THE FUTURE.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1922, Page 6

THE FUTURE.

MR. MASSEY OPTIMISTIC. Prefacing his remarks with the assertion that New Zealand would be for ten years to come without the party system, the Prime Minister spoke in optimistic vein in regard to the future of the Dominion at the welcome to Sir Francis Bell. “I am not going to talk to you about party politics,” said the Prime Minister, when, towards midnight, his turn came to speak to a toast at the welcome home to Sir Francis Bell. “I will just say that we could do well without party polities for five or ten years, and the country would be better. If we could drop party, and work together for the prosperity of the wonderful country we live in, we would be doing the best in our power. I will leave it at that. “I don’t think we need blame ourselves very much,” continued Air. Massey. “We have passed through a great war, whose brightest page was the response eff New Zealand's manhood to the call of duty. It took little more than five minutes, when tbe Empire’ was threatened in the Near East crisis, to decide that, should the danger arise again, New Zealand, as usual, would be there to help. I hope we will never again receive a cablegram lindioating that the position was as black as it was then. Without any call, 14,000 New Zealand young men, and hundreds of women, offered their services for the de* fence of the Empire. “We must never overlook the fihet that, while we enjby the privileged of membership of the greatest Empire the world has known, or will know, we must accept our share of its responsibilities. (Hear, hear.) I am not one of those who would sit at home, and make no preparation for the defence of the Empire when necessity arises. [ believe, as far at least as the Navy is concerned, that we should continue to be prepared. “Gur name stands high in the councils of the Empire,” continued the Prime Minister. “We were offered a loan of a million sterling at 3 per cent interest. That proves that our credit is higher than any other part of the Empire. (Applause.) Not only are our exports showing a great advance in value, but I would invite you to make yourselves acquainted with the progress of our secondary industries in the past three years; it is nothing short of marvellous. “Let us continue to advance, and we will look back before long over the period of depression, and be able to say we did our best for the country .’’(Applause) Mr. Massey’s speech was* punctuated with personal anecdotes of his career. .He told how, 28 years ago, he decided, after one session, that he would nor continue in politics. He was persuaded to again seek election,, on being assured by a man who subsequently became great that no man had ever reached eminence that did not have a bull-neck and a capacious waist-line.