SPEECH BY HON. J. MILLAR.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8439, 10 May 1907, Page 7

SPEECH BY HON. J. MILLAR.

COLONY'S FUTURE. _ By Telegraph—Press Association. ■> r"* AUCKLAND, May 9. The Hon. J. A. Millar was entertained at a banquet, .which was ; attended by the Mayor and 130 repre- , sentative citizens. The Minister, in replying to the toast of his health, said that dual portfolios of Customs and Labour tjjMgjtimes placed him in a difficult AHHcion, but he intended to fill them ' w Ho The best of his ability. He deprecated the cry of North versus South. Not one third of the settlement had taken place in the North that it must have eventually. It was in the interests of the whole colony to further that settlement. Referring to the large surplus, Mr Millar said it might be asked why the Government did not do more with the money. The Government had to take care that the expenditure did jiut exceed the revenue. If they had ■rfFinore money at the end of the year it was better than a deficiency. Pie thought there was no reasonable cause for apprehension as to a fall-ing-off in the prosperity of the ■ colony. There were greater questions than the mere questions of the hour. He believed in looking after the rising youth, and providing employment for him, and in finding food for our own people before those of older countries. Referring to the Imperial Conference. Mr Millar said it was highly satisfactory to know this little country could send a man who was mixing >ith the master minds of the Empire, and who would yet be referred to as one of the leaders of the Empire in putting forward more practical suggestions than any other. It was New Zealand's proposal that was to be given effect to that was going to bind the link a little closer. Mr Millar expressed •concern at the reference to the steadily decreasing trade with the Mother Country compared with the three other great manufacturing countries. He said if the British Government. did not wake up they would find the trade gone in other channels. It was useless to reduce the price of bread one penny if they could not find work • for men to earn the penny. The Minister said his Auckland tour had been a complete revelation to him. He admitted Auckland had laboured under a serious injustice hitherto in having so much land locked up. He said the opening up ■of the land to settlement must inevitably make Auckland the principal _ - city of the colony.