The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1928. THE PREMIER'S SPEECH.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 257, 30 October 1928, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1928. THE PREMIER'S SPEECH.

For the cause that lock* assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance. For the future in the , And the good that tce can do.

No doubt the Reformers who listened to their leader's speech at the Town Hall last night were thoroughly satisfied with the performance. But it is very doubtful if anyone not already attached to the Premier's party was very favourably impressed. Mr. Coates has a virile and pleasing personality, but when that has been said very left is left. The real difficulty about working up enthusiasm for Reform is that it has no great r record of practical successes in the past and no definite constructive policy for the future. Mr. Coates, attempting to substantiate his party's claim to the gratitude of the country for what Reform has already done, was entirely unconvincing ,even to the friendly disposed critic. In regard to what Reform means to do after the elections he was even more indefinite and inconclusive; and the absolute lack of constructive statesmanship in the Reform Cabinet i 3 sufficiently indicated by the Premier's admission that his party has no land policy. Possibly Reform's successors may seize an early opportunity to prove to this country that land settlement is not so hopelessly impracticable as Mr. Coates believes.

One of the most unfortunate and objectionable features of the Prime Minister's speech was his persistent misrepresentation of the policy of the United Party v Because the United programme includes - a proposal for public works, under the contract system, which Reform has adopted, Mr. Coates told his Audience last night that the Umted Party intends, as the Reform Party has done, to import large numbers of iihnugrants, though he is, of course, well aware that the United platform specifically advocates cutting down immigration when there is risk of unemployment. Because the United programme suggests subsidies to manufactures rather than- "a high Protective tariff,".which we have not got and never have had here, therefore Mr. charges the United Party with attempting to undermine Protection. As to Sir Joseph Ward's loan policy, we are glad to see that Mr. Coates has abandoned the ridiculous pretence that the United Party want to borrow £70,000,000 in one year; but he remarked Very absurcUy that it makes no difference whether the money is borrowed in one year or in ten. Devoid of, statesmanship and visioxH-that is a fair summary of the Reform leader's speech.