CAMPAIGN NOTES

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 25031, 13 November 1946, Page 6

CAMPAIGN NOTES

GENERAL ELECTION

“Free Medical Service” ... “Just a humorous way of describing an arrangement where the service costs at least twice as much as it aid before,” was the description applied cy Dr. R. A McDowell (National, Avon) to the free medical service. “You pay for it every week when you get your wages, instead of when you go to see the doctor or receive your bottle or medicine.” It would be a-better checK against abuses, he said, if the patient, in general, was required to pay something for the service as he received it. # Dr. McDowell said he would still favour a completely free service in certain cases, especially maternity cases, where hardship was involved, and for lodge patients. “There is all the difference in the world between allowing free service for the lodge patient who voluntarily puts aside a little extra for the privilege, and giving it universally to everyone who contributes to the Social Security Fund for one reason only—because he is compelled to.”

“Candidate’s Dream” “I am proud to raise the banner oi Labour in an electorate which has been described by my opponent as a ‘candidate’s dream.’ That dream may turn out to be a nightmare on November 27.”—-Mr A. G. Williams, Labour candidate for Fendalton, speaking m the city last evening. “Fallen from Honesty” “The dishonest man who will twist and turn, and tell a story that is not quite true, will often to-day stand a better chance of getting a building permit than the straight shooter who puts his case fairly,” said Mr E. B. E. Taylor (National, Lyttelton) at Sumner last evening. “You know that our business people to-day have fallen from the standards of honesty we knew in this country only a few years ago.” He blamed import control, the land sales legislation, and other restrictions of the last few years for “undermining the morale of New Zealanders.” Businessmen were not to be excused, he said, but the little word “strive” had been replaced by the word “graft” in New Zealand. This was inevitable in a bureaucratic system, where success depended not on what a man knew or what he could do, but upon whom he knew. Under the land sales law people who had never done a consciously dishonest thing in their lives were passin’g over money in black market deals, and they were not happy about doing it. National Party’s Policy “In the policy its members declare themselves in favour of to-day, the National Party includes many things it fought against bitterly in years past,” said Mr T. H. McCombs, Labour candidate for Lyttelton at Lyttelton West.

Press and Broadcasting “I noticed with some dismay in the paper to-day Mr Nash’s statement at New Plymouth on the establishment of a paper and newsprint mill, with the proviso that any newspaper getting the newsprint must undertake to print the truth on it,” said Mrs W. J. Polson, former member for Mid-Canterbury, at Shirley on Monday. “It is quite obvious that Mr Nash would like a Government monopoly of newsprint. Then, if a newspaper did not print what the Labour Party thought it ought to print, it would stop it getting newsprint. Already one means of giving news and information, broadcasting, is entirely run by the Government. Would the Labour Party be so glad to have Government control of broadcasting if there were a National Party Government? What is wrong for one is wrong for another. “The leader of the National Party had been denied the right to broadcast to the people the night before the election,” she added. This was not the way things *used to be done in New Zealand, and showed how the power over-broadcasting was used. National Party’s Manifesto * “Never was so much said for so long that meant so little,” was the description applied to Mr S. G. Holland’s election manifesto by Mr A. G. Williams, Labour candidate for Fendalton, who spoke in the St. Andrew’s schoolroom last evening. Professor Shelley’s Post *

“What are yop going to do with Professor Shelley?” Mr E. B. E. Taylor (National, Lyttelton) was asked from the hall at his meeting at Sumner last evening. “I used to have a great admiration for Professor Shelley,” said Mr Taylor, “because I knew him when he was doing a very useful job as Professor of Education at Canterbury College. Drama, and art, and education circles owe him a great debt. I even acted in plays under him, - so I know what I am talking about. Unfortunately, Professor Shelley does appear to have been in a job (as Director of Broadcasting) ' not nearly so suitable as his job at Canterbury College was, I regret that he has for the last few years been doing work in which he is not nearly so effective.” Cotton Mill Project “The Kaiapoi Woollen Mills have vacancies for about 100 girls; they are short of labour to that extent and as a result producing just about half the woollen goods they could be, and should be producing,” said Dr. R. A. McDowell (National, Avon), when answering a question on his opinion of the cotton mill project. “Now that is a sound secondary industry based on our own primary production, manufacturing wool grown in this country. It does not seem very sensible to start a cotton mill, which is manufacturing cotton which we would have to import, when it would mean taking labour away from such concerns as the woollen mills.” Sale of Rental Houses

Describing as “fantastic” the Nat ional Party’s plan to sell State rental houses. Mr T. H. McCombs, Labour candidate for Lyttelton, said that the plan gave the 20,000 State house tenants an advantage which even returned soldiers could not secure. “But the plan will never be put into operation, because the National Party will never get the opportunity to do it,” Mr McCombs said.

Test of Farming Knowledge When a questioner claimed to have a "strong knowledge" of farming at the meeting addressed bv “Mr W. Sullivan, National candidate for Bay of Plenty, at Christchurch last evening, Mr Sullivan asked him a test question: “Which end of a cow gets up first?" Mr Sullivan asked. The questioner was silent.

“No Pressure Groups” Suggestions that there were “pressure groups” in the Trades Hall were described by Mr A. G. Williams (Labour candidate for Fendalton), last evening as rubbish. “There are no pressure grpups in the Trades Hall. The first breach of stabilisation was a 15 per cent, increase to wool growers —not to the workers,” he saia. Ministers’ Trips Abroad A reasonable view should be taken of Ministers’ trips overseas, said Mr E. B. E. Taylor (National/ Lyttelton) at Sumner last evening. Some of the trips by Mr Fraser and Mr Nash had been well warranted; and these two Ministers had “behaved themselves very well.” It was necessary for New Zealand to take part in international discussions. Some of the trips made he though were unnecessary, and some had been perhaps a little too far extended. If the National Party tecame the Government, it would see that New Zealand was adequately represented abroad, and that the best men were chosen for this work.

‘‘A Manpower Officer Manpowered” “I had ,a. free evening last week, so I went along to my opponent’s meeting to see how he was shaping. I don’t think Mr McLagan is going very well. He talked like a manpower officer who had been manpowered.”— Mr V. W. Wilson (National. Riccarton) Dairy Farmers’ Support “The small dairy farmers are with the Government,” reported Mr H. M. Macfarlane, "M.P.. reporting, in hie address at the Radiant Hall on Monday. q. his recent‘visit to the Marlborough electorate. In the Rai Valley, where 411 votes were cast at the last election, a branch of the Labour Party was recently formed and 211 had joined as members. The dairy farmers were dubious of the National Party’s policy and favoured the Government’s guaranteed prices scheme, Mr Macfarlane said. Opening a Campaign “My Labour opponent is making some wild statements, one of which is that my campaign was opened at the Argonaut Hall by a certain gentleman whom he describes as a great Tory.” said Mr Alan Wills (National, Central) last evening. “May I correct him. This meeting was held before I was even selected as a candidate. The person who opened my campaign was Alan Wills,”