SUBURBS

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 126, 24 November 1922, Page 4

SUBURBS

MR. CROSKERY AT MARANUX

Over 150 people were present last evening in the Church Hall, Marariui, to, hear Mr. A. W. Croskery, Labour candidate for the Suburbs seat, expound the party's platform, and his attitude thereon. Mr. E. Clay presided. Mr. Croskery read the signs and portents in the political, skies, as represented by the results of elections" in Great Britain and Canada, to mean only one thing—that the people of New Zealand would also be found awakening from a long lethargy and returning a Radical party to replace the Tories. Housing was discussed at length, and the candidate i'6undly condemned the present •Government's policy in relation thereto. That policy had failed completely, and he believed it failed because the Reform Party did not want it to succeed; such a success would have hurt their friends engaged in private enterprise ' and the trusts controlling timber, cement, brick, arid other supplies. Why could not the Government, in building homes for the people, have done as.it was woing in connection with the provision of houses for people, have done as it was doing in conersed the arrangement come to between three cement companies, whereby, two secured the closing of a third and reimbursed it for the resulting loss—out of the pockets of the people. The present Government, in. permitting such a scandalous happening, had forfeited the confidence of the country., Mr. Croskery dealt with the reduction of Civil servants' bonuses, and the discharge of men from public works. He declared "these things were part of a gigantic scheme, organised by financial interests to lower wages by flooding the labour market through swelling the unemployed ranks. F6r himself he would never be a party to the employment of revolutionary or civil war. Some questions' were answered, and the candidate received a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence.