OTAKI ELECTORATE

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 124, 21 November 1931, Page 14

OTAKI ELECTORATE

MR. FIELD'S CAMPAIGN

MEETING AT TAITA

Mr. \V. 11. Field, Coalition candidate for Otaki, addressed the electors at, Taita last evening. There was a good attendance, and the candidate spoke without interruption. At the conclusion of the meeting, a, vote of confidence in Mr. Field was carried.

Mr. W. V. Dyer presided, and in introducing the candidate referred to the interest Mr. Field had taken in the affairs of the Otaki electorate.

Mr. Field stressed the importance of Taita as a Beforrn corner of the electorate, and said that that evening he was representing Reform and the United Party, the latter party being practically the old Liberal Party. Many years ago he entered Parliament as a Liberal follower of Mr. Seddon 's, and he followed that party for about eleven years. In the 1911 election he won the first ballot by about 600 votes, but before the second ballot his Labour opponent gave a pledge to vote for the late Mr. Massey, and on the strength of that pledge he got the Reform, vote and entered Parliament. However, in 1912, to the astonishment of everybody, he voted contrary to his pledge. "Our Labour friends are not free agents in Parliament," said Mr. Field; "they have to vote according to dictates."

An elector: "How many times have you voted against your party?"

Mr. Field: "They are not governed by anybody outside; it is all done within the walls of Parliament." (Hear, hear.)

. Mr. Field said he was defeated by eleven votes in the second ballot, and for three years he was out. His length of service in the constituency was just about 30 years. He said he had stated that he did not intend to contest the seat again, making his statement for a- reason that afterwards disappeared, and he allowed himself to bo nominated at the request of a very large number of old friends. He saw one or two likely aspirants that would have been satisfactory candidates, but they said they had no intention of standing.

RECENT EVENTS,

Referring to recent political history, he said that Labour described the result of the last election as a complete rout. "What mainly led to the defeat of the Reform Party was tliat they had been in office for a great number of years, and the United Party offered a much more attractive programme, and that "did tho trick" to a very large extent. He paid a tribute to the manliness and generosity of Mr. Coates in his acti^is following the election.

The united Government decided to ally themselves with the Labour Party, but they did two things which he thought they had since regretted. They increased relief rates to 14s, and he claimed that a result of that was fin enormous increase in tho number of unemployed. The Government also decided to proceed with four railway lines, which a Commission had reported could not pay, two of the lines being in the district of the Leader of the Opposition. It was done with the best possible intentions, but a good deal of money was spent.

A Bill was brought down by ;..o United Government proposing an

amendment to the 1.0. and A. Act, in which it was proposed to bring the farmer under the provisions of the Act. Mi1. Field said that that was what the farmers had always resisted, and he outlined the steps that were taken to oppose it. The Bill was withdrawn, much to tho disgust of the Labour Party.

The present election, he said, was very vital; the country and the whole world ivas in a very bad way. Nobody was to be blamed for most of the trouble that had come upon us. Money had been spent in the best possible way in railway construction, for the provision of hydro-electric power throughout the country, and in the making of roads; in addition, large sums were borrowed for advances to settlers and workers. In 1928 the (hen Minister of Finance, tho Hon. W. Downie Stewart, had seen trouble coming, and his Budget indicated that there should be a tapering off in loans for tho State Advances Office.

NATIONAL FINANCES,

A serious position had arisen with regard to our national finances, and a time had come when everybody had to make sacrifices, and he believed that the general body of tho public had made up their minds that they would do their share. If we did not economise as much as we could, then there was only one thing: national bankruptcy.

The result of the English election had restored a certain amount of confidence, and manufactures and business were growing apaco in tho Old Country. lv New Zealand, what had been done in the way of economics had met with the approval of the general body .of the j.oople. There had boon taxation, tho cost of government had been reduced, and farmers had been helped. He mentioned relief to farmers in connection with superphosphate, and also the grant of £250,000 for the relief of farmers' rates. In addition, the graduated land tax had been abolished. The tax was aimed at forcing the cutting up of the largo estates, but most of the estates aimed at were not fit to be cut up. Two Acts providing relief for mortgagors had been passed.

Economies carried out included a reduction in tho cost of government, though the "cut" was a very painful tiling. The Civil servants had been compensated for by a slight reduction in the cost of living. The only alternative to the "cut" was wholesale dismissals. The cost of education had been reduced by £317,000. Eightyone per cent, of the expenditure was for teachers' salaries, and it would bo rather inhuman to turn hundreds of teachers out in the streets. He expressed the opinion that there would have to be a reduction so far as training colleges were concerned.

TAXATION.

Tlie taxation for the year ID^U-iiO amounted to £19,471,000, and the candidate quoted figures as follows showing how the taxation was distributed:— Income tax, £3,533,000; land tax, £1,507,000; death duties, £1,707,000; stamp and note duties, £1,050,000. Motors: Customs (including primage), £1,32(3,000; petrol and tires (including primage), £1,217,000; motor licences, etc., £391,000. Alcohol and tobacco: Customs (including primage and excise), £3,157,000. Totalisator and amusement taxes, £622,000. Customs (apart from motors, petrol, tires, alcohol, and tobacco) on articles not likely to be bought by the poorer section of tho community, £3,235,000. Customs (apart from alcohol and tobacco) on articles likely to be bought by the poorer section, £1,400,000. The richer wore taxed on their ability to pay, he said.

Mr. Field said ho was entirely in favour of the development of secondary industries. He expressed the opinion that there was room for many more industries in New Zealand, though ho said that industries that did not pay should not be started.

He devoted considerable time to a criticism of Labour's policy 3 partieu-

earned: "That Air. Field be given a hearty vote of thanks for his very able and inspiring address, and t' t this meeting expresses the hope that on election clay the electors of Otaki will show confidence in their tried and faithful representative by placing him at the top of the poll."