THE PRIME MINISTER

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10662, 18 June 1912, Page 6

THE PRIME MINISTER

SPEEGH AT BkRGAVILLE.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.J

DAR'GAVILLE, June- IG. The PVrmo Minister delivered an address here on Saturday night. Be dealt at length with finance. Replying to critics, lie contended that no catfutry was more .prosperous tliuii « lit? Dominion at the present time. Dealamjg with the latest lean-, he ea.id the ■Government was blamed if it did net Ibonrow. It was also bllimcd if it did borrow. TJie/Oritieism on the five million loam by imen who voted for and got a share of it was the deepto; kind of political 'hypocrisy. Gntioi'sm on. the present loan, was solely for party political purposes, and was having a detrimental effect. The money was raised on the advice of the financial advisors at Home, .and could not be raised at lere than the market value. He contrasted New Zealand's 4} per cent, ten at 99 with OhiVia s 5 pe' cent., at 94. T |'h e ffact of tiic matl * ;r

,was thai .owing to the abnormal development itihlr/ugbout the-world, the demland for .money exceeded tfhe sr.pply. The Government could not give particulars cf .the loan before the lean transactions were closed. particulars a\'ere available, they wou-d be ■found satisfactory,, -but he pressed the fact that -mcney cannot be.got at less than, the market r'ate. He denit,

amongst ether subjects, with tihe land proposals as outlined at fie sketched the progress in the Agricultural Department, and, mei'ring to the .presei J; se'ascn;, .said .it had exceeded year's exports i.ni Apiil and May. cc'-T-parsuiively. by over a milJibn. He bad to ent- into nego-,, tiation's witli the ehiip'"" 'Jj c<'"na nit's ifdr Jnfcreas'ad .space <to ■ ,: l ry nwiay the harvest and the .wif'' ased export <tf dairy pTcdu'ee." : Everything look-vl "l-easonable to expect a contonuamc tof tfie prosperity iclf the' agricultural and pastoral* industry. Commcnthig car the present polit > cal situation, ihe said as 16a®- a-:, he perKMi&lily wn.D -concerned he was going 'to Ury to win, and work for the g'O'Jtl :cif ttli-s ccmirjiiiaity. If ihe had to re-, tire, he would vtliatok the people for the confidence and kindness shown ,h:rm for the last twenty-five years.

They 'wore auxi.'ou.s ito 'convert the rnerta.: cf public, life imtfco something 'real, aM<i «&re tryfofg to improve tliitng's t'liait Iwul fo®®B in H>e of men icme time. The Civil Service required re-mcdeil'Uing. Personally, lie combated the proposal of* the Oppose tkm for a Civil Service Beard. ibeliovin.V that itlio Minister slhoiiM Hiave 'the .right to. selecjb or (promote, on' dismiss men. carrying 'cm the work of the department. He believed education was ccetong too much , also thai 'they woarld get valuable ;n----formlatifiTi' 'from, the Cfast of Livin;.' Commission. He condemned tli : carping .criticism .agaunWfc individuals. '

A motion rf thp.ai.ks and confidence :'ii the Mackenzie Mi.nli,s)fcry was carried wife cheers: ' -

I?eply:',:i;\i, the Prime Minister said tiro Liberal Gcflremmoihfc was' going to do g<v.xl lib or all work, and lead the country to good.