THE PRIME MINISTER

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10485, 23 November 1911, Page 5

THE PRIME MINISTER

j VISIT TO TAUMARUNUI. ) (By Telegraph—rress Association.) TAUMARUNUI, Last Night. Sir Joseph. Ward and his party arrived Blast' night by the express, j Tlhe Prime Minister opened the ■bridge across the Omgarue River in tlie miorniaiig, Lady Ward cutting the ribbon. In the afternoon' the Prime Minister journeyed to a point two males south of Te Koura., where he turned tine hirst sodl of the Te Koiwa--Stratford railHva'y. (There was a large gathering .of the settlers. He received ia splendid l reception. This evening he addressed a largely attended public meeting;, and received tin enthusiastic reception.. Hie replied to Opposition criticism regardling the Dreadnought gift, and also I dealt wiitlhi the present expenditure lon defence purposes.. He said that j for a .smiaMJ expenditure £250,000 we were getting the protection of I the British. Navy, (whereas. Australia' . wiasi .spending eight >maffl!km.& for only ja. local navy. Hie also touched upon) ' t'lie qaie-striun x>f miiSDitary training. | There was a. country (Quina) with a' | population of 400 or 500 miffiions, | wihose shadow to-day was. over the whole of Australia ajid New Zealand. ! Australia 1 was oniy ten. days' and j "New Zeailland fourteen days' ®tieaim ; from' China. If these/ Aisiatiq hordes I rnrne into New Zealand the oonumfuaiI ity-ivouM Ibe debauched .by their in-tier-annri'.iag© .■wiitSi the daugjitera of the peoplb of New Zealand'. (A voice : No!) Jt Qiad happened everyi where /that they had gone, and this iwa t s # a. tiling they should! gusEird againsit. (Applause.) The expenditure on defence waisi well spent! to .guarding our slibres: from s.uch! ia I calamity. Tlie workers:, apant from the question, "\Mouldi be seriousily affifec'ted, o.s the invasion; of Asia>tio lahour would ibe xv death! Mbw (to unliionilsm .and', all its benefit®. He also (refeiTed to criticism regarding th,& .pubjrc debt, and itibe aHegied increase .. <of ta-xatiion. He said tihat tilie GovI * v t i nment, especially dui-ing his teran I of office, liad enormouislly reduced the j taxation si in several directijpns. He> | .(S/iir J.oseph), on resuming his eeiat, ; tvas gii-eeted lvitJi loud mid continlued i v-jjeers. A hearty vote_ of tOianks to { 'Sir couplled with a. vote of | continued 'oonfidience iai tUie Govern- : nient, wa.'s carried unanimousily, , tuniid and cliee.rs. After ! the meetding tSnV Josenh; was enteri tained at a iba.nquet. Hfe liefrt by tSie j Express J'ater for Pulcekohe nnd Wla.iI iiku.