LYTTELTON ELECTORATE.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume LV, Issue 5635, 27 November 1931, Page 3

LYTTELTON ELECTORATE.

MR ERiEBMAIN AT LE BON'S BAY. ! 'Mr Freeman, Coalition Candidate for Lyttetton Electorate, addressed i a large meeting at Le Bon's Bay Hall .■ on Wednesday evening when Mr A. j E. Williams took the chair. The | candidate dealt with the depression U in this and other countries during ii the last two years and as a result of the evidence submitted to the < Economic Committee of Parliament ' the formation of the National Government. We depended upon the sale of our primary produce on the overseas markets, mostly in Britain, .; and the drop of values for these of £20,000,000 in the last two years was causing serious anxiety. The country's revenue had dropped from 56 millions ,to 36 million pounds. Our annual interest' charges on overseas loans amounted to ;t12,000,000. New Zealand has demanded for its social ser-; vices and interest payment and other charges £20,000,000 per annum. With a reduced income the position has got to be examined and either services must be cut down or extra taxation applied to make up the deficiency. The country could not stand extra taxation, so it was necessary to examine closely every item of expense to see what reduction can be made without hardship. The Coalition Government had promised ' to do this and asked for a mandate to take whatever action it thought best as circumstances arose. '• The unemployment problem was one of the most serious they had to face. The 50,000 men out of employment would have to be absorbed in , the country's primary and secondary industries. An adjustment in the working of the Arbitration Court j without interfering with its main j principles would assist. Ii was | ! essential to absorb unemployed into; : productive woik and give assistance j jlo the primary and. secondary in-, jdustries in order to do this. There , I was no hope of solving the unemployment question by applying the; ; proposals the Labour Party were adivocating. They had only to see what .happened in New South Wales,! i where, instead of Mr Lang's Coven;-! jment improving the position for theunemployed and restoring cuts the] I position had drifted towards national; bankruptcy. There was need for ai stable Government in New Zealand! to save this drift and he asked them to support the Coalition candidates to the utmost. j At the conclusion of Ihe address| Mr Chas. J. Crotty moved a vote of thanks and confidence in the candidate : seconded by Mr P. Darnett ( and carried with applause. i i