara at the next election). Captain Allan Bell (a candidate for V\"aikato), and Mr R. Monk (ex-member for Wa temata). all of whom spoke. Apologies tor absence were received from Messrs Alison. M.P.. F. Y. Lethbrid^e. M.P.. F. Lawry, M.P.. James Allen. M.P.. F. M. B. Fisner, M.P.. and J. G. W. Aitkcn, M.P. j Mr Schkepfer, in making the prsenlation to Mr Massey, referred to the complii ment it was to Mr Massev that so large a ; gathering should have assembled, and said the presentation was only a small reeosrnii tion of Mr Massey 's services. They we c I all very proud of their member, and roj joiced to see him holding &o hich a posi- • tion, but they hoped to see him vet attaining a far more responsible position in the , Parliament of the Dominion.— Applause.) i A« Mr Massey came forv.a: d to receive the gift- of his constituents l.c was greeted with cheers. ! Mr Mai'oy. in returning thanks for the reception accorded him and for the handsome presentation, congratu'nted the leaeue upon the great gathciiny and upon tho 'splendid weather. At die -.ime time he ' felt they should express their sympathy with the settlers in differon, parts of the j Dominion who had suffered 10-s tbrouerh • fires, and who were fighting dnv and nis-nt j to save their homes! end-,. — (Applause) In | the ne\t place he had to thank his constituent*, the electors of Franklin, for tiie ,! macnificent present, of which he was the fortunate recipient. He appreciated it. not on account of its intrinsic \aluo. but on j account of the personal friendship and political agreement, ot which it was the 1 token and undoubted proof. — (Applause.) | He had had The honour of l-epre^encinsr j Franklin for the last 11 years. and from ' pi went appearances it seemed a- if hp was likely to represent it for some time longer. — (Applause.) He had endeavoured to keep the pledges made upon his election j and to act up to the principles he had I advocated, and in return lie had to acknowledge that the people of Franklin had given him most loyal support. .They would re- ' member that at last election the Opposition ' suffered a most serious defeat, but hi- ' supporters had come to h'ni and paid they I weio not defeated. They felt that their member was fighting for a good cause and a rierhteous cause, and by coming there 1 in -uch large numbers they showed that th<M had no resjrei for the position taken iin two years aco — .'Apulausp.) Those two ( \<mi-s l laf j meant an important part m j polities. They had -een inon p'-oniment I in the affairs of the country pa-=* away. they had seen an dil"tnpt made to niak > the freehold on ihe t'rov. n lands of the Dominion impo-sihle to muke it impo=- ! siblf for vountr New Zcahindors to acquire their independence, and he did not think he was speaking boa=tfu!lv when he said ! that the attempts would ha\e been com- • ple+elv successful wore it not for the small parry represented theie that day. who neier backed down, but kept the flag flying durj ir.er 1906 and 1907.— (Cheers.) Those two ■ years had seen demands put forward by i r>eople who believed in the Socialistic theory that the country should bp run on Socialistic lines, that the land should be nationalised, that all industry should be nationalised, and that the people shonld be divided into two classes — either tenants of tho Crown or civil servants. These demands were being; made by a party more numerous and better , organised than the minority of people in Now Zealand believed, and who had been content to remain in the background and get a little year by year from a Government that hoped t-o catch the Socialistic vote, or was too weak to re-iot its influence-.— < \pplausp ) This was not only a liicw — of f he fj**" — but a question of

the present. It was a question to be asked of the electors next election, and it was for them to sa-s whether a man in this country should be allowed to reap the re«ard of his industry 01 whether by ta:vation 01 other method* he should he compelled io -hare the fruits oi hi« hard labours w.th otuei- le-- enerjetie or le--= ;iidu»ii"ouHe (Mr Mas-ev) was not in the habit cf speaking . c oft platitudes or of eiidea\oiirini to arouse needle-s alarm, and he would not speak as he did if he did not think the danger was real. He thought it was \eiy real, and he a^kod the people of the country to take the roll of Parliament and see hoy. main members who were included in the (io\ eminent party would stand up agam-r the Social theory or be prepared t<- accept it rather than give up the positions thcv hold at the present time — (applause). — and he was perfectly certain the result would be a revelation to the inquirer. — (Applause.) He asked the people to road the reports of the conference at Wellington, composed of representatives of theories, single tax theories, arid their kindred organisations, who resolved to come tog-ether and do all they possibly could to return members at next election. A Voice: You will put them down. He (Mr Massey) smcerelj hoped he would. That being the position, was if- not tune they (the Opposition party) banded together and prepared for the coming struggle against the forces allied against them. — (Applause.) There must be no cmpron'ise, no splitting of the difference, no running with the hare and hunting ■with the iiounds. but every member and evcrv candidate at next election should be compelled to express clearly his views upon I these questions, and then the responsiI bilitv would rest with the electors of saving I whether the r>re=ent state of affairs, which 1 i ermitted fii'l scope for the energy and j enterprise of the individual, should be allowed to continue, or if a stale of things J that would cripple industry and handicap j enterprise should be permitted, and tt I.'1 .' it j was the question the electors of Franklin j would answer in their usual satisfactory i manner. — (Cheers.) He wanted this country ' lo become what it was intended to become — one of the fairest and free-t on Rod's earth where there sH-ould I c no t.'\treme3 of wealth or poverty, w h-. re the man who had enerarv would be a- yen the opportuuitv of coming to the f'-cnt— (applause.), — a country where as time went on there i would be more education, more enlightenment, and more real h^npiness than any other country on this planet, a country v hose people would h/o-e realised their dntv and be doing- it to their Creator and ihemsehes. — (Cheers.) But if they were to advance as they should it would not be by canting Socialistic methods, but by honest methods and by a desire on the part of each indhidual to do his duty. — (Applause.) There was another point he . wished to remind them of. and that wai that the Leader of the Opposition, who ever he might happen to be, had many duties. He had practically as many duties as the a^ erase Cabinet Minister, and without the facilities which were supplied to i Ministers, and consequently he was not able to meet his constituents as often as he otherwise would. But on that account i he had never heard the slightest murmur of discontent from any of his constituents, and he expressed his gratitude for their i consideration. — (Applause.) ■' With regard 'to the presentation, he hoped and believed it would remain an i heirloom in the Massey family, and as generation succeeded generation the Massev of 20 year 1 - hence would be able to look hack with pride and pleasure to the fact that his ancestor represented Franklin and, what wa= more important, possessed the esteem and respect of the people. — (Applause and cheers.) He would rather re- , main a pnvate member than be a Minister of the Crown, or even Prime Minister, if to attain those stations he had to part , with even the smallest portion of the 1 esteem, respect, and regard of his const ituenrs. which he believed he at present possessed. — (Cheers.) Mr J. Bollard. M.P., was the next speaker. _ He congratulated Franklip on the presentation and Mr Massey on the large gathering, and went on to say that no man in Parliament worked harder than j Mr Massey. — (Applause.) The Go\ eminent j members could take the work in relays, 1 but Mr Ma«se\ was alwa\s at his post, and la=t session, when the Land BilU were before j the House. Mr Massey was present night ' and day fighting the inflammatory Social- ' isrs, land nationahsers, income tax. and other gentlemen of the tribe of Old Nick. i — (Laughter.) In the course of further ; remarks. Mr Bollard referred at length to the land legislation of the past ses&ion, ' \\hieh he considered would have been infinitely more objectionable had it not boen for the efforts of the Opposition. He 1 asked who would go into the bush to make a home for himself upon the conditions laid down by the Government. There had been a stone wall built round New i Zealand in the matter of land setlement, for this country could very well afford to j occupy 10.000.000 people in rural occupation, but who was coming here to settle under the absurd restrictions and lease ' system — (Applause.) Mr F. W. Lang. M.P., who was greeted with prolonged applause, predicted p-veaT change- m the political affairs of New Zea- | land, and said he hoped at the next garden I party to Mr Ma-ssey in Franklin to greet 1 him not a^ Leader of the Opposition, but | as Prime Mnu-tur of the Dominion. — ' lApplause and cheers.) Mr Lang al-o lefeired to the hard work Mr Massev h-id lo perform, pitted a 1 - he wa« against eight Mnnstei-. all of whom had private «ecretuiic-. and head- of departments at their t'lbows to gi\e information. — (Applause) Mi I Mas-e%'- gieai powei- of enduianre were i the admiration of the Hou a e. and had it not bepi' for thH endurance the legi^'ation of 'a>t st-,srjn would lune been in an infinitely ' wnrso form than it was. — (Applause) Theie Mi not Inn™- to be proud of in the legislaI tion c f last session, and it would ha\e been far better for the r>ou»trv had the Hou-e , not met at all last session. — (Loud applause.) Ihe only class benefited by it wa-5 the lawyer--. H-e had been asked what «a- the policy of the Opposition. It was not the duty of the Opposition to form a i po'icy. but whatever difference of opinion there might be on that point it would be agreed by all that certainly the Government . should have a policy. He asked those present if they could tell him the Govern- ■ ment policy. (A Voice: " Shuffling. '') If they asked a member of the Government j that member would take an hour to tell them, and they would be no nearer knowing than at the commencement. He (Mr Lang) could give them the Government policy in one word — "' compromise." In the first p'aee there were Ministers v. ho believed jn le->*ero!d and leasehold only. They sa,d

they were going- to stand or fall by that leasehold principle, but they had not the courage of 11-^ir opinions, ami the\ sph f the difference. Then, take the Gaming Act. One section of the community wanted to pu( dew n gambling-, and another section wanted to pamble, so the Governmenr split ihe difference to please both. — (Applause.) They heard a Rood deal about Socialism. C'ouid an\one tell him what Sir J. G. Ward's \iews were on the point? Tho Go\ eminent said they were Socialists, but they were not revolutionary Socialists, splitting the difference again. — (Laughter and applause) Then, take the Libour question. The Hon. Mr Millar was to do away with the greatest enemy labour ever had — the agitator. — but the Government split the difference again, and that provision was not passed into law. — (Applause.) At one time they had statesmen who believed in one policy and said if they could not get that policy they would walk off the platform and leave the fiekl to others, but now Ministers said: "This is our policy. If you don't like it we will alter it to please you."— (Laughter.) They would see that there was a proposal to increase the number of Ministers on the ground thai the work was too much. He asked the people to carry their memories back to the time when the Gou'rpment did away with the railway commissioners, and the late Mr Seddon and hi 6 Ministers said : "If we are not able to overtake the work of the country we will give plac° to men who can." If the present number of Ministers could not carry on let them ghe place to others — (Applause.) There were eis;ht Ministers now. and he (Mr Lang) would guarantee to pick six from the Opposition who would carry on a great deal better. — (Loud applause.)

Mr Mander referred to the constitution of the Ministry as not being- calcu'ared to inspire farmers w-ith confidence. While the majority of the Go\ernment membets represented citiob or were Socialists the country would have to adopt 6trong measures to stem the tide of Socialism that had set in. Mr Harle Giles (secretary to the Liberal and Labour Federation) had been in h's (Mr Mander's) electorate trying to get out a candidate against him, but whoe\ er Mr Giles found he (Mr Mander) would best. — (Applause.) Captain Bell referred to the statement by the Minister of Lands that the Government had nailed its colours to the mast over the Land Bill and said the Government had meekly backed down.

Mr Harding dealt with the " stop-jn-office" attitude of Ministers, who. he eaid. were ready to make any and every sacrifice to maintain their positions.

Mr Monk, who was accorded a great reception, spoke chiefly on the freehold tenure, urging the women of the country to rise up in support of it. He warned tho gathering against the false faith of Socialism, and in referring to the drop in the price of wool and kauri gum, the bush fires, and the drought, asked where was the unearned increment now and how many years would it take to recover it?