REFORM'S "HARD ROW."

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 215, 11 September 1928, Page 5

REFORM'S "HARD ROW."

HAURAKI CAMPAIGN OPENED.

OFFICIALi CANDIDATE AT

PAPATOBTOE.

MR. A. W. HALL'S ADDRESS.

"This will be a hard-fought campaign, but so far as the candidates are concerned there will be nothing. bitter in Hauraki. (Applause.) It will be fought purely on political grounds; there will be nothing personal in it (renewed applause)," said Mr. A. W. Hall, official Reform candidate tor the new Hauraki seat, in concluding an address of two hours at Papatoetoe last evening, when opening his campaign. In his introductory remarks, the candidate said that he received strong advice to begin campaigning in the outskirts of the electorate and gradually work towards the centre, but he had not acted on this, as he wished to place his platform at the outset before the people of his home town. He had lived at Papatoetoe and adjoining districts for twentythree years. "Through this campaign I pledge myself that, if returned, I will vote with Reform on a want of confidence motion and on matters of general policy," continued Mr. Hall. Land Policy. In an historical review of the Reform Government since 1912, the speaker said that it had a hard row to hoe and was the only Government in the Empire that survived the war and post-war depression. It had been blamed for the high prices of land, and mistakes for which it did not deserve to be blamed. The Government had come in as an advocate of the freehold, as against the leasehold policy of the old Liberal Government. It had kept to the policy right through, and would continue to do so. Another Voice: Don't you think the land boom had something to do with the slump. (Applause.) The chairman, Mr. P. M. Waters, appealed to the audience to give the candidate a fair hearing, and to defer questions until after the address. Wanning Up. Mr. Hall: I will warm up to it presently, and I don't in the least mind. (Applause and laughter.) The candidate next referred to the progress of agricultural science and herd testing, and to Government subsidies on a number of exports, in order to foster new trade. Numerous matters, including the public debt, the taxation of land and incomes, the provision for defence, public health, dental clinics, child welfare, pensions, and unemployment were then dealt with by the speaker in rapid succession. In regard to defence, he said that while the danger of another war remained, it was the duty of the Dominion to do her bit for the defence of the Empire. (Applause.) The Hospital and charitable aid levy he considered excessive in the rural districts, and said that the charitable aid portion of the levy should come out of the Consolidated Fund, and the support of the hospital should be partially or wholly the burden of the landowner. An anomaly in connection with the pensions system drew from the candidate a criticism of the position under . which a wife with an invalid husband was refused a pension until after her ' husband's death. "But," he added, "I [ think that will be remedied." (Applause.) Regarding the position on the land, the Government had been blamed for not putting more people on farms, and for not keeping those there who had suffered from the boom and subsequent depression. It had been accused of not giving the farmers sufficient financial assistance, but during the past eight years a sum of £18.500,000 had been lent by the Advances Department. The trouble really had been that private lenders were shy of rural securities. The reluctance to lend on the land was very noticeable. Turned the Corner. "Personally, I think they have made a great mistake," he said. "The building of large warehouses and suiteß of offices in the cities, to the neglect of rural development has been unwise, but a great many realise that we have now turned .the corner." A Voice: What corner? Mr. Hall: The right corner. With all respect to my friend, we are now round the corner. Produce is selling better. Another voice: How about the soup kitchens ? Air. Hall: We regret the necessity for them, but are proud to have among us voluntary workers who are prepared to give meals to those in need of them. (Applause.) Continuing, Mr. Hall said that the time had arrived to open up the Crown Lands, and to form roads which would give access to new settlements. He considered that the policy of occupation, with right to purchase, was the best to adopt. Reference was then made to the balance of trade and the reduction of imports. A Voice: What about over-importing men? Dealing with the problem of unemployment and relief works, Mr. Hall said that the action taken by the Government had been expedient and fully justified. The difference between the relief rate of wages for married and single men, instead of being unreasonable ] as suggested by the Leader of the Opposition, should be increased. Replying to a question, Mr. Hall said that, in the event of a division on the question of Bible in Schools, he would vote foT Bible-reading.