The Dominion FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1929. THE HUTT ELECTION CONTEST

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 56, 29 November 1929, Page 10

The Dominion FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1929. THE HUTT ELECTION CONTEST

A temperate but convincing review of the present political situation in New Zealand was made by Mr. Harold F. Johnston in submitting himself to the Hutt electors as the Reform candidate for their suffrage. The first impression of those who attended his opening meeting was that here stood a sound candidate advocating a sound policy. He dealt faithfully with the platform and performance of the United and Labour Parties, and by contrast demonstrated that Reform offered the fit and proper government for the Dominion under existing economic conditions. . After their experience of the United Govenunent during recent months, and their knowledge of the dangerous objectives of the Labour Party, those Hutt electors who follow politics at all closely will not require convincing that the Reform Party affords the safest choice of the three offering. But there is an insistent demand in New Zealand to-day for higher calibre representation in Parliament. It is said, and not without justification, that the present standard of representation is low; that Parliament is being discredited by the second and third-raters who comprise the bulk of its personnel and who cannot rise above political humbug and party sham-fights, lhe public are sick of this sort of thing, and are seriously asking for something better. The tendency of the electorate is, therefore, to place men above measures. In the present contest, the. first question Hutt electors will ask is: “What of the man?” In his frank and straightforward opening address, Mr. Johnston gave a taste of his quality. l*} e . re was an absence of claptrap, of the arts of the demagogue, of nig isounding but meaningless rigmarole. Instead, the great public issues were faced and discussed simply and clearly. There was no evasion, no side-stepping. His straight-running was consistent, and especially so when it came to that test for candidates —question time. lhe Hutt electorate may well feel that in choosing Mr. Johnston as its member it would not only be well represented itself, but would strengthen a Parliament in need of the character, ideas, and intellect he can impart into its discussions. . So much for the personal equation. On the party side, Air. Johnston had no difficulty in disposing of the United Government whose unhappy failure is patent to everyone. His points are worth brief recapitulation. Taxation has not been reduced as promised, but has been increased. Money for settlers and workers has neither been borrowed at 4J- per cent, nor lent at 4| per cent. The country s credit is being heavily mortgaged for new and. expensive railways construction, while existing lines and plant are being denied necessaiy development. Although the sum of 115,000.000 is involved, the Government refuses to inquire first into the soundness of its railway projects .before committing the country to this huge risk. As for the Labour Party, it stands condemned with the United Party, whose irresponsible policy it has not only aided but accelerated. By its bargaining support of the Government, it shares in the United Party’s sins of omission and commission. Included in these are the institution of the expensive and unnecessary Bluff steamer service; the doubling of the primage duty costing workers the best part of £300,000 in extra Customs taxation; and the raising oi members’ salaries by j£loo before the Civil Servants claims have been met. Against this policy of waste and expense. Mr. Johnston sets forth his programme for “progress and prosperity.’ In the forefront he places industrial development, based on mutual good-will, as a solution of unemployment, as creating new opportunities for labour and capital, as a stimulus to business and trade. Thei e was also “a message of hope for the workers.” Mr. Johnston pledged himself to work “to improve not only the relations between employees and employers, but the conditions of the employees themselves. His earnestness and sincerity on this point were unmistakable. He stands, indeed, for the new evangel in industry whereby Capital and Labour work in good-will for mutual benefits and common advancement.