POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 156, 8 December 1914, Page 3

POLITICAL.

SIR JOSEPH WARD IN THE WAIRARAPA. ENTHUSIASM AT MASTERTON. (Special to Daily News.) Masterton, Sunday. Tiie wa've of Libralism which is sweeping over the country in so many unmistakeable ways was again manifested in the Wairarapa on Saturday, when the Liberal leader, Sir Joseph Ward, paid a visit to .that district. The main object to Sir Joseph Ward's visit was to keep a promise under which lie had accepted an invitation to speak at Masterton. The journey was made by motor, and as Sir Joseph passed through the Wairarapa centres he was speedily recognised and welcomed on every band. Masterton was reached at (i.15 p.m., and one of the biggest political meetings ever held in the Wairarapa was addressed by Sir Joseph at ] p.m. Long before that hour the drill hall was packed, and a large crowd gathered round the open; doojs to hear the speech. There was I an attendance of over 1600 people, and the Mayor (.Mr. J. Corradine) presided. Sir 'Joseph had a magnificent reception. When lie 1 entered the hall the crowd cheered and waved hats and handkerchiefs for some time, and the ovation was renewed when the Liberal leader reached the platform. Then the crowd turned its attention to the Liberal candidate for the Masterton seat, Mr. A. W. Hogg, and he was received with round atfer round of cheering. The enthusiasm displayed-made a remarkable demonstration, and indicated the intense interest which the people are taking'in the campaign. LAND SETTLEMENT. Sir Joseph Ward expressed his pleasure at again meeting his old friend and I colleague Mr Hogg. (Cheers). The Liberal leader devoted the first part of his ) speech to land settlement. He said that the Liberal party proposed not only to increase the graduated land tax in order that the large states might be opened up, but to provide a system of cutting up the portions of estates given up by the landholders into small farms, whereby men of practically no means could be well started on the land. (Cheers.) In the past the Liberal Government had done, a great deal for land settlement and now the "Reformers" were going round claiming credit for this legislation, which they had so bitterly opposed. They had scoffed at the compulsory cutting up of large estates. They had ridiculed the Lamb for Settlement Act. Hut now they were actually trying to make the people believe how much in love with such legislation they were, and how they had fought for it in years gone by. (A voice: "They're the same old Tories.-") A GROSS MISREPRESENTATION. Sir Joseph Ward went on to say that Mr. Massey had grossly misrepresented j him the previous evening. Speaking at, Parriell, Mr. Massey had said that the Liberal leader wished disaster to come to ' tile woollen industry by the proposal to ' take the duty oil certain classes of imported clothing. That statement was very amusing, it was as wide from the , correct thing as many other statements '■ made by Mr. Massey and his followers in attempting to discredit the Liberal party. The Liberals' proposal would not interfere with any industry in New Zealand, specially the woollen industry. The trouble was that the "Reformers" could not grasp the meaning of any proposal which meant benefit to the people as a whole. (Cheers). Sir Joseph went on to refer to the deliberate mistatement in one at the "Reformers'" circulars which said that in one and a half years the Massey Government had lent £498,01)5 to workers, and in five years the Ward Government had lent only £363,225. The truth was, according to the Government's own figures, that in the Jive years referred to the Ward Government had lent .(.'1,81(1,115 to workers. Such a deliberate misstatement as' that which appeared in a circular was an unworthy way of light- ' ing. I

ISir Joseph Ward went on to speak on the lines of his Wellington address. His references to the Liberals' good work in the past were frequently cheered, and his prediction that the. Liberals would be found in power on December Itlh was the signal for a great outburst of enthusiasm. At the conclusion of the address, Mr. J. Morris (a small settler in the district) moved a hearty vote of thanks to Sir Joseph Ward, coupled with an expression of confidence in the Liberal party, and in Mr. Hogg, and with the hope that the Liberals would be returned to power, was received with cheers. It was seconded by another farmer, Mr. G. Williams, and carried unanimously, with great enthusiasm.

Cheers for Sir .Joseph i'.ud Mr. !Io:."i I wore given several times, anil as Sir Joseph left the hall by motor for Wei- { lington a great crowd waited and cheer- i cd again. .Sir .Joseph returned to Wellington, and went south by steamer to Lyttelton. He speaks at ('lore at midday on Monday and at iialchitha in the evening. "FACIXCi BOTH WAVS." Westnort, Saturday Xight. j The three candidates for the, JJnllcr j scat, .Messrs Powell .(Government), Col- j v'm (Opposition), and fiillen (Labor) are j still touring the out-districts; none havhg spoken in Westport yet. Ail three srem to l)e getting good receptions, and the result of the election is considered verv open. In general politics, Mr. Cillen' stated that be supported the -platform of the. Social pari)-, lie would not stand as a candidate it by so doing lie would give the Reform candidate a chance of success. On a vote of no-confidence in uic present Government he would-vote for Sir Joseph Ward's partv, but he considered the Liberal nartV as bad as --Kelorm." .Mr. Massey bad'had the strikers llatoned, but Kir Joseph Ward bad attempted to sell up the Blackball miners' homes after the strike there, and that was just as bad. Mr. Massey's Minister of Marine had taken advantage of bis power to suspend the Seamen's Act. and bad placed the lives of the travelling public m serious danger by allowing ships to be manned by incompetent men. but it was uic Liberal partv who had fraured ant possed the. Act which gave this power 10 ' the Minister, and they would nave also taken advantage of this power undci similar circumstances. Sir Josepn Y, ar, ■ ami his party bad to a man supported Mr Massey's infamous Industrial Disputes" Investigation Act. Sir .Joseph Ward, when Premier, had never dom any thing for Labor unless forced to dc it by labor organisations. La»or shouh not allow itself to be tied to ti.e apro, strings of any party, but should run < , Labo? candidate wherever one had t chance. , ' SIR J>. G. WARD AT MASTEBTOX. ~,',, Masterton, DcecmbcrJ.

night, and received a good reception. He dealt at length with the land question. Mr Massey had promised "land, more land, and still more land," yet lie had purchased 200,000 acres less than the Liberal Government in the same time. The Liberal party was determined to stop aggregation of land, and to do this an alteration in the graduated land tar ' was necessary. Through the in- ' strumcntality of the libe'ral Government 138,000 settlers were on the land in New Zealand to-day. Referring to financial matters, Sir Joseph said that within six years the Lib'eral Government had borrowed £18,000,000 and the Massey Government admitted borrowing £14,000,000 in %% years, yet they were going about the country saying they were bor-1 rowing less than the previous Government. He also referred to baby bonus, education, repeal of the second ballot, State-owned shipping, the strike, and other political questions, and the meeting concluded with a vote of thanks, ! with a hope expressed that he would be restored to the position of Prime Minister of the country. This was carried almost unanimously. Cheers were given for Sir Joseph Ward, and for Mr A. W. • Hogg, the Liberal candidate, for the Masterton seat". HON. JAS. ALLEN AT TIMARU. Timaru, December 0. Mr James Ullen delivered an address here on Saturday night before an and* ience of 900 people. He was given a very enthusiastic reception. On appearI ing on the platform, and during a two hours' address, he was often applauded in a manner which indicated that he had the sympathy of tire audience. He replied fully to misrepresentations by his political opponents, and said it was nothing short of a scandal that Mr Jfasscy should bo charged with corruption, because of the branch railway which was surveyed through a small portion of the ostrich farm in which he was interested in. The line had been surveyed years before the Reform party came into power, and as the farm was already served by the main railway, this branch luio would not benefit it to the extent of halfpenny. The 'Minister contended that the Reform party iiad discharged their duty sinco they had come, into power in a manner which had earned the confidence of the people, while- the reforms they, had instituted had met with the people's appreciation. This being so, lie appealed confidently to the whole Dominion to support them again at the polls on Thursday next. The Minister was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for what was generally considered a very able address. A vote of confidence ; in his Government was also passed,;and ' the meeting closed with cheers for Mr ' Massey. MR MASSEY AT CLEVEDON. ! AN. INTERESTING STATEMENT. i Auckland, December 0. ' The Prime Minister addressed a large < and enthusiastic gathering of settlors ; at Clevedon on Saturday night. In pass- : ing through the townships on the way ] to Clevedon, Mr Massey was frequently ; cheered. Referring to the over-valuing • of land, the Prime Minister said that a ' little while ago a number of complaints concerning the matter had readied him ! and accordingly he had sent a jncmoran- ' dum to the Valuer-General, with the ; view of having the trouble rectified. ; As a result, valuers had been instructed; that they must not put extreme values ' on land they were called upon to deal - with, and must make every allowance for improvements. "Complaints arc still brought to mi; and I found it necessary."

WHEAT SHORTAGE.

Mr Massey made an interesting reference to the wheat question. "We have been blamed for not making the price easier," he said, "but I will tell you something. I have here a return showing the amount of wheat held, and by whom it is held. Farmers hold roughly !)G,OOO bushels, and I may mention here that there is not a farmer in the Xorth Island who holds more than five sacks. Merchants have roughly 133,000 bushels, a fact which adequately answers the suggestion that one, merchant in the South Island had been allowed to hold 200,000 busncls." (.Applause). 1 Millers of the country hold roughly 90,- ' 000 bushels. To-day I received an interesting telegram from a business man in I Timaru, who points out that in 1907 i wheat was sold in Timaru at Os 3d per bushel, and Hour at £l4 per ton. The (Government'of the day, which is the Opposition which is now crying out | about the fact that prices have been fixed at 5s 3d per bushel for wheat at I southern ports, and Hour at £l3 per ! ton, did not 'lift a finger to relieve the [ position. ''There's nothing like that I about us," added Mr Massey, amidst I loud applause. j A vote of thanks and confidence in ' tluj'Government wasearried unanimously, I the audience applauding and cheering I for a considerable time. ; . ■' i ■