General Election.

Cromwell Argus, Volume L, Issue 2649, 24 November 1919, Page 5

General Election.

MR AS 11 WORT Li AT CROMWELL. Mr Ash wot th, the Labor candidate for Wakatipu, addressed the electors in the Athei.wum llall, Cromwell, on Saturday evening. Theio was a faiily large audience, all shades ol political opinion being represented. The Mayor (Mr A. M. Brodrick), occupied the chair and brielly introduced the candidate. In his opening remarks, Mr Ashworth touched on the many reasons for his candidature He spoke of the dissatisfaction with the old p oli " tical parties and later the National Government, who it was maintained were looking after the vested interests and not the interests of the common people. At a big meeting in Alexandra it was unanimously decide J to have Labor represented in Wakatipu, and he agreed to accept nomination. Ho claimed that he was not unknown as he had advocated everything for the advancement of Central Otago, It had been said lhat labor \*ns out to'break down and ihstroy, hut that was not the case. Labor was out to construct, to lay a secure foundation, and to build up the country not in the interests of a few, but fcr the masses. He had been asked why he advocated the Labor cause. lie did so because he believed iliey were out in the interests of humanity, and for betterment of humanity. He next referred to the Balla nee-feed don days, and reviewed the fall of the Liberals, which in l'Jll left Mr Massey in power. The latter was never out in the interests of the people, and his was not the party required in New Zealand. If ever we had a bad Government it was the National Government. They certainly had a hard time, bat ho questioned the action of the two leaders in drifting away Home when one should hive been sufficient. The speaker touched on the great unrest among all classes in the Dominion at the present time. The Prime Minister's idea was to settle these by Force, but that was impossible, and they must go to the root of the evil. To meet the position we must increase production and keen down tho est of living. The National Government said it would cope with this, but shelved the matter on the plea that they could not control the shipping, The candidate proceeded to show that while it was claimed shipping was responsible for the high prices, the only decrease was in lines of groceries, which had to bo imported. Continuing, he referred to the position in regard to butter and meat, large quantities of which were held in the Dominion while the wageearners had to go without. His argument was that it was not fair to the people that they should be denied necessaries when large quantities were held in store for expoit. The farmers, he said, were a class which had a great deal in common with the Labor Party, and this was fully realised in Auckland. The farmers knew that they had been exploited. Labor was out to assist the legitimate farmer, but to push out the farmer ol the farmer—the exploiter. They were out to assist the farmer to increase production, and handle his produce direct to the consumer. People were, he contended, being exploited right and left by an army of useless people, speculating in the people's foodstuffs, and he quoted a recent case in support of his argument.

The Land Question he considered was the biggc.-t question of the day, and to settle that would do away with all unrest. The land was for the people and by the land they must live. But it was not being utilised as it should. It was being used for speculation and men were making fortunes thereby. Thus a man was receiving money he never earned, and someone else would have to earn it *but did not receive it. Speculation in land was going on throughout the Domin ion and right in our own distiict, and prices were such that a man who acquired the land for a legitimate purpose went in on the crest of the wave with his nose on the grindatone. Land aggregation and speculation must cease. Every farmer must be a legitimate farmer, not to take land to sell to his neighbor, but to make use of it. To achieve this it should bo enacted that land be transferred only from the State or to tho State, allowing the fanner for improvements in tho latter ease, It was State ownership of the land. Me also favored nationalising the coal mines, a State bank, and State shipping. In these matters the Government were not sympathetic, and had too much legard for vested interests. He quoted the State insurance busine.-s, wherein the profits went towards lifting the burden of taxation instead of into the pockets of shareholders. The same applied to banking institutions, which were not out for development, but to show a profit to shareholders, He contended the Dominion should have its own shipping instead of having to depend on huge combines to handle outproduce. In the State coal-mines the men worked under better conditions than in other mines. There was no shortage of men at the Stato mine on account of the better conditions.

Another plank of their platform was in the direction of free modical attention by nationalisation, Tor he maintained thai the health of the community was vita!, Regarding education, his party were out for free and secular education from the Kindergaten to the University. The present system was not good, as the promising career of many children wis sacrificed because their parents were not in a position to provide lor

the higher education, while the rich ! man's .son was able to go on and occupy the highest positions in the ! country. Equal opportunities for j all was a strong point in their platform. Referring to the question of j taxation the candidate condemned the j present system which enabled the I wealthy man to invest in war loans free of income-tax, which gave a much greater return than the small investor received. Taxation should be placed on the shouhluis of those best able to bear it and not on the community indirectly. The candidate next touched on the Militaiy Service Act, and was opposed to the proposal wherein lads of 14 years were to be taken to camps for four months training. . They had been told the best way to have peace was to prepare for war, but he drew a parallel to show how this would act in private life. The peop'e were waking up to the fact that it was the higher classes who made war and the lower classes who fought it Mis party's argument was that the best way to have peaca was to prepare for peace. They were out as a party to have a league of people to say we will disarm. If there was no preparing there would be no fighting. He quoted Major General Maurice to the effect that it was a crude method of settling differences by killing people, Public Works, the speaker contended, were not being carried on as they should, and he condemned the present system. Sir Win. Eraser said lie could not compete with private enterprise, but the Public Works . were essential, and the Dominion should have the best labor .ami pay good wages. The railways were carried on at a snails pace, The Government were carrying on all the lines at one time instead of taking two or three to a paying point. The best and most up-to-date labor saving machinery was required to carry on the work at an increased pace. Touching on local affairs Mr Ash worth said the district could produce wool, meat, fruit, grain, and other products, equal to any part of the Dominion, but mote intensive settlement was necessary. This brought him to the proposed hydroelectric scheme, which shou'd be stattcd at once. He urged his audience not to accept it as an election cry. It was of vital importance to the whole of Otago. Such a scheme would be a great factor in settling the land, and would make the conditions such that the population would not drift to the cities. In conclusion, the candidate warned the electors against the old party of vested interests. He said that every assistance given to the soldiers had been dragged out of them, while officials in the Military Service system drew in some cases double salary. In the railway service, also, high officials received handsome increases in salary while the men lower down got only a trifle. It was time the old parties were shifted, as they were not out in the interests of the people. By sup. porting the Labor Party to power the people could be happy and contented | The speaker solicited their support on Polling 15ay, and resumed his seat amidst applause. Several'questions were aiked and answered. The first was whether the candidate favored the Socialistic idea that if a young man started in a business, and by ingenuity and perseverance worked his way up the ladder, lie should share the results of his labor with his poorer hretlicrn. —No '. To another questioner the candidate r;;iid the totalisalor was a source of revenue to the country and he would not record his vote against it at the presold time. The next question was whether the candidate, as a membei of the Alex andra Borough Council, had spoken against Samoa, being retained in British hands after the war. The candidate replied thai lie was opposed to annexation of this territory. We now found it a burden on our hands an J it was a shame and a disgrace that we had indentured Fijian labor to Samoa. lie was opposed to Britain taking control of Samoa. Asked if he had ever expressed the opinion that Germany should not be asked to contribute to the Allies cost of winning the war, the candidate replied in the negative. Another question was whether the candidate favored Mr Paul's manifesto to the Association workers on the eve of conscription. The reply was that he did not know a great deal about it. I le was opposed to conscription, which he'considered wrong and was not equal service He had called a meeting in Alexandra and a resolution was passed asking the Minister of Defence and all local bodies to undertake a system of National Service, whereby a man would he placed in any position he was competent to undertake, lie quoted cases from the Militaiy Service Board to show the Act did not provide a fair service. Asked why the Labov Party condemned Territorial training, the candidate quoted the statement of Sir dames Allen that it had been useless before the war. lie was out for a voluntary army at Trade Union rate of wages. -The questioner proceeded to explain his view but the chairman ruled that only questions could be asked. In rcgaid to the liquor question the candidate said lie had for years voted Prohibition and would do so again. By taking a referendum the Government had taken the question out of the hands of the politician. It was left v ith the people. On the motion of Mr D. dolly, a vole of thanks was accorded the candidate. About fifty electors assembled at the hall, Baiinoekburii, on Thursday evening, to hear Mr AaUworlb, the

Labor candidate for Wakatipu (writes a correspondent). Mr Ash worth spoke for two hours and received a patient heaiing. At the conclusion :i vote of thanks and confidence, proposed by Mr It. Crabbe, and seconded by Mr Jas. Kay, was declared carried by Mr Jas. Ritchie, who presided.

Mr Ashwoith was in Lake County early last week, and add leased a large audience at Arrowtown on Tuesday evening, lie was accorded a vote of thanks, a similar compliment being extended at Gibbston and Lower Shotover. Mr Ash worth speaks at Lowburn to-night, and will continue up the valley on the dates advertised. A Nevis correspondent writes : Mr James Horn, the Liberal candidate for Wakatipu, was as enthusiastically received here as he has been in all parts of the Upper Clutha district. Similarly with other parts Mr Horn is assured of considerable support here from many who hitherto voted for Mr Eraser. His meeting on Monday evening drew a large and representative attendance. Mr W. Masters occupied the chair, and in introducing Mr Horn, referred to the great service he had rendered to the com munity on many public bodies. Mr Horn spoke at length and received a mos'> attentive hearing. At the con elusion a vote of thanks and confidence was unanimously accorded the candidate.

Mr R. Scott, the Reform candidate, announces the dates on which he will speak at Cromwell and surrounding districts.