MR MASSEY HONOURED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 88

MR MASSEY HONOURED.

RECOGNITION OF VALUABLE SERVICE. HANDSOME PRESENTATIONS. CONGRATULATORY SPEECHES. (FjROM OUR OWW COBEBSPONDENT.) AUCKLAND, August 20. To-night his many friends and admirers in all parts of New Zealand, and, indeed, beyond these shores also, paid a compliment to the popular Leader of the Opposition (Mr W. F. Massey), whose work throughout his parliamentary career has well merited the esteem of the people as a whole. Those who know Mr Massey personally, whatever shade of political opinion they may profess, will cordially endorse the keynote of the congratulatory speeches delivered — namely, the absolute personal and political integrity of .Mr Massey. No one who has ever met the Leader of the Opposition could ever imagine him doing or saying anything in which he did not conscientiously believe. He stepped on to the stage of the Choral Hall to-night, all his brisk, breezy self, a little greyer perhaps than when he succeeded Sir William Russell in the leadership of the party, but otherwise showing no sign of the long strain of the political battle which has never broken his spirit nor weakened his principles, and - the rousing cheers with which he was received was a spontaneous tribute to tho sterling worth of a couragous and upright public man. The "Grand Battler,' as he, has been termed, is the idol of the freeholder, and in the backblocks of Auckland he is accorded a love that no other politician in the Dominion can claim. For his fight against the Land Bill will never be forgotten by the settlers, for whom that grand old orator, Mr Richard Monk, one of the most poetical speakers that ever sat in Parliament, spoke to-night. - Long before the proceedings commenced the Choral Hall was packed to the doors. Auckland does not possess a building that would contain all who desired to attend, and amongst the audience were representatives of almost every district in this province and a number of representatives of other parts of the Dominion. Arrangements had been made to admit subscribers by ticket, and by 7.30 the hall was practically filled in this way, so that when the outer doors were opened there was comparatively little room left for the ordinary public, and the building was soon crowded to the doors. The presentation fund had been liberally subscribed to, because in addition to the main present of a cheque for lUOO guineas there was a grandfather's 'clock — an exceedingly handsome timepiece — for Mr Massey, and a gold and diamond bracelet and a complete set of solid table silver for Mrs Massey. Mr F. W. Lang, M.P. for Manukau, occupied the chair, and amongst other legislators present were Messrs James Allen, Bollard, Phillipps, Buick, Herries, Guthrie, Fisher, Buchanan, and Mander. Many other prominent people occupied seats on the platform. A pile of letters and telegrams of apology a foot high was placed on the table. The actual programme was opened witha pianoforte solo by Miss Madoleine Webb, followed by a song by Miss Milicent Aicken, a recently-returned pupil of Madame Marches!. The chairman then addressed the gathering. He briefly reviewed the movement which led up to to-night 'c meeting, and said there was a ! rumour that the subscription was got up to pay Mr Massey's expenses, but this was not so. It was an additional testimonial to the Leader of the Opposition. — (Cheeas.) In the Dominion of Canada the Leader of the Opposition j received a salary. — (A Voioe : "So he ' should here too.^"— Cheers.) Mr Lang ' went on- to say that many people did not realise that the Leader of the Opposition received only the same salary as an ordinary M.P., .while the Ministers received from £1000 to £1600 and travelling ! expenses. He (the speaker) said he did! not think Mr Massey cared much about this — in fact, a good many held the view that .Mr Massey would not long be Leader of the Opposition, but would be Prime Minister.— (Cheers.) He (Mr Lang) felt that there waa a general feeling in favour of a change. There should be a stiiTing up. We wanted a sensible land ' policy, which would keep the young men j here instead of allowing them to go to ! other countries — (cheers), — and a sensible | Native land policy was badly needed. — ' (Lound cheering.) The subscriptions had , come in from all parts of New Zealand, showine; how Mr Massey's sterling work and political courage were recognised throughout the Dominion. — (Applause.) What greater honour could any public man have than to know that he had the esteeni and respect of all shades of political opinion in his country. — (Ap- j plause.) The chairman then read a selected few of the apologies, the many cordial expressions of admiration for Mr Massey being received with loud applause. Mention of the great fight against the Land Bill especially was greeted with prolonged cheers. } Mr James Allen, M.P., was then called ' upon to make the presentation, and was greeted with loud applause. He said he felt that the duty placed upon him was an honour both to himself and to his constituents. He did not know whether it ' was a tradition of the colonies, but it had become the practice for Ministers to travel throughout the country afc the ' country's expense. - He did not «iy any- ' thing against their travelling, for that was neceasaay, but they used the opportunity to carry out electioneering. If , that was necessary in the interest .of good ' government it was equally necessary that Mr Massey should travel throughout the Dominion at the country's expense. — (Applause.) Mr Massey had done co, and ; **!£ it out of his own pocket. — (Cheers.) '

He (Mr Allen) came from the other end of the Dominion, and the telegrams on the table were only -a few compared with what he had received from people in the South Island on behalf of his own constituents. Be (Mr Allen) ehcruld have been in attendance on a Minister who was travelling through Bruce, but his constituents said, "Go to Mr Massey's testimonial meeting; we will look after the Minister." — (Laughter and applause.) Mr Allen read many telegrams from prominent Oppositionists in the South Island, and went on to say that from the first day Mr Massey appeared in Parliament he made his sturdy self-reliance felt, and if the Government members of the House were to speak their minds to-day they would say that the country was the better for having him in Parliament. — (Applause.) Since Mr Masßey became leader of the party he had won golden opinions throughout the Dominion, and when the future history came to -be written his name would rank high amongst the most prominent men in that history. In the old days a Ministry having decided upon its policy stuck to it to' the last. He would ask if that were so now. — (Laughter.) Nowadays a Ministry could nail its colours to the mast, and then pull them down and stick" up someone else's colours. — (Laughter and applause.) The man who sat as Leader of the Opposition, without secretaries and without other information than an ordinary member, had to be familiar ..with every detail of legislation coming forward on top of all his ordinary duties. ■ As an Opposition the Opposition had actually been called upon, by the Government to produce a policy, which was a unique thing for an Opposition to do; but Mr Massey produced a policy, and out of that policy the Government had gladly seized hold of several planks. — (Applause.) Mr Massey was not now a Minister of the Crown because he was loyal to party and loyal to the people of New Zealand, and because he would not consent to become a Minister unless the policy which he knew was in the interest of the people of the Dominion was adopted. — (Loud applause.) He (Mr Allen) would tell them the reason why seme of Mr Massey's party thought Mr Massey was not Prime Minister. It was because he had been too honest. — (Applause.) Had he accepted the advice given to him, and from members of his own party he (Mr Allen) regretted to say, and allowed the Government to push through legislation that was brought down with all its objectionable features, the people would have been so disgusted with the legislation that they would have kicked the Government out and put Mr Massey into power. — (Laughter and "cheers.) Mr Massey had replied thait he would do his duty. — (Applause.) Mr Massey was a true friend of the worker and a worker himself — (applause), — and his policy was to -encourage a % vigorous land settlement policy, and he had imprinted his stamp on the legislation of the day. The speaker went on to refer to some of the planks in Mr Massey's policy, such as land settlement with security of tenure and civil service reform, and he concluded with references to Mr Massey's own strong personality and vigorous championship of the cause of the man on the land.

j Mr Allen then made the presentation, | the audience rising and cheering Mr and Mrs Massey to the echo, and singing "For he's a jolly good fellow." Mr W. H. Herriee, M.P., followed with an address on Mr Massey's qualities as a leader, saying that the leader was also a great fighter, a man of tireless energy and indomitable courage, who sat through Parliament day after day and night after night, always keenly watch- ; ing and never losing a point of all that transpired, ready at a moment's notice to challenge a statement on the opposite side with facts and figures. — (Applause.) It was not a party testimonial, and, as far as he (Mr Herries) was concerned, that was not a party meeting. There were people who differed from Mr Massey, but who recognised him as a true patriot, and the number of one shilling subscriptions showed that this was the most spontaneous testimonial that had ever been given to a statesman in New Zealand.— (Cheers.) There were 6000 subscribers in all. Compromise was a word that Mr Massey's vocabulary did not contain. The bill, the whole bill, and nothing but the bill was the cry of reform, and Mt Massey called for the freehold and nothing but the freehold — (applause), — and had nailed the colours of freehold to the mast. — (Cheers.) Mr Buchanan, M.P. (Wairarapa), spoke of the magnificent reception being given to a man right worthy of it. — (Cheers.) He referred to haying sat in Parliament v,ith the three Prime Ministers, and he ventured to predict that the time was not far distant when Auckland would hare the honour of providing the fourth. — (Cheers.) He was sure that if the people of New Zealand were given the opportunity to-morrow there would be no doubt of Mr Ma&sey's return to power. — (Applause and cheers.) If the people only knew what this Dominion owed to Mr Massey's principles they would carry Him aond his party to victory without delay. — (Applause.) .Mr Fisher (Wellington) raid he wanted to plant a little seed in the head of everyone present co that they would go out as agents of the Opposition, and so that, by the next general election they would help to carry all the Auckland seats. He asked the people to mark their re&pect of Mr Massey by putting papers in the ballot box and by taking the party by the scruff .of the neck and snaking it up. He (Mr Fisher) had had the opportunity of judging of Mr Massey 'e conduct very closely, and, after four years' close study of Parliament from the inside, he declared for the Leader of the Opposition. — (Applause.) He had frequently heard the question asked, Was Mr 3lassey a leader? His (Mr Fisher's) own action was his aiiMver. — (Cheers.) They asked a man to lead a party, and uj.- to last election gave him 12 or 13 men to lead against 64 ; but wliat man in Xew Zealand could say

that Mr Massey did not lead that little band to noble purpose.— (Loud applause.) How well that little party fought the powerful Government on the land policy. - — (Cheers.) Referring to the Ministry, Mr Fieher said that if anyone • cent to the Ministry to settle a dispute, so used were they to efouffling that if they were asked to decide between beer and lemonade they would say "Mix them." — (Laughter.) Was this country going to sit down and take any more of what he called shandy-gaff legislation, or ' would it rise up and get rid of the men who were prepared to adopt any principle, provided they were not deprived of £1000 a year with house allowance and travelling expenses? They should make a. strenuous fight from now on till next election, and make the pace hot from the start. — (Cheers.)

Mr Guthrie, M.P. (Aroua), spoke of Mr Massey as a man straightforward and honest in all his dealings, and who did his duty to- the people of New Zealand ' loyally and fearlessly. — (Applause.) Mr Buick (Palmerston North) advised the party to organise at once for the next general "election. Some .people believed that this Government would go out before the end of this Parliament, but anyone who saw the ranks of dumb voters on the Government benches would never think that.

Mr R. Monk thanked Mr Massey in the name of the country settlers for the freehold policy, and spoke of a country in the future peopled by sturdy yeoman, , rejoicing in the possession of homes in which no landlord could poke his xtcse. — (Applause.) -

Mr Massfey, upon rising to reply, was greeted with prolonged cheering. He began by saying that he thanked the people of the Dominion, and thanked them from the bottom of his heart for the handsome and valuable bestimonial given Mrs Massey and himself. He was glad to be accompanied on the platform by members of the Opposition party — men" with whom he had stcod side by side and shoulder to shoulder fighting for the good of the country. — (Applause.) It was 15 years since he entered Parliament, and he noticed amongst the audience some of the finest of his constituents in. Waitemata. When he entered Parliament ie made up his mind that he would do bis best for the country, and that he would steer the straight course, and to that

decision he had adhered. — (App'atuse.) He did not say he had not made mistakes, but when he erred he honestly believed it was not for the benefit of either- himself or his party .—(Applause.) Other speakers had said that the position of a leader of the Opposition -was a difficult one, and that was so, but since he . had • occupied the position he had had the assistance of some of the best and ablest men that ever sat in Parliament — (cheers) — men who - were patriots and statesmen — (cheers), — and, moreover, honest men — (applause), — and he would sooner stay in opposition to the end of his parliamentary life with them than sit on the Government benches without them. — (Applause.) He was prouder to realise that he had the esteem and respect of co many people in the Dominion than of the handsomest testimonial that could ever be given him. During the last Parliament the position of the Leader of the Opposition had been a particularly strenuous one, for at the previous elections the Opposition was baflly defeated. — (A Voice : " You got 'eft; at the post, Mr Massey, but we are eery near the winning post now." — (Laughter and loud applause.) He ventured to think that the country was very sorry for the mistake made then, but the Opposition had no idea of taking its beating lying down. It fought on and on, and it kept its flag flying, and those colours were flying nowover the strongest and ablest Opposition that ever sat in Parliament. — (Cheers.) The party had done its duty fearlessly, freely, and candidly, criticising the proposals of the Government, supporting what it believed to be in the interests of the country, and fighting against what it beUeved to be against the country's interests, restraining the Government when it went too fast, and jogging when it went too slowly — and the present Government was the slowest that ever eat on the Government benches. — (Applause.) At the last election the Opposition was returned with a greatly increased majority, proving that the people of the country were satisfied with the attitude taken np by the Opposition. — (Applause.) He believed that the people had good reason to be satisfied with the work the party had done, and well pleased that it had been abl* to prevent the mischief it did prevent. He believed that enormous sums of money were saved this country by the candid 1 criticism of the Opposition. Very many of the Opposition suggestions were accepted by the Government, and put forward as part of the Goverjvm«nfc policy. (Applause.) He wanted to see the present Government remain in power long enough, to su-rfer for its own sins and~ shortcomings. — (Applause.) He wanted to see ifc remain long enough to show up its own. maladministration, and he wanted to tell the people of the Dominion that he would never be satisfied unstol the party he had the honour to lead was returned with » substantial majority in the House of Re--presentatives.—(Cheers.) The Opposition was not a party banded together for spoils of .office— it was anxious to leave the country better than it found it. It had! stood for the rights and privileges of the subject, for honesty of .administration, and for progress in the best sense of the word! for progress in land settlement, and fop the opening up of the country by -roads' and bridges.— (Applause.) True Liberalism consisted not in placing all the buT,doni on one section of the community, but inf making the burden as light as possible and distributing it as evenly as possible. — ' (Applause.) It had been mentioned thafl. the country Was passing through a fina'nr cial crisis, but what was Parliament doing to remedy the state of affaire? Absolutely nothing, and the members w«»

given three months' holiday. What were the Ministers doing? One was acting as the mouthpiece for the rest, and delivering a lot of meaningless speeches. The country wanted- a Government that would do something, or else get out of the way. It seemed to him that the countey was heartily sick of the policy of talk and taihoa. — (Applause.) What the country -wanted was a Government that would open up tihb lands for settlement and in- . crease the exports. — (Applause.) If we I were going to increase the population of ' the country and the capital invested, the , policy, of the Government office must be j such as would give confidence, not only j here, but abroad. — (Applause.) He spoke of j the necessity for opening up tho Crown j and Native lands on the optional tenure, and said that out of 35 blocks of country lands recently allotted in Queensland 25 were allotted to New Zealanders. That was a regrettable thing, for it meant that our best young men. were leaving us. He ; was one who had great faith still in New J Zealand. He hoped and believed that it, wonld- become a very important part ' of the" Empire of the future, and largely assist the Empire in maintaining the. supremacy of the sea.— (Applause.)- He was not'goine to discuss whether our as-sistance-should be for^ Dreadnoughts orj cruisers. He hoped and believed that j for -all time '-New .Zealand would remain! part of the British Empire. — (Applause.) Tae country was passing through a financial 'crisis, but it would prove not ■ an unmixed blessing, for it would teach us that it could be possible for the State to undertake too many functions. About 130,000 people, it was stated, absolutely ■ depended upon the State for a living in this country with a population of under i 1,000,000, and that was a dangerous and ! improper state of affairs, and he feared it .was .owing to that that the recent drop in prices was 'felt so severely. It seemed to him we were having too much State and not enough of the individual. — ; (Applause.) The Minister of Railways ! said he intended to make the railways pay. He (Mr Maesey) applauded that ! decision, but said it would never be possible under the present system of control to mak£ them pay. Our railways were being constructed on an obsolete system, and this system was adhered to because it meant votee. In conclusion, he thanked the people again for their presents, and said that half of the credit of any use he was able to be was due to his wife. — (Applause.) The Opposition would continue to do its duty fearlessly. The meeting to-night had thrown increased responsibility upon it, but it ; would rise to the occasion fearlessly and ' do its duty to the country as a whole. — (Applause.) "The height of my am- , bition," said Mr Mas&ey in finishing, " will be to promote the welfare of this , country and tfie health, happiness, and ' prosperity of its people. — (Cheers.) The proceedings then terminated amid loud and prolonged cheers. A WELL-EARNED TRIBUTE. (From Ora Own Coehespondent.) AUCKLAND, August 22. The Government organ, the Star, Las the following graceful tribute to the Leader of the Opposition in its leading columns on Saturday :—": — " Not even the aost devoted advert of Liberalism is :kely to grudge Mr Massey the satisfaction that he must have enjoyed in lieening to the speeches of his friends and followers at the Choral Hall. Political controversy in this country has an un- I fortunate habit of degenerating into } personalities, but we can safely say that very few of Mr Massey's opponents have failed to distinguish clearly between the political and the man, and we would be eorry to think that the members- of the Opposition enjoy a monopoly of admiration for Mr Massey's good qualities. Making some small allowance for the fervid enthusiasm inseparable from such an occasion, we may fairly say that we can endorse most of what was said by way of eulogy upon Mr Maesey's honesty, frankness, ana courage, and his sincere devotion to what he iegards at a personal or a public duty, ai 1 it is well for the Dominion that the responsible post of Leader of the Opposition t should be filled by a man of such high ; character, and manifest sincerity of purpose."