WELLINGTON SOUTH

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 127, 25 November 1931, Page 10

WELLINGTON SOUTH

MR. M'KEEN AT BERHAMPORE

Over 300 people at the Masonic Hall, Berhampore, were addressed by Mr. R. M'Keen, the Labour candidate for Wellington South, last night, Mr. H. Power presiding over an attentive audience. In a two-hour speech Mr. M'Keen criticised the system of taxation, which he said favoured the squatters while still further imposing taxes on the business man and salaried workers, placing the burden on the shoulders least able to bear it. While the Government leaders were stating that unemployment was decreasing, the fact was that it was increasing. To-day in the city there were 700 men who could get no job at all. Referring to the 10 per cent, cut, he said that the amount represented was variously estimated from £8,500,000 to £12,500,000 in the total wages bill, which had disastrously affected trade, throwing still more men out of work. Dealing with the promises made in the United Party's manifesto at last election, he said that none of them was carried out, and proceeded to criticise the waste of money on hydro-elec-tric schemes such as Arapuni and Waitaki. Electricity produced from coal at tho pit-heads would have cost only .85d per unit, a price with which no hydraulic scheme in the country could compete. He deprecated tho policy of allowing millions to lio idle in half-completed railway lines, and found fault with the expenditure of nearly £3,000,000 on railway shops big enough for the United States or Great Britain, some of the machinery in which was not being used, while purchases of parts were still being made overseas. At the closo of his address Mr. M'Keen was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.