THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1911. OPPOSITION MANIFESTO.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10496, 6 December 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1911. OPPOSITION MANIFESTO.

The (manifesto issued by the Leader j of the Opposition, on. tlhe eve of the j elections, piLaces the position so clearly before the people .that it de- j serves the widest publicity. Mr I Massey says the Reform party has | submitted a definite, straightforward and progressive policy. The Government (has> /gone to t(he country with no policy. Dissension in the Cabinet rendered a policy impossible, and thu Gtoveaumiieaiit has none to submit. It has offered the electors nothing but a tirade of petty abuse.and misrepresentation of the Opposition. • The Reform party offers a sound and self-reliant policy; efficient financial administration a si compared with the reckless extaiavagan.ee and frenzied fin_ ance of the Ward Government. The Reform party would develop the icsources of this Dominion, and send up t'he volume of /its exports by leaps laaid bounds, it would enable th» icouratuy to produce wealth and gradually make it independent of tiiefbreign money-lender. The RefVm party would (bring about an era of progress in New Zealand such as is drawling the world's attention to Canada at the present time. The Creator ga.ve the Hands of the earth to t'hei sons of man to cultivate u d bring to (harvest. The young New Zealander is denied proper opportunity to settle in. hisi natiive land, and is driven overseas to Queensland, Canada, and th& Argentine. Ihe Reform party offers a progressive land policy and the truest, best policy an £(he< interests of every man, woman and child in tine Dominion. The present generationi has a right to the lands and tlhe wealth produced therefrom. At present industries are handicapped and employment decreased hy the "taiihoa." attitude of the; Govemiiment, which has' given over much of itlhe great and' valuable estate of which it is .trustee to idleness, and noxious? weeds. Tlae Government has no programme. Its 1 candidates offer vain apologies for 1 its notorious neglect of the people's interests l . Ministers land ex-Manis-ters are preaching nonsensical' evangels, and broadcast sowing erratic and timpossible promises, in the last desperatie extremity. The Rfeform party is united; it lis strong and con • fidetnt im its Qiigh ideals and in its bold and programme; jt offers far wader and far higher opportunities to all classes of the community. It would sweep away the rotten system of political l patronage, and Ministerial influence liii the Civil Sbrvk-e. It would have all Government posts made possible for tlite children of the worker equally with tflie children, of the influential man.. . It would reform, the Legislative Council and take that body from under the political l control' of the Prime [■Minister. The Legislative Council would be made representative of the people and be elected by the people. The Reform party -would do away gradually -with the wasteful and extra.vagant system of Parliamentary grants for vote catching purposes. It would instead give local ibodies- extended powers and assured finance by a better system of local' government. It would ilntrodiuce legislation for compulsory insurance against sickness* and unemployment . It would alfso increase employment in every industry and branch of trade in .the Dominion., and open a wide door of opportunity for the sons and daughters of the workers.. Tine Reform party would afford the men. of sma-11 1 capital all possible [ facilities' to get on. the lands by j means of tlhe leasehold as a stepping stone to the freehold, and it would ! give .settlers and Crown tenants the j option, of the freehold. It would reform tihe fiscal system by reducing taxation where possible to flesseni the cost of living. It would keep borrowing within reasonable bounds, and J prevent wasteful expenditarre. It ! would develop our overseas trade aaid reftationiships., and foster new channels df industtry. The Reform party would push on midway works' and prosecute a vigorous roading policy in order .to develop the country. Vast area si now producing nothing would be thrown, open to an army of small settlens. Millions of acres of idle Hands would he made to pour minions of pounds' wortfli of exports into overseas- markets. The resulting trade and interchange would benefit eveiy class df the .comimunity. It is Sii) tlie interests of town and country workers alike to vote for the Reform party. The Reform party .candidates' are united on a stra%ht, olean, broad and progressive programme, line Opposition has earned the respect and praise of the pcr.iplie from che Bluff to the North Cape. Tt has been earnest, honest, and watchful in the people's interest-, and it I

appeal's to the electors with every confidence, strong in the knowledge of work honestly performed. The Reform party was never more vigorous than it is to-day. Its programme stionds oait clearly above the fog of abuse and misrepresentation with which its seek to obscure it. At last elections its support from the electors- was increased enor--mousilrv. Throughout the country there is a rising t-'de of public feeling against the effete and spurious Libera lisin of the Ward-Carroil-Find-lay Government. It is hoped and. believed that the tide will sweep the present Administration aside liike /useless lumber and go irresistibly on; towards progress, prosperity, reform, and opportunity.