THE PREMIER IN THE NORTH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9049, 26 March 1908, Page 5

THE PREMIER IN THE NORTH.

SPEECH AT ONEHUNGA. FY TET.TORAPH —PIIESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, March 25. The Prime Minister, in a speech at Onebunga, to-n ; ght, replied exhaustively to MrMassey's Hamilton speech, and to the recent financial criticisms at Wellington. Sir Joseph declared 'hat the country was never in a more prosperous condition. He dealt at length with financial matters to show that loans! maturing had been properly met, and that the public debt p<?r head was outweighed by the public assets per head. He went on to speak of the Land Bill, showing that the Government had not attempted any nationalisation of land, but had endeavoured jn every way to promote closer settlement. He denied that the Government had ever opposed advances to settlers and workers. Referring to arbitration he would not at that juncture refer to the Blackball strike, except to say that he deeply regretted the strike had occurred, and that no man was a well-wisher of the miners who advised them to take the course they had taken. He was opposed to imprisonment.ar.d recognised that an amendment in the law in this direction was necessary. Parliament must consider schemes to remove anything like a dead level from court awards, so that the individual working harder or more scientifically than his fellows should receive the benefit of his labours. He j denied that the socialism of the Government was revolutionary in any j sense of the term. It was a socialism that had done more for small farmers than any legislation previously. The Government determinedly opposed that revolutionary socialism which destroyed individual effort. Referring to the cabbage garden policy he said the people of the country were strongly opposed.to the growing up in New Zealand of a Chinese population, and to the footing they had already obtained. The Government would do all in its power to prevent a continuance of Chinese in branches of industry which brought them in direct conflict as competitors with Europeans. No jeering from anyone would deter the Government from the course it was pursuing in this respect. He denied that the Government in the tariff had injured either mining or agricultural industries. On the contrary both mining and agriculture had been helped in numerous directions. No suggestion of coalition came from him nor had it come to him from the Leader of the Opposition.

A vote of thanks and confidence was carriei with cheers.