GOVERNMENT RECORD

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28447, 29 November 1957, Page 16

GOVERNMENT RECORD

1750 Hear Mr Holyoake (New Zealand Press Association) PALMERSTON N. Nov. 28. One of the biggest attendances ever seen at a political meeting held in Palmerston North crowded the Regent Theatre tonight to hear the final campaign address by the Prime Minister (Mr Holycake). A small minority kept up a constant ripple of interjections, but they were frequently silenced by prolonged cheering and clapping as the Prime Minister expounded the National Party policy and its record during the last eight years. There was an attendance of about 1750, about 150 standing outside to hear the address over a loud-speaker system. The period of the National Party's administration had been a period of expansion unparaleled in this country, said Mr Holyoake. The development in primary industry in the last seven years would be increased still more in the next term of the National Government.

Production had gone ahead by leaps and bounds. Last year the production of butter was 75,000.0001 b more than it was in the last year under the Labour Government. The output of wool was 95,000.0001 b more, and meat had increased by a further 208,000,0001 b since the last year of Labour. In the last eight years while his Government had been in power, factories had increased by 700. “Unrivalled Prosperity” These were only some of the advancements, but they were sufficient to indicate that New Zealand was continuing in a state of prosperity, unrivalled by any country in the world,” Mr Holyoake said. The Prime Minister said there was a spirited feeling in New Zealand today for further progress and development to be built up by initiative and enterprise. The people did not want controls, regulations, and restrictions by Socialist dictators. Mr Holyoake said that Labour had just exactly nothing to offer.” It had the same men as in 1949, -when it was “kicked out of office.” There was only one difference in this election: the same men were eight years older.

The Labour Party had offered a long string of glittering promises. It was now ashamed of socialisation, and was running away from the very thought of it. Labour’s policy could lead only to economic chaos and hardship—terrible hardship—for the people on the lower classes. Mr Holyoake said he was confident that the electors had too much common sense to be caught in Labour's glittering promises. The promises were like the last desperate throw of the gambler's dice. •Tarty Not Dying” There was not a tittle of truth in statements that the National Party was dying. The Labour Party leaders had made statements that because of resignations the National Party was losing ground. But that was just a natural regeneration of life. It happened in all walks of life—“except in the Labour Party, where they go on and on, and strangely enough are proud of the fact.” In spite of the resignations, Mr Holyoake added, the National Party Cabinet was the youngest and the most vigorous that had ever been offered to the country. Mr Nash, he said, should come out of the glasshouse before he started throwing stones. “Just have a look along the front benches of the Labour Party—l will just leave it at that,” he said.