THE LIBERAL CAMPAIGN.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18102, 18 June 1924, Page 13

THE LIBERAL CAMPAIGN.

MR WILFORD AT WAIMATE.

(phess association Telegbax.) WAIMATE, June 17. Mr T. M. Wilford commenced liis South Island meetings iu the Waitaki electorate, addressing four hundred and fifty persons hero to-night receiving an attentive hearing. He spoke on the lines of his North Island addresses. Ho, contended that tho Government had broken faith with tho returned soldiers, and tho Liberals wore battling for a Bcrap of paper. He advocated State, banking, and criticised the State Advances administration, contending that the Prime Minister took money from the Advances Department for floating loans, which was not the purpose for which the Department was created. He went on to refer to the need for trade with tho East, and exhibited to the audience tins of Australian butter as sold in Singapore.' He said the big meat trust formed in England would imperil our marketing of produce, and .referred to possible competition by Russia in butter and cheese on "the Home market. We should, therefore, take advantage of all possible trading opportunities. Speaking of the Prime Minister's surplus of £1,812,000, Mr Wilford said it meant that much jnore was raised by means of taxation than was necessary to run the country. He went on to refer to the number of bankruptcies, which constituted a record for lieform administration since 1887. He referred to the petrol ring, one way to deal with which was by the State coming in, but the Government set its face againßt the State taking on anything. Ho spoke of high taxation, which crippled industry and caused unemployment. In conclusion, he claimed that Liberalism stood for everybody, being between lieform, which was for vested interests, on the one side, and the extreme party led by Mr Holland on the other. A motion of thanks and confidence in the Liberal Party was carried with only three dissentients.