THE POLITICAL ARENA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9, 8 May 1912, Page 3

THE POLITICAL ARENA.

PREMIER AT INVERCARGILL. (Per Press Association j Invercargill, 3lay 7. The Prime Minister met with a more; enthusiastic reception from a representative gathering on his arrival at Invercargill. The Mayor welcomed Mr Mackenzie, in whose honour the Pipe Band assembled and played stirring airs as ho was leaving the station. He was escorted to the rotunda in the Post Office square, wher; the Mayor, Mr W. B. Schndrett, in congratulating him on his accession tc office, said that Mr Mackenzie 'had tc. follow statesmen whose names would live in the history of the Dominion— Weld, Stafford, Fox, Vogel, Hall, Atkin,soil, Sir Gen. Grey, Ballance, Sed don, and, last, but not least, Ward, who had fixed a high standard foi prime ministers. But they might rest assured that Mr Mackenzie would maintain that standard, and that the Dominion would not suffer at his hands. He would, no doubt, receive, as he deserved, every consideration from Parliament and the people. Ihe Prime Minister, who was enthusiastically received, stated that the reception exceeded anything ho could have anticipated. The Mayor had referred to a galaxy of men who had occupied the highest position in the country during the time it had enjoy ed the privileges of constitutional government, and he was conscious of tin (heavy responsibility resting on his shoulders in endeavouring to fill the shoos of those illustrious predecessors. He had mentioned that Sir Joseph Ward had been last but not least, and ft there was any part of the Dominion that was indebted to that able statesman it was this portion. It had been said that there was only one man in the Cabinet who was going to look after agriculture, but there was not one in the Cabinet who would not give it serious attention. It had also been said that he was not there to, look after agriculture, but that statement was inaccurate. As a matter of fact, he intended to arrange for 'agricultural education and to establish experimental farms that the people might know bow to do things in an efficient manner, and learn the best milking strains. He would also do his best to procure more markets and establish proper transit. To say that Mr McDonald was alone going to act for agricultural interests was to show that their critics were not fair. It had been asserted that the Mackenzie Cabinet was composed of o' crowd of modiocres. They might not have had the same opportunity of receiving university education as had a number of their opponents; nevertheless, there was not a man amongst his colleagues but had given indication of “grit and go.” The Prime Minister proceeded by train to Orawai, in the western district, where Mr J. C. Thompson will be banquetted, and lie will attend a similar function at Otautau to-morrow. MASSEY ON MACKENZIE. Auckland, May 7. Referring to the Prime'Minister’s speech at Balclutha, Air Massey said that what Mr Mackenzie did at Builutha was to give a quotation from an anonymous letter which he says appeared in a London financial journal, and he did not even give the name of the journal. He referred to the Prime Minister’s reply as “a miserable quibble,” and ho repeated his former reply, that any statement that any member of the Opposition attempted to injure the credit of the country in any way was absolutely contrary to fact. The knowledge that a five million loan had been floated in London came to the House as a surprise, and outside the Cabinet not a single member of Parliament had the slightestidea of the intention of-the Government to place such a large loan upon the money market at Home. There was nothing else in Mr Mackenzie’s speech, as reported in Auckland, except the mere point that Mr Mackenzie said that he (Air Massey) had said “a Mackenzie could always be bought.” To this Air Alassey replied: “It is a paltry thing in the extreme, and it is also untrue. As a matter of fact, ! have sent a telegram to Air Mackenzie as follows: ‘Will , you give me your authority for your statement that I said a Alaekenzic could always be bought.’ ” Mr Alassey added that Air Malcolm, member for Clutha, would reply to Air Mackenzie at Balclutha.