COLONEL MITCHELL AT NEWTOWN

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 139, 10 December 1919, Page 9

COLONEL MITCHELL AT NEWTOWN

Lieutenant-Colonel G. Mitchell, D.5.0., Independent candidate for Wellington South, addressed a large, and enthusiastic meeting of ladies at St. Thomas's Hall, Newtown, yesterday afternoon. The great problem of to-day, he said, was to get the people settled, and to rid the country of that spirit of unrest which seemed to be permeating all countries at the present time. New Zealand was the freest and most democratic country in the world. One of the greatest problems was the cost of living. The profiteering that was going on was caused largely by greed, but it was not fair to say that all the blame was on one side. He dealt with land settlement, pointing out how vital it was to the proper development of the country, from which increased production must follow. He was anxious to see the hydro-electric power schemes pushed on - vigorously. The Lake Coleridge scheme had given some idea of its possibilities. It would, to a large extent, relieve our absolute dependence on coal. He dealt also with a scheme of national superannuation— saying that, as all were public servants, in that all performed a- useful service to the State, there should, therefore, be superannuation for all. That would, to a large extent, do away with charity. At the conclusion of the address, a hearty vote of thanks and confidence in Colonel Mitchell was carried unanimously with applause.