Dominion Politics

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 257, 28 March 1914, Page 5

Dominion Politics

A NEW ZEALANDER ABROAD.

MAKES SWEEPING ASSERTION'S. By Cable—Press Association—Copyrighi Sydney, March 27. Mr. David Nathan, interviewed,- referring to the recent strike, said the whole business was a piece pf political engineering for party purposes, Btagemanaged with a sort of Machiavellian finesse. rhe Massey Government was making the same mistake as Napoleon did in [obtaining control of the Press. Only two of the metropolitan newspapers and a few in the smaller towns were remaining as definitely Opposition. Generally speaking the great mass of the workers was opposed to the Massey Government.

THE COMING SESSION. PREMIER PROMISES LIGHT PROGRAMME. SEVERAL BILLS FORESHADOWED. By Telegraph—Press Association. Duncdin, Lost Night, The Prime Minister informed a reporter to-day that he did not expect the coming session to be as strenuous as the record one last year. The legislativa programme, though containing a number of important Bills, will not be so heavy, and he sees no necessity for a prolonged session. In all probability the session will be opened on June e5, and it should end with all work done thoroughly in the third week in October. Several of the most important Bills will be advanced by the drafting department and one or two are completed.

THE UPPER HOUSE. Among the first to be considered will be the Education Bill and the Legislative Council Reform BilL The latter will not differ from that of last session in principle, although several details have been altered or added. CALLS TO THE COUNCIL. It is probable that five or six ealls to the Legislative Council will be made before Parliament opens, though no sc'.Mtiona have jet been made. AX ELECTORAL BILL.

An Electoral Bill, affecting the HOII3C of Representatives, will be submitted this session. A Local Government Bill will be brought down. The main purpose will be in the direction of establishing a better system as regards the allocation of money for public works, roads ami bridges. There will be another Land Hill to remedy certain defects in the existing laws, and it will probably contain provisions for the adjusting of difficult conditions on the West Coast. Mr. Masscy mentioned that an opportunity for youths being trained in connection with the Dominion naval scheme will be available in the near future. BOARD OP AGRICULTURE.

In respect to the Board of Agriculture, some twelve nominations will shortly be submitted to the Government for approval. As to the cost of the strike, the position, so far as the Prime Minister knows, showed that the State expenditure was a little over £IOO,OOO. THE PREMIER IN THE SOUTK HONORS FOR LOCAL BODIES. Tapanui, Last Night. The Prime Minister visited Tapanui to-day, and was entertained by the Borough Council. In proposing the toast of the local bodies, Mr. Massey referred to the large amount of work done by local body members in the interests of the community, and said he had reeom- ; mended to his Excellency the Governor I that something should be done for such men.

Addressing a public meeting. Air. Massey dealt at length with the questions of land and finance. He denied Mr. Webb's statement that his partv had asked Mr. Hickey, tiie Red Fed., to'stand against a Liberal for a northern seat, and controverted the statement of a New Zealand resident, Air. D. Nullum, in an interview at Sydney, that the Government owned the metropolitan and country papers. He quoted a dozen eases of papers that did not support the Government. He intimated that in the coming session a Bill would be introduced to put the system of Parliamentary grants on a more satisfactory system, and with the object of removing it from political control. Subsidies to local bodies would als be increased. An amendment of the Land Bill would lie introduced, to Ideal particularly with Westlnnd. \ vote of thanks and confidence was carried, with cheers.

SIR JOSEPH WARD. Auckland, Last Xiii Tit. Sir Joseph Ward addressed a large meeting at the theatre, To Aroha. tonight and was Recorded a warm reception. His speech was much on the lines of that delivered in Auckland on Wednesday night. Speaking of taxation, ho said that the Liberal Party had always looked upon the fanners of Mew Zealand as workers, and the farmers never enjoyed such prosperity as when the Liberal Party was in power. He objected to members of the Reform Party prancing over the country howling' about over-borrowing by the Liberals, when the Reform Party had borrowed about twelve millions in two years. Mr. Mnsscy had commented on the Liberal Government's extravagance on buildings. On this year's Estimates no less than £•223,000 was provided for public buildings. Sir Joseph Ward received a vote of j thanks, and at the conclusion of l'nmeeting Mr. Joseph Pohlen, who was | selected to-day as the Opposition candidate for Taurunga, was introduced to the meeting.

LIBERALS IX TTTE NORTH. Dargaville, March 27. The Liberal campaign was opened hero last night by Mr. McDonald, exMinister of Public Works, and Mr. Thompson, member for Wallace. Mr. McDonald spoke mainly on land settleinent, eoniparing the settlement under the Liberal regime with Mr. Massey's. With regard to the Premier's statement 'that he put 20,000 settlers in the way |of the freehold, this was not true. Tile Liberal Government in 1907 had given these settlers the Crown lands with an optional clause. It was well-known that land outside the endowment lands was being held under the optional tenure. The fact was that land 1 Mr. Massey said