ON THE HUSTINGS

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 114, 11 November 1919, Page 3

ON THE HUSTINGS

WELLINGTON SUBURBS

MR DUNBAR SLO ANE'S CAMPAIGN

FIR-SIT ADDRESS AT JOHNSON-,

VILLE.

The Liberal candidate for Wellington Suburbs, Mr. Dunbai1 Slpane, opened his campaign at Johnsonville last night. Mr. F. T. Moore, chairman of the Johnsonville Town Board, presided over a large and orderly meeting, which gave the speaker a cordial reception.

Mr. Sloane declared himself as a supporter of the Liberal Party, and as opposed to the Reform Party on the . one hand and the Labour Party on the other. The Reform Party, .he believed, was kept in power by the big vested interests, and did not serve the best interests of the workers and the people generally, while the Labour Party gained his opposition because lie knew that the doctrine of go-slow, strike, and extreme teachings of violence, as preached by a section of it, was doing more to keep the honest workers down than any other factor in the land. He was convinced that Sir Joseph Ward's was the only policy worth while. Speaking of planks in the policy, Mr. Sloane dealt first with the State Bank, saying that the war had demonstrated beyond the possibility of doubt the vital necessity of the Government having its own banking institutions. New Zealand, he contiiiued, must borrow heavily for the next few,years, and if prices were maintained, it should be able to borrow within its own boundaries. Just as earnestly as ho believed in a State Bank, so did he believe in State coal mines. He advocated ths taking over of all coal mines immediately, on a fair- and just basis, from the present owners, say, in Government stock at the rate of 5£ to 6 per cent., bearing taxation. State ownership would eliminate the present distrust between employer and employee, provided the scheme was run by a Board composed of sound business men and representative miners, with a- Minister at its head to be responsible to Parliament. When taking over the mines ths State should at once improve miners^dwellings and living conditions generally, and should institute a system of superannuation. It was obviously absurd to,talk: of State coal mines unless the State also owned collieries. (Applause.) -He also advocated State flour mills, for bread must he taken out 'of the hands, of the price juggler and monopolist, leaving it to the Board of Trade to fixe a nrice allowing a fair profit to the bakers. TAXATION AND EDUCATION. Referring to taxation, Mr. Sloane urged the need of a general overhauling. He pointed out that companies paid income tax on their net profits, with the result that the tax was passed on to consumers. To overcome this he.urged that the taxation should be placed upon the dividends. He believed that the present exemption limit of £300 should be increased to £500, that the graduated tax should not stop, as at present, at £6400, and that the .system of land taxation should be overhauled immediately. (Applause.) Education had been badly neglected of recent years, ; and he felt, the State could find no better way of investing its' funds than in securing efficient teachers and in providing proper school buildings. He thought the kindergarten should be included in the State system of education, that continuation classes should be encouraged, and that the State should assist in providing the necessary hostels. Above all, the State should recognise the great services rendered by the teachers, who, after ten years' service, should be in receipt of at least.£4oo to £500. (Applause.) LAND AND RAILWAYS. ' Land not producing its ' maximum should be subdivided, and a Government that would enter fearlessly upon a campaign to make the large owners realise their responsibility was the one that should secure support. Only in exceptional cases was the freehold of advantage; the leasehold, for the man of small capital, had the great advantage of allowing a man to" keep his funds for investment as occasion demanded. He hoped to • see more experimental farms established and more dairying instructors appointed, for the encouragement and protection of the primary products of the country was of vital importance. The only way to deal with the shipping problem as it affected the primary products of the country was to make direct representation to the Imperial Government, for now that the Meat Trust was being kept out of the country it would try to squeeze the country by curtailing the shipping facilities. Mr. Sloane spent considerable time in discussing the railways, and said that, while he recognised tlfat the war must have made a great difference, the present (■position showed thatxthere had not been a great deal of forethought shown by those responsible. It would be inter esting to learn just what this lack of foresight cost the country. A great, speeding-up of railway construction was essential, and at least £4,000,000 should be provided at once. The Government should go to the very limit in opening new country. The time hsd come, when up-to-date suburban services should be instituted with, preferably,- a flat rate. Children under seven years of ago should bs carried free, and between seven years and fourteen years at half rates. If the district had a live representative it would quickly secure proper railway services, and, if elected, he thought he would prove what he had said. (Applause). Mr Sloane went into details of Sir Joseph Ward's proposal for providing houses for the people at 10s 6d a week, and then suggested that the Government should take over the inter-island ferry service.

The State, to his mind, should take over arterial roads and charge' a tiro tax. One of the most important works awaiting attention was the utilising of the hydro-electric power of the country. This proßlem should not be attacked piecemeal, but, as suggested by Sir Joseph Ward, the various works should be dealt with simultaneously. (Applause.)

SUPERANNUATION FOR WORKERS. ,

Having referred to the labour problems of the day, Mr. Sloane said the Government should endeavour to remove the three terrors at the back of every working man's mind, namely, unemployment, old age, and invalidisin, by superannuation and other means. Although he'had been an employer since he was 17 years of age. he did not believe that it should be in the power of an employer to dismiss labour as if ho were dealing with everyday commodities. (Applause.) Finally, Mr Sloane touched on the cost of living, saying that it was brought about by profiteering, and was perpetuated by a bloodless and lifeless Government. It was necessary for the local public to be safeguarded against having to pay the Old World market prices for meat, wool, butter, and cheese, and, Mi. Sloane said, this could bo done by1 the fixing of prices locally and the imposing

of an export tax to compensate the suppliers of the local market. Finally, as a man with a thorough knowledge of the suburban districts, he appealed to the constituents for support' at the. ballot box.

In answer to questions, Mr Sloane said he was in favour of State control of the liquor traffic, and of comjiensating licensees whoso.businesses were taken over. He thought the best way of settling the coal trouble was to get the miners, the owners, and the steamship company concerned together, with the object of finding out who was really to blame, so that the Government might deal x with the culprit, whether miner, owner, or steamship company. A persistent questioner then moved a motion according thanks to Mr. Sloane for his address and extending support to the Labour Party. An amendment expressing confidence in Mr. Sloane was carried on a show of hands, and amidst applause.