POLITICAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 129, 22 November 1911, Page 7

POLITICAL

MR. DIVE AT WAREA. Mr. B. Dive, the Reform Party candidate for the Egmont electorate, addressed a meeting of about CO electors j in the Warea Hall on Monday evening. | Mr. Dive, who was in a new district, as that portion of his electorate belonged to Taranaki when he contested the seat three years ago, was greeted with applause, and was frequently applauded throughout his address, which occupied an hour and twenty minutes. Mr. J. W. Burgess, who presided, 111 his opening remarks, stilted that he found it a very pleasant task introducing Mr. Dive, whom he had known intimately for the past three or four years. He knew him to be a most intelligent man, and one who thoroughly understood dairying from start to finish. He pointed out that as a dairyman Mr. Dive had been most successful. He also referred to Mr. Dive's success as chairman of the Eltham Dairy Company, also in connection with the Freezing Works and Egmont Box Company. The latter, indeed, owed its existence to Mr. Dive, and for that act alone lie deserved the thanks of dairy farmers. Mr. Dive first returned thanks to the chairman for his complimentary remarks. He was asking their suffrages for the coming election. Admittedly this was a new part of the district, and the bulk of the people were strangers to him, but he was exceedingly pleased to meet so, many at this meeting. He apologised to the Puniho settlers for the misunderstanding that had arisen there over the hour of meeting, which, he explained, was due to 110 fault of his own. He did not intend to deal with much legislation that had been passed during the present Parliament, because during the recess he had given an account of his stewardship, but he would deal witli THE MALADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT. Any references to his opponent, the Hon. Thos. Mackenzie, must not be taken as personal, but as political. He had got the credit last election of having fought an honorable fight, and, win or lose, he hoped to deserve the same credit this time. In his opinion, the elections throughout the whole of New Zealand this year would be more intereating and exciting that at any time during the previous 20 years. His reasons for this belief were, firstly, that the Opposition this year had candidates contesting practically every electorate; and, second, and more important, Opposition and Labor had clasped hands. All had seen the utterances lately of Mr. Mack, the Labor candidate for Parnell, who said the last link between Labor and the Government had snapped. Another Laborite had said :"Let us give Massey a show. Give him a new broom and sweep the stable clean." (Applause). Mr. Reardon, Labor candidate for the Hutt scat, had also spoken in the same strain. The general impression in Wellington was that the Government was going out of power by a small majority. CHIEFLY PERSONAL.

The chairman had referred to his pub- | lie career, so lie (Mr. Dive) would only refer briefly to this. He was one of the first advocates of the National Dairy Association. Sixteen or seventeen years ago this was practically dead. Through j the instrumentality of Messrs Harkness, j Foreman and the speaker, it had been renovated, and through the policy lie advocated being adopted, it had indentd effected a great saving to iariuers generally. lie had also advocated through the Association farmers owning their own freezing works, and, after much work, this was accomplished. He also referred to the saving caused to fanners by the Box Company, which was too well known to need recapitulating. There was, however, one other project that he wan suggesting through the medium of the Box Company, ami that was the establishing of manure depots in TaranaUi. Oood manuring was absolutely essential to TaranaUi, and to attain this end it was necessary that they should have depots where manures could be analysed, and also where samples of soil could be analysed to see what manure would produce the best results. This, he felt certain, would come in the near future. He was not only seeking the suffrages I of the fanners, ir.it of all classes of the community, and whoever represented them should lie the one who looked best [ after their interests. He pointed out that whether he won or lost the fight ' his interests were in Tarauaki. and he | intended to stay here and devote his i time to those interests. Could the . same be said of his opponent'; THE RAILWAY. The Minister of Public Works had given utterance to the statement that if they wanted the railway they must not return Opposition members, and what inference could he drawn from that? It was also most important to note that this railway was not on the authorisation list, whereas some which were in barren country and should not be made were. Some leading Covernment supporters were going round—he did not infer with the knowledge of bin opponent—and saying: "You should vote for Mackenzie. You will lie foolish if you do not if von want the railway." He (Mr. Dive) considered that if these sentiments were inculcated their principles would be forfeited for the sake of gain. Could honest administration therefore be expected? Hon, <■. Fowlds. on leaving the .Ministry, had stated that all sorts of people were attracted to the party in power in the hope of gain and not becan-e of principle, anil these remarks bore that out. THE AriHlCn/rcriAL DEPARTMENT.

Candidly, lio admitted that liis opponent, as Minister of Agriculture, was tinbest man they liad had in that Department. lie referred to the articles in tile Dairyman that urged the Minister In give up talking and get doing. He said emphatically that the Agricultural Depart incut- was lagging In-hind the Taranaki farmers, who led the whole ot \ew Zealand. What had I he Agricultural 1), partincnt done tin* the. farmers? Had i( improved their financial position? Cow-testing and pasteurising was indulged in privately long before the Department, took it up. The National Dairy Association had got tired of (!overnmeiit promises to send a man home to look at'lir their interests and had sent a man home three years ago. At the opening of the Kanpokonui dairv factory he had thrown out, a suggestion that a man should he sent home. This was promised to he laid before Cabinet, and, as a. result, a man had been sent, lie admitted that, finding new markets took time, as it was necessary to reciprocate, but what had the Agricultural Department- done so far? packs it:om the past. Mr. Mackenzie was now speaking in high terms of Taranaki as a place where he would have opportunities of and facilities for carrying out I he work of the 1 i : "! v.-:. !■ .<] In* said before he had anv intention of contest in;; this seat? Talking in connection with borrowing, the lion. T. Mackenzie said: "What had kept Taranaki going for the last thirty years, except borrowing? First, it had an army located there; and then it pestered the Government to con-

struct a railway where there was no traffic. Then they started making a harbor where there was 110 prospect of being successful. Borrowing has been the salvation of Taranaki, and it will not send anyone here unless he is pledged up to the hilt. They take responsibilities and then want to be relieved of | them. Borrowing is the sheet anchor jOl Taranaki." If Mr. Mackenzie had had his way they would have had no railway and no luirbor, which everyone must admit were serving a good purpose. Personally, he was tired of looking at the Budget where the Government had promised great assistance to the oil and industry. What assistance had the Government given the latter in the last twenty years, and what support did the Government give the late Mr. E. M. Smith, the man who did so much for Taranaki ironsand? Continuing, Mr. Dive said that Hon. Thos. Mackenzie was at one time tlio strongest Opposition member in the House, and the most bitter. His opinion of the Ministry shortly before he joined it was that "we have a Government just I now which may bo one thing to-day and another tiling to-morrow. Freetraders to-day and proteetionists tomorrow. Land nationalisers to-day and freeholders to-morrow; and I say that j those, who support the present Ministry ! are not supposed to be thinking men at all." Then, again, eighteen months before lie joined the Ministry, referring tn the Land Endowment policy, Mr. Mackenzie said that it was largely aßwill-of-the-wisp. It was largely an effervescent drink, in which the Hon. G. Fowlds was the soda, Mr, Laurenson the acid and Mr. McNali the water; and that 1 'cept for the fact that it threatened ■ interfere with the prosperity of the tier and the opening up of unused ■ mtry could be looked upon with indifference. Yet the same gentleman now supported this Government which j kept back settlement. The speaker - stated that so far from the Hon. Thos. Mackenzie choosing Taranaki because it was a good distiict from an agricultural point of view, the electors were merely being made use of as pawns, because he had it on good authority that it was ' originally intended that Sir. J. G. Findlav should contest this seat, but, finding his chances hopeless, he had gone to Parncll. THE GOVERNMENT CRITICISED. He next dealt with the Government during the past three years. He gave them credit for some splendid legislation, but not for good administration. 'Three years ago Sir Joseph Ward had pro- ! mised to place a dairy school a Pal- j merston North in conjunction with the National Dairy Association, but that j was as far as it got. The Local Go- | vernment Bill asked for for many years ! had been promised each session, but so far had not been seen. The backblocks | settlers had been told in 1908 that j £250,000 per annum wouid be spent for four years in loading the backblocks. So far, however, .£700,000 had been I voted and £400,000 spent. . This was a I Ministry whose heart bled for the backblocker and professed to be the work- J ing man's friend. Had the promise been kept employment would have been found for many men, and more settlers I would have had access to their homes. ', He instances several cases of hardship on this account. Thus out of three ' promises only otie had been kept, and j that only partially. Referring to'Taranaki, what had the | Government done? Seventy-four thou- | sand pounds had been voted for roads | and bridges and only £30,000 spent, j They were told that the Opunake line j would be one of the best paying. AYhv ' was it not done? (Voice: They don't know the route). If from a political standpoint they not only penalised their opponents but also their own supporters, and he considered that in such circumstances the man who would turn round and kiss the hand of the Minister was not a true Britisher. These, were but a few illustrations of the "great backdown Government," which was an appropriate name. Referring to the land policy, he stated (lint during his three years in Parliament tlio Government had brought down three Land Bjlls. Tt was amusing to read them.. They, were as different as cheese from duilk. and ail had been shelved. He also illustrated the back-down the Government had made over the Native Township Bill in response, to indignation meetings helds at Taumnrumii. and he also stated that he had endeavored to have all native townships included (not only those on the Main Trunk line), hut was defeated. Government Ilouse. Auckland, was also referred to as a case of back-down. The Government should have stuck to its guns, as one Government House was enough for New Zealand,

RAD MANAGEMENT. lie referred to the way the public were deceived over the public service, and said that three years ago the premier had declared that ,1250.000 a year could he saVed in that connection. That declaration, being made on the eve of last election, could only have been made to catch votes, because the expenditure on the service was still mounting up. 1 lien tlicy were told bv the Premier that the railways were paying per cent. Hi l himself had compiled a return on a x /. per cent, basis that t[icy were losing t'107.000. A few months after the Hon. Mr. Millar became Minister of Railways, lie declared that the railways were not, naying. but losing £220.000' a year. Other instances of bad administration were adduced, notably the TTutt railway deviation, which, with the new road, was estimated to cost fJffO.OOO, but the expenditure had risen to £:sn.">,000. part of which had to be borne by the city of Wellington and adjoining local bodies. Tlie candidate also declared that whereas certain railway duplications had been estimated to cost, 1:2.>0.000, the total expenditure had run ' into €700.000. If the engineers bad misled the Government they should have been got rid of, but if it were bad management 011 the part of their Government the electors should do their duty and turn the Cabinet out. Three years ago I he Minister for Public 'Works had decided to mend, or end, the Kgmont. branch line, wlii.di it was intended |should supply the local bodies with cheaji metal, in |!)0!l CSOOO was voted for the line and rinly C-105 was spent. Next year €15.000 was voted and onlv CSDO spent. For this year £ 15.000 had been voted, and it remained |o lie seen how much would In- expended, lie was so dissatisfied with the mismanagement that he moved that the vote be reduced CIO. 'MY. Mackenzie admitted the bad management, so lliey were condemned out of their own mouth. He said he would give (hem one or two illustrations of the Government's altitude towards the working man. Tlicv would find that the £."500 to CIOOO' a year man had had increases from £2."> to €SO a year, but the man with ,-ClaO to £2OO had to be content with small rises in rare instances. Then look at the way the Government had spoilt money in connection with the commission 011 which Sir Robert, Stout, was engaged. The Chief Justice had a salarv off 2000 a year, but for being identified with that commission received an additional about £!)!!(! of which was for travelling expenses, and Mr. Ngata also got £]!>oo. The Taxation Department and the Cook Island administration were bad. In fact, whatever the light of day shone on would not stand the rays. Ho had been deputed to find out what bad been caved the

1 country by retrenchment, but bethought . the number that lisid been dismissed counterbalanced the number that , had been taken on. and he could find very 1 little saving. , INCREASE IX COST OF ADJJINIS- ; i TRATION. ITe referred to the great increase in the permanent and annual appropriations, pointing out that whereas in 190S they were permanent £3,128,000, and annual £5.010,000. they had gone up by leaps and bounds, until in 1!)11-12 they were respectively ,1:3,800,000 and over six millions. In the last two years the total had increased by £1,000,000, or over £1 per head. This was growing at too great a ratio, and it was only a matter of time, not very long, either, before they would be brought up with a round turn and bard times ensue, and he wanted to see everyone prosperous and smiling. MOKAU LAND AFFAIRS. lie referred briefly to the Mokau lands. He had had the honor of sitting on this enquiry, and had never seen anything put through so easily as far as the Government were concerned. In fact, the only people the speculator had trouble with was in getting the natives to accept their terms. He outlined the transaction, lie was pleased the land was to be cut up and settled, as it had retarded North Taranaki for many years, but regretted the Government had not acquired the land, as the prospectj ive settler would probably have to pay | twice or three times more tlian he I would have done. He also commented adversely on Mr. Bowler's appointment as trustee, while chairman of the Native Land Court. He criticised the purchase of the Nai Nai Valley estate for workmen's homes, in opposition to the Valuator's reports. CROWN SUITS ACT. ! He considered the Crown Suits Act was iniquitous, and should be repealed. An individual should have the right to sue the Government without first getting the consent, of the Minister in charge of that Department. I DEFENCE MATTERS. In regard to defence matters, he said that when he had entered the House he was averse to anything in the way of compulsion, but believed that cadets and volunteers should be encouraged. Since being in the House he had studied the matter, and it had come home to him forcibly that some form of defence was necessary. Australia and New Zealand j were sparsely populated, and were withi ill a few days' sail of the tliickly popu- : 1 lated Eastern nations. An adequate I scheme of defence was compulsory. It j should be done carefully, otherwise it I might create a burden. If administered j judiciously it would not be a hardship, but would be beneficial to the young men as a whole. He regretted, however, that a clause had not been inserted in the Act giving any man tried by court- | martial the right to appeal in the civil | courts. It would be better if some form of redress had been provided. j i STATE ADVANCES. J He had supported the State Guaranteed Advances Act because he considered I it to be a very good one, though, un- ■; fortunately, by passing that Bill the Government had repealed the Loans to , Local Bodies Act. He regretted this, j because it was one of the best measures ever enacted for local bodies or small | boroughs, enabling them to borrow at | 3'/ 2 per cent., including sinking, fund, whereas now they would have to pay j 4% per cent. ! MR. MAS SKY'S INITIATIVE. It had, lie said, been stated that Mr. Massev had not put any important Bill on the Statutes. He would defy any private member to put, through any but a private or local .Mill. Every public Bill had to go through the Minister, and so became a Government Bill. RAILWAY EMPLOYEES. The iv.ilway employees had been seething with discontent during the last three years, and yet the Government had only enquired into the matter five weeks ago. Why lutd they done this? .Merely to keep the men sweet, but he [was afraid they had overstepped the hounds.

LICENSING QUESTION. Dealing with the licensing question the candidate explained that at the last election he had advocated Dominion option. hi the second session of Parliament a V.iM was brought down containing two separate issues, local option ami Dominion option, with a three-fifths majority in both c(ises. On tlie local option he had voted for the three-liftna but, on the Dominion option for 55 per cent., but unfortunately tlie amendment was defeated. That was the attitude he took up then, and if he had the opportunity of voting 011 the question again he would vote for 55 per cent, on Dominion option, but was not prepared to alter the three-fifths on local option, as he considered that the No-License Party had fought hard to gain the victories they had, and he, would give the other side as hard a task to get them back. DF.P.T EXTINCTION. ITc had voted, in favfo- of the Debt Extinction Pill, -lie believed in the principle but thought at the same time it was a fallacy. as when they borrowed again they would have to borrow that much more to enable the £150.(100 to be put away annualjy.- -The Opposition Party wanted u clause inserted to secure this sinking fund, and they had good reason for this, because on 'one occasion a sinking fund had been raised for a specific purpose and the Government had seized it. DETAILS OF LOANS. lie referred to the manner in which the. Government withheld information from the people and the people's representatives with respect to the costs of raising loans, and the fact that a proposal whereby this information should be laid before the Douse within twelve months of the raising of the loan was defeated, and a proposal extending the period to two years met with a similar result. This was a nice position for a country to be in. They were told by the Government (hat (he information was not (0 hand, but (his he characterised as mere ((nibbling, lor how were they to know what amount was available if (hey did not know the cost of raising (lie loan? KFI-'OUM PAUTY'S PLATFORM. Tie outlined the Iteform Party's platform, which Was not that of one man, but of (-very member of the party. He supported the Opposition's land policy, which gave every man, rich or poor, a chance to get, the fret-hold, lie favored limited areas and the prevention of reaggregation of estates. Native lands should be thrown open. He knew of large (racts of native land which were now being roaded and in one 01- two cases had railways, for which the whites paid whilst the natives benefited. The natives should be treated fairly, not as children, and certainly not pampered at (he expense of the whites. Both Hr. Okey and himself had worked hard to place (he ISSI lessees under the West ( oas| SV!'! ■::,'!!( |; '.it. r ,„ n 1( , footing a< the 1 S!)2 le.-sccs, Tlicv had been nimble io do so, but had got improvements allowed up to :C5, and had also had defined what, were to be called improvements. Last year he had moved to have inserted in the Native Lands i Act a clause that would have bettered the position of the lessees, but he was

defeated, niul the strange part was that among those who voted for the, clause ' was the Hon. Tlios. Mackenzie. He did ! not like to snv so, but he thought that gentleman would not have voted against the Clovernment on that question only that he was likely to be a candidate fur the Egmont scat, where there were a number of lessees. The Opposition contended that the Upper "Mouse should be elective. Members in the Upper House had as much say with the framing of laws (except money Bills) as did those in the Lower Jin use, and in a democratic country like this they should be elected by the people instead of, as at present, being plaml in position at the will of one man. In regard to the Civil Service he would like to see an improvement in the method of appointment. He was often asked to prove that there was favoritism. He could not prove it, but was quite satisfied it was going on. He favored the industrial and social legislation contained in the platform, including the reform of the 'financial system and keeping borrowing within reasonable limits, reform of the fiscal system by reducing taxation on necessaries and so reducing cost of living, and also a scheme of insurance for workers against sickness and non-em-plovment. He felt certain if they digested the policy carefully all would approve of it. NEVER TO SURRENDER. In conclusion lie, pointed out that on two previous occasions outsiders bad tried unsuccessfully to capture Taranaki seats. Tarnnaki's war cry was "Never to surrender!" That was liis, and lie asked them all at the election on. December 7 to assist him in repelling the invader. lie resumed bis seat admist applause. QUESTIONS. "Mr. Corbett asked whether, in view of the diversity of opinion in regard to the Opunake railway route, on the. other side of the Mountain, would he be in favor of bringing it to New Plymouth instead.—'Mr. Dive said he would not agree to that. He thought the Government should send someone competent to report on the best route, and put the railway there. He concluded, from a remark passed, that Hon. R. McKenzie lookod upon the route through the present reserve as the right and proper one to take. ■ In reply to further questions, be explained the. meaning of appropriation. He also said that he wished to be candid that the Government had done a good deal for the farmers. but the fanners had taken the initiaiivi\ Iti i j ;■;! to it emanated from Taranaki lliat, the grade should be final belweeu Inner am! -filer. lie did not think that any judge's salary should lie reduced, lie thought that the results of the Iline enquiry h:;d justified the expense. Six charges were proved out of ten. and the final finding was that "Parliament should pass legislation to prevent similar occurrences in the future. This alone was worth the money, although lie was not prepared to say they got money's value for it. He was not in favor of reducing the four years' grace if Dominion no-license were carried. On the motion of Mr. Revell, seconded by Mr. O.rav, a hearty vote of thanks was unanimously passed to Mr. Dive for his address, and also a vote of conlidence in him as their representative. A vote of thanks to the chair concluded the meeting.