MINISTER AND OPPOSITION LEADER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3046, 17 November 1908, Page 5

MINISTER AND OPPOSITION LEADER.

SPEECHES BY MR MASSEY AND MR FOWLDS.

By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, November 16.

The Hon. Mr Fowlds, addressing a public meeting at Onehunga, in reply to Mr Massey's recent speech, charged the Leader of the Opposition with inconsistency when dealing with the fiscal question, he (it was stated) having expressed utterly opposite view 3 when addressing town and country constituencies. Mr Fowlds reiterated his contention that during the past eight years the railway expenditure had shown a balance of £671,303 in favour of the North Island. As to expenditure on the back-blocks being an electioneering dodge, Mr Fowlds pointed out that, though the whole of the votes were authorised, no~e of the money would be spent before the elections. Mr Fowlds dealt with Mr Massey's references to revenue and expenditure in the September quarter on the same lines as the Premier's recent utterances, and spoke at some length on the subject of national endowments. Votes of thanks to Mr Fowlds, and of confidence in the Government, were carried, followed by cheers for the Government, and counter cheers for Mr Massey and Mr Lang. Mr Massey, addressing a public meeiing at Helensville, said that what had been called the Prime Minister's maifesto was not written by Sir Joseph Ward. He knew who was the author. Mr Massey drew attention to the sentence in the manifesto: "We find out what the people want, and then we do it as they want it done." In other words, said Mr Massey, the Government would do anything on earth if there was some political influence demanding it, so long as the Government kept in power. For gross misrepresentation, he had never seen the equal to the Prime Minister's manifesto. "It was the work of Dr. Findlay; he recognised Dr Findlay's Roman hand. The dark days quoted in the manifesto referred to the time when the country was brought to the very verge of bankruptcy, almost within reach of repudiation by the so-called Liberal Government. A yote of thanks to Mr Massey, and of confidence in the Opposition, brought the meeting to a close.