REFORM PARTY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19726, 17 September 1929, Page 11

REFORM PARTY.

PROSPECTS FOR NEXT ELECTION. MR COATE6 REPLIES T« ATTACKS. [THZ P&EBB ByaeWl ferric*.] AUCKLAND, September 16. "We are not out to create chaos in the country, but when the election comes we will be ready any time we are called upon," said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Goatee) in concluding his speech at the opening cf the new Political Reform League rooms in Auckland. After attacking in the strongest terms the Government's interference with main highway finance and its attempts to malign the late administration, Mr Coatee declared ti»e new Reform organisation was making rapid progress throughout the country. There would be ft determined attempt to carry the Reform banner to victory when the time came. The sqme note was struck by two Reform members of Parliament, Messrs A. M. Samuel and A. Harris, fn speeches at a social gathering laterBoth referred to the uncertainty of the time of the next election and spoke confidently of the Reform Party ■ readiness for another trial of strength. Mr Coatee opened his remarks with a brief reference to the "truce" that had been informally agreed to in the short session in order that the Government might have an opportunity to give legislative effect to rts election pledges. The chief result, he said, had been a series of attacks on the Reform Administration's record. In particular, the Government had attempted to put upon Reform the blame for the £577,000 deficit. The answer to this was that the deficiWwas more than offset by the £2,300,000 of surpluses which Reform had accumulated during its term of office. The new and increased taxation proposed in the Budget was in no way necessary to make good the deficit. Of the taxation proposals, the increase in. primage dutr was specially objectionable because it took no account of capacity to pay. "The Main Highways Act is being practically destroyed, nipped up, ana thrown into the wastepaper basket," said Mr Coates. "It has been eaid that the Crown Law Office has given an interpretation of the Act that opholds the Government. I say that the only way to interpret the Act is in Parliament, through the representatives of the people. We have in the Main Highways Board a fine body doing excellent work, and no Government has ihe right to interfere with its finances. '•'We found it our dirty to bring forward an amendment in the Budget debate," added Mr Goatee. 'lt was defeated, bat we are absolutely convinced, and I am sure 700 will agree that it was the right thing, and the only thing, for as to do in the interests of the people. (Applause.) We hare given the Government an opportunity to develop its policy, bat it has simply been trying to malign the former Leader and men who occupied the Government benches with him. There are the loan charges, the North Auckland Main Trunk, the Taapo railway, the Palmerston North deviation, and the railway workshop. However, we have not finished with them, and before we do the country will understand all about it. We have a fairly good grip of the position." (Applause.)