PREMIER IN AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 259, 2 November 1925, Page 9

PREMIER IN AUCKLAND.

DEFENDS PARTY PLATFORM. ANSWER TO CRITICS. ADDRESSES TO WORKERS. The Government cause was soundly supported this morning in the course of two addresses by the Prime Minister, who in continuation of his Dominion tour arrived in Auckland to-day. The Hon. .1. G. Coates spoke at the railway construction works at St. Helier's, and nt the Newmarket railway workshops, the majority of his audiences bein"men with whom he has been indirectly and directly in touch during the past few years in his capacity as Jlinister of Railways and Public Works.

Ihere were about 450 men assembled at St. Helier's when the Premier arrived. and a number of local residents swelled the crowd. Jlr. J. O'Connell, one of the construction men, and Mr. G. McArthur, chairman of the Tamaki Road Board, welcomed Mr. Coates. who was accompanied by Airs. Coates and a number of supporters.

Mr. O'Connell stressed the interest Mr. Coates, even before he was a member of Parliament, had taken in the welfare of the workers in the railway and other Government constructional works. "You only have to cast your eyes round this camp and see the conditions under winch we are living and working to see evidence of it. It appeals particularly to the old hands. It is a brisrht reflection to think that the man who worked so hard in the interests of the constructional workers during the past five years is now the Prime Jlinister," lie said, amid applause. "What Jlr. Coates has done for these workers he can do for New Zealand," he concluded, amid applause.

Jlr. Coates, after thanking the speakers for what they had said, added that everything was not done yet for the welfare of the men working on the Government works. Everyone could not be satisfied, but as the days and years went by things were being left better than they were found.

The Premier then launched into a reply of the criticism which lias been most evident during the campaign. "I am supposed to represent the vested interests—squatocray," he remarked, in recalling current election cries. "Well, I do represent the vested interests—they are the people of New Zealand. My whole object is to give equal opportuuity to tho humblest person in the country."

Replying to the contentions that the Government administration was extravagant, and that the country wa-s running into bankruptcy, Jlr. Coates said -that 00 per cent of the money borrowed since 1912 was spent oil works which were earning interest money, and were not one penny a burden to the taxpayer. There was a general cry, he said, that every man and woman had been called upon to pay indirect taxation for this borrowed money, tho bulk of which had been spent on absolutely essential development works. "Don't you think it is the right thing to complete our hydroelectric schemes, our railways, and such works, and not look at them? If they will pay the interest, what harm can be done to the people. The present population is toeing given some of the benefits of the age, and the foundation stone being laid for a great and prosperous country." Customs Taxation. Jlr. Coates stated emphatically that there had. been no increase in the indirect taxation," or, as it was commonly known, the Customs taxation. On not one article had there been ah increase in taxation, but the additional revenue - had come as a result of the increase of the bulk in importation. Fifty-six per cent of the everyday articles came into the country free of taxation, while in Canada the percentage was 30 per cent, and in Australia 34 per cent. New Zealand was better off than any other country. When people talked of reducing Customs taxation they had got to remember the secondary industries, for the protection of. which, in some cases, a small tariff wall had been built up. Otherwise these industries would be swamped, and thousands of workers would be without a job.

The Premier then went on to show how the administration costs had been built up by the war debt, and who would say that New Zealand should not have taken her place with the Jlother Country when the whole Empire was threatened, by various pensions, the repayment of debt, and the development \of schools and prosecution of backblock road building. These were the things for which the money had been borrowed. The actual position as far as taxation was concerned in the 1914-1915 period and the 1024-1025 period was that in the former period it was f3 5/6 per head of population, while to-day it was £3 0/9. "Five bob a head less. Now what have the critics got to say of that," said Jlr. Coates. (Applause.) Neithei of the other two parties who had condemned the Government's policy had said that it was time to call a halt, or had suggested an alternative. The Labour party said that the country was going to bankruptcy. Some people never seemed to be happy unless they were absolutely miserable, but he would ask, "What had his opponens suggested to carry on the many works so vital in the development and future of the country?" Some people contended that the graduated tax on the large land owners should be increased, and this would be a solution to the whole problem. As a matter of fact that would produce about three millions, and this scheme would then run dry. How was the country «oing to carry on after that? He quite agreed that the whole incidence of taxation wanted looking into and adjusting, so that it should fall on the shoulders of those best able to do it, and he assured bis audience that this was one of his intentions. There was no short cut to prosperity, went on the Premier, and it meant bard work for all. But that, work should bo properly controlled; there should .1)3 no sweating, and men should be paid for. th,e work they did. ' (Applause.) As the result of the organised efforts to date it had been possible to reduce the cost of construction work 40 per cent. The 7/6 Reduction. Jlr. Coates gave an emphatic denial that there was any intention to roduce the wages of workers by 7/(5 per week. , It was absolutely contrary to fact. The suggestion was first put forward by Mr. A. C. Piddington, X.C, of Sydney, who came' to New Zealand at the invitation of tbe Government, and commented upon by the Secretary of Labour, but neither'tlie Premier, nor any of his Ministers had ever said that it would be put into effect. The real aim of tho Government was to assist the worker with a family over two by a contribution from the Consolidated Fund. ' The basic wage does not give a family man a chance, and when one section of the community is not getting a chance, then an allowance will have to be made from the Consolidated Fund." he said.'

At Newmarket Workshops. wS&J?" i° l he New market Railway Workshops, the Premier addressed about ?° t ° pr^ plo^ee d "»ng their luncheon interval. He again got an attentive hearing and answered numerous questions. Mr. Coates replied to a number of queries regarding railway men's conditions, and paid particular attention to the shop men's work. At the Dominion railway workshops, he explained, 60 per cent of the machinery was out of date 30 per cent of it was from 10 to 20 years old, while about 10 per cent of it was of some use. It was proposed to spend a million and a-half on bringing the workshops up to date, for without proper material they could not expect the men to give proper service. Rather a diversion was caused when Airs. _ Emily Nieol appealed to the Premier to do something for the T.B. men. "Promise mc, Jlr. Coates," she said earnestly, "that the Government will take over provision of the T.B. boys, and unlock the great war funds." Air. Coates replied that he understood what Jlrs. Nicol was appealing for, and explained that there were two different funds, the AA'ar Council and the Canteen Fund, and that there was a gap between the two. He would endeavour to bridge that gap and provide for the T.B. men, whose illness, the doctors said, was not due primarily to war disabilities. Among other questions answered was one dealing with the putting off of men from the Post and Telcuraph Department. Jlr. Coates stated that these were men taken on as temporary employees, and had been put off whether because the money ran short, or that the money failed to arrive. Though the Premier got a good reception the meeting ended with cheers for the Labour party, but Mr. Coates got a good volley of applause as he drove off.