N.Z. “Taken For A Ride By Tory Promises”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30286, 12 November 1963, Page 14

N.Z. “Taken For A Ride By Tory Promises”

New Zealand had been taken for a ride by Tory promises, the Labour candidate for Selwyn (Mr F. E. Smith) told 34 persons in the Halswell Hall last evening. One of the country's basic needs was a reduction in the rates of taxation, but in the last three years taxes under the National Government had increased by £l26m. he said. This extra £l26m. would have built a city of 42,000 houses, tach valued at £3OOO. “Ibis money has come out of our pockets and not from an increased number of workers and an increase in company profits as claimed by tiie Prime Minister,” said Mr Smith, to a chorus of “Hear, Hear.” "In spite of the increased tax returns, the Public Debt has climbed from £ 844.5 m to £967. 1m.,” he said “Is the Prime Minister mad, blind, or just a plain National Party politician when he says, ‘lf you want high® taxes support the Labour Party?’ ” Mr Smitti asked. ‘The facts speak for themselves.”

The National Party policy contained about “55 vague proposals each valued at £lm,” Mr Smith said. “Mr Lake has asked where the Labour Party is going to find £4Bm to meet its election promises, blit I would ask Mr Lake where the National Party is going to find £ssm to meet its pledges,” said Mr Smith.

Mr Lake had not proved a very good Minister of Finance, said Mr Smith. “Why, at one stage he did not even know the bank rate had been increased.” Mr Lake should also answer a question put by the president of the Timber Merchants’ Federation (Mr H. C. Smart) asking whether the National Government would devalue the currency with the introduction of the decimal system. “There's not a word in their policy about it,” said Mr Smith. Mr Smith spent much of his time attacking Mr Holyoake’s “steady does it” policy. "Steady does it is not doing it,” said Mr Smith. “It is almost criminally wrong to say everything in this country is all right when everything is really all wrong.” Referring to international jets for Harewood. Mr Smith said: “The National Government has a bias against the South Island. It says we are being parochial about the airport.” A voice: Ask Jack McAlpine. “The National Government would like to sell N.A.C. even though the assets belong to us.” he said. He criticised the Government because, he said, it had permitted S.P AJJ.Z. to use airports free of dues and removed the N.A.C. service between Christchurch and Nelson to make way for S.PA.N.Z. “Why should the Government protect this airline against its own national airline?” he asked. At the end of his address he answered several questions. The meeting was orderly, and a vote of confidence in Mr Smith was passed.

A woman was admitted to the Christchurch Hospital suffering from head injuries last evening after she had been struck by a motor-cycle outside her home at 315 A Cambridge Terrace. She is Mrs Emily Williams. Her condition last evening was satisfactory.