THE REFORM PARTY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3950, 5 June 1913, Page 5

THE REFORM PARTY.

A RECORD OF ITS PROGRESS,

SPEECH BY MR MASSEY.

MANY DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME

[PBES3 ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM! AUCKLAND, June 4. A summary of the doings of his girty was given at a meeting of the eflorm League to-day by Hon. W. F. Massey. , When the Government came into office, said the Prime Minister, they found the finances of the country in such a condition that it was imperative that Hon. J- Allen should be despatched to the Mother Country to initiate new loans. If the Minister had not been successful in his mission it would have been necessary to close down various public works, and threequarters of the men employed would liave'been thrown out of work. However, he was glad to say that the conditions were now materially improved. Theyhad ben able to spend £50,000 in workmen’s homes in addition to the advance made to workers. In his capacity as Minister for Lands he had, in the last.twelve months, been able to settle 250,000 acres in various parts of the Dominion. In the last few weeks he. had completed arrangements for the purchase of a further 120,000 acres, and every settler on that area would have the right to make the land his own. When the Government came into office, said Mr Massey, they also had a big strike at Wailn to contend with. He was pleased to be able to say that at the present time there was industrial peace from one end of! New Zealand’ to the other-

Mr MasSey referred to the recent threatened strike of marine _ engineers- The seriousness of the situation at that time, he said, could hardly be appreciated by those unacquainted with the circumstances. One of the Union Company’s steamers was actually tied up at Sydney waiting word as to'the result of the conference between the parties at which he was present as arbitrator. If that dispute had not been promptly -settled the strike would have been the biggest that had taken place in Australasia. As the result of a six hours’ conference, however, all signs of possible strike vanished.

The Prime Minister also made reference to the legislation of last session dealing with the defence ofl poor prisoners, under which a system would obtain whereby a man not able to employ counsel could receive State assistance.

Another point made by Mr Massey was the system initiated f.or the insurance of public buildings. He said that £IO,OOO was set aside for that purpose last year. The credit of the country had been firmly re-established among the London financiers, and for that the change of Government was partly responsibleFor the year ending March 31st the arrivals exceeded the departures by 12,000, and there was also a record in exports from the Dominion. The position generally throughouut New Zealand was a most satisfactory one, and there was every reason to hope that it would continue. The Prime Minuister informed an interviewer later that preparations for the work for the forthcoming session are well in hand.

Mr Massey will be engaged in Wellington for the "renter part of) the coming three weeks in completing the ararngements for the session. “Do you anticipate a long; session ?” the Prime Minister was asked.

“I do not know. It will be unusually long for the middle session,” lie replied, “but it is what is termed a working session, and a great deal of important business will be dealt with.”

In regard to the Government’s naval policy Mr Massey said that the recommendations of the Minister for Defence had yet to be placed before Cabinet, and he was unable to make any statement at present. In all bility the first announcement of tlie Government’s intentions would be made to Parliament.