THE ELECTION WAIMATE SEAT

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26511, 28 August 1951, Page 8

THE ELECTION WAIMATE SEAT

“PLEDGES HONOURED BY GOVERNMENT”

ADDRESS BY MR D. C. KIDD

“After we have occupied the Treasury Benches for just on 20 months I think we can safely claim that we have honoured our pledges,’ said Mr D. C. Kidd. National Party candidate for Waimate, when he spoke to an audience of about 100 in the Olympia Hali, Waimate. “We have faced the greatest industrial crisis this country nas ever known.”

People asked why the election was being held, Mr Kidd said. It was simply because of the charges against the Government bv the Opposition. "Acording to them we did everything wrong. You will be given an opportunity to decide on September I,’’ Mr Kidd said. "Little did Mr Nash expect the Prime Minister to accept the challenge. The last thing they wanted was to face the electors at this period.” Mr Kidd quoted extracts from charges made about the Government's Conduct, and said there were two to which he took great exception. They were that letters had been opened and telephones tapped. “I say such charges are absolutely wrong. Mr Nash and Mr Skinner, who was here last night, cast aspersions on the greatest service we have in New Zealand—the Post and Telegraph Department.”

Dealing with the handling of the Strike by the Minister of Labour, Mr Kidd said: “Bill Sullivan is a man Who started from the bottom and through sheer ability has risen to be one of the best Ministers of Labour we have ever had in New Zealand.”

Discussing the Emergency Regulations. Mr Kidd said the Labour Party wrote them. “We found them in a pigeonhole when we took over. The only difference was they didn’t have the guts to put them into operation,” added Mr Kidd. “We did.” Federation Leaders Praised

Every Labour member on the hustings should pay tribute to the leaders of the Federation of Labour. Mr Kidd Said. “They are level-headed workingmen who know that every member of this community must pull his .Weight. What a difference between •the Federation of Labour and the Opposition.” Paying a tribute to the work of the armed services, Mr Kidd said they did a magnificent job. “You didn't hear one member of the Opposition pay tribute to what they did. It show's just what side they are on.”

Emphasising that conditions on the waterfront before the strike could not have been allowed to continue. Mr Kidd said that 3500 servicemen handled more cargo than 7500 of the old watersiders would have done. “I also want to say ‘thank you’ to the Police Force for the grand job they did.”

There was one man, Mr R. Semple, on the Opposition benches who stood out on the side of right. MrKidd said. Quoting extracts of What the deregistered watersiders had to say about Mr Semple. Mr Kidd said he took great exception to such remarks. “I had to go along to see Mr Semple on many occasions when he was Minister of Works to get things for my electorate and I always received an attentive and considerate hearing.” Mr Kidd was given a good hearing and practically all the interjections were good-humoured.