WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS DONE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 135, 29 November 1911, Page 5

WHAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS DONE.

Sir Joseph Ward, speaking at Hawera, said he wondered if they realised all the bunkum that was being talked in reference to what the Government, «,s a party, had. done, especially in connection with the settlement of the land. He pointedly referred to the cry of the Opposition for the freehold. But did they not know that there were eight different tenures under which a man could get land, and one of those tenures was the optional tenure of the free hold. (Applause.) , He showed that under the Government's land policy 150,000 more souls had been put upon the land during the tenure <of office of the Liberal. Government, and during the five years that he had ;been in office he had placed some 33,000 people on the land, a larger num.fcer than any predecessors had put on in the same length of time. (Applause.) The Government had given every- facility to enable the people to get on to the land.

VOTES FOR BRIDGES. A lot had been, heard about votes for roads and' bridges, particularly as to. money voted not being expended, but he explained that under the system of Parliamentary votes it was often not possible to spend,, money within the year during which it was voted. To do so it would mean that money voted, say, in September, would have to be spent by the March 31 following, and then expenditure would come to a full-stop. When they took a vote for roads and bridges, it had to be so used as> to carry them on until September in the following year. He claimed that more" had been done during the five years he had held the Premiership to help the settlers with roads and bridges than had ever been done before in the history of the Dominion, and yet the Opposition werfc complaining. THE HUMANITARIAN LEGISL^TieST'---'

Continuing Sir Joseph ,asked his audience to remember the benefits that had been conferred upon the people by the' present administration. Sir Joseph meotiond that the Government were helping the settler with cheap money and cheap railway carriage; the giving of pensions (to widows and their children to the extent of 7s Od and helping iflhe mothers by giving them a maternity fee of £O. (Applause.) In reference to the last-named, Sir Joseph said no such benefits had ever been before granted the women, and would stand right out in comparison with any other country in the world. While their Opposition friends had been talking the Government had been doing. (Applause.) He also referred to the splendid work done by the Government in the direction of the 'preservation of infant life, remarking that as the result of these, measures 10,000 infant lives had been saved. He spoke of the benefits which ft child received until 21 years, and when' that age was reached it w«* an asset to the people of £3OO. Sir Joseph touched on the assistance given to people desiring to get on the laud through the medium ol co-operative banks. Under this measure a ianncr with <i family could also get capital to enoible him to obtain a farm for himself, getting the money at 5 per cent., a cheaper rate than he could obtain either from a, pri-vate-firm or banking institution. Waa that not good work for the fanners. hear.) Then, again, the Government were doing much for the farmers under the Land for Settlement Finance Act. .- THE SINKING FUND.

The Government were helping the pco* pie in the direction of providing a sinking fund for the whole of their existing future loans, which fund would be lent out to farmers and others, and so become a, permanent investment. It was, therefore, absurd for the Opposition Party to talk about future treasurers seizing the money. The (result of this sinking fund would mean that in ten years' time some seven millions of money would have been lent to farmers and others.

THE DAIRY REGULATIONS. He criticised the statements that Jmd been made concerning the much-abused dairying regulations, and warmly defended the Government's proposals • which were really for the betterment of the farmer, in assisting to oibtoin for him better .returns and higher prices for his produce, just as the grading regulations had done. THE PREMIER AND THE MAORIS. Speaking after the Premier's meeting at Hawera, the Rev. Mr. Haddon desired ' to thank iSr Joseph Ward and the Government for what they had done for the Maoris and for what they proposed to do for the future -welfare of the native people of this country. They believed this to be God's own country and they hoped the Maoris would be God's own people. (Applause.) The Premier was their friend, and though differing in color they had the same heart and soul. Iho Maoris desired to live as true British subjects under the glorious Hag of the Empire (Applause and cheers.) They loved the Premier and they trusted his Government. Kia ora! Kiora' (Loud applause.) The Premier thanked the meeting for its sympathy cw i the Rev. Mr. Haddon for his kind remarks, which were much appreciated.