"FAILED IN TESTS"

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 116, 12 November 1935, Page 12

"FAILED IN TESTS"

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

WAIPUKURAU, This Day

Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, Leader of the Democrat Party, addressed a Central Hawke's Bay audience of over 700 electors, the Mayor of Waipukurau presiding. He was accorded a good receptica and a vote of thanks and confidence. Mr. Hislop traversed the essential features of the party's policy, and specially criticised recent legislation as departing from the principles of Grey, Ballance, Seddon,. Ward and Massey in favour of national Socialism. He said that the Government had failed on the tests of taxation and employment. Direct taxation had been increased by eight millions since 1932, and the last Budget aggregated twentyfive millions, while six weeks ago ten thousand more men were depending on unemployment taxes for work and a like number on the dole alone thaa in any period of the past three years. Of the nine millions mentioned by Sir Alfred Ransom as the benefit of higher exchange, less than half became clear profit. Mr.-Hislop strongly condemned this system of relief, advocating a bonus as a statesmanlike alternative, and also emphasised his opposition to the sales tax, and drew attention to the allegation against the Democrats of touting for votes, and on the; other hand pointed to departmental votes, totalling £600,000, made available this election instead of the contingently provided £200,000 as per Budget. The estimated Budget surplus for 1934-35 of £8000 was found to be £1,600,000, indicating bad estimating, as the Minister knew that he was going'to make a profit cf £1,250,000, said Mr. Hislop. The gold taken from the banks was going to put the Government out of office, but was not going to put Labour in. The Democrat Party; would be the Government.