THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 282, 23 November 1908, Page 2

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

WiEMllill'S ItEI'LY TO Ml!. MASSEY. ' NOME HOME TRUTHS. Uy Telegraph.-I'ress Association. Wellington, Las,l Xight. 1 lie statements by .Mr. Masscy dkii:t I In' course U | |ii s speech at VUiivanul were replied tu by tin; Prime Minister in 111] interview 1.i.il night. Sir Joseph described some.' of Mr. Masscy's utterances as in many respects extraordinary. -Mr. Massey, lie slid, hail tjuilt; surpassed himself iu making MISLEADING SUGGESTION'S, W'hieh, to say tin* least, were in some instances very unlair. According 1,0 him, tile Opposition was stronger than ever, and the Government majority had 1)P0U reduced. The real laet was that tlie total votes east, for the Government

throughout the Dominion amounted to £!4,052, or 134 per cent. 111010 than those east for the Opposition, w.hiell numbered 102,14 a. Courtesy did not permit him to call by its proper inline Mr. -Massey's oil-repeated cry of "SPOILS TO THE VICTIMS." It was well known that the Government hail consistently looked after the general requirements of all portions of the Dominion, and it was signilicanl' .Mr. Massey did not give a single instance ill verification of I In- reckless charge he made, lie pointed to ■Mli. MASSKY'S opposition to Sir John McKcnzie when the latter fought the large lauded monopoly of the country, and again called attention to Mr. Massev's inconsistency and insincerity in urging a nou-liorrowing policy when at the same time lie voted for loans for public works expenditure l'cgunot mismanaged the Agricultural Department. because 110 such department was ill existence at the time when they were iu power. To the repetition of THE DKKAKY CI!Y that the Government lnul 110 policy, Sir Joseph pointed to the three most important features outlined 111 his Palmerston North speech, namely, the Land Settlement Finance, the National .Annuities, and the Post Audit Hills, /ill of which have now been endorsed by the country and will be passed into law next session. Answering the suggestion that there had been improper appointments to

THE CIVU. SERVICE. Sir Joseph said this was a ludicrous misstatement. The Civil Service Act was never mure strictly administered than now. and llic services were open to the poorest, man's .sons in the land. The Conservatives in the past eo-.ifincd it to those of the privileged class. NATIVE LANDS. To the charge that the Native land Commission had (lone nothing, Sir ■Joseph answered that it liad carefully investigated thousands of areas of native lands and had' set apart one million acres for European settlement, which, when surveyed, would be available within six or twelve months. Mr. Massev talked vaguely about individualising 'without appreciating the difficulties which hail Imtlled successive Coyernments for thirty years. Mr. Masseys claim to having set up the Councils ot Conciliation was, perhaps, the coolest piece of POLITICAL AUDACITY he had vet attempted, for lie had no more to do with this than he had to do with the passing of the Old-age Tensions Act. The only purpose the Government had in passing the Second liallot Act was to promote the basic principle ol the democracy (hat the majority should he represented and the majority should rule. It was to meet Mr. Massey's suggestion that Ministers would occupy the interval between the tirst and second ballots by interfering in the eleo--1 ions that what was known as the "gag" clause was introduced. It was abandoned, and now Mr. Massey showed himself to'be the first offender in interfering, though he (the Premier) had consistently refused to speak at second ballot contests. It was exceedingly UNFAIR PARTY TACTICS

to attempt to embitter timber-workers by declaring that the Government hail subsidised a ship to bring timber to New Zealand. The steamers coming to New Zealand were subsidised entirely by Canada. Those going from the Dominion were subsidised so as to benefit our farmers. The cost of timber was so high that men or small means could not build homes, and he proposed to set up a commission to enquire into the whole timber question. This would enable the Government to find a remedy. Me fully recognised that our sawmillmg inilustrv should be helped legitimately, lie wmikl prefer to go out of public life altogether rather than resort to the dirty methods of fighting elections such as Mr. Massey had suggested the Government bad adopted. DAMAGING OUR CREDIT.

It was unfortunate that the same regrettable statements suggesting weakness in our financial position had again been made bv the Opposition. Certaiiii\ it was not the fault of the Opposition that they had not succeeded in weakening our position, for »ome of them had tried hard enough to do it by suggestion, innuendo, accusation, and misrepiesentation.