OROUA ELECTORATE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 35, 5 November 1928, Page 6

OROUA ELECTORATE

MR. COBBE AT FEILDING Feilding, November 3. The Drill Hall at Feilding was filled, and many more unable to gaiu admission last night, when Mr. J. G. Cobbe, United Party candidate for Orona, addressed the electors of the town where his home is. The Mayor (Mr. E. Fair) presided. Mr. Cobbe declared himself as not a stray party man and that he would not allow any party to dictate to him in respect to any question upon which he held strong convictions. The United Party stood for sound social reform, linked up with a sound economic policy, recognising that the country needed not so much increased legislation as improved administration. The United Party was alarmed at the growing expenditure and the heavy burden of taxation, while those responsible for such burdens still told the same old tales and played the same old tricks. Next to a complete change of Government the country’s greatest need was a strong Opposition; if the Coates Government had a majority of half a dozen instead of thirty it would be better for the country. The Reform Party had been too long in power, he said. It seemed to assume that it had a vested right to rule. A political party which clung to office too long became like a ship that had been too long at sea—it became coated with barnacles and needed the dry dock of opposition to remove them. (Applause.) Mr. Cobbe went on to propound his views on the unemployment questio,n licensing, members’ salaries, and also gave an outline of the United Party’s programme. He criticised the present system of conducting the High Commissioner’s Office in London, stating that he considered that it should be an office that was chiefly a centre for business, and that the principal part of its duties should be the finding of new markets for New Zealand produce. It should be managed by a man of both commercial and financial ability. ,• ■ • The candidate declared himself as being in favour of only two issues on the. licensing question and a bare majority. The third issue on the ballot-paper only complicated matters and delayed settlement, while the six years’ interval between the licensing polls would be unfair and undemocratic.

At the conclusion of his address Mr. Cobbe answered a few questions put to him and received - an unanimous vote of thanks for his address on the motion of Messrs. T. Masters and W. H. Alsop.