THE GREY SEAT.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16217, 21 May 1918, Page 7

THE GREY SEAT.

.MR COATES'S FIRST ADDRESS

(special to "the tress.")

GREYMOUTH, May 20. Mr 1\ E. Coates delivered his first speech at Barrvtown on Saturday night, when there was a full attendance of residents. The candidate said that he iully supported conscription, but desired that before any married men were sent to the front, eligible fit unmarried men in essential industries should be replaced by married men, except in cases of the last man on tho farm, and in cases where the reservist was the sole supporter of dopendante and ha'l responsibilities as great as those of a married man. His idea was to comb out those men who were formerly shop assistants or workers in other unessential industries who had gone into the mines to gain exemption. Mr Coates said that he would conscript everything in war time, not only the man, but his work or his business. He would keep things as nearly on a pre-war basis as regards prices as possible, and by stopping exploitation, he thought it would he possible to run the country without discontent. .More could be done in the matter of allowances. If those who stayed behind could not find the necessary money to keep tho women and children in comfort, they should not send men away. Me agreed with free medical aid for soldiers' dependants and lrco travelling on tho railways for women whose husbands were away. Although it had been abused, the National Government had done better in controlling prices than any other in the world, as shown by the increased costs in various countries. The only cure for exploitation was to conscript everything. The National Government should have taken the Union Steam Ship Company, but who thought the war would last so long? However, the Government had made a better arrangement than the British Government. in that the British Government in case of loss of ships paid the pre sent value, whereas when a comntandecrcd Union Co. ship was lost the prewar value was paid. The Government should own the YVellington-Lyttelton ferry service, and work it in conjunction with the railways, thus overcoming the present annoyance and expense t-o the public when the ferry failed to connect with the trains.

Mr Coates spoke at length on railway administration. He did not with importing a high-salaried iv.-mnger, and thought the office should he one of the plums of the servicc for New Zealanders- He disagreed. with the present system of selling tickets, suggesting that they should be sold on the trains, as on the trains, thus .saving the discomfort at the ticket boxes and effecting cconomy in the staff. Ho thought the Vaile system of cheap fares a good one, hut criticised caustically the Government's race train policy. The railways should bo for the convenience of the public, and the public had a right to demand that they bo run as such. He said a now station was needed at Grcymouth. Improved railwayman's houses, the provision of insulated waggons for tho West Coast, and n one day a week through service to .Nelson were also dealt with. Tho waste of fruit at Nelson was denounced by the speaker, who then went on to deal with tho system of roading. He thought it bad policy for the Government to settle any district without putting a road into it. He wanted to see closer settlement. Let the Government get the land for the people, settle it on a system of contiguous farms, do tho best to make tho rural community happy, and soon this country would bo in a position to pay for its share of the war cost. Mr Coates criticised tho constitution of Land Boards, and considered that they should be elected democratically.

The candidato was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence.

Tlje general feeling in tho district is that Mr Holland will have to fight very hard between this and election day if he is to stand a chance against the popular West Coaster.