HAURAKI SEAT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 119, 22 May 1931, Page 5

HAURAKI SEAT.

UNITED CAMPAIGN.

CABINET MINISTERS BUSY. MB. RANSOM AT PAPATOETOE. VIGOROUS LAND SETTLEMENT. "I am just getting into my fighting stride—this is the seventh meeting 1 have addressed to-day," said Mr. E. Allan, United candidate for the Hauraki seat, when succeeding the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Lands, on the platform of the Papatoetoe Central Picture Hall last night. There was a fairly full attendance of the public, and both speakers were accorded excellent receptions. Mr. W. J. Nicholson, chairman of the Town Board, presided. Mr. Ransom-, who was in first-class speaking form, dealt mainly with the administration of his own Department, and replied at length, along the lines of his recently published land settlement statements, to the charges made by the Reform nominee against the Government's land settlement policy. "Why, you would have thought it was a 'cocky' extending his estate rather than a Government settling a country," said the Minister, in disclosing that during their last 10 months in ofliee the Reform party had purchased two properties of an area of 478 acres, and provided four farms. "In one development job alone we are ploughing 3000 acres." (Laughter and applause.)

Backblock Roads. Speaking as one who had held tlie portfolio of Public Works, the Minister said lie considered that expenditure on highways in the past had been of a luxurious nature. Less could have been spent on bitumen roads running parallel to the railway lines iind taking away trailic from tlie national transport system, and more expended 011 backblock roads. (Applause.) Had the Opposition last year not blocked the extra penny petrol tax, the aim of providing at least £2i50,000 for the outlying district vote would have been realised. Tlie £100,000 actually ear-marked would be available for free grants to assist in the metalling of roads in the back areas.

The Minister referred to the results of the general land settlement policy, and, in particular, to the remarkable progress being made with the development of unoccupied Crown areas. Pie indicated that it would be his aim to see that new settlers were able to get the best class of dairy heifers when they took up the land. "If we start our settlers right— and the stocking of the farm is a very important factor—they will finish right," he declared. To Help or to Hinder? Mr. Ransom emphasised that the Government's interest rate was not turning money away from rural investment, and said that the bulk of the money raised was going into the State Advances Deparment and was being lent out to settlers. The candidate said that the contest narrowed itself down to a question us to whether the electors would send to Parliament a man who would help the Prime Minister or one who would hinder him. The answer given to that question on Wednesday shnu'd be from the standpoint, not of party, but of Now Zealand, and a desire to see it retain its fair name. A unanimous vote of thanks and confidence was carried.