IF REFORM GOES OUT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 251, 23 October 1928, Page 5

IF REFORM GOES OUT.

MINISTER OF WORKS.

•STARTS ELECTION CAMPAIGN. APPROVES OP LIBERAL LEGISLATION. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) GISBORNE, this day. Addressing his constituents for the first time since he was elected to Parliament eight years ago, the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. K. S. Williams, opened his election campaign at Tokomaru Bay last night. The people of the Dominion, he said, owed it to themselves and to future generations to give the matter very earnest consideration before deciding to put the present Government out of office, replacing it with "a party which proposed to embark upon a policy of experimental legislation which had proved disastrous in other countries. The electors, he said, must consider the relative merits of the two opposing parties. He ventured to suggest that a careful analysis could only favour Reform. The Minister criticised several planks of the Labour platform, expressing his opposition to a State bank, contending that the time when Parliament controlled the banks would be disastrous for the country. Criticism of the Dominion's financial position, he asserted, was effectively answered by the result of the last loan, which had been favourably commented upon by the highest financial critics in England. It would be necessary for some time to come to continue borrowing for public works, but the aim of the Government was to reduce the dead weight of debt, mainly a war debt, which provided the heaviest burden on taxpayers.

The Minister gave credit to the Liberal Government for the inauguration of pensions and State advances, but .maintained that no Government could have more liberalised these schemes than the present one. Regarding State advances, he pointed out that during the last 16 years of the Liberal -Administration, £16,000,000 was advanced, -whereas Reform, in a similar period, had advanced £43,000,000. He deprecated a tendency, however, for State advances to be called upon to supply all finance. Those able to afford a slightly higher rate should apply elsewhere, thus conserving the funds for more needv workers and small farmers.

Mr.. Williams condemned Labour's policy of an all-round increase in pensions. The Government already had increased the value of pensions by removing restrictions, reducing the age, and increasing the weekly payment. Their future policy was to further remove restrictions, thereby encouraging thrift and enterprise, rather than to make a general increase in payments. An important question affecting pensions was. the position of returned soldiers, who were only now beginning to show the effects of war service. This problem was a growing one, and required careful consideration, for the Government was determined that those who suffered through the war should receive primary consideration.

The Minister dealt with unemployment upon familiar lines, stating that New Zealand had suffered l«as than other countries. Relief works had" coped with the position as well as possible, and the earnings on the average had been satisfactory. He would not countenance any policy wrtiich might result \rf permanent Public Works employees being put out of work, thereby creating a permanent unemployment problem. The Minister eulogised the operations of the Highways Act, which had enabled settlers in isolated parts to receive good access without paying unduly heavy rates, and said everyone would agree that this legislation had been beneficial to the whole Dominion. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously.