A BUSINESS GOVERNMENT

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XLVI, Issue 3271, 13 November 1928, Page 7

A BUSINESS GOVERNMENT

i Mr Jones went on to refer to the sound administration of the Reform Government, saying it was essentially a business Government. The credit of New Zealand stood next to that of Britain. Last year there had been a surplus of £187.000. notwithstanding that nearly £2,500,000 had been paid off the public debt out of revenue and that in the last six years the war debt had been reduced by £9,800,000, also out of revenue. "You have been told that 13,000 men have gone off the land in the last three years," said, the speaker. "If we could bet in connexion with elections, I would put down a thousand to one that no one in New Zealand could prove that statement. It is absolutely incorrect. There is nothing in the Year Book to support it. No responsible man has ever supported it with figures. Yet the United Party and the I Labour Party have used it throughout New Zealand. '' At later stages of his address Mr Jones dealt with the Government's activities in the domains of hydro-elec-tricity, rural and intermediate credits, roading, afforestation,' labour legislation, and other affairs.

THE ONE CONSIDERATION.

i "Leave your Party feelings at home on Wednesday and vete for the Party that is going to do the most for New Zealand.'' A Voice: Jerry! Mr Jones (continuing): And that Party is the Reform Party, and every sound man and woman in this room recognises it. Some of you are Liberals and are clinging on to your Liberalism. It is time to throw away (loud cries of "Never!")

Mr Jones (to the interjectors): There are just six of you here; that is all.. I don't think it is any good trying to convert those six, so I will leave that point.

"It is really a question of the Party and the men -who are going to serve New Zealand best, and that is the point I leave with you. The future of New Zealand is the only thing

to consider. I hate the sectional thing in politics. I maintain that New Zealand is just one big family or farm, and we want to recognise that we are out,, or ought to be, to assist one another to improve the conditions of the whole of the people and make New Zealand a glorious Britain of the South. QUESTIONS. In view of his criticism of Sir Joseph Ward's borrowing scheme, Mr Jones was asked to account for the success of similar schemes in the United States, South Africa and Canada. Mr Jones: This scheme has not been carried out in those three countries, and I quote Sir Joseph Ward as my authority. He is not going to raise a loan in the ordinary sense, but intends to issue bonds and sell them abroad. This is a system of lending that Bri- j tain has never adopted yet. He has j proposed an experiment that has never been tested, and he has no knoy- j ledge that it is going to succeed. The questioner: Didn't ,Sir Joseph Ward have a surplus of £15,000,000 from the issue of war bonds during the war? Mr Jones: The sum was £17,500,000, not £15,000,000, and the bonds were sold in. New Zealand, not abroad. In the event of the Reform Government being at the bottom of the poll, which lobby will Mr Jones walk into if elected? Mr Jones: In the first place, I will be elected, so I will be there. In the second place, the Reform Government is not going to be in a minority, so again I will be there. I am not going to walk into any lobby that is going to put Labour in the saddle in New Zealand. The questioner: After the way you have criticised the United Party, I would be surprised if you faced them in the lobby. Mr Jones: That proves that you don't know me, but perhaps you will later on. A voice: That is why you grow bar-

ley and vote Prohibition. (Laughter). Mr Jones: Yes, sir, I grow a little barley. I don't know what you people would do if I didn 't keep you supplied. Answering another questioner, Mr Jones said he had never seen any reason why the publication of totalisator dividends should be. prohibited. With ! regard to the wiring of investments to the racecourse, he pointed out that when the totalisator was introduced it was contended that its effect would be to confine betting to the racecourse. Immediately the telegraph system was used as a betting machine, betting became universal. He would be prepared to support a Bill legalising for one year the telegraphing of odds to the course to test out the innovation, and after that he would use his judgment as to the wisdom of continuing it. Asked if he agreed that Angora rabbits should be imported in view of the danger of bringing in foot and mouth disease, Mr Jones said he had been, informed that there was no danger of the rabbits introducing the malady. After a number of other questions had been answered, a vote of thanks to Mr Jones was carried by applause. The meeting terminated at 11,15,.