HON. A. D. MCLEOD

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 42, 17 August 1935, Page 11

HON. A. D. M CLEOD

FAREWELL ADDRESS

ADVICE TO ELECTORS

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

MASTERTON, This Day.

Addressing a farewell political meetjig at Martinborough last night, the Hon. A. D. McLeod warned electors that if they did not wish to be governed by political. Labour they required to do some hard thinking for themselves during the next ; three months or so. "Diehard" Tories, Empire Free Trade dreamers, and Independents of political opportunist types were being organised to remove the present Government.from . office, and this, of course, must assist r political Labour in many electorates. •,"■■■ . , .

It was nonsense to say that millions had been put in the pockets of farmers at the expense of all other sections of New Zealand's population, as a result of pegging up the exchange, said Mr. McLeod. Provided the cost of living was not forced up as a result, surely the infusion of millions of purchasing power through the basic industry of the country must beneficially assist many other sections of the community. If that were not so, how came it, for instance, that numbers of employers were able to restore wages and salary cuts?

.Those stating that Britain would ever be willing/to. enter into separate trade agreements, with her different Dominions were either deliberately or, ignoraptly misleading the electors. Was it possible for any British Government to enter into a trade agreement with New Zealand, say, upon butter and meat less advantageous .to Canada and Australia without quickly breaking up the Empire. If it were fully realised that ~ Australia' and^Canada^togethcr contained over three-fourths' of the Empire's, .overseas white the impossibility of the proposal would be appreciated by all sensible .people.