A CANDID MINISTER.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 258, 31 October 1928, Page 6

A CANDID MINISTER.

I should like to draw the attention ol electors to some remarks made by the Hon. O. J. Hawken, Minister of Agriculture, at the Reform League Conference held in Wellington on August 22. They are reported in, the '"Newsletter," the official organ of the Reform party. Talking "as a party man," Mr. Hawkea is discussing the political situation and the prospects of the Reform party in the forthcoming election. He says: "The country members often criticise us because of the duties we impose to help the secondary industries. Bit we have to consider our town members. We cannot get on as a party without the town members, and we know perfectly well that if we abolish the duties our town supporters would have great difficulty in retaining their seats. We must go on helping the town industries wherever we can." Again, he says: "The question of finance lies very largely at the back of politics. ... For instance, tin fruit industry produces now about 2,000,000 cases for the local market and 1.000,000 cases for export, with a total value of about £1,000,000- We'have helped the industry with expert advice. Six thousand people are engaged is it, and our expenditure in assisting them amounted to £13,000. That is not a very large amount when you consider that 6000 men with their wives and families constitute a very big vote." There is a great deal more in the same strain. Turning over a couple of pages on finds an editorial with the glorious captioa, "Country—Not Self." Can anyone explain to me why the Minister of Agriculture of a Government which claims to be representative of every class of the community and to put the country's - good before the mere winning of seats should use these curious words?

MERETREL