THE PREMIER IN THE SOUTH.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 137, 5 December 1911, Page 5

THE PREMIER IN THE SOUTH.

| REPLY TO THE OPPOSITION. AST ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING. By Telegraph—Special to News. InvercargiU, Last Night. Sir Joseph Ward addressed a crowded meeting of electors at Oreti on Saturday evening, the schoolhouse being packed ami a number were unable to gain admittance. He spoke for two hours and rwiwved a most attentive bearing, his remarks frequently being punctuated wi.t'!i applausfe. BORROWING—REPLY "i'o MR. MASSKV. Sir Joseph said that just, as lie was coming to the meeting lie had learned that the leader of the Opposition, speaking the previous night, said in reference to borrowing that the Opposition policy was to restrict, but not Id liseontinue, borrowing. He (Mr. Mas-,e.y) thought that New Zealand could safely borrow three or four millions a year.' but the Government had gone too far in borrowing six and a-half millions, which would in ten years build up a national debt of £ 145.000,000. Personally, he (the Prime Minister) was dead against New Zealand borrowing three orfourmillions a year. The implication in Mr. Massey's statement that they were borrowing six and a-half million pounds a year was absolutely unfair, and certainly unjust. He would remind the people that the cause of the large amount borrowed one year was due to two important factors. One was that a portion should have been borrowed the previous year and the other was that the Government were making provision for the payment of £1,250,000 for the Dreadnought. "I will not hear," continued Sir Joseph. "of this country being carried off i'ts feet by the pressure of members of Parliament and borrowing the amount that the leader of the Opposition has declared for.—(Applause).—For the purpose of carrying on the business of railway construction £1,0|00,000 a year is r> much as can be expended, exclusive of what would be required for the carrying' on of the open lines. In a verv few. years, moreover, the amount they were providing to push on roads and bridges would diminish largely because they were reaching the point when the end was in view, and it would not be continue in the same degree as in the past." GOVERNMENT LENDINGS. '"Now," continued Sir Joseph, "when these gentlemen are telling you of our failings do they tell you that during the financial stringency, when the price of money rose, I gave instructions to lend as much as we could? No, but they said that we were short of money because we could not force £2,000,000 into three months. No financial institution could do it. We had to go by degrees. Do the Opposition tell you that last year we lent £2,400,000 at 4y 2 per cent, to settlers to prevent them from paying rates that they should not be called upon to pay? THE OPPOSITION CRITICISED. Sir Joseph proceeded to show the miserable position the Opposition were now in when, after offering objection to the Dreadnought gift when they had the chance, they now ran about the country crying out that the Dreadnought had been given without the consent of Parliament. The Dreadnought cost £150,000 a year, part of which was sinking fund which would extinguish the debt in sixteen years.. The Prime Minister proceeded to dwell upon the curious tactics of the Opposition in asserting-ithat lie'had refused to give detail? of th£, five inillion loan when they knew, as well as he, that details were not availably. Moreover, one member had stated that tlie net return of. the loan was £BO or £OO when he sought to know from "them message read from the speaker than it' was £96 Cs Id. "What reason," said Sir Joseph, "can they have for" straining their pessimism to make tjie country seem financial?" (A voice! ( "To get. your job.") Sir Joseph Ward: "I'thinlc that is true, but the worst qualifications for a man to possess for a iob like mine is to be a pessimist, to wear his courage on his sleeve and talk about the bottom fall-: ing out of the country." A voice: Like Jimmy Allen. Sir Joseph: The Opposition are talk-! ing about my method. Why do not they show me how to raise the loan ? , A voice: Because they can't. Sir Joseph: Let me tell you that the loan was underwritten at exactly the same rate as with other nations of the same standing, and our stocks to-day are as high as any of the Australasian States, with the possible exception of the 4 per cent loan for New South Wales. REPLY TO CRITICISM. Ifo contended tliat since he had been in office the revenue of the Railway Department had gone up over £1,000,000 and the rates-'had riot been increased except for long distances. One of the charges against the Government was, he said, that they had not given advertising to the Dominion. They had never discriminated against the Conservative organ, but because an Opposition paper was started in Wellington, making the third paper there, were they going to give that paper £OOO or £7OO a year? If another Government paper started in Durtwlin as a morning paper, would it be a proper thing to give it that sum because it wan a Government paper? There were forty Government papers that were not on the advertising list. The Government were distributing their advertisements between the two papers of each town. The Prime Minister traversed other Opposition complaints and complained in turn that if asked to show something better they said, "Wait till we get into oflice and we'll show you." "They want you to wait till the day of judgment," said Sir Joseph amid laughter. Mr. Allen had said that if their party had been in power as many years as the Government they would have had just as good a record, but how could that be when they hud opposed legislation that had made for the prosperity of the people? Finally. Sir Joseph Ward said that New Zealand was the only country with a sinking fund for every loan, and the sinking funds could not be taken by a needy Treasurer, as had been said, because the moneys were lent out on mortgage to farmers and workers. He believed that the Government's humanitarian and efficient, legislation had merited the confidence of the people. A GREAT TRIBUTE. At the conclusion of the address, Mr. Joseph Sharp proposed a vote of thanks to the Prime Minister and renewed confidence in him and his administration. In seconding the resolution, Mr. W. Ryan said that after the very .doleful talcs they had been hearing for some time from the Opposition it was very refreshing to hear such an interesting exposition on political subjects from Sir Joseph. He would ask those present to remember that as electors of Awarua they occupied a position belonging to the most envied electorate in New Zealand, as tliev were represented by a man who was recognised as the most brilliant and the ablest statesman in the South-1 ern Hemisphere. (Hear. hear). He felt | sure that on election day there would be continued confidence in the Prime Minister, and show to other electorates

throughout the Dominion that they appreciated the honor and distinction of being represented .by Sir Joseph Ward. (Applause). . The motion was carried with cheers for the candidate.