VAUDEVILLE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 275, 20 November 1935, Page 10

VAUDEVILLE.

MANUREWA COMEDY. MR. J. N. MASSEY HECKLED. "THE BANK OF JERUSALEM." If a theatrical agent had been looking for talent to put behind the footlights of any comedy show, he could not have done better than to transport the whole of the audience which filled the Manurcwa Theatre last night when Mr. J. N. Massey, National Government candidate for Franklin, attempted to address his electors. Those who went to hear the candidate must have been disappointed, for they heard far more heckling than speech.

Long before tlio meeting started — even before Mr. Massey arrived—there was an indication that there would be trouble. Supporters of the candidate distributed Government pamphlets at the door and all went well until Douglas credit followers started to ".distribute currency reform propaganda "under the very noses of the Massey supporters. The two factions quickly became involved in heated argument, and in a grand climax one threatened the other. It was all very amusing.

Nearly all seats in the theatre were filled when Mr. Massey walked on to tho platform with his wife and his chairman. For the first five minutes he was given an attentive hearing. But when the heckling started, mostly from obviously organised Douglas credit supporters, it did not cease until the meeting ended well after 11 o'clock.

"In 1931, after the Government w.as returned to office," said Mr. Massey, "we found ourselves up against a tremendous problem and that trouble was not of our own making. We asked for a blank cheque and we received it. We produced a policy that we believed to be the right one. After the war, England was overwhelmed with debt, but in.view of the fact that she adopted a right policy at the right time, she is leading the world to-day." , Currency Reform. What New Zealand and the Government had had to find was a way to avoid wholesale bankruptcy and chaos. When the people looked to America and remembered the chaos that had reigned there, they would realise what the Coalition Government had done for New Zealand. Certain people had said that if New Zealand adopted a currency reform system Voices, shouting: Hear, hear. Mr. Massey: Money has a value. If anybody has 6d in his pocket A Voice: Relief workers have not got it. ' The class of money advocated by currency reformers, said Mr. Massey, wa* fit for only one purpose—to be burned. A Voice: It brought Germany out of debt. Another Voice: Who said Germany was out of debt? "Great Britain was affected by what was going on in the other countries of the world," said Mr. Massey. "We, in turn, are dependent on Great Britain. In framing the Government policy, it had to be-carefully borne in mind that we are dependent on the goods we export to other countries. What are those goods ? A Voice: Swede turnips. "I don't think the farming community of this country are going to be gulled any longer by promises," declared the candidate in- reply to a comment ■when he was explaining the exchange rate. Mixed cheers and boos followed. "Now, I want to mention the Democrat policy," continued Mr. Massey. "Wouia Give the Moon. A Fed-up Voice? Aw, they don't matter. . A Second Voice: They'd give you the moon. . A Third Voice: They haven't got a Dolitsv* "Another problem with which the Government had to contend," continued the candidate, "was the control of our own currency in our own way. Consequently'the Government had established the Reserve Bank. A Voice: A pack of Jews—Otto Niemeyer. ' When Mr. Massey was in the middle of explaining the financial difficulties of Australia he was challenged to debate every statement he made, and for a few minutes there were shoute from all over the house. A Voice (above the din): It s a good show, this, Jack. Let 'er go. •Mr. Massey: We have six banks operating in New Zealand. A Voice: And the Bank of Jerusalem! '. A Second Voice: What about the salary of the governor of the Reserve Bank—f6ooo a year, free of tax. Mr, Massey: He is a specialist and his ealary was arranged. . . Voices: Haw, haw! Why shouldn't he pay the tax? It's a disgrace to the country. Mr. Massey: When we bring specialist's into the country they generally make their own terms, and one of the terms laid down was that he be paid in sterling. If you get a specialist you have got to pay for him. A Voice: We pay all right. Wanted—a Specialist.

Mr. Massey: If we want a specialist Jn the financial world — A Voice: We want one in the political world.

A Second Voice: We have got one— you, Jack. A Third Voice: I'd get off the money question if I were you, Jack. ' A Fourth Voice: I'd. throw in the eponge. . Mr. Massey: I would never throw in the sponge! (Long cheers.) The Mortgage Corporation and the Mortgagors Final Adjustment Act were referred to by the candidate. One of the most important clauses was that dealing with valuation on productive values. All the machinery had been provided so that mortgagee and mortgagor could be brought closer together. The Government, had been watching carefully what huci happened in other countries. • A Voice: Because the other countries blunder along Coatee blunders along with them. A Second Voice: Mr. Coatee is our blunder. Mr. Massey: We are very fortunate to have a man of the calibre of Mr. Coates. Cheers were overwhelmed by boos. Mr. Massey: In the Final Adjustment Act — A Voice: Is it final? Lost Their Sense. After further interjections Mr. Massey remarked with a smile: "I'm afraid so'me tf my friends nave lost their sense of '■p.isoninff."

A Voice: And their homes. A Second Voice: And their morale. Mr. Maseey: Tho Government policy is— A Voice: Rotten. Mr. Massey: You can judge a Government's policy by the Acts it places on the Statute Book and the manner in which those Acta are carried into effect. We have managed to restore part of the civii servants' cute. A Voice: You can't kid 'eal now. Th6y know too milch. A Second Voice: Banana oil. Mr. Maasey: Unemployment figures have eliown a flecreasc — A Voice: Juggled. "We know that the building trade has increased in volume, and we hnvo been told by contractors," said Mr. Massiy, "that it is difficult to get tradesmen—carpenters, plumbers." Derfa.ve laughter was followed by shouts of "Pay them and see." "Old Black Joe." Severn! times a grey-haired man got up to upeak, and each time a cry went up in jnjscli) "Sit down, Joe." At Iti*t somebody sang tho first bars of "Old lilack Joe." "Tho Government han taken a lori,^ , distance »iew," continued Mr. M»4fioy when the laughter had died down. ' Thoy have decided to adopt a 'vigorous piblic works ji-licy. I won.*', like to seo tfco men back on the old contract system. We have provided for the erection of many big public buildings, and we have aleo made fiovis'on Tor overhead brug'Js for the niilwaya throughout tho land. We think it desirable to provide an unemployment insurance scheme.

A voice: Labour brought that forward and your r&ity rejected it.

Questions were fired at the candidate in rapid succession when he eventually concluded his speech, and at the end a "mixed vote" was carried and cheers mingled with boos.