AN OPPOSITION GATHERING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 976, 21 February 1910, Page 5

AN OPPOSITION GATHERING.

GARDEN PARTY TENDERED TO MR W. F. MAbSEY, M.P. •

BY HIS CONSTITUENTS.

A LARGE GATHERING

By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, February 20. ■■ A garden party was tendered to Mr j Massey, Leader of the Opposition, by his Franklin constituents at the Helvetia Ostrich Farm yesterday, about two thousand people being present, In the course of a speech Mr Massey said he did not pretend to be a prophet, but he thought the time was not far distant when those at present occupying, the political stage as the set of political acrobats would be told that their season was at an end. What the country wanted at the present moment was a high principles, who would 'study the interests of the dominion in preference to their own. There was an impression abroad that those in power put their own interests before everything else. A policy of economy was wanted, but at present they had one of extravagance. One of the crying needs was in his opinion the cutting up of the huge areas of land now locked up. Mr F. M. B. Fisher, M.P., said the present administration was not a sincere one. Ministers today would be freeholders or lease holders, to-morrow freetraders or protectionists, Protestants or Roman Catholics. So long as they could remain in office he believed in the long run Mr Massey was bound to win. Rev Phillips and Mr Buick, M.P.'s, and others present' paid tri- [ butea to Mr Massey.