The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19. MONDAY NIGHT'S PROCEEDINGS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81848, 19 September 1906, Page 2

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19. MONDAY NIGHT'S PROCEEDINGS.

Every comtniinty has ;i big rcsprct for a pubiic man win. has the courage i>l his cunvictiiins, is conscientious, disinterested, and a worker in tin 1 cause »f the common weal. It was nut surprising Uurolcre to see the people turn out as they did at Now Plymouth on Monday night and pay honour to one who has cheerfully ghen his time, experience, and service general y to Northern Taranaki for the past decade or two. We, of course, refer to Mi Okey, who must have fe't gratifiod the who e hearted compliment paid him, not on'y by his fellow-sett'ers, but also bv the leading members of the political party on whose side he has ranged himself, and in whc.se interests he stood at the last election. The proceedings were successful in every way, and if he ever had any doubt as to what people thought of his public services, Mr Okey must have had that doubt completely dissipated by the nature of the proceedings on the occasion in question. * * * *

Most people were under the impreSion that Mr Massey would take advantage of the occasion to make a po.itical pronouncement—to, as it were, outline the Opposition policy of the future, and no doubt this im pression contributed in a large measure to the interest taken in the 'presentation ceremony. But Mr Massey gave his auditors to understand very soon that he was not there on such a mission. But though his was not a policy speech. Mr Massey delved into political matters of moment, and took occasion to criticise in vigorous terms the deeds and misdeeds of the Government. lie admitted that tlw Opposition had been badly beaten last e'ection—"by better organisation and by promises of the expenditurd of public monev," but the beating was not taken lying down, and next election he believed | the Opposition would have a much I better organisation.

* * # * There is no doubt that Sir Joseph Ward made a wis e move when he incorporated in his policy planks that had bum steadfastly 'advocated bv the Opposition, viz., the p'acing of the accounts of all the Departments of Siate under the control of the Government Auditor and the maintenance of roads out of revenue instead of our of the Public Works 1- und; and it was not surprising that Mr Massey should have seized upon these points and driven them home. The Leader of the Opposition had the meeting with him over his criticism? of the land proposals. Taranaki, more p i haps than any otlnr province, knows the value of a system cf tenure that admi:s of a settler acquiring the freehold. lo the man of spirit and independence, the tinw jjniposals are not at all alluring, aS we nave before pointed out, and a radical change will need to be matje in the provisions of the Bill before they mpet (vi|h the acceptance of of those faking lip Isnd jor sett'ement. By all means let ijs have limitation of freehold, but encourage the small man to get the best resets from the land by giving him the opportunity of making the land his OWI,,

Mr Masskv ;/lluded to the likelihood of the land funds of th* local liar bour Board being interfered with by the cpeiation of a clause in the Land JJ'li 111 connection with the National Endowment Account, but assured the meetujg that the Opposition would not stand I)}' .and any injustice done either to Taranaki of apy other part of tlie coJony. \\e don't believe the framcrs of the Hill would wittingly commit any injustice in the way referred to, and no doubt an alteiation in the clause in question will I)'- made if ihe measure ever becomes law. The Land liill is sure to be eon s idei ab'.y mang et[ before it leuv s the commuter stage;, and the indie,l tions are that the measure will see the Statute Book this session. There was little in the remainder of I\lr Massey's speech that we have not heard b-'fore, The future policy of the Opposition, ~s Ite outlined it, would cojiie well 1 Irorii any patriot, whether a Goyernmeni or Opposition supporter. They wanted to see the country governed honestly, lie wflfd. I'hey wanted to see both branches of the Legislature made more directly representative of the people. The}' wanted to s«e Civil servants appointed on account of mriu litijcss and not by political inllueiKC. They waijted to see the native lands settled and occupied partly by the whites sad pan'y hy 'ije Jl(itoii.\ and the Maoris nilsed to a much higher j»lanv of rivi.'isation than appeared (0 |;e possible under the present sysujm. And who doesn't? The community is doubtless the more enlightened on some of the political subjects since healing the speeches on Monday night and reading the reports of the same, and for their .c.ldrsses Mr Mr Massey and his colleagues deer\e the taanks ol the public, for it is only by hearing and weighing the arguments of both sides that oiv' can ascertain the true proportions of things political, and sift the chaff from Ihe grain—that is, providing one uses a sufficiently strong micro scope.