DEFENCE POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 127, 25 November 1935, Page 18

DEFENCE POLICY

COL. MCDONALD'S VIEW

Colonel T. W. McDonald, Democrat candidate for Wairarapa, addressed a well-attended meeting of electors at the Oddfellows' Hall, Trentham, on Saturday evening. Mr. Cudby was in the chair.

The speaker emphasised the vital fact that the manipulated exchange and sales tax together amounted to at least a 40 per cent, cut in salaries and wages. Both of these, he said, the Democrat Party would abolish and replace them by a cash production bonus to those who needed it.

Colonel McDonald explained the Democrat Parly's defence policy which, he said, was to maintain a voluntary territorial force with permanent cadres at the various centres. These cadres, he said, would be largely specialists and capable of immediate expansion

should such ever become necessary. He was strongly of opinion that the territorial force should receive every encouragement, and that the permanent men, military and civil, should* receive at least as much pay as those in other occupations of equal importance. Being a ranker himself, Colonel McDonald emphasised the importance of all promotions being from-th'fc ranks. Every soldier, he said, should carry a G.O.C.'s baton in his, pocket.

The speaker said has party would fully restore the salaries and wages cuts of all public servants. It would return 'the five-year-old children' to*the schools, and would not tolerate-any repetition of the important portfolio of Education being given to a member of the Legislative Council, to .be slashed to pieces behind the shelter of that place and outside of criticism of the House of Representatives. '

Colpnel McDonald fully explained the' Democrat Party's superannuation, superannuative pension, and national health schemes whereby all pensions were to be increased by 25; perc ent, and all persons whose; incomes were under £267 per annum, including children under 16, would receive free medical, dental, and hospital treatment. Colonel McDonald said that the Government's exchange bubble had been burst by the National candidate at Martinborough when lie said that the high exchange was in favour of "the British buyer, whereas he and the National Government had been trying to jam down the throats of the electors that ii was in favour of the New Zealand producers.

At the conclusion of the address Mr. C. Ballinger moved, and Mr. A. Cudby seconded, a vote of thanks to Colonel McDonald and of confidence in him as candidate for Wairarapa. The motion was carried unanimously.