THE ELECTION

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24053, 15 September 1943, Page 6

THE ELECTION

CHRISTCHURCH NORTH

MR J. H. PARRY OPENS HIS CAMPAIGN The claim that the Democratic Sol-dier-Labour Party was the only party with definite plans, not just for 12 months but for years ahead, was made by the party’s candidate for Christchurch North, Mr J. H. Parry, when he opened his campaign in St. Matthew’s Hall last evening. He said their plans were based on monetary reform. Mr J. W, Aiken presided over an attendance of about 60, which gave Mr Parry an attentive hearing. He was accorded a vote of thanks. Mr Parry said he was a Christchurch man who had been away from the city for some years. On his return he was surprised by what he had seen, which was not to the credit of the Government of the country. They had in Christchurch the Minister of Industries and Commerce, but there was evidence of commerce, industry, and manpower being shifted to the North Island. That was heading towards economic disaster. It was time the people of Christchurch and the South Island did something about it, either by insisting that their members of Parliament looked to their duties more thoroughly or by exerting the pressure of public opinion on the Government. Mr Parry said there was plenty of cheap land in the Sputh Island for houses and factories, but in the North Island cities house sections were poky and factories were built on the most valuable land. Accommodation conditions in Wellington were often disgraceful. It was not to the credit of the Prime Minister that when he was opening the election campaign a woman was living within 100 yards of that hall in a room 10 feet by six feet with no conveniences. Her husband was in camp, her three-year-old child was boarded out, and she was expecting another child. That was only one case. Why was the Government sending people o the North Island, when they could be more comfortably and economically employed in the South Island? , . , Mr S. G. Holland at this late stage had started to mention this, and had said something was.wrong in the state of Denmark. Mr Parry suggested it was in the state of-Holland. Discussing 'his party’s monetary policy, he said that both the Labour Party and the National Party believed in the old orthodox system, but the Democratic Soldier-Labour Party believed that credit should be made available at the cost of administration. Because of the rate of interest paid on loans, taxation was at a high level and was going higher. It would continue to rise to 18s and 19s in £1 and then they would go "bust.” That was the inevitable end of the present system. The Hon. A. McLagan could say what he liked, but the Government’s manpower policy was haphazard. 'Workers were manpowered from one district into an industry somewhere else and then taken out and put into another industry In the Government’s use of manpower they could see the result of bad nianning, which in the end would cause an industrial collapse. Mr Parry contended that there was the same lack of planning in the rehabilitation policy, which did not provide for the future. One of the proposals of the Democratic Soldier- ■ labour Party was that a ministry of new industries should be set up He mentioned as possible new industries the production of power alcohol, the growing of sugar beet, the making of - nylon, and the development of plastics. Mr Parry criticised the State housin'* scheme. He said large sums had to be spent periodically to make, some of the houses waterproof. It was nn wonder it was not possible to let State houses at rentals which the poorer people, for whom they were to have been built, could afford to pay* Another reason whv rentals were higher than they shou 1 d .be was that the rate ' of interest on loans from the ReserveBank; arranged by Mr J. A. Lee. had been increased.

BROADCAST BY MRS DREAVER

MR DOIDGE’S COMMENT

« AMAZING INDISCRETIONS ” “ The Press Special Service - AUCKLAND, September 14. “Why has there been no repudiation by any responsible Minister of the amazing indiscretions of Mrs Dreaver, the Labour candidate for waiteraata, in her recent national broadcast?” asked Mr F. W, Doidge, National Party candidate for Tauranga, at Mount Maunganui to-night. Mrs Dreaver had made a speech m which she vilified doctors and impugned civil servants. Both, she had declared, were trying to sabotage the Government’s every effort. She claimed to be in the privileged position of one very close to the Prime Minister. ■ In effect she claimed to be in a position to reveal the Prime Minister’s mind. “There is no need to embark upon a defence of doctors,” said Mr Doidge. Of 900 on the register in New Zealand 300 were on active service. That left , 600 to attend to the exacting requirements of 1,750,000 people. They were performing a Herculean task. “But Mrs Dreaver’s most amazing indiscretion was her sweeping assertion in regard to the civil service,” continued Mr. Doidge. “According to this estimable lady the Government finds it neceSfcary to watch and spy upon the political activities of members of the service, and she makes it abundantly clear that any civil servant disagreeing with the Labour Party is liable to instant dismissal. This is sheer intimidation. “What becomes of the much-vaunted Labour Party catch-cry of freedom from fear,” asked Mr Doidge. “Is not the purpose of this speech to create the psychology of fear on the eve of the election, and to warn civil servants that for them there is no freedom at the ballot box?” The Government must by now be fully aware of the storm of indignation those utterances had aroused throughout the country, said Mr Doidge. Why had no responsible member of the Government denounced those utterances as a hysterical and irresponsible outburst? Unless the statement was repudiated it could only be regarded as inspired.

MR SEMPLE IN GREY LYNN

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, September 14. The Minister of Works (the Hon. R. Semple) met with no opposition at two of three largely attended meetings in the Grey Lynn electorate. At the third meeting, held in the Grey Lynn Library, there were a few interjectors. who were silenced by the vigour of the Minister’s replies and the enthusiastic cheering of the audience.

The attendance in the Cameo Theatre Grey Lynn, was about 400, and there were fully that number at the Ambassador’s Theatre. Point Chevalier. Resolutions of confidence, with only two dissentients, were adopted at both meetings, and they closed with cheers for the Minister and the Government.

Special interest was centred in the Minister’s visit to this electorate on account of it being the present seat of ,Mr J. A. Lee.

“ SOUTH ISLAND BEING LEFT

BEHIND ”

is time the South Island bestirred itself, because it is being left behind in the progress that New Zealand is making.” said Mr S. G. Holland, speaking at Timaru yesterday. “I am not a parochial man.” he added, “but I believe that every town in New Zealand should have a share of industry.” He said that in one instance plain wire had been ta en to Wellington to make barbed wire, and then plant had to be transferred from Christchurch for the manufacture of the necessary wire.