Mr Massey at the Theatre Royal.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7993, 2 December 1905, Page 2

Mr Massey at the Theatre Royal.

Tlioro was a packed house at tlio Theatre Royal on Friday evening wlieu the Leader of the Opposition gave a political address. His Worship the Mayor presided and briefly introduced the speaker who was accorded a splendid reception.

Mr Massey alter expressing his pleasure at seeing such a large uieetiiig,said he had noticed there was a greater amount of interest than usuaf being taken in polities at the present time, and lie was glad this was so. lie was present to reply to Mr Scddon, and to lay_ before tin; people the Opposition policy. One story whs good until another was told, and after hearing the Premier and himself they would be able to judge how to vote. REPLYING 0 THE PREMIER The Premier had devoted a good deal of his speech to .showing how the Conservative party had brought the finances of the colony into a low state, but he had not stated tint this was due to the extravagance of the Government which proceeded Sir Harry Atkinson's administration, and of that Government the Premier was a consistent supporter. He considered a monument ought to he erected to those who invented the refrigerator and other aids to landing our produce on the markets of the world. He objected to being made responsible for Sir Harry Atkinson. He had nothing to do with that party, but was the leader of a new party of young New Zealanders- His party had now 06 candidates, of whom ill were young New Zealanders. The Premier had endeavoured to make capital out of the voucher incident, but if he had » spark of gratitude he would have been grateful to the Opposition for their attitude in standing out against the waste of time over that incident. When a charge like that was made against the Premier lie should have demanded that it should be substantiated or withdrawn. The Premier had stated that after 1-1 years these (the voucher) were the only charges brought against him, not by the Opposition, but by independent members. Mr Massey read the Premier's motion as to the inquiry, and he contended that it was not sufficiently open. The Premier, he said, hail opposed the motion to give the inipiiry greater scope, and he was wro-.ig in so doing. The speaker advocated a fair I eld and an open inquiry.

THE MAPOURIKA TRIP, lie would not state the particulars of this trip, but would reply to the Premier's reference to the North Island railway trip. The party took a visitor (an English journalist), who fell ill tip the Watiganui t River, and the natives demanded i'lUO fov taking him down the river. There was no similarity between the two trips - one cost £ll9 ami the other i'JOt'U. He s-sited that the Minister who accompanied the party had all his hotel expenses paid, but when he returned to Wellington he held out his hand for lhc£l 1 s ti day a lowed a Minister for travelling expensis. That was what he (the speaker) objected to, and what was more the same, objection applied to the Premier's trip taken when Mr .-eddon was out of health, but had not Mr Seldon's charges being placed 'ii the wrong account it would not aave hi en known. When Mr Gladstone went through liis Midlothian campaign he never travelled out of his district, hut the Premier went about 'die country nt the ratepayers' expense trying to keep out of I'n'rli imeut better men than himself. (Applause.) When the Premier was in the North on one occasion he was met by school children, and, said Mr Massey, •■ What do you think they sang?—' God Defeud New Zealand.' " (L >od laughter and applause.)

; V N .NCE. Willi l'egiuil to tin? repeal of ciau.se , 0 of die Public- Revenues Act, the Auditoi-General, an independent oil'- . cer, should, he conteuded, audit every . shilling -jf public experdituro. If the Borough Council asked that their ac- ! counts should be audited by the Town Clerk the idea would be scouted. The , principle involved in State expend i- . lure was far greater. He.next rofer- , red to the anomaly presented by the I Ticasurer being the arbiter in disputes over accounts between tho Go- , vernment and the Auditor General. He said that he was the first Leader of the Opposition who had been refused a. place on the Public Amounts Committee, the reason being obvious. lie was too inquisitive. In the ease of money being voted for public parposes there was nothing to prevent the Minister for Public Works spending money voted for New Plymouth in Southland. He knew of instances showing the il'utb of his contention. Was this right? (A voice: No.) These abuses should not be allowed. Nor was ii right that fixed salaries should be altered without Act of I'arliament, as was the case at present. He wanted to give the Auditor General the power lie ought to have, and to place the the control of expenditure where it should bo in the hands of the member:-. Most people thought that mem hers had only to ask for mfoiniatijii to get it but it might be months or even ycais after a return was asked for that. ii was produced. The details of public expenditure up to Miiu-U ;»1 last had not yet been supplied to meinqcs. It laid bjrn kept hick to avoid iitiei.-m by candidates for Paiiiameat, It was '2o monthi after the Mapourika trip look [dace that the details were made known, hast session he moved for a return of the expense of the Lu.d C iinmission, but he could not got it, and he divided the House on the subject, being be:ite:i. Eventually begot Ibe information that those ten men cost the country forty guineas a day, exclusive of secretaries, typewriters, and witnesses, some of the latter being brought long distances. The money was absolute!) thrown away. Two goal men would have done tho work if it wasi.c'essary, but as a matter of fact 111 to was no necessity at all foe the Co amission, which cost over £lu,0;0. wnile €lO would have suliiced to get the information by cir.adar. Ti.c J render had stated tlu Land Comm tssio:i was a stroke of j.e:ianl.sliip.

COUNCIL.. The I'l-l-IIIUT hiHl ,s-,icl fllill ill,! Legislative. Council was u cuUiiworil »l 111,- lories, Inn Hie real f, u .| Wils the I'iemier wns afraid In 1 irusl I ho ! people. If -,.,;,! men h, u | ahvuvs |;,fcii I appointed l,> l|„. Council llierc would '»"• luivr been mi much objection,-hut men had nv,r .„,il ov,-,- ■been appointed to ,tlii- Council -because <ll<\\ ll;nl ll.vn useful In Un, Covi'l-ll-lucnt. ji„| f,„- Uiu g-ood reason that Uiey were useful u, tin, j> L . () ],|.,.. what wv oi.nhi ~to ,|„ „, ls ,„ lliaI . ( , th( , ( oiinril directly representative of tile people. \\liai was want,.;l . was a 1.-.'.m'.si.aivo Council of about :io. Willi a si.v y, ;U ,-.e ..tenure, half of wliuin | .should i-,.ii,-,. periodicallv. Tlu-n in! should have a ,!.q;islali\v I Council of whom we .should be proud. The Council was a revising and an iniiial'i'ii.L,-. body, anil ii believed (he people to see that. I hose win, made | the laws should he elected by lite | people, -lli.il was M,r Maud 111,; lip- I rrm.ic si:i;\ ici; i;ii.w:h. j J'.r M,r-se> ,o„l,-ai!i,l,,d it,,. | VI .- j n.ier's statement that a I'uidic Scr I

vice Board was a sign cf weakness. Those who passed into the service by examination were not a tenth of those receiving appointments, as in the majority of cases ithcy were the outcome of political influence. A system such'as that was entirely wrong, and should be swept away. 11 was fifty years since a lloar<| of. Iliis'kiiwl had been introduced in Kngiand, < h ikl it worked wiil( putting appovntmems outside pi lilical inllueuce. The Premier Hheii in the North had thanked the Creator that i-ln-re were no reigning families ;in this colony, meaning thereby that there were no people so influential, as to be able Heappoint nominees to the public service. If, however, there was one family who had made use of power ill I his way more than any other, it, was that.of the Kight Hon. Hie Premier himself. ISOUKOWIN'CI. The Premier had had a lit of Massey on Hie brain, evidently 'thinking that if lie (the spikes) .ot int«. Parliament he would be troublesome, Lilt he did not succeed in keeping''him out. The iloveiiimenl. had given pledges against further borrowing, bin hail not kept those pledges Kvery time the (lovermiient wanted money (that was about every two years) they went out of the colony to gel it. This should mil 'be. There was plenty of money in the colony, in the dovcrnmeiit Insurance llep.ulmeul, Savings. Hank, and Public Trust. As regards the last named he did not think its funds were usee, as thej ought to li 6. He knew a rase where the Public Trust Ollice hail advanced to a borrower J1.1i;.(lUU at 1J per cent., but it would have 'been much better if that sum hud been split up into a lui'ge number of amounts and lent to different persons. LAND POLICY.. The Premier had slated that he (the speaker) had objected to the compulsory taking of land. It was one ot those half truths cf which the Premier was so fond. What he objected to was rival 'file il'ivmier was practically .Minister of Lands, just as he was Minister of everything else, | and lit could say to anyono : "1 ran going to take your land." What was wanted was that 'due publicity should { he given to all transactions of laud purchase, and ,'ihat aoi opportunity should be given to Parliament, I o review such transactions. The whole prosperity of the colony depended on a successful land policy. The Premier had also stated that Jjie Government had never deviated from the optional system, but unden the Lands for Settlement Act there was no option. Jt was only ,a leaso-in-pcrpcttiity. Ml Massey laid great stress oil the importance of the land policy of any (lovc-nincut. The Pair "liVnl Hill, nhich was brought down-by the l!o----\eriunenl. had not been agreed to, owing to the strenuous opposit ion of the minority. In the first session of last Parliament a Land Bill was brought down, but dropped In the Ldlowing year an amended and up-to-dato Land Hill was demanded by the Opposition, but refused, and all they could get .was a Land Coin-mission His motion of want cf coiilidcnco on Ihe Iftiifl question was 'defeated Eventually the Premier brought-down solutions that iwere ever introduced in Parliament. Practically 'live position was that the (lovernmetif came to Parliament staling they were unable to formulaic a land policy, and asking the House +o do so. loiter-in the session, (luriig the discussion of a Land foe Purchase Hill, a iiiombci had movid an amendment in favour of the freehold, and the Premier had come to him (Mr Massey) next day asking him to vole "against the amendment, so as to save 'live TSill, hut lie 11 lie speaker) refused, as he would not give the Premier the • opportunity of running round ;be country and sl-ating that Air Massey, though ndvocaling the ieehoid. had voted against it. It was necessary in legislating on land matters to .look ."ill years ahead There were many men in Parliament who considered that a U .)'M) i years lease was never intended'to last beyond the life of the tciiM,;, but what was wanted was security d tenure, and (lie oppcrtuoity to purihase the freehold. lie could ,not understand the content knir, of the. sham freeholders, it was unrr.ii- to give the freehold on tlHi present value of their iand which had been improved liv the labour of the tenants, The right course was to takn'i the . original value. The) Opposition wanted live leasehold to remain, but Willi a condition thai Winn the lessee was able to pay for his land he should be ot liberty l<- acquire Die freehold. (ApIplause.) He was glad to see thai ihe people in Taranaki understood the i ueslion. healing with the .several tenures. Mr Massey explained tin details of the three systems, poiivtinj;; out that ,the leaseholder was the poorest ii'-iu. and under the present law never had the oppprlunitv of overtaking the other two kinds of selectors. It was this wrong that the Opposition wished te redress. TIIK Lxoms.

The Premier had ~said I hat tinclose of Sir Harry Atkinson's Adninisi ration wus marked by 17.1100 people leaving' I lie colony, but hail omitted lo sink- tliut 1)000 hail arrived hero at tin- time referred to. Periods of 'depression came oecasionall.v. and these; fluctuations always happened, bill the people n-turni-d when limes improved, lie. hoped that such a lime would never recur. The speaker also dealt ivilh the tpicstion of given al ilii- time referred to. and in connection with the sub ject of hours of labour and pay, lie claimed that it was partly owing to his efforts Hintl the reduced hours -a-ml increased pav of the rnilwavinon 'had been brought about. This showwl I hat there were men in the House who, thmt'gh not silling on the (luvcrntnem benches, had the welfare of !lu- workers quite as much al heart as tin.- Covernment. AKIIITUATIoN AMI CONUUATIOX ACT.

The Premier had s-.iid thai the Opposition had opposed this Hill. This was eonlrary lo fact, ns the lirsl Hill was passed without dissent. In speaking to the amended Hill, he I.Mr Mnssey) had advocated the extension of the provisions of the Aid to Agricultural labourers and others. HOAIiS AND IUUIitIKS. The Premier had not put forward an.\ comprehensive scheme lor road:n- linrUilorks. Thvre was only a ivretehed syslein of , Parliamcnlarv grinds, and it this system was eootinued the n-( t uired roads ami bridges Wotihl not bo provided for the neM liffy, .ream ,Mr, Massify then explained in -dotnil the present sysjem 'of obtaining grunts., laying speeial stress tm the ell'orts of ni'timiliers lo secure grants for their districts bv pulling pressure on. the Premier so Dial his,'supporters .should 'be reelected. Of course, said Mr Mussey, Opposition members could not il'btain grants for their, .districts bv these methods. Continuing. In- said thai so long as such an unsatisfactory system remained, there would he no ihanee ot gelling argent needs atlen-ded In, lb- 'maintained t h«t it was (tie duly of the (iovernnieiil lo road lands before, settlement, 'took place, but, if the settlers had lo do this work then thoy should have the money advanced lo tin m si I .'! per cent.

rKASIOXS AMI A.WMTIKS. [ The whole of i he ■burden of old aye pensions had. said Mi- Massey. -liven placed on Ihe Consolidated Fund. This ui-ijvht be all very well while Ktiod limes Justed, but if a pericd of depression arrived lie., whole li-nam-ial system of the colonv would hurst up. Me believed i„ a national supei innuntinn scheme, al fund for Ihe purpose conlrihuted to he I lie people and subsidised In ihe ',;„- vernuient. Tlie system ol pensions could! not stop short mil il it provided an annuity for every person over -!'>.-> years of age in Ihe colony. The present conditions in ciiniieel ion wilh ihe eranl of old aye pensions required thai applicant must prow their poverty in order In show their eligibility. This was hnniiliatiiij.. Tin- whnlo tiling in it.i present stale wa uiis-njj?int'.cry. and oven (lie I tor

mier 'admitted there must lie «. scheme of providing tor a, national system. rnrc opposition platfoksi. The Opposition wantc-cl to see the education system extended so as le. 'provide for free education from thy primary school to tin; I'nivcrsil y. With regard to native lands, then.'! were six millions of acres now practically lying idle, ami l<t,(>no natives were living an aimless existence 'because Kiev could not deal with their land. At 'the end of last, session a Jlili dealing wit-h this ipieslion was rushed through .rril'hout flix.\ lime for consideration ',of Us fM'OVisions, The natives were deteriorating fast, and it was necessary to do something to stop this. A half dozen KuihHdc men could frame -a measure that iiould place native affairs on a satisfactory footing. Another plank if ( the Opposition was that of securing for Magistrates that they .should not hold ollice at the will of the Miuislvr. hut should lie as independent and secure as Supreme Court Judges, C'OXCLL'SIOX. 'Sedilonisin," said Mr -Massey, "is democracy without liberty." There was far too much interference, by the (iovernment with the liberty of the subject, and especially with the Crown tenants. This was seen in the operation of the Shop Hours lAct, also in the Criminal Code Act, whirl! invvented freedom of speech. If a public man did (the right thing, audi steered in a straight course, what- ncettl hcj care about the remarks of street, corner orators? The law of .libel should be 'brought into line will) the law of England, which made the speaker liable for his words uttered, and not the newspaper for reporting them. The Opposite n stood for ''clean government" and honest administration. There were signs that we were drifting towards Tammanyisni, 'but he hoped the vote of next Wednesday would put a slop to this undesirasj.k;, policy. (Loud /and| continued ap-

plau.se.) QUESTIONS. ' In reply to Mr Tregellis the spcak- ■ ■i' said that between lifty and sixty thousand a year had been received for lands .sold lor, cash, hut what he objected to was thai. Hie money received was "put ■intoj the wrong pot." hi reply to other c|Uostions : illMnssey said that -the. female franchise was instituted before lie entered Parliament, soj that he could nut have opposed it. Wit'hl regard to State Kiro Insurance, lie considered the Xir.O.dOO set apart for this purpose would have 'been 'better used on roads and ■bridges. As to whether he M'oposed ,i decrease of five usual 'allowance pel' box of butler, 'he pointed out that a private member could not do so. llu had not opposed Iho imposition of an additional Is on passengers landed at the breakwater, but had merely drawn the attention of the. Minister of Marine to thc( proposed increase, and Iho 'by-law had been disallowed, lie now understood I lint the money was to' 'be used for construction purposes, and he was jtiitc in favour of thai, course. In n-ply to Air <!ovull as lo which candidate Ire considered 'lrest supported the Opposition policy, Mr Musscy advised the people to Voto [or his friend, Mr Okoy. VOTK OK THANKS. .Mr W. li. Webster moved a hearty vote o( thank's to Mr Massey for his very able address, and confidence in ill.' Opposition. The motion was seconded liv Air .1 onus (Moknii), and eiii-riid with acdi,imvtUnv. Mr MasSC2 w (iciug greeted with' loud cheers as iic- rose lo propose, a vole <>( thanks Hi the .Mayor.