THE LICENSING RECOUNT.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XLIX, Issue 5121, 17 November 1925, Page 2

THE LICENSING RECOUNT.

WILL BE COMPLETED TO-DAY

The returning officer Cor Lyttellon reported last nii>"]it that he had nothing further to report in regard to the Lvtte'.ton election: hut stated that the recount would be completed to-day. The six missing' voting papers had not apparently been discovered last night and may he discovered among the licensing envelopes of absent voters.

MR M'COMBS ON THE POSITION

"On the night of the election 1 congratulated my opponent on his apparent victory, and accepted what appeared to be the decision of the electors," said Mr J. M'Combs, speaking to a gathering of workers at LytLellon at noon on Sunday. "Since then, the position has altered, and I now find myself with a majority t.f one, with six returns to come in.

"The election would not now be in doubt were it not that a large number of seamen who had taken the trouble to be enrolled and had applied for electors' rights have not been able to rccord their votes. Other seamen who voted in the electorate on election day have had their votes disallowed because there is no evidence that they produced I heir electors' rights. Under these circumstances, I think I am lairly entitled to win.

"What is wanted is an alteration of the law. I agree with the scrutineers that the returning officer has been exceedingly careful, and has endeavoured to be scrupulously fair.

"I wish to very sincerely thank all those who voted for me and who worked to secure my return. I wish to congratulate my opponent on the good vote he has put up. So far as I know he has had no experience in public life, but I think you will agree with me that he has proved himself a very astute politician, lie asked for the support of the workers on the score that he was a trade unionist, and he secured the support of a Government'that has done more than any other Government to force down wages.

"I. wish to also congratulate my opponent on having secured the support of one or two leading prohibijlionists, while at the same time [securing the whole of the support (,f the trade. The latter was very evident on election day. I do not object to the trade's opposition. 1 count it an honour that never in the whole of my political career has the trade ever regarded me as the least of two evils. That the licensing question cuts right across the political issues is evidenced by a letter I received from a correspondent from the Chathams yesterday, thanking me for all that I had done | for the Islands, and saying: "I thought you would get more votes still. Of course all the hotels are against you. "The Trade on this occasion had to choose between two prohibitionists —one, who had to tell the electors he was a prohibitionist, and one who had worked in the movement for twenty-five years and had rendered signaL service to the cause in the House and out of it. I think I can also claim that I have never hesitated to express my views fearlessly and definitely on all the pojitical i

questions of the clay and have consistently fought for Canterbury interests. Not even my bitterest political opponents have ever accused me of breaking- a pledge. "In my opinion, the present political situation in New Zealand is not without its dangers. The knowledge that Parliament does not represent the people, and the further knowledge that we again have a minority Government in power, must weaken the prestige of Parliament and undermine the authority of the Government. I "The remedy for this unsatisfactory state of affairs is a scientific method of proportional representation. My own view is that a representative Parliament and a strong Opposition are more desirable than a strong Government. A Government with a big majority in the House may easily become careless , and ruthless. A strong National Government in this country was responsible for our unjust and inequitable company tax. The Government was so strong that it ignored criticism and rejected all advice. It repealed the war profits tax, and levied taxation in such a way that individual war profiteers making huge fortunes paid a lower rate of assessment than companies which had been hit by tho war, and were earning only a small percentage on their capital- The Government had the power, and used it, and the Finance Minister did not attempt to defend the tax : he merely said : "I want a certain sum of money, and I know [ can get it this way." All the accepted canons of taxation were ignored.

"Then there was the inequity of the butter-fat tax, which was the most unjust and worst piece of class taxation ever placed on the Statute Book. A Government that ran the lisk of being turned out of office would have been l?ss arbitrary.

The Nationalist Government was ineffective in dealing with the cost of living problem. Legislation is fairer, and administration is better, when there is a strong vigorous Opposition.

"In conclusion," said Mr M'Combs, "let mc say I hat in regard to the Lyttelton light, the increase in the Reform Party's vote is due entirely to superior organisation and a lavish expenditure of money. I made the mistake of relying wholly on my years of work in the interests of the mass of the people, and on the woi'k I had done for the electorate. Next election the Reform Party will have to face an organisation as complete as their own, and the result will never be in doubt. The records show that on this occasion a large number of workers did not vote."