MR. COATES ATTACKED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 271, 15 November 1935, Page 10

MR. COATES ATTACKED.

DOUGLAS SOCIAL CREDIT.

"IJNING UP WITH CANADA."

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) DARGAVILLE, this day. "When we have a Minister of Finance who is not disposed even to discuss Douglas Social Credit, and wiio states that he does not understand the question," said Mr. W. Grounds, Independent candidate for Kaipara, at Waihue yestriday afternoon, "in aiy opinion he should go home and play marbles. (Laughter.) Anyone who i 3 not conversant with the constru-tive thought behind the Douglas Social Credit proposals is certainly not fit to be entrusted with the running of this country." Mr. Grounds referred to the ?reat changes which had tak;n p;ace in Canada, where .Mr. Mackenzie King had swept the country, and said Mr. Coates had advised them in Kaipara to adopt a "wait and see" attitude in regard to wbat was happening in Canada. "This is tantamount to adopting a coward's part, instead of lining ourselves alongside Canada in an endeavour to secure control of credit for the peef'e of this country to enable reconstruction to be brought about," said M>. Ground?. "Monetary control must be placed in the hands of the people. Uiless the people •of this country wa.x for this leformation their outlook will become darker. "Definite Menace." "Mr. Coates is reported to have said at faparoa recently that what this poultry needs is a strong Government to impose .its will upon the people. It is my belief that the mem <er for this district has been a Very definite menace to reconstruction in this country." Replying to a question the candidate said the overseas debt of the country was an obligation which must be met. If he was asked how it could be liquidated, he could only say that it would be possible to liquidate it by savings which could be effected by a strict overhaul of the costs of administration. There would be no further borrowing overseas. The load of debt would be gradually reduced. Mr. Grounds was accorded hearty applause.' Mr. S. Batger, a fariaer, in moving a vote of thanks and confidence, said he would like to exprs33 his appreciation of the manner in which Mr. Grounds had worked in the interests of the farming community. Mr. Geo. Druitt, in seconding the motion, said he had pleasure in endorsing these remarks. "When one considers the starvation throughout the country and the amount of produce, one can see that we are ndft going to get out of the rut without the redistribution of the capital of the country," he declared.