LIVELY MEETING IN BLENHEIM

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 304, 18 September 1943, Page 8

LIVELY MEETING IN BLENHEIM

Lone Conservative’s Terse Criticisms

“GAME AS NED KELLY” Dominion Special Service. BLENHEIAI, September 17 . The brightest meeting of Marlborough’s election campaign was held in the Blenheim loivn hall when Air. Angus Mnekinnon. (Conservative) who is conducting mi independent campaign, addressed aii attendance which in spite of a wet night was comparable with that at the Defence Minister's recent meeting. This candidate is an elderly man. a gardener by occupation, who Ims become well-known to the public through his use of the correspondence columns in the local Press for letters dealing with political subjects. His address occupied 40 minutes, and the next half hour was fullv utilized by Hie audience who called on the speaker to answer a large assortment of questions, ii'iostly of a decidedly frivolous nature. Some questioners even accepted the mayor’s invitation, as chairman, f.o mount the platform and join in the debate. These impromptu speakers received much encouragement from the body of the hall. The climax of the meeting came when it was proposed as a motion that Air. Alackinnon be recommended to withdraw from the campaign and donate his £.lO deposit to the Patriotic Fund. This was seconded, but most of those present declined to vote either wav on a show of hands. The motion was finally declared lost on the voices. In his introductory remarks the chairman. Air. C. T. Smitt, said the first requirement of a Parliamentarian was that he should be game, and Air. Alackinnon was as game as Ned Kelly. He was the same age as Air. Churchill and younger than General Smuts, to whom he bore a remarkable resemblance. In the course of his address the candidate said it was a great pity that Air. Jones (Alinister of Defence) had not broken his neck years ago, as this would have saved the country paying for his trip abroad (Laughter). This remark caused the chairman to apologize for not leaving the platform when such a personal remark was passed. He added, however, that Air. Alackinnon was not an experienced speaker, ami the chairman knew ho had not meant what he said as he would not harm a hen. (Prolonged laughter). Asked by a questioner if he would give a serviceman with three wives a pension for each wife the candidate said he would, as such a man would deserve it. If you arc elected and offered leadership of the country, would you accept the present salary and “perks” of the Prime Alinister?” was another question which caused much merriment. “Wallowing in Luxury.”

Air. Mackinnon’s address was terse and outspoken. He criticized the Government for its lavish expenditure in many directions and for its interference in private enterprise and private life, attacking Air. Fraser and Air. Semple for "making Public AVorks a prior consideration over industry and export.” He claimed that tlie policy of . doubling wages had meant that the country was receiving only 10/- in value for every £ expended. As a result, he said, £25,000,000 had “gone west.” During Air. Semple’s term of office, while, with the housing scheme thrown in, the country was £40.000,000 the poorer. Air. Alackinnon prophesied that a crash would come with the collapse of the war industries at the end of tho war, by which lime there would he so many worthless notes about that there would be no option but to devalue the £. He criticized Air. Nash for "wallowing in luxury in the Washington Embassy nt the expense of the taxpayers.” The Government, he claimed, through attracting people from the land with the high wages available in the cities hud loaded the dice against the country, particularly as the London markets were by no means safe and the Dominion would have to face serious post-war competition from such countries as the Argentine, He favoured tapering- off expenditure to meet income, the getting rid of all costly overseas, embassies and commissioners and also the Internal Marketing Department and the removal of all interference.