REFORM CAMPAIGN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 171, 22 July 1931, Page 10

REFORM CAMPAIGN.

TARANAKI AMUSED. «A STRANGE MHJ>NESB.» XO POLICY PUT FORWARD. (From Our Own Correspondent.) NEW PLYMOUTH, Tuesday. The unprecedented tour of the Leader of the Opposition and of ten other members of the Reform Parliamentary party in the electorates of the two Taranaki Independent members, Messrs. W. J. Poison and C. A. Wilkinson, was marked by extraordinary quietness, few interjections, few questions, and, excepting reference to the wheat duties, a strange mildness in the nature of attacks upon the present Government. Attendances in almost every case were good, but, considering all the circumstances oi depression and the closeness of the general election, the mood of the audiences was one rather of holiday than tension. ~ All members of the team stressed the claim that the Reform party had advocated economy during the 1928 election, but that other powers had intervened to the end that the United Government had come into being. Since then per capita taxation had increased. There was no attempt to propound a policy "I have dealt with recent events," said Mr. Coates at Stratford. "On some future occasion I hope to deal with the policy of the Reform party to meet the present needs of the country." In view of that statement, it may not be difficult to understand the mood of the audiences. There were two definite, but general, propositions tendered as the aims of the Reform party. The first was the need for the greater development of the land through' utilisation of the unemployed. Reform, it was claimed, had dealt with •what was tantamount to an unemployment problem after the war, when it was faced with the question of finding channels for the 100,000 unoccupied returned soldiers. Although £5,000,000 had been lost as a result of Reform's efforts to that end, the country, it was said, had benefited very considerably as a- result of the increased production which the soldier settlement scheme had. brought about. Taxation must be reduced, so every audience was informed. The United Government had adopted unwarranted tactics by raiding the highways funds and inflicting burdens of increased taxation upon the country in order to balance the Budget. The mistake had been that the Government had sought to balance its Budget without ing the matter of whether the farmers could balance their budgets. It would be better for the country if the Budget had been left unbalanced for a year or two, rather than that it should be balanced at the expense of the farmers. Most members of the team suggested that £1,000,000 should be saved from the education vote, while there^ seemed general agreement, even from the South Island members, that the South Island railways should be abandoned. Mr. Coates defended .his hydroelectric legislation, claiming that even if there had been losses the benefits that would; accitie ixr;:future yeaysv would overshadow the -position judgecl ks- from to-day. "If you consider me the black sheep upon that question to-day," said Mr. Coatee at Hawera last night, "I shall be glad if you will remember me in fifteen years when the benefits are being enjoyed." Speaking at Opunake yesterday, Mr. Coates said it was essential that the best manner of utilising the unemployed and material offering should be considered. The Opposition was willing to give the Government all the assistance it could in helping to provide work that would develop the country. There were sand dunes and other waste lands on which money could be spent that would give the country some advantage. Every effort should be made to bring about trade withjn the Empire, and it would be an advantage to prevent dumping in England of cheap things from every part of the world. He hoped the misunderstandings in regard to Canadian relations would soon be cleared up.