POLITICAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 98, 18 April 1914, Page 2

POLITICAL.

MR HERDMAN AT WELLINGTON. [Phe PI&EM ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, April 17. Mr Herdman, Minister of Justice, addressed a crowded meeting in the Wellington Town Hall this evening. There was u large body of the opponents of the Government present, but the interjections on the whole were good-humored and did not seriously interfere with the speech. Mr Herdman was received with prolonged cheering. He said he had read witli much interest a speech delivered a week ago in that hall by Sir Joseph Ward. (Lond cheers). It appeared to him there was very little to reply to. ("Oh.") Sir Josepb only seemed to ileal with the past and with little matters that concerned himself personally, and it seemed a pity that a man so long connected with public life should be so sensitive. He was confidant that when the people of N<-w Zealand came to express their opinion on what the Government did during the last session they would express it I in no unmistakable manner in favor of the "Reform" party. (Cheers and ironical laughter.) He knew that the "Reform" party were' supported by a < large army of working men, solid, sound-thinking men.

j THE OLD LIBERAL PARTY. ( The old Liberal party were fast declining. ("No.") It consisted of hangers-on, and men who were hoping to get something; of disappointed J billet-seekers, and of a declining body ' who believed that Sir Joseph Ward was still a statesman. (Loud laughter and counter-cheers.) Mr Herdman spoke of the position of the Party when it first took offie<-.,nncf incidentally paid a high tribute to the members of the Civil Service in this country. He also pointed out that every public servant in New Zealand owed obedience, not to politicians, but to one person, and that person was His Majesty the King. (Loud cheers). THE GOVERNMENT'S RECORD. Next, Mr Herdman enumerated the steps which he said the Government had taken to improve the general condition of the people, and said ft was a record worthy of any Goverinent. The State machine bad undergone a thorough spring-cleaning, and business principles had been introduced where before there was no homogeneity and no proper supervision. The Government had fought hard (ironical laughter) to keep up their wicket and they had put up a good score against the trickiest and googliest of bowlers. (Loud and prolonged laughter). The Government had a right to expect that the people would wait till next session before they could declare that the Government had not stuck to, its promises. STRIKE OF 1913. Mr Herdman said the Government had simply done its duty. As Minister of Justice, lie would tell them that if a similar state of affairs arose again lie would take'precisely the same action as he did in 1913. (Loud cheers and booing, during which a constable removed an interjector.) "I hope," said Mr Herdman, "that we shall never witness the same state of affairs as we witnessed at the end of 1913. (A voice: You will!) But' if we do, then the Government will again hay. to do its duty." (Cheers). He ridiculed Sir Joseph Ward's statement that he would have stopped the strike in two days, and said that every speech delivered by the right honorable gentleman and his supporters aggravated the strike. Anyone who looked fairly and impartially into the history of the business must recognise that the Prime Minister from the inception of the trouble to the end had done his level best to bring it to an end. FINANCE. When Mr Allen was called upon to assume control of the finance of New Zealand, it was enough to stagger any man. The position was beset with difficulties created by his predecessors. It was extraordinary how Sir Joseph Ward made wild statements when dealing with matters of public concern. His statement that this Government had increased the borrowing of the country enormously svas grotesque, because, as a matter of fact, within the twenty months preceding the Reform Party's coming into power tin l Government had borrowed £20,000.0U0, and in. the first twenty months of this Government's regime the borrowing accounted for was £13,000,000. Mr Herdman quoted other figures in support of his contention. .Mr Allen had manifested both care ami prudence as Minister of Finance.

<>\ THE LAND QUESTION. The speaker declared that the torpidity of the Lands Department during the Ward Administration was lamentable. Since Mr Massey had become Minister of Lands he had put a considerable amount of energy into the Department, and had placed more surveyors upon the land than had over been the ease before, and still people were calling out for land. Next, Mr Herdman referred to the Public Service Act, and said that, generally speaking, through the public servants of Xew Zealand the Act was w success, and the system thoroughly appreciated. The Commissioners had dome splendid service under the Act, anil the public servants of New Zealand were working under infinitely better conditions than had ever been the case before. (Loud cheers.) IN' CONCLUSION. He referred to the opening of the Panama. Canal, and said that wo were on the eve of groat changes in the Pacific. Now Zealand trade was growing rapidly with Vancouver, and

slowly with San Francisco. This country was only in its infancy. Ha believed in its natural advantages and the ability of the people, to take advantage of its opportunities. His only fear was lest this , attractive possession should get into the bands of adventurers. An amendment to the resolution of thanks and confidence was declared lost, and the original motion was carried on the voices.