ELECTION SPEECHES.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 282, 27 November 1919, Page 9

ELECTION SPEECHES.

- J THE FRANKLIN CONTEST. MR. REA AT MANUREWA. REFORM'S PIE-CRUST PROMISES. Mr Joseph Rea, the Liberal candidate for Franklin, addressed a good audience of electors of Manurewa and the outlying districts in the Public Hall last evening. Mr. Max D. King, who presided, introduced the candidate as a good all round settler and as a, personal friend. Mr Rea said he wished it distinctly understood that he was standing as an Independent Liberal, and on a no-confi-dence motion he would be with Sir (Joseph Ward. Dealing with Lord Jellicoe's report, the speaker said' that after all the sacrifices of the war in lives and cash, he would require to be convinced of the necessity for committing this small country to the yearly rising ex--penditure of one and a-half millions in! 1925. He had been a. Liberal and Labour organiser, and was a strong advocate of constitutional methods of government as opposed to those of Webb, Semple, Hoiland and Co. Criticising the Reform Government, 1912-1914, the candidate pointed out that despite their election promise they in less than two years added ten millions to the indebtedness of the country. They had promised to reduce taxation, reform the Legislative Council, promote industrial peace, etc.,J etc, but what had they done. He, the! speaker, had nothing against the National Government. It was a win the, war Government, and referring to Sir Joseph Ward's retirement he thought ■that if the beet of relations did not] exist in the Cabinet it was in the best I interests of all parties that Sir Joseph and his party should retire. The candi-, date did not favour the extreme party, system of government; he was a strong advocate of proportional representation., ADEPTS AT PROMISES. The Reformers and Mr Massey were adepts in promising a reform of our electoral laws, but it ended there. The ; candidate claimed that -Sir Joseph Ward had made some attempt in the second ballot. It was not altogether a success, : but it was something attempted. The ! speaker outlined his principles of proportional representation, and the a.lvantages of preferential voting. He would | like to see the public educated up to a better system than now obtained, and for his examples and "areful explanations ! the audience accorded the speaker hearty applause. Whilst not an out and out nationaliser he believed in nationalising , the coal mines. He believed 75 per cent, of the industrial trouble in this essential industry was caused through the ownership element being right out to 1 crush unionism. Coming to. the railway cut, despite the Commission and its finding, there appeared to be some element of wilful creation. After all it was hard coal from outside bought at any price that restored i the situation. LABOUR AND THE FARMER. Referring to a better understanding as I between the farmer and the town labourer, the speaker eulogised the efforts of Mr. Bloodworth as put forth at the Farmers' Union Conference. The working farmer was the truest working man on the face of the earth. Th»-e was no "go-slow policy or "down tools" with the farmer; he must carry on or go under. For this reason there was no possible fusion with the cockatoo and the exponents of direct action. Touching on the question of military training, the candidate was against Sir James Allen's four months' training, but was in favour of Sir Joseph Ward's proposal to revert to the old territorial and cadet system. I Mr. Rea rather advocated a militaiy respite, and the getting down to the business of the country and increase of pro-, duction. Coming to the settlement of I the soldier on the land, the candidate did not consider the Government had made, sufficient plans for the man who did not want to go on to the land. More attention should be given to the mechanic and the business soldier, and in justice to all our soldiers we should discharge our obligation freely. LIBERALISM—DEMOCRACY. The candidate stood as a Liberal because it was hopeless to look to Reform, and whilst it was imperative that increased activity in every walk of life was required in this fine little country, Reform had always stood in the way of democratic reform. Old age pensions and many other good acts had been forced on the country in direct opposition to the so-called Reformers. Contrasting Mr. Massey's housing scheme with that - proposed by Sir Joseph Ward, the speaker said 10/6, about one day's pay, waa quite enough for any working man to paj", and this could only be done by building in concrete, as Sir Joseph Ward proposed, and extending the payments over sixty years, as opposed to the 32 years proposed by Mr. Massey. Coming to the freehold, he was not against it, but that was not the most important factor in fanning. As a farmer he .lad farmed freehold, leasehold, L.I.P. and GG years. This made little difference to the farmer; it was just a matter of how the farmer was placed financially. The freehold was little use to him. if he was burdened down with mortgages. The Liberal Gov-j eminent had been a true friend to the people. Of a State bank he was a strong advocate. The profits of the Federal Bank of Australia had proved that it was good business for the people to have a bank of their own. JUSTICE, NOT BRIBERY. A matter of. local interest was the equalisation scheme. The dairying interest had during the war been interfered with more so than any other industry. The Government should pay the £340,000 and interest, and this was no bribe. The small farmer had not had fair treatment. A healthy people was the greatest asset of a country, and the candidate advocated nationalising the medical fraternity, and the education by the State of medical students. It was not right that the man with the most money should be able to claim most medical, attention. Medical comforts should be free to the people, in which case the doctor would strive to have his patients avoid the ailments. Deep-sea shipping especially should be nationalised. The Government during the war paid out five millions to the shipping companies, Whose shipping was oniy valued at one and a-half millions before the war. Manures for intensive production were a vital necessity. He advocated a more careful and simple method of analysis than now obtained. For whilst the milk vendor had to have -his milk analysed, the present system of manure analysis was complicated. Mr. M. D. King moved a hearty vote of thank 3to the candidate for his most excellent address. This was seconded and carried unanimously amid hearty applause. _ ._ ,