THE CROAKING POLICY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 159, 26 June 1908, Page 2

THE CROAKING POLICY.

BiSliOl' JULIUS UTILISED. Sill J. G. W'AllD'S AXSWiilt. By Telegraph.—l'ress Association. Greytown, Wednesday. The denunciation of suiue of New ilealanders' supposed characteristics by liishop Juilius and the attempt to create 'political party capital out of t!»i Bisll op's utterances was dealt-with effectively to-niirht. bv the i'rime Minister. Sii

Joseph said that lie saw no reason to j 'suppose that liishop Julius' allusions had reference specially to himself, but 'the fact that one parteiular newspaper was kind enough to say it was intended for him made it necessary to sav a word /or two as to the cause of that journal's appreciation of the Bishop's requarks. Nothing uttered by the Bishop bo distorted into a reflection upon 'the country's linancial stability. WHAT TfiiE I'IUSMJiBIt I'RKACII I'll), i lie (Sir Joseph) had always been a defender of the name and fame Pf New Zealand. He had never preached jingoism nor had he been stupid enough to declare or to believe that New Zealand was the hub of the universe. He had in and out of season 'pointed out that our strength was dependent upon the strong right arm of .the Old Land; that our being an important part of the -British Umpire did not divest us of great responsibilities; 'that we should do Our part t» the best of our ability in recognition of what the Old Country had done and would continue to do for us. (Applause). He hail .strongly advocated an increased naval subsidy, lie lmd everywhere impressed upon the school children of the Dominion the supreme importance of being educated so that when tliev attained to manhood they could, if necessity mihap--1 pily arose, be able to take their part as ' well as equipped and disciplined volun--1 leers to help in the defence of their country.

A FIGURE OF SPEECH. ' As for the Bisiiop's declaration that if New Zealand were blotted out of existence England would go into eight days' mourning and the admiralty would wipe us off tile chart, he did not believe such a view was iield by any Well-wishers of the Empire, either in tin Old Country or in New Zealand, and nc "trusted that in ease it was 'only"a figure of speech. (Hear, hear). He was one of those who sincerely believed that as a portion of the British Empire New Zealand was a most valuable possession and that if by any misfortune a foreign Hag were planted here U would strike more than a feeling of horror into the hearts of men who recognised in the greatness of our Empire in all its parts and possessions that they had something 'worth defending; "yes,' added Sir Joseph., amid loud cheers, "and even so far as the value and repu'tation of New Zealand is confer... something worth boasting about." 'IV I public and private wealth of the Dominion. after deducting the amounts i»>: 'rowed by the Government and other puulie bodies, was £317,438,000—this for ;> 'British dependency 'ever which Biitisii sovereignty was proclaimed in 1840, amto which responsible "Government was only granted in 1851). In l!)0li the value of our imports from the United Kingdom was t'J,oo3,i{2l), while the total was £15,211,403. Our exports in 1000 to the United Kingdom and British possessions amounted to ,€17,175,41 H, the United .States £042,792, and to all other countries .-£203,842.