CAMPAIGN NOTES

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19463, 9 November 1928, Page 18

CAMPAIGN NOTES

More "Borrowing.' * Mr Jones, referring to Sir Joseph Ward's loan policy, as stated on the Christchurch railway platform, said that this suggestion to settle settlers* on 20-25 acres of land was taken, as most of the United Party's platform was taken, out of the Eeform policy, but the Eeform Party did not suggest putting a large number of settlers on these small areas, as Sir Joseph Ward suggests. This would be most disastrous, as has been proved in New Zealand on one or two occasions. One of the main difficulties of the returned soldiers' problem has been the smallness of the areas on which soldiers have been put. A few acres of really first-class land is a good policy, but 20-25 acres of medium land settled in each district by a large number of people would mean starvation to the whole of them. An Optimist.

"I may not contest the next Council election," said Mr H. T. Armstrong last night in Victoria square, amidst laughter "because by that time I may be Prime Minister."

Facts Only. "I am not painting the lily; I am not gilding the penny. lam placing facts before you, and you can please yourself as to whether you accept or ignore them. When I speak I am correct, and when I give figures they are correct. There is a section of the community that only wants to hear the political side. I can stand by for every statement I make." —The Prime Minister at Wanganui.

Interjectors Dismantled. An interjector, at a meeting addressed by Mr V. H. Potter, Reform candidate for Eden, made some remark eulogising Sir Joseph Ward. "Oh! How much do you know about him?" asked Mr Potter. "When did he go out of .office? How long was he Prime Minister?" There was an obvious lack of reply. "Mere parrot talk," commented the candidate. y A persistent interjector next drew fire. "I'll offer you a job and you won't take it," said Mr Potter. A voice: What'B it worth? Mr Potter: What you're worth, and that wouldn't ruin anyone. "If you can't wait till question time, come up liero on the stage and tell them all you know," was an invitation by the candidate to another interjector. "I'll pledge the audience it won t take you • more than three minutes. "What about Waiuku?" asked another interjector, when political railways were under comment. "You show how much you know of your subject by telling me what it cost and what it is earning, and I'll answer your, question," said Mr Potter. Again there was no reply. Scurrilous Circular.

< 'This is the first time in my long political career that I have had to f&co anything as scurrilous as this," said Mr V. H. Potter, Beform candidate for Eden, referring to a pamphlet whicL he said was being distributed by the United Party. He read the circular, which dealt with a mining discussion in the House, and said he blamed his opponent for sanctioning it. " A voice: Never mind that. Mr Potter: Oh, you don't want it, but I am speaking to these intelligent people, and you won't understand. If my opponent can't beat me on his politics, why circulate this sort of thing? The insinuation was that I was drunk in the House.

. A voice: Do you drink! Mr Potter: Yes, I do. It has never cost you anything, but you should know. You have cost me enough.

Treatment of a Lady. "You have not got the same .candidate as yon had last night," said Mr D. Sloane, Eeform candidate for Wellington Central, to an interjector at a meeting in the Empire Hall, Wellington. ''l refer to your conduct at Mrs Young a meeting. I was surprised. Both Mr Fraser and myself can take care of ourselves, but your treatment of a lady candidate appearing for the first time on the public platform shows what may be expected if such people come into the Government of this country. 1 Buppose those who treated the lady in that way w<>re supporters of the Labour Party. • " Well, I do not want such people to get the reins of Government in this country," declared Mr Sloane.

Bpad Metal. When Sir James Gunson was referring to the establishment of secondary industries in New Zealand at a meeting at Para.u an elector suggested there was scope for the, steel industry locally. The candidate seemed puzzled until it was explained that the Titirangi-Huia road was strewn with nuts, boltß, and broken springs. Sir James joined heartily in the laughter which greeted this broad hint as to the state of the road in question.

"Too Many Jeremiahs." "There are far too many Jeremiahs: we want more Nehemiahs, who will get on with the building of the wall, said Sir James Gunson, Eeform candidate for Auckland Suburbs. "We want more constructive critics and less destructive criticism. We do not object to criticism but it should be well-informed criticism. The criticism of the Government that we are having in. this campaign is not at all well-informed.

A Matter of Income Tax. A man with a grievance over income t ., v waß "floored 5 ' ignommiously at a meeting addressed by Mr V. H. Potter. Li the midst of the candidate's speech he rose and declared with much feeling that he had been assessed for £8 15s tax on an income of £3OO, and insisted on walking up to the platform and handma- up some papers to prove it. Ir- Potter read one document, which to be a letter from the ComSssioner of Taxes, stating that as the had sent in no return the DeSLt had made an assessment. He man that he had no grievance, Se he had not done wha't the law reqiThe firm put it in at ° V Mr Potter: Probably you stood to deriM some benefit under company taxaS Z hv having it put in that way. The man: But wasn't I entitled to any i. If vou had been in my place you would have been arbad as I was. 7 Mr Potter:. Yes, but brains put mc where I am. (Laughter.)

Worse and Worse. Mr Jones referred to Sir Joseph "Ward's statement that he had been „ "l Y misrepresented m connexion with the borrowing policy. 7aid Mr Jones, "he appears to be fall- ■ /wner into the mire every time he in f r/ to it On the Christchurch platf«ra he now says be is prepared to borrfoTup to £15,000,000 m one year for Omens' finance only,, which indicates JKmus next year's loan proposal must ™t to somewhere in the vicinity of S£ooo,ooo sterling in one year. He a Wial quagmire of his own tinn and every time he lifts his font to take another step the other foot • i deeper in the mud. We may exdisappearance about the 15thl'I

No Bespomribility. "Sir Joseph Ward has promised to raise seventy millions, but it is an easy matter to make such when there is little chance of _ ever having to shoulder the responsibility of carrying them out."—Hon. Mr McLeod, Eeform Party candidate for Wairarapa, in an address at Brancepeth. Motor Taxation. "The present system of motor taxation," said Mr J. J. Clark, the Independent Eeform. candidate for the Wellington East seat," is on the wrong basis, and is unfair in its operation. I stand for the abolition of the tyre tax and the collection of moneys by a universal petrol tax." Mr Clark went on to deal with heavy traffic fees, ranging from £8 up to as high as £B7 per annum per vehicle, a burden which was unduly high. "I believe that too much has been collected from the motorists. A million and a half has been collected under one or other systems of taxation, registration, the petrol tax, tyre tax, and heavy traffic fees, and £BOO,OOO of that million and a half remains unspent. That seems to me to point to the fact that the Government has collected double the amount they should have done. I believe that it would be far better if the heavy traffic fees were abolished altogether and all taxes upon motorists levied upon petrol; that each would pay according to the use that he, made of the roads. Even should that mean an increase, I believe it would be a fairer system. "Red Flag" for Preference."

"Play us a tune on the piano, pleaded an interjeetor at Mrs Margaret Young's meeting at the New Century Hall, Wellington. A voice from the platform: What would you like —the 'Red Flag' or 'God Save the King'!" "The 'Bed Flag' for preference,' promptly replied the interjeetor. Not With Mr Holland.

"How would you vote in the event of a no-confidence motion, Mr Wilford?" was. a question asked of Mr T. M. Wilford, United Party candidate for Hutt, at Petone. "Well, I'd never vote with Mr Holland, for I'd never vote to put him into power," was the reply.

Tor the Workers. "I've done more for the workers of New Zealand than the whole of the Labour members in Parliament put together," said Mr T. M. Wilford, United Party candidate for Hutt, at Petone. "I may not have talked as much, but I've done the job." "Eot!" interjected a listener. "Well," retorted Mr Wilford, "you may be a judge of rot, but you are not a judge of my words." For the Fanners. Mr D. S. Eeid, JReform candidate forWaikato, at a well-attended meeting at Cambridge defended the Government's action in authorising the Taupo railway, and warmly praised the Government for helping the farmers. It had done so much for them that be, as a farmer, would be ashamed to ask for more. Mr Eeid'a remarks regarding the Country Party created much interest and caused some opposition. He said the Country Party's participation in. politics was likely to break up the Farmers' Union. Tho Party did not represent the feeling of the farmers of the country as it claimed it did. The Government ; was the cleanest they had ever had, and.he was proud, of it. He would make no pledge, and asked to be elected with a free hand.

Home to Bed. "The question is not whether a United candidate will vote for or against the: Government on a no-confidence. motion. The real question is, which section of his Party will he follow,4ihose who vote for the Government or those who go home to bed," said Mr H. G. R. Mason, in, a vigorous criticism of the United Party at the Avondale- Town Hall

A Voice arid a Job. "Gordon, I want a job," piped, a quiet voice from the upper gallery of the theatre in which the Prime Minister addressed an overflow audience at Wanganui last night. "It would be difficult to refuse such a nice request," Mr Coates replied. "I will see you get one." (Laughter.) Prime Minister "Touched." The first thing which happened to the Prime Minister on. his arrival at lWahganui from Stratford was to be "touch-, ed." The sum was five shillings, and the recipient a watersider, who said he knew Mr Coates in • Kaipara, but was now "shipwrecked." -

Cure for Unemployment. "Any scheme that is conducive to making healthy men idle will sap the' vitality of any country.that adogts it," said the Hon. Mr McLeod, Eeform candidate for Wairarapa, in address * at; Branoepeth. "The only cure for unemployment is in general prosperity, and signs are not wanting that as the result of the sane administration of the Eeform Government this is being accomplished in New Zealand more rapidly than elsewhere in the Empire."

Belief Wages and a Lady. A , speech delivered, at the Te Aro School, by Sir John Luke, Eeform candidate for Wellington North, was punctuated from start to finish by the remarks of. a lady, whose sole topic of conversation appeared to concern the unemployed and relief work wages. "Twelve bob a day, and nine bob a day; and nothing when the weather is wet!" she cried every few minutes. The chairman (Mr W. H.'Bennett) asked her to refrain from interjecting, and to wait until question time, and Sir John Luke" told her that he, and not she, was making the speech. One man called out, "Madam, will you be quiet?" and peace reigned for a few moments,- only to be followed by the usual which was occasionally varied by the addition of the information that the interjector was "the mother of seven, and the grandmother of {our?" • When question time came, the lady again wanted to v know what the candidate thought of 12s and 9s a day, as wages.

"Don't you ma.ke any mistake, madam," answered Sir John Luke, "under some other Government they, might not have got even that!". (Applause.).

Mr Sidey's Successor? "I have worked for daylight saving for eighteen years, and I am willing to take up Tom Sidey's work in the House and work for permanent- daylight saving till we see it through," said Mr T. M. Wilford at Petone.

ELECTION NOTICES. The following candidates will address meetings to-day: o —Harcwood Hall, 8 o'clock. n on r S. Kyle—Wainiairi School, / .dU p.m.; committee meeting Riocarton Town Hall. • + Q^ rS rf' McCombs— Burnham MiliScSol,SS'pm P ' m - ; ■ 4 ' le " b,u l Sullivan—waimate, with Mr

Mr E: J. Howard-Oorner'Bath and Durham streets,. 7 . o'clock 5 corner Durham and Battersea„ streets,' § o'clock.. Mr J. K. Archer-Corner Frank and Sefton streets, 7;16 pi®.; corner Paparoa and Bennett streets, B*ls p.m. . . Mr E. H. Andrews^—Corner of Madras street and Moa place, 7.15 . p.m., corner Durham street and Gracefield street, 8 o'clock. • Mr F. B. Hughes—Corner. Patten street.and Retreat road,, 7.30. p.m.; corner • Stanmore road • and Swann b road, ,8.15 .p.m. " . . Mr C. S. McCully—West Christchurch. School, 8 o'clock. .. Mr J. Connolly—Leeston, 8 o'clock. ~ Mr Wigfctman—Barrhill, % o'clock j Lyndhurst, 8.30 p.m. - ... v Mr'G. W. Forbes —View Hill School, 7 o'clock; Cooper's Creek," 8.30 p.m. Mr Tnrley—Woodend Hall, 8 o'clock., Mr R. W. Hawke—West JJyrcton* Hall, 7 * o'clock;' Kaiapoi, Grand Hieatfe, 8.80 p'.ttc Mr A. A. corner Whiteleigh avenue: and Lincoln I XflWf % o'ejookj fiookbtua, ' 8 ft'filock» J