THE NEW GOVERNMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 322, 11 July 1912, Page 4

THE NEW GOVERNMENT.

INTERVIEW WITH MR. MASSEY. "Al PROGRESSIVE AND LIBERAL' GOVERNMENT." By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter. Wellington, Last Night. Discussing the present situation, the Prime Minister (the Hon. W. F. Massey; said in an interview: ''Cabinet-making is a difficult task at any time. In the present case it is particularly difficult. There are at least twenty members of the party who are entitled to Cabinet rank, since they possess the qualifications necessary to make successful Ministers. My task has been made somewhat easy by the fact that several of the older members of the party—men who have been in Parliament for quite a number of years—when approached told me that they appreciated the diffi-culties-that stood in front of men, and that they preferred to be left out. The new policy will be fully set forth in the Financial Statement, which will be brought down as soon as it can be prepared. Meantime the people of the Dominion may rest assured that the policyof the new Ministry will be both liberal and progressive, in the highest and best sense of the terms. We intend to push land settlement for all we are worth. If we are able to increase the number of producers and bring into cultivation large area's that are not producing much at present, we shall be doing good for New Zealand. As for the public service, let me give my assurance that no man who is doing his duty to the State will be worse off in any respect than he ia now, and I hope that many will be better off for the change. To put it briefly, our desire is to make the State a mode) employer. We intend to arrange for the often-suggested reform which will give the public all possible details of expenditure, as is done in Canada. The ptiblitis entitled to know how their money is, expended, and we shall give them the means of learning. I have said before, and I say now, that we are against monopoly in every shape and form. I am not putting forward a policy," said Mr. Massey, in conclusion. "The time for that will come later on, but just let me say that we 'are out to give a fair and square deal to every individual and equality of opportunity to all. We shall come into office with a full sense, of oun obligations and responsibilities. W<* have come to dispel the fear and prejudice for which no real grounds exist. A' new era has come and we hope to experience a term of administration long enough to enable us to be judged by our own actions, and not by the actions of men who have long passed away."