POLITICAL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8239, 18 September 1906, Page 5

POLITICAL.

| SPEECH BY MR MASSEY. By Telegraph—Press Association NEW PLYMOUTH, Sept. 17. The Theatre Royal was crowded to overflowing, to-night, the occasion being a presentation of a purse of sovereigns to Mr 11. J. 17. Okey, Opposition candidate tor the Tara□aki electorate at the late general eleotou. The presentation was made by "Mr Massey, the Leader of the Opposition. There were also present—Messrs Jas. Allen, Lewis, Hardy and Malcolm, M.H.fl.'s. In the course of his remarks Mr Massey referred to Mr Okey as a politician after his own heart, and hoped he would yet represent Taranaki. lie had noticed it stated that he would lay down a new policy for the Opposition to-night. 'Chat was not so. At the last election the Opposition bad been badly beaten, but they would not take their beating lying dowD. They had been beaten by superior organisation, misrepresentation, and itrplied promises cf grants ot public money to distriols which returned Government supporters. At the next election the Opposition would be better prepared and ttio Rootle would understand their policy better and know them as representative of the moat genuine form of Liberalism. Tbe Opposition believed in equal opportunity to all. lie referred briefly to the.death of the Premier, which all regretted. The same party was in cower, but with freah administration. A very interesting point to the Opposition in the Government policy was the fact that many Opposition proposals had boon adopted. Dealing with the land question, he strennously opposed the Land Bill, which, under the pretext of setting aside endowments, really intended to make it impossible for a Grown settler to acquire the freehold. Freehold was to be abolished, said Mr Massey, also the optional and lease-in-porpetnity system, sn<3 tliera was to be substituted a 66-year lease with re-valuation. That form of tenure would not suit the sturdy settlers of this colony. Men would not go on the land under such conditions. There wan no security of tenure, and he felt certain that what was proposed would do more injury to settlement than anything; that has happened in recent years. The £50,000 limitation proposed would affect very few—only, two estates in Auckland and Taranaki. He would nor, take up time in criticising the proposal to limit holdings to 1,000 acres of first-class land. The Government had surrendered to the leaseholders and the land nationalises, and the policy was in the interests of the latter, not of the whole. There should be no subdivision at any time. That would cause injustice or hardship to land owners. He believed in the freehold. (Applause). Let every man have the ohance of becoming his own landlord. Had the prebent land proposals been law settlement would have been retarded, and the colony poorer in consequence. Although the Government had adopted some of tbe Opposition proposals, still much was left for the Opposition to do. Their doty was to keep an eye on the expenditure. They would not sell their principles at any price. They wanted to see the oolony governed honestly, and wanted to see both obambers of the Legislature directly representative of the people, appointments to the publio service according to fitness, native lands up and settled by Europoans and Maoris, and the latter raised higher in the scale of civilisation. Under the present system a capable and vigorous Opposition ought to be appreciated by the country. Mr Massey oono'.aded amidst great applause. Mr Jas. Allen, M.H.8., criticised the Government's action in raising tbe interest on money lent under the Loans to Local Bodies Act, considering that it should be lowered to the lowest possible rate. The man in the country had more right to the freehold than the man in the town. Mr Hardy talked platitudes about beautiful New Plymouth. Mr Lewis deplored the inorease in the number of purely professional politicians in tbe House. Mr Maloolm said the Opposition had never been ont of sympathy with the honest needs of the working man. Several looal speakers also addressed the meeting, which was enthusiastic and successful.