A SPORTING HEARING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 269, 13 November 1928, Page 12

A SPORTING HEARING.

PRIME MINISTER AT EPSOM.

MR. COATES AND UNITEDS.

SOME SLIGHTING REFERENCES

Applause., accompanied occasionally by jeers, greeted a 23-minutes' speech by the Prime Minister, Mr. Coates, at the Regent Theatre, Epsom, last evening. The theatre was packed to standing room and it was very early evident that the United party and Labour were well represented in the audience. However, it was a sporting hearing accorded; the Prime Minister and' when he concluded his address by appealing to his audience to give his old ''cobber," Viv. Potter, a vote on Wednesday, there was a warm round of cheering, which wa.3 immediately followed by cheers for Sir Joseph Ward.

The Prime Minister, whose voice gave evidence of a hard speech-making campaign, opened by telling those present that the country was now on the threshold of prosperity. A Voice: Turned the corner! Mr. Coates: Yes, turned the corner, thanks to a capable Reform Government. A party has come along calling itself the United party, but it is just about as disunited as possible. Now where is the Labour party? Chorus: Here we are I Mr. Coates (smiling): I seem to have stirred them up a bit. Labour makes a fine opponent. There are only two parties—Reform and Labour. The United party is just poking its nose in. Dealing with exports and imports the Prime Minister said the depression came in 1926. A Voice: What did you care? Mr. Coates: I cared as much as any other man. A Voice: Take your coat off. Mr. Coates.- I have no need to take my coat off. All here to-night are with me. A Voice: But they won't be on Wednesday. The Prime Minister said that no country in the world was as prosperous as New Zealand. There was a lot of talk about unemployment, but the unemployed numbered one in 600, which was the lowest in the British Empire. If there was a country which had provided work for all he would like to know it.

Mr. Coates referred to the "dismal Jimmies" who were continually saying the country had gone to the "bowwows." What was wanted was optimism, hope and determination. Sir Joseph Ward had told the people there would be 30,000 or 40,000 unemployed in the Dominion next year.

A Voice: That is only if the present Government is in powei.

Sir Joseph Ward's statement, said Mr. Coates, was too absurd to be worthy of comment. Sir Joseph claimed that he could build up surpluses. "So he could," said Mr. Coates, "but to do so he would have to increase the income tax and Customs taxation, which now are the lowest in the British Empire. The Reform Government has given you both policy and performance. And now I must leave you, but I would say to you: Remember this, maintain New Zealand's status and credit and give my 'digger , cobber, Viv. Potter, your vote on Wednesday.,,

Aβ the Prime Minister concluded there were loud cheers, with strong counter cheering for Sir Joseph Ward and Labour. .