SIR ALFRED RANSOM

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 105, 30 October 1935, Page 4

SIR ALFRED RANSOM

PAHIATUA CAMPAIGN

GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) DANNEVIRKE, This Day.

In opening his election campaign for the ■ Pahiatua seat, Sir Alfred Ransom, Minister of Lands, speaking in Porangahau district yesterday, stressed the point that the campaign was essentially a contest between the National Party and the Labour Party, and that the. Democrat Party, which was antiGovernment and anti-Labour, did hot provide a serious alternative. Sir Alfred traversed the work of the. Government during the depression, and dealt with Labour's promises. He urged the electors "to return a Government wMch had already laid a sound foundation for the reluming prosperity which was now apparent. He was not in the campaign to apologise for the Government, but to shovv that in a major degree it had successfully administered the Dominion during an unprecedented world depression. The Government had not sought popularity by an excessive borrowing policy to establish a fictitious standard, but had followed a fearless course both on a policy of equalising thel burden and ultimately conferring the greatest good on the greatest number. It had placed the Dominion in a position to reap the maximum and immediate benefit when economic conditions improved. Declaring that the Labour Party was-the only alternative to the present Government, Sir Alfred dealt trenchantly with that party's policy, and asserted that it would be financed only by a deflationary monetary system which had proved such a tragic failure in other countries. One of the Labour Party's main planks not referred to in the present campaign was the abolition of the country quota, which, if ever put into effect, would give a definite majority in the House to city constituencies. Dealing with the measures" adopted by the Government to facilitate economic recovery, Sir Alfred explained the provisions of the-' Land Laws Amendment Act passed last session, which enabled practically ■ all classes of Crown tenants to apply for revaluation. Steps were also being taken to deal with arrears of rent knd interest, and where possible to consider adjustment of discharged soldiers' mortgages on a voluntary basis between the Department and the mortgagor. At the conclusion of each of his two meetings Sir Alfred was accorded a unanimous vote of thanl:s and confidence in him and the Government.