IN STORMY WATERS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 116, 12 November 1935, Page 6

IN STORMY WATERS

MR. TREADWELL'S CRAFT MOLESWORTH STREET ADDRESS It was a bumpy -pilotage, to-yrhieh Mr. C. A. L. TreadwelL Government candidate for Wellington North, submitted his political craft last evening, when he addressed a meeting fiu the Methodist Church Hall in Molesworth Street. At times the effect was of an indiscriminately-twiddled' radio button covering anything from running\'sidelights on the Italo-Abyssinian activities' to froth-blowers at a temperance meeting. The evening closed with a rowdily disputed motion of confidence^ • The hall-of fair dimensions"-was 1 crowded, and a handful' of ; young women in bne corner provided th,e bulk of applause.and agreement with 1 the candidate. For the rest, it was a . case of lungs against lungs." \ "Are your hands getting sore, miss?" inquired a persistent interjector, sweet- ' ly solicitous, after a burst ,pf clapping , from the corner. ■ "Must be his., office staff." was another contribution^, "Go home to the kindergarten," a .third heckler advised. The feminine lionbearder countered by", seconding the ; motion of confidence. The. chairman judged the vote on the voices, and gave ; the dozen or so supporters the verdict, after refusing an amendment that it be a vote of thanks. There were more ' than 150 people present. •" A ' Mr. Treadwell (quoting Lord Bledis- '/. loe on the intentions of tourists): ". . . . will come to see - this sunkissed land of the Pacific which Nature has so generously bestowed with her ■ jewels." - ' " ■ A practical member of the audience: • He told them in the Waikato to grow . more taties and they're rottin'in th« . ground. "The Labour Party is up,-in ths clouds," asserted the candidate, early lin his address, referring to a • party statement. "So will you be on election day," flung a collarless shirt. < "There is just one way: I'll tell you," remarked Mr. Treadwell, on Labour's intentions to provide money for State : purposes. "Mr. Savage must be a fairy prince." « - -.- .; A ybice. (fairly thick): He's not a ■ boost artist. : ■■ : : Reference to guaranteed prices, which the speaker . maintained only ■ meant placating the farmer at the ex- ■ pense of the city man, promoted a storm. "Ain't we doing it now with the butter?" "What' about -exchanges?" "Butter Is 5d a lb." Mr: Treadwell (back again to Labour promises): And up goes the balloon and disappears into the mists. The Collarless Shirt: So are you. You'll be well up in the balloon. The impracticability of costless credit which, he said, was about the same as Douglas Social Credit, was the candidate's next point. r "What about Alberta?" asked a backrow listener. Mr. Treadwell .started to explain about the orthodox lines Major Doug- ' las had had to follow in' Alberta. Part of the meeting objected. "We I don't want Maj6r Douglas." "Never mind about Alberta." "Give us your own , policy." "What about New Zealand?" At the mention of milk for children, under the category of social services, , the Collarless Shift warmed up. "Rats," he said forcefully, and other interjectors added their tunes':- ' "They wouldn't sanction,it at the last sitting of Parliament." "Humbug." "Why put : that across? Give us something sen- . sible." ' •.+■'■ ■Mr. Treadwell: There'■ are' a''lot of selfish people in New Zealand.-' : "Humbug,"? contributed'-tKe" •Collar- ■ less Shirts"- '--•..-■■■ ;;;■■;.-:>?•:•?■=■-. ■ Mr. Treadwell: There is a';very; nice man with a blue uniform behind^ you. C.S.: I'm not afraid of the blue uni- ; form. I'd be just as comfortable where I you'd take me as lam now.: '■' '■ : i "Rents are down," mentioned" th«. i speaker in passing. •■'■,.'■ Various voices: "Boo." "Rubbish." ' "They've not gone down, they've gone '■ up." "I'll' challenge you on that." ■ "They've gone up—why don't you tell the truth?" : After a spirited bout of heckling Mr. Treadweir offered a commentary on [ hecklers in general. "They go round and prevent sober-sided electors irom . hearing the side of politics of which ) they don't approve," he'said, "arid I'm . quite satisfied of this—that they defeat t their own stupid purpose." He added L that there not would be the same v interruptions at a Labour meeting. A voice: They talk politics—they talk . sense. " .-.■•. , Mr. Treadwell: If you listened you _ might be sufficiently intelligent to . > realise that I've been talking sense for : the last hour. [ "Rot." "Let's have your policy." : Mr. Treadwell: And one of the bright [ remarks they make after giving them v : the main planks ■ is, "What's your , policy?" As if they could understand . anything! A parting shot: Why don't you get I Mr. Hislop to educate you? ■ ' ; "I don't think there is-any country • that has treated her returned soldiers as well as New Zealand has," remarked Mr. Treadwell towards the close,of the meeting. > A womnn (excitedly): Ask their wives 1 —ask their wives. | The meeting broke up with' partisan ! boos.

INTERNAL MARKET

INVERCARGILL, November 11.

The Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. M. J. Savage, addressed a very larga meeting in the . Civic Theatre this evening and met with a cordial reception. At the conclusion of his address a motion of thanks to Mr. Savage'and confidence in the Labour Party was enthusiastically carried, the audience before dispersing singing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow."

During the course of a two hours' speech Mr. Savage dealt with the necessity for further developing secondary industries in the Dominion as a means of building the Home market for primary products. In view of the rapidly-changing external conditions and fluctuating prices overseas, he said the time had come for, increased activity in the building of industries that were natural to the Dominion. The most effective reply to those who advocated quotas and restricted pro» duction of primary, products -was ■She employment of additional workers in the manufacturing industries of the Dominion.

There was no market like the Home market, which could be added to by the employment of our own people. New Zealand woollen goods were among the best in the world, and in many other lines Dominion products would compare favourably with the best imported. Tens of thousands of children were leaving school annually with not even blind-alley occupations to go to. They were entitled to expect remunerative positions in the industries and professions of their own country. The time had come; for a stocktaking, and after having considered the natural resources and external commitments we should begin a national plan of reconstruction. With almost unlimited supplies of wool, coal, iron ore. and other raw material it was difficult to understand why so much unemployment and distress should exist. The planning of external trade was of equal importance. Hit or miss methods belonged to a past age, and greater attention should be given to trade agreements with the British Commonwealth and other nations.