"NEARLY PERFECT."

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 267, 10 November 1928, Page 14

"NEARLY PERFECT."

THE BEFOR'si GOVERNMENT.' '.PRIME MINISTER'Si . BELIEF. ' v XBy Telegraph.—Press- Association.)' --■• DANNEVTRKE, Friday. . The Prime Minister, the.. Right Hon. J. G. Coates, addressed-an overflowing meeting at the Town Hall to-night. About 1300 people were in the hall, and many were outside. It was a goodhumoured meeting throughout, with a fair number'of interjections from, a few . of those, present". ] - ' ,- ; ' ' The Prime Minister ■ said he believed that he could still serve New Zealand and that he would'do so after the fourteenth. , (Applause).•■ After. considering the. criticisms and declamations of his opponents, a fair inference was'that the present. Government was about as near]j perfect as any that had ever existed. The ■ Government had 'a' big- majority, but nobody could : say it h'adabiised it. It had legislated for the people- as a whole, without consideration of class interests. Replying to,ran; interjection, r he said "he would never agree to the farmer pay-. ing two taxes. ' He. must pay either land tax or income tax. ,They must.give an incentive to men to go on the land,as jrimary -production was the great standby of the. country. .... '. Sir Joseph .Ward's, railway programme was aoout as silly, as it; was weak, ill-i considered, and. uneconomical.' • . /. . | - He roundly .condemned;' Sir '■ Joseph's statement that' he proposed;.to-bring, into the country 3,000,000 to 4,000,001)' V . pebpl£ in the next four years. This did not. seem.to .him :tp._be logical. .It ■was ill-considered;' What'wbuld they do with 4,000,000 people? A Voice: Put. them on the .land. _ Mr. Coates "replied thathe would have' nothing to .dp.:.with that.' The best farmer was ''the _young citizen '- of the - Dominion, who -should have a, show. - Jeremiahs - and croakers had blamed the Government -. for- past depression. Surely the Government was entitled t<? claim credit for having, pulled the country' through- that depression. 'The croakers and Jeremiahs had not gauged the spirit of the people, and their;capacr "~--ity\to pull: New. -Zealandithrough -the worst 'depression that; might befall. it, not only in the past, but'id the "days ■ to come. .':-"-'■ j. The meeting; carried a hearty, vote of thanks to'the Prime' Minister for his - able and. 'convincing 1 .'address;- $ and expressed confidence 'in' him • r the Government: "There, were"' fewv dissentients. V-"-"p,-'- ."<i"*&"'.\ - : --'*;- 9^\\

ADTCRESS ? ''AT WOOD VIMiE/ '' . v : ; WOODyiUJE,: Friday. ~, The Prime Minister . addressed a largely-attended and enthusiastic meeting at Woodville this afternoon. . The Mayor, Mr. H. K Horne, thankedMr. Coates for-tiis-Vork/- ■yf I ''-'. •'-- ..Mr. Coates said -he recognised the Mayorfe position,-as aiVpolitical opponent/ an 3 congratulated Mr. Home, on his brave'stand in paying a tribute.to.the Prime Minister. - : ■.- ■ ■•'. '.;'.- ;. . ■"'.- > Mr. Coatds-'-'aeait-^th r> the United party. He classed the statement of Sir Joseph Ward with regard to there being 30,000 or 40,000 unemployed next" winter aSiiSridiculous,;. outrageous and?stupid, -withi-Jipt the slightest' foundation.;,;; 'He. .spoke for' an liour and-a-half; in; srfte of- trouble with his: voice. An Attentive hearing was given throughout, arid an enthusiastic vote of thanks and confidence , was. carrkd, with one dis-