INDICTING THE GOVERNMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 173, 9 December 1912, Page 8

INDICTING THE GOVERNMENT.

AN EX-MINISTER'S ADDRESS. MR. MacDONALD SPEAKS OUT. Gisborne. Saturday. Mr. D. S. MaeDonald, member for'the Bay of Plenty, taking advantage of the recess, addressed the electors at Mata, o4 miles from Gisborne, this evening. lie said that for the first time in his political career he was addressing them as a member of the Opposition. The Government which now controlled a majority of the House was not placed there, by the. people, but by members of Parliament who had betrayed the Liberal Government. The election of 1911, Mr. MaeDonald proceeded, was one of the> bitterest fought in the history of New Zealand. It was clear that neither side had a working majority when the figures were totalled up. In the short session of February the Liberals came out with n smalt majority, but later the disen- j tients seceded from the party and gave { tlie Massev Government its present majority. When the present Government} nas in power the Masseyites were always l going about the country telling the people what they would do if given the opportunity. For instance, all classes were going to benefit by their land tenure. But their promises were not fulfilled when the responsibilities of office were placed upon them. One of the greatest planks of the Massey Government when in opposition was that everyone should get a fair and square deal. But when they looked at the work of last session he did not think that in many cases a fair and square deal had been" meted out to many officers of the Government departments. This would reflect on the Government for some time to come. Mr. MaeDonald proceeded to review the legislation of last session at some length, and said that one peculiar thing about the Public Service Bill was that two of the strongest Ministers, Mr. Herries (Native. ! Minister) and Mr. Herdman (in charge of the police) refused to have their /departments brought under the operation of the Bill. There were 12,000 employees in the Railway Department, and their attitude in the matter was a thoroughly good indication that they had no faith in the application of the Bill. He (Mr. MaeDonald) had received letters .from committees of postal employees throughout the Dominion strongly objecting to being brought under the Bill. Further, another strange coincidence was that the Secretary of the Post Office was a man who was chief commissioner for New Zealand. He did not believe the j majority of public men were in favor of j the Bill. Although the Bill did not) come into operation till January, the | Government was making every appoint-] ment it possibly could, although it said;" the Bill was framed to prevent a political 1 pull. There was not the slightest doubt that the Bill gave an absolute pull to the Ministry of the day. Continuing his reference to a political pull, Mr. MaeDonald instanced what occurred in the House last session. Mr. Allen laid the blame on the Superintendent of the State Guaranteed Advances Board. It was said that that gentleman was not fitted for his position, and not compet- j ent to carry out his duties. Yet later the Government appointed him as Magistrate at Palmerston North. At the present time there was great dissatisfaction regarding works throughout the country. If the Government were going to dispense with the co-operative system, it should have gradually worked the contract system in. If the present Government were afraid to raise money in this country when there was a revenue of over eleven millions, the settlers would tha've to waijta"long time for relief. The late Government was carrying on a vigorous policy of public works, and in, many cases there must be great disappointment with the present Government. In this respect they had the present Government wailing that they had not got money, and yet year in and year out when in opposition they condemned the Liberal party for not carrying out moro railway works. The Government had stopped work on the Napier end of the Gisborne line, and very nearly stopped the Gisborne end, but before the session closed the Minister brought down a Railways Authorisation Bill authorising seven new railways, which would probably cost a million. There was no money voted, but authorities were placed on the Statute Book. Mr. MaeDonald continued at some length vigorously defending the policy of the Liberal party and criticism of the Government. He did not refer to the vexed question of the leadership of the Liberals, or their prospects, and at the conclusion of the address was accorded a simple vote of thanks.