HUTT BY-ELECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 293, 11 December 1929, Page 15

HUTT BY-ELECTION.

POLLING DAY NEXT WEEK.

PROSPECT OF LABOUR WIJT.

MR. JOHNSTON'S CAMPAIGN,

(From Our Special Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

The executive of the Reform party is sparing no effort within its command to promote the interests of its champion, Mr. Harold Johnston, in the contest for the Hutt seat in the House of Representatives, and it must be said in fairness that the candidate himself is playing his part uncommonly well. Entering upon the campaign with little knowledge of the details of politics, he has applied himself assiduously to the mastery of the facts, and on the whole has presented his case very capably, it is obvious that he regards the Labour candidate as his more dangerous opponent, and occasionally he has rather overdone his denunciation of the "Socialists" and the "Communists,"" who, as a matter of fact, have very little to du with this particular campaign. A special meeting of the Wellington division of the Reform party was held on Friday night to wish its candidate good luck and good cheer, and to express warm appreciation of the manner in which he had carried on the campaign. The Helping Hand. Mr. Johnston has the advantage of a helping band each day in the morning paper. "In the course of his campaign," the world at large is told this morning, "Mr. Johnston has more than once expressed the view that rates of taxation in the Dominion are so high at the present time as to constitute a real handicap on the recovery of our industry and commerce. In his view, a reduction in the rates at present levied would, by its favourable reaction upon ,-;fhe volume of business, not diminish : hut increase the aggregate national : revenue. There is, says Mr. Johnston, a law of diminishing return in taxation; that is, a point comes where increased rates of taxation produce a diminishing total yield. This point, in his view, has been reached in New Zealand. A reduction in rates of taxation, he argues, would therefore constitute a considerable relief and incentive to business, without unfavourable reactions on \sie total revenue of the country." Something of the same kind was being jaid by the other side at the November election. United and Labour. The other two candidates in the field, Mr. J. Kerr, representing the United party, and Mr. W. Nash, representing the Labour party, both are securing good meetings and receiving genuine votes of confidence, and each of them is professing certainty as to the result of the contest. Perhaps Mr. Nash is the more modest of the two, as he certainly is. the most stirring speaker f3 the three; but he talks less about s&d? than Itis United opponent does, and b* looks lather to the future than to the past. If he should be successful next week he will add very materially to the debating strength of the House and will provide /», shining example of candour and cour--*Sy lor sucn loquacious members of the *2ouse as Mr. David Jones, from MidCanterbury, and Mr. A. M. Samuel,, from Thames*.. .''•'•• -■..-.-■■"-.-:■ The popular opinion to-day concerning the result of the contest is that Mr. Nash, with no larger vote than he had last year, will head, the poll, and that Mr. Kerr will be a good second, with Mr. Johnston close up. Polling day is Wednesday, December f ,58. )