TAUMARUNUI SEAT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 315, 15 June 1915, Page 8

TAUMARUNUI SEAT.

sk JOSEPH WARD AT WAITARA. AN ENTHUSIASTIC GATHEItING. Tlic Clifton Hull, Waitara, was crowded to its utmost capacity last evening, when tlii! leader lit tin 1 . Opposition, Sir Joseph Ward, gave an address in the interests of Mr. W. T. Jennings, the Liberal candidate for tlie Taimiarunui neat lit to-day's by-election. The Mayor (Mr. Beekbessinger) presided, and tlie gathering was a most enthusiastic one throughout. Sir Joseph was greeted with continuous cheering. In opening, Sir Joseph called the attention of the audience to the fact that nt tlie conclusion of the general election the Government was defeated, and there was 110 precedent for the extension of the general election such as they ivere engaged in—for it was not a by-election. Proceeding to refer to the electioneering campaign of tlio Reform party, both ill Dunedin Central and in the Tauinarunui electorates, and. the cry against the Liberal party for doing tlie same, thing, lie, declared that he. was only doing a right, thing in putting the opposite side of the question to the people. Mr. ilassey and his party endeavored to prove him a '"Red Fed," but, on tlie face of that,.for tlie Reform party to support ''Red Fed"' candidates was cool, colossal audacity, lie referred to tlie manner in which strikes had been settled by tlie two parties. Those settled by the Liberals were, done so amicably, but those dealt with by the Reform party left, only class prejudice and ill-feeling behind. THE GENERAL ELECTION. Sir Joseph then read a telegram slating that another of Mr. Jamas' "News Letters'"was being circulated in the Tanmarumii electorate, accusing him of forcing the general election during war time. In the first place, no power bul the Government could fix the date, of the elections or introduce legislation to alter the date. If they looked at this logically it was a big compliment to him, as it was an admission that ho was stronger than the Government or party. Sir Joseph then read extracts from Hau- ' sard proving that he had suggested that the election be postponed, but Mr. Mas-

sev had stated that ho unci liis colleagues had agreed that it should be held at the usual lime. He (the speaker) had pointed out that they were passing through an Empire crisis and the greatest war in history, and expressed regret that it was not postponed for a year,'or until the war was over. Mr, Massey had stated several times that he (Sir Joseph) was responsible for not postponing the election, but Mr. Herries, when speaking at Taumarunui on Friday evening, said he still considered they did the right thing in holding the election. The Government papers further told them that the return of Mr. Jennings would not assist the Liberal party, but would weaken the Government. Why should that be? The Liberals had assisted the. , Government in every way in their pow- ■ er. If the Reform party treated them ■ similarly what had they to fear for the country ? EMPIRE ASSISTANCE. The gift of the Dreadnought and the Institution of the compulsory military service were the result of his efforts, but although they cried out against it, and through their efforts had created an impression throughout the country that the working people had to pay the extra taxation, which was not correct, what assistance did it render the Empire? (Applause.) Again, the other party were claiming the credit for both the introduction of the military system and the gift of the Dreadnought. THE PARTIES COMPARED. What was the difference between the Liberal and Reform parties? He would tell them. Tlio early settlers had left the Old Country chiefly on account of the iniquitous land laws, and oil arriving in New Zealand had introduced the sank! system here. But when the Liberal party came into power in 1881, und"r Ballance, they commenced buying large estates and opening them for settlement. They assisted the farmers to settle, through what the Conservative, or Reform, party had termed a "State pawnshop." They had also assisted laboring people to secure homes for themselves. In this connection, the Government had stated that the Ward Government, in five years, had only advanced £363,000, boasting that in three years they had lent more. But they also placed a return on the table of the House showing that the sum lent by the Ward Government in tho five years was £1,816,000. He had introduced a Bill to lend money to local public bodies, for he was strongly of opinion that they required cheap money, but tho Massey Government had repealed it, and where money was got, and that was not often, they had to pay 5 per cent, instead of 31 per cent. The old Conservative party had placed taxation on the farmer, tho laborer, storekeeper, and such people, but the Liberal had repealed this and placed it on the large land-holder. That was why the farmer should support the Liberal party, and why the large land-holders were right against them. Did anyone present object to the Old Age Pensions Act, which the Reform party fought tootli and nail? GOVERNMENT AND THE WAR. The expenditure on the war was only £70,000 a yepr up to tho present, the money (~£2,000,000) having been secured from tho Imperial authorities at per cent. The Government had been talking about a war tax, but they would have to find out what the Government's intentions were—a Government that had let a surplus fall from over £BOO,OOO to £61,000. A LOCAL NAVY. Tho Government proposed a local tiavy, but he pointed out that no country in the history of the world had ev?r attempted such a thing with a population under 20,000,000. If they had a navy of their own they could not do less than Australia had done, and the cost to Australia was £10,000,000, while tho annual expenditure would bo £5,000,000 or £0,000,000. Mr. Winston Churchill had said that if Australia and New Zealand had each two Dreadnoughts on their coasts, then, in the case of the defeat of the British Navy in the North Sea, the proper thing for these two countries to do would be to Bink them all, and prevent the enemy from taking them. They were only a million people, and they were aping nationhood, but would have to wait until they had a population twenty times a?

argc. Ho had, ycjirs ago, proposed i lational council to control the interests >f the Empire. He moved this at th< [inperial Conference, but coultl get nt support,. and they had called him s jreat silly, but recently tins suggest™ lad been advocated in both Houses oj Parliament in tho Old Land. LIBERALS MALIGNED, BUT JUSTIFIED. For tiventy-one years the Refom party had condemned, anathematised and maligned the Liberal Parly, but o this he had now a clear renunciation They had condemned everything thai the Liberal Party did. For twenty-om years they denied the existence, of tin Liberal .surpluses. Then j\lr. Alio issued his well-known prospectus, con tradieting t'le whole of their previoii: ciatements. They had proclaimed to tin world that their own statements wan incorrect. lie had provided a sehemi for paying off tho whole of the loan; of the country, and lie was satisfied that it would be of the greatest bene fit both for loans ra'.sed in the past present and future. The Reform Part.) declared that it was useless, but thei went Home and declared that if t'i< people there copied his sc-heme the\ would be able to pay off their £400," 000,000 indebtedness in 50 years. PRICE Off FOOD. He fully realised, continued the apeak or, that prices would not continue tlx same during the. war as before. The Gov i i iuue.a Inut appointed a commission to go into the matter of the price of food ill fact, they were veryi fond of appoint ing commissions, having appointed many, including one to fix the price ol the ferry service c'-.arges across Auck land harbor. Tho Government appoint ed the food commission to deal in tie. first place with the cost of flour, bill before they had concluded their con wderation the price had leaped fron •Is (id -to 4s (id and more. Then tin Government bought Canadian flour am sold it to the miller* at a loss; bul they did not limit the price, and tlu millers reaped all the benefit, Insteai of doing this tlicy should have takei »vcr thu whole of the stocks in tin country and limited tho price. H th< increase in prices continued the work ing-inen of the country could not main tain their families. It would surprisi may of them to learn that over three fourths of the people in the countr; were earning 5Cs per week or less, A Cbri.stchurch man had declared iliaenormous profits were being made oui »f the war. Why did not Air Masse,) deny this? SHIPMENT OF PRODUCE. Referring to their exports, Sir Josepr Ward pointed out that he had urged tin Government not to use refrigerated ships for transporting their troops, as they could not get suitable vessels else where, but he was laughed at and toll that he knew nothing about it. Then had been tremendous loss Iby this mis take.

GOVERNMENT'S CONTRADICTORY CIRCULAR. A circular issued by the Prime Minister contained a series of contradictions. In tho first place the letter stated that it was impossible to visit the Taumarunui electorate on account of the heavy work put upon him through the war; but he had 'been in the, electorate several dayia, and was that night in To Kuiti. Next ho declared that lie considered the Government were fairly (n-----titled to some credit lor the fact that the country 'had been more prosperous than ever before. They all knew that the increased prosperity was due to the war. Therefore Mr. Massey claimed, logically, that he was responsible for the war. If that was correct, the Kaiser was a fool to him. LAND SETTLEMENT. Their opponents had declared that there was no hope of anyone obtaining freehold under a Liberal Act. Thirteen thousand seven hundred and "seventyfour people had been given the freehold under the Liberal laws. In the. North of- Auckland syndicates woim buying enormous tracts of land, which they would hold until roads and railways were put through, when they would unload it at an enormous profit. In the last threo years he was in office hj« had put about three thousand people on the land, while Mr. Massey in a similar period placed "2600—approximately 400 less. NO GENERAL ELECTION. Speaking of the change, of Government as referred to by their opponents, the speaker pointed out that Mr. Alasseji could not go to the country, as he (Sir Joseph) would not —so there was no 'prospect of another general election. They would take no risk in connection 'with the interests of the Empire and of 'the country during the present great 35TNANCE. Referring to the question of taxation, Sir Joseph Ward said the Government had copied their methods of taxation from the Liberals. The national debt had risen by lis 4d per head. The expenditure had increased by £2,000,000, and the receipts by £1,000,000. The. surplus had meanwhile decreased to £OI,OOO. Taxation was, therefore, inevitable. Also, this occurred during a record year of receipts. They complained that he had spent too much on buildings, and had borrowed too heavily, yet the Reformers, on getting into power, had "out-llerodcd Herod", by increasing both items. The Liberals had been fighting on the side of the people in the teeth of the other party. They had all the power of the Government that day fighting the candidate for that electorate —they were there fighting a man who had worked for many years in their interests, and worked hard and well for them, a man whom he was proud to have upon his side, and who had three sons at tho front. PROGRESSIVE LIBERALISM. Sir Joseph then spoke of the assistance provided for widows, the superannuation of every civil servant in tho country, and the Government insurance scheme, open to all the people of the country. He had tried to show those present what had been done for tho country by the Liberal party, and what a grand thing it was to be able to look over the seas and see there other nations following in their footsteps, particularly in a country like Australia, with its Labor Governments. They might well be proud that they were 20 years ahead . of them in tho matter of progressive

legislation. Ho hoped they would uphold tho Liberal party and Mr. \V. T. Jennings the next day. Tho speaker concluded amid loud and continued applause. Mr. Jenkins then moved —That this 'meeting of electors of the Tauiiiarunui 'district cordially thanks Sir Joseph Ward for his able and statesmanlike iaddrcss, that it expresses renewed confidence in him as the cinder of the Liberal ■Flirty, and gives its assurance that it will use every legitimate effort to have Mr. Jenningu again returned as its member. OUr. KattenTjury seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously. Loud and continued cheers were then given for Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. W. T. Jennings, Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby, M.J'., and the. Liberal Party.