THE PEOPLE'S DESIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 269, 13 November 1928, Page 10

THE PEOPLE'S DESIRE.

'CHANGE OF GOVERNMENT." UNITED LEADER CONVINCED. FINAL MESSAGE TO ELECTORS. LOAN POLICY REITERATED. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") INVERCARGILL, this day. "I regard this election as one of the most important in the history of the ■Dominion, and I confidently await the issue," declares Sir Joseph Ward, Leader of 1 lie United party, in a final message to the electors. ''Public meetings throughout the country show that the people desire a change of Government, and the opportunity of obtaining cheap money in sufficient supply to give men and women anxious to secure their future independence fuller and wider scope.

What Has Been Done.

"My rritics liavc endeavoured to create the impression that the scheme proposed by me for introducing fresh capital to develop our great resources is a plunge into the unknown. It is interesting to recall that they said precisely the same tiling when the advances to eettlers system was introduced 34 years ago. Many of them publicly predicted it was impossible of accomplishment, and that we would not obtain money in London for such a purpose, and that, in any case, great losses would be sue* tained. It will be remembered that I ]iad to go to Eng'and to undertake the obtaining of the money. It was successfully accomplished and largely oversubscribed, and in the period that has intervened 40 millions sterling has been lent by the Department without loss. On £be contrary, while giving the settlers and workers cheaper money than could be obtained in the open market, it has earned a very substantial profit. The whole cost of management amounts to the sum of £35,000, and the net profits

ton the year amount to £49,079, while it has earned over the whole period profits to the extent of £1,099,000. What Can be Done. "It is a fafe estimate, based on actual results, that the profits on the amount under my present proposal, when it is all loaned out in eight to ten years, will be another £CO,OOO per annum, that is, one and a-half times the amount earned on 40 millions now.

"Referring to my proposal to complete the long-distance railways by the expenditure of up to 10 millions sterling, the capital cost of open and unopened lines is at present £58,800,000, and the capital cost of open lines £51,200,000. There is, therefore, in round figures, £7,000,000 of lines under construction that have not been opened. Surely it is advisable to turn ibis large «um of unearning open mile* of railway into profit* earning lines by completing them, and en preventing the loss of interest upon this huge sum. It is estimated that, in addition to this, £3,400,000 will complete all long-distance lines. To provide money for both settlers and workers and for the completion of lines no taxation whatever is. necessary. Minority Hole Condemned.

"I am strongly of the opinion that minority elections to Parliament should not be allowed to continue. For the last-17 years this has been the ease. The party governing the. country has represented a< minority of the electors right ihroughout that period, and I submit that the electors should have an alternative vote, ensuring majority representation, "I appeal to the general public to give «ie whole of the United policy their earnest consideration. Some people take pleasure in misunderstanding and deliberately misrepresenting the nature of my proposals. I have made them dear, but all the wilee of political chicanery have been employed to cloud the issue.

- The suggestion is that £60,000,000 be raised for advances to farmers and workers by the sale of Government bonds, to be let out at six to eight millions annually, these . to be repayable over a period of 321 years, and the interest to be 4J per cent, to be paid by the borrower, with no increase of taxation what' ever. "If Returned, I Will Do It,". "A few critics, for obvious reasons, say this cannot be done, but to repeat the declaration I made in Invercarpll, 'What I have promised can be done, and if returned to power I JfOl do jt." This new system of advances combined with the speedy completion of main trunk railways and a vigorous policy of assisting small holders tot become Hcrmlj established on th* land, will, I predict, ghr* an impetus to the ■Dominion's growth that will result in a marked revival of prosperity, in which every section of the community will benefit, and enable this most fertile fnd to support a population more commensurate with its admittedly great capacity/'