SIR JOSEPH WARD.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9115, 15 June 1908, Page 5

SIR JOSEPH WARD.

SPEECH AT GISBORNE,

BY XEIiSQEAPH —PBESG ASSOCIATION. GISBORNE, June 14. On Saturday evening the Premier addressed a large audience in the loei>l. theatre. Sir Joseph received a decidedly sympathetic hearing. Hia address was chitfiy dsv<te.| to an answer to Mr speeches as well as to the cr'Heisrns of h'« financial policy that have appeared in the Wellington "Post," arm in this respect lit followed the lines of his recent address in Christchuron. Referring to the contention of the Opposition that it was entitled to the cicdic 6t having removed t)e Si.e*v tax from the Statut • Book, Sir Joseph retorted that the only power which can move for any remission of taxation is Parliament. Regardirg native lands he declared that by the end of the present year ther J would ha one and a-half millions of acres available for settlement, and if would be found that the Governmenthad provided a fair solution of a\ great problem. Referring to the ' white New Zealand policy he invited his hearers to look over the map of the world, and there they would find the shadow of China hanging over Australia and New Zealand, and we must, he declared, show in our day and generation that we are able to do something towards the defence of our country. Sir Joseph replied to the statement made by Mr Massey at a Farmers' Union social, at Mangere on Friday, which was to the effect that only a few days previously a : Cabinet Minister, speaking ;in Auckland, had declared publicly that the people of the country must choose between Socialism and single tax. He had wired that day to Mr Fowlds, who had sent him the following reply.:— "Auckland 'Herald' report of the portion of the speech referred to, reads thus: 'Right through the world there was a growing recognition of the need of some radical change to secure a more just and equitable distribution of the products of labour than existed at the present time. If the change was not effected inoni particular way it would be brought about in another way.' " "I made no statement anywhere in the speech at Auckland," stiid the Premier, "that the peoule of the country must choose bHween Socialism and single tax, as Mr Massey is reported to have stated at the Farmers' Union social I strongly proested against Mr Massey including me in the six Socialist Ministers in his speech at Giaborne. I had pointed out that Socialism and single tax were as wide apart as the Poles." Sir Joseph made no special comment or reference to the inci-1 dent, but claimed that it was ridiculous to expect that in any Cabinet there would not be a diversity ot opinion. He contended that his Ministry should be judged not by rumours concerning its individual members but by the policy of the whole. Sir Joseph left to-night lor the South.