POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 117, 8 November 1911, Page 7

POLITICAL.

J • THE EGMONT SEAT. , 110 X. T. .MACKENZIE AT RAIIOTU. I T]io lion. T. Mackenzie continued his I ]K)litioal campaign by addressing the electors of liahotu on Saturday evening. Di spite very unfavorable conditions there was an attendance of about 120. ! Mr. \V. U. Wright presided, and in introj diicing the speaker, referred to Mr. Mackenzie's lengthy coniK'ction with public jaD'air-. particularly the time that he hafi j jpent in London as the representative of I several large \"c\v Zealand farmers 1 ' cooperative associations. This aspect of his caret r was perhaps not .so well known in the colony, but he did great work there on behalf of the farmers in soiling their produce- and looking after their interests in that great metropolis. He (the speaker) was informed many years ago by one who had lieen Home that a. London merchant of high standing had paid a very high tribute to Mr. Mackenzie's business acumen, affirming that if that was the stamp of man the coloniis produced, there was no fear as to the future of the country. Mr. Mackenzie had a* tvery cordial reception and'doaH with various political questions on similar lines to his Eltham speech. lie traversed the remarks made! by the Lcadir of the Opposition. REPLY" TO MR. MASSEY. I Among other things he said that Mr. I Massey in his speech at Manaia had] stated* that he entirely disapproved of. canvassing. So did the speaker, but ' what had -Mr. Mast-ey been doing in this electorate? Was he not canvassing? Since the present Prime Minister had taken the reins of office, who had been j the lir-t on the occasions, of by-elections j to do this canvassing? Why, the Leader' of the Opposition and his friends! Take the Rangitikei bv-clecton. Ministers did not go near the electorate until after Mr. Massey and those associated with! him began to lake part in the contest. On (hat occasion Mr. Massey hud made a tacticail blunder, and he had been guilty of a similar blunder in the present instance. Who was the first prominent Parliamentarian to do canvassing during the present contest? Mr. Massey! Straight from Parliament lie came and he spuke at Eltham the same night as. the speaker opened his campaign at Ka-, ponga. Mr. Mas-ey having started the hail rolling lie iiiu-t not cry out if tho; I Ministers visited dill'erent centres and did what he had done. THE MOKAi; CHARGES. Referring to the Mokau charges Mr. Mackenzie =aid that the leader of the Opposition hail had largely to abandon, the charge- he made in his Auckland] speech, and those who had read Mr. I llerries' speech in the House the other Week would recognise that it was prac-1 tit-ally an apology for the Leader of the 1 Opposition's action. Partisanship hadbecome, mj intcii-i- that there were those on the other side of the House who were asking for victory even at the cost of vi incite. The report of the special committee that had been set up to invesigate the charges ( a committee acknowledged by even the Opposition to be a non-party committee) showid that ex.-, cept on the lines of the Government's;, statements Mr. Massey's allegations had i failed. The limliiigs of the committee, showed that the a=sTtion that the na-) live owners' interests were not properly] respected was disproved. They were pro-( perly treated. Lib wi-e the statementAir. Massev mad*; regarding the mining areas was'al-o disproved. Indeed they wire mi much in the habit of hearing wild and extravagant assertions that '.they wre being largely discountenanced. Some of the outstanding points of the j Mokau business might be referred to.' First they had to remember the intricate' compliiatiun- of the whole of the trans-1 a.ti. n-: si", omlly. that a price was paid for the land by the present syndicate! J lieumd what the competent valuers sent by the (mverumenit declared tiie land to be worth. Had the Government bought the land at a price higher than what the valuers reported it to be worth' I tin iv would have been a great oU'icryj and the transaction would have formed the ha-i- for charge* against the adminis-'l t rat ion alter the nature of those which | led up to the Hine commission. That notorious case, it would be remembered..' fill to the ground, owing to this fact.! among others, that the Government had' never purchased properties for laud for] settlement purposes unless the same was! unanimously re< ommemlcil by the Ijiml .Purchase Hoard at a price recommended! by the valuers. Mr. Mackenzie said it l rimained to be seen yet whether the pre-1 sent syndicate (the members of which, by the way wire nearly till Oppnsi-' lioili-N) will gel the money out of the' sale of the land that they have put into it. Personally, he did not believe, they j would. A good many syndicates were' in-l 1,0-.-,- tr.vi.ig to unload on the Gov-! eminent, land they had punha-ed from' private person- which they had failed to 1 dispose of owing to not' being able; to I find sallicienl people willing to pay 'Hie absurd prices that they had even v:n-' lured to give. Something ha- hi en ! , achieved that mil.-t benelil the country I in connection with the Mokau Iran--' action. The Government let- -eeiir. d the ! cutting up and roading of tint bhlck.l, .subject to the limitation of area- a- : ijro- j vided for by the land law-. This rnustjbi'j, done within a period of three tears. i)m!' will be accomplished without '. imolvjng ' ■ the country it-., if in any legal Iroiibl.s. !il Had this not h.-eii the case il in.ig.hi hflve rcmaim d tied up for another twentyvia is or more. The whole i|ne>l'm , bristled with legal dill'icultics of.Mi.clj a : - nature as to warrant uiiv Gaverninjnl i,' hesitating to handle it, . . • ! | ' OITUIMt \ITIK-s Rilt INVKSiyiJvtT.' ] Whih tili- subject, he observed thai '. ' I b-v wci-» e.ialiaually hearing- ,t|iat j ' th re were to,, few opportunities '. Be ft I'm- the iiiv-s < n.i-nt of p;-i\aie c.-ijfii all in ' Ihi- fair land of our-, and: i,f <o:l-c-j ' .|ileuee capital v.„s going out of j he | ', cunl.y. aid iiuee-.-Lu-d wa- uiioieil; .-,-' ! a mt in point. The n-a-.m p-..p!e whii : [ lave I-- I. Ij--- "- la'ue .-:'.',■/-. Sew'»'a ■ i | 'end i,..d i.e : b ■ ;,;,! ... -■.-,, (l , ~, o: i! I--;,, ::..■! i:; ' :, :',.>* ■,>■.' die-, " u-i .:■ ~ -eui ;;;.- bind it, ord-r t|i.ii ' [ :c;-h ei-.ili-alion t., t ;„ :il ..,.!\,,. if i!],;J was not ■Io;:e th- r wa- the il.itig. ri of. the Ea-tcru memi ... .lap,,, and ( lipna b were ]ira-tieally at oar d 0:,,--. The j f ■'■'• In 1 ae.aben.. I. a i.l th • h'ltl.-r |i-'' il- ti etning inibiott- i |i::i .oil's to !th"! a.-i- i. il would le a real menace i to! N'-.■■ X-aland and An-'.ialia ■ will, 'llnd,-j.s|i'i--ly popiiial d peoph-. -Tho—'win, ] had gone to Gucci,-daud from here: he ! hep: d would be pro-peron-- a'fl wi-lied them well, and one eonld not be- otiher' than glad that New Zealand had'ibc.i) so prosperous that they had been iihhj to ' accumulate- wealth t'o purchase tljcse j estates. : j Another reason f u r their departure tvas i that, owing to the Government Advaiices ' , to Si ttlcr- and Workers A.-t-feducingl in- ! tere-.t .-harges. they went where tjiey co-.i!,! o'.-.laiu high-r rales „(■ in (~'«>-!.! Jt i was belter that thev shotthl go tli.in'l ! that high rates should prevail here. The I i point he wished to emphasise, however, I was that Mokau provided in opportunity

for investing private capital in the Do minion, and yet the very people win cried ont for such opportunities wen now using it as a peg upon which ti hang allegations against the (lovcni ment. THE LAXD QUESTIONS. Mr. Mackenzie next dealt very full; sI with the land question, lie stated thai - to show how utterly ridiculous was the ;. assertion of the Opposition that the s present administration was a leasehold I. (tovernment. Then' were actually more - members (if Parliament supporting the . i (!ov< rnment who were freeholders than ;• 1 (lure were Opposition members, and J of the latter there were at any rate tw<: f who were pledged to the leasehold. Mr. - Mackenzie emphatically stated that in f (loveniment lv.i.d ever done so much in 1 the settlement of the land and promoting ; the interests of the fanners as the prcs- ; enf administration, and he regretted to - state that in many of the cases those • who now decried the present administrai tion were men who had received their . i-tart in life and done well under this I policy. Did they want to prevent oth- ; ers from receiving the same opportunities as had been given them? lie was glad to say, however, that there were striking and noble exceptions, and it was pleasing to know that in these cases gratitude was not dead. Mr. Mackenzie said that the land policy of the (iovernment was to give, the optional tenure. | and they had largely increased tin's in allowing all to take up land under (lie I Lands for Settlement Finance. Oua.iauI tee Act. This measure provided for. groups of nprn of from five upward* to. acquire blocks'-of land, the (.'overnnienl. ! r larantecing the purchase money, thus i tiding it to be. acquired at the lowest sible rate, and those who took up h land were able to make it their J < it at (he original cost within twenty I years. There, was also a clause that al- ' lowed settlers holding Crown lands unj der the L.I.P. to make this freehold whenever tliey liked at present day values. This was being availed of daily. | Jn those cases where the land had receded in value they secured at less than the original price, where it Itad remained stationary at the original price, and where it bad increased of course they bad to pay more than the original value. .\lr. Massey, when in the district, had endeavored to make his hearers believe that lie (Mr. Mackenzie) was a leaseholder. Xo man bad dealt so ; openly and fearlessly with the land quesI tion as the speaker had done, and anyone at all familiar with his work knew 1 that lie was a strong freeholder. As an advocate of the freehold he had on numerous occasions taken the platform. The method by which Mr. Massey endeavored to show that he was a leaseI holder was bv quoting a division on a I motion moved bv the Leader of the Op- | position, which contained a clause dcalI ing with the freehold. This was not j moved, however, when a Land Hill was i under consideration, and had it been . carried would therefore have had no ell'cct in law. The nit.tion was a want of confidence motion in the Government; and was it likely, he ;uked. that he would vote for a vote of no confidence in the ("loveniment of which be was a lii'i'inbcr. especially as lie knew that the C.overnmeut were bringing down a land measure- that contained a. better and i more generous provision than that emI bodied in Mr.- Massey's motion? In adI dition to what had already been done I by the tiovenitncnf to ibelp settlors i there was further financial assistance under the co-operative banking system. 'Then there was- nearly .Cl.">,6fKl.nOO i that had been raised and distributed in (infer fo help farmers and workers tn gel biddings and homes together ill, the least possible cost, to thcinschx. How many a struggling set Her had this system enabled to pay , oil' mortgages hearing interest from 0 . to 12 per cent. I POLICY OF TIIK COVKRXMEXT. I M". Mackenzie also referred at length to the policy of the Oovci'iimcnl as inI dicated in the Budget, and replied to the allegations of Tiimniiinyisui. He said that .he, had considerable experience, ranging over many years of local body , administration, as well as in the wider , t'uld of Parliament. He paid a tribute • to the good work that was being done I by 'those, fm our loril bodies. Xone | knew betler than lie (he work that this I entailed, and while he was glad to be I able to acknowledge the devotion of \ lliosi' ;who undertook this work, lie | ; could yiv without fear of contradiction i . that never had he sat tit a (able where j j those present tried more conscientiously j to do what was right and just. They may make.,mistakes. They had made ; mistajvcs- -(and who bad not?) —but j thev gave the best that was in them. |. with a .singleness of purpose; and he ; resented", with all the intensify of his I nature statements thai re/lect.ed on (he . piTHoiml.luinor of hini-t"lf and those asI sociated with him. | j In conclusion he thanked tliein fori , their kind and patient hearing, and j j pointed out that it was for the electors to weigh carefully the various matters placed befcue them bv the candidates ' for their suffrages. Theirs was a grave li'spon'sibili'iv not lo be lightly under- j taken, and if he might >iiggcs| lie would 1 sav that ' the lir-t'characteristic to he j taken was'the character of the candi-' date and 111. uhililv to fitly repnsent ! Ilieiu in the (icncral Assembly of the j couit'try.' It was not for him to say i wJioint-hcV considered met (licse reunite- i 'incurs biisit,: That was for the electors I in '.-dy. ■ 'Whatever the result was he wiuldi.remember with pleasure the time ■he^euLsu.eilt.-among them. . .' : i, ; ' OVI'STIOXS. '\fr.L Ildglief asked if Mr. Mackenzie ia.v'onid I he abolition <;f parly govern:hicnr.'''bv' providing an elective execnipicslions on their ..the waste of time and '''miscam'dge's of justice through p.iriy'slViYf; '■■'' ■■, ' , Mr. Mackenzie .aid I hat he would like I to do sil'.' the'ina Iter had been threshed ! "" v 'J'e..A' ,l(H'j)!'y, and time were dilli- I culihs ■ ririlie'wav. The partv svMcni had levuini. an i -labli-bed cu-tom. and i; \\as i:.ir<l' to' linalc awav from il. An | pan ■■. iliei, v.,if. :>' ■niiiub: r of members j i.n.-u i.'i.'.viho'f!.!,?:,.'! v.-.'io faioivd their ! j" 'oi o: \ !.-,v. TV u lh. i e v..i- i he ipii'sii ,"i '"f iciiullirl'iiig 'inli r, sis. Hoe man nie- w.:- a -ii-oii:; fi- , ira ■!. r iiibjlil be lieni-l. mi'j'it also be cho-i n. ; •■• Miird'ttl:) asked,, what miiraof-■ there ■,i\,li- ; t,h.ii..l,lie,,li!i'l.uei. proiui-.- would be i , i ■'': il o-i:. aitv-u,..);V' .tit.i.i : I: ' promise ill t-t villi;, -liiii'.-if e,:;.Vi.lie!', \v:i:i],i be spent i au.iually „n baekblo'k- roads v.,is carried- outi. , -|- ~-... | Mr. Mackenzie replied i lint already smile. of. ...thiVHiiaVcl provisions had passed into law. Mr. Mackenzie also i|i|iuic,(.l: ligiires! Ui'isbuiwi (be large amounts that had been spent in the backblocks ,ilur,i;U.g v l,ti|e -| p i)iHt'id'ew.-years. hi reply to a question as to whether . Ji,?-;ku,*ic />fn>i|i4io!lthcr way of dealing with labor diHic«ltit>s than' by.the Av-'" ,bi>iail jn» llni/.rl.lMi!-.! Mackenzie said 'that the settling of dilVcreneis between work-,m-!jW.van!| >J !¥.tiAlci>j,iivYiis a very difficult' I one. and was lievond hini. , ~\l|P, VMM V-k!'tl„i!';>he roii-idnred that I tins Xative Departnient. was being ail j mluisterrd wil.li; tire ability and energy ] it required. I Mr. Mackenzie.replied that this was a,

~.1 dilticult-dcparlmcnt. for any government i l(i j to manage, lie was not so familiar with ~( , j nativH all'airs as lie hoped to be. lie t„j would point, out, however, that they „ j had now passed n consolidating mea|*ii re, -of which miti-li was hoped, and that there was provision made for the , compulsory acnuirement of native lands l(i [ and for ifiOO.tHK) yearly being devoted l( . to their purchase. „, j Mr. Hugh-am asked if he favored the j ' generalisation of a Bill that had been ~ passed granting the freehold of township ~ sites in unlive .townsliips. n V.V-. Mackenzie believed the freehold ( j should be given. .„ In reply to further ([tiesti-oiis, Mr. Mucr kenzie said that he was not a bare ma- (| jority man, but was willing to go into „ the ([-.u.stion as to whether the margin „ should not be reduced. lb- wan iu favo; " of school committees having more pow- (, ers, as this increased interest in the , schools, which tended for good. He pointed out that, the fact that he was ~ going to the labor and expense of s lighting a strenuous campaign should be a sutlieient answer as to whether he was going to accept the High Coinmis- . sioneiship. He considered that tin' niiiii- , . her of people going to Australia was " due to the fact, that Australia was hav- . ing good seasons, and there was a great , demand for labor and exceptionally high prices were tilling. Labor would always go where the highest wages were. A drought, however, would soon make a , difference. \ On the motion of Mr. ,1. Tjitwn a . hearty vote of thanks was accorded Mr. ' Mackenzie. A vote of thanks to the "chairman terminated what the chairman as'the best meeting ever ' I held in Rahotu.