THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Evening Star, Issue 18138, 30 November 1922, Page 11

THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN

• MEETINGS. THIS EVENING. ■ Albany street- —Hon. W. Downia Stewart. St. Okir.—Mir J. E. MacManu*. Wnkari.—Mr J. .T, Clark. Forbury Corner. —Mr 0. E. Statham. Sawyers Bay.—Mr J. W. Monro. Momington.—Mr J, Gilchrist. Warrington.—Mr J. M. Dickson. Miltmrn.—Mr J. Stephens. Wingatui.—Mr T. K. Sidey. TO-MORROW NIGHT. Forbury Corner.—Mr Sidey. Waitahuna Gully.—Mr Stephens, Pur a kanui. —Mi' Dickson.. Upper Junction.—Mr Mun.ro, PRIME MINISTER. ON WEST COAST. [Per United Press Association.]

HOKITIKA, November 29. The Hon. W. F. Massey arrived from Nelson at 6.10 p.m., and acfdraised a meeting in the Princess Theatre at 6.35, speaking for an hour. In the course of his address he referred to the improved financial position, stating that revenue was increasing and expenditure was decs'easing. He looked forward optimistically to increased prices for primary products, thus creating general prosperity throughout tho dominion. Referring to soldiers’ settlements, Mr Maesey spoke of the necessity after investigation to cut the loss that would result from a drop in prices of land and produce. Ho referred also to the Advances to Settlers’ Department as a most useful department oi the State, and explained that the legislation of the recent session gave power to grant advances against chattels. The legislation would be brought into force immediately, as ho hoped to sign the final documents on Saturday. Mr Massey announced that numerous applications had already been received, indicating that tho legislation would prove very useful. He concluded with an appeal to support Mr Jesse Steer, official Reform candidate, and to assist to send the Government back with a sustaining majority to carry out the policy which bad proved so successful throtigh the past strenuous years. Mr Massoy received a cordial hearing throughout, with very little interruption. ( A vote of thanks anti confidence was carried, the meeting concluding with cheers. GRE3YMOUTH, November 29. Mr Massey addressed an audience of 2,000 in tho Opera-house at 8.30, to-night, after motoring from his Hokilka meeting. He had a - good heaving, despite heckling, the interruptions being good humored,^ Mr Massey congratulated the West Coast on the removal of its isolation by the Otira tunnel, and predicted a good future for dairying and stock raising. He said tho country could not work with Proportional Representation, except the big electorates. The system did not give a sufficiently strong Government. _ The Bank of New Zealand had been functioned aa a State bank. Tho revenue from it was £600,000 last year. The Government had left no penny idle. There was a strong demand on tho part of fanners for money. Tho Government hoped to pay 83,000,000 to the Advances Department in the next financial year for advances on chattel security. Tho heavy taxation was forced on the Government, which hoped to reduce it next year. The Australian taxes were higher, There would be no January wage out unless Dio cost of living allowed it. The only extravagance alleged on the part of the Government was the High Commissioner's London house. The exports last year were £40,000,000. More still should bo aimed at- He defended the immigration policy. The railways lost money, but less than other countries. Coal importing was due to insufficient production. The exhibition -at Christchurch showed the progress.of our industries. The cost of living was slowlv decreasing. The Government was reducing butter, wheat, and flour. Sugar was lower than any country except the producing ones. He trusted Dio people would return, the Government with an independent balance of power. A vote of confidence was passed with acclamation.

DUNEDIN NORTH. 'Mr J. W. Munro addressed a splendid meeting of the electors in the Leith Valley School Hall last night, Mr George Butler In the chair. The candidate dealt very fully ■with the land policy of the Labor Party clause by clause, with, a view to demonstrating what was characterised as “ the utter nonsense that was being propagated by the Press and 1 tho political opponents of Labor.” Ho warned l his hearers against tho persistent misrepresentation that was becoming very bitter. “ W© arc getting it hot,” said tho speaker. However, he took it that that was the 1 best sign that Labor was making good with the electors. Their opponents could see Dunedin being, captured for the people, politically, and they wore becoming frenzied' with fear; honco the bitkd’ activity of the Protestant Political Association, the Welfare League, tho Press, tmd other opponents. Tho Labor candidates' throughout the dominion, he idecJarcd, were causing suoh a buzz in the political dotecots as never before in the history of this country. He assured his hearers that .Auckland, Wellington, andl Christchurch had made up their minds to capture these towns for Labor; and tho people in the rest of Now Zealtmd were looking to Dunedin to do its hit. “I am pleased to bo able to say that, judging from all the signs, we are going to follow England’s lead and do it.” Alter answering a number of satisfactorily, a vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously. Another successful meeting was held by Mr J. J. Clark at St. Leonards last evening,.. when the hall was filled, Mr A. Strnthers was chairman. Mr Clark gave an interesting' speech, in which he expressed his views on many questions prominently More tire public at tho present He dealt with the question of Legislative Council reform; gave an interesting resume on the financial position, also explained the underlying taxation, and suggested' various alterations in the incidence; strongly supported the Arbitration Court, and emphasised the necessity of its awards being adhered to by all parties concerned. A cordial hearing was accorded tho candidate, who afterwards answered a largo number of questions. A motion of thanks was carried with enthusiasm.

DUNEDIN WEST. ■ 'Mr 0. M. Mors, Labor candidate for Dunedin WestJ addressed some eighty electors at the Mission Hall, Russell street, last night. Mr M'Donnell presided. The candidate dealt "with Customs and taxation in relation io industry, pointing out that the policy of tho Government in having povvor to raise off all Customs tariffs lias a tendency to stop investments in industry; criticised llio land policy of the ■Government, stating that it had decreased E reduction, which had reflected itself on bo railways and secondary industries; contended that it was only by the adoption of tho Labor Party's land policy that production would be Increased; therefore it was in the interest of the manufacturers to support tho Labor candidates. The speaker dealt with the platform of the Labor Parly, and explained that the party's platform would bo put in operation by the principles of extending State ownership, etc. After a number of questions dealing with indentured labor and land speculation had been answered, Mr Moss was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. DUNEDIN SOUTH. Mr J. E. MacManus, Labor candidate for the Dunedin South seat, addressed a meeting in tho St. Kilda Coronation Hall last evening. Mr It. W. Hall occupied) the chair. There were about eighty people present. Dealing with defence matters, tho candidate said that to think that no army would mean no more war was just as senseless as to assert that if they had no unions they would have no strikes. That was tho altitude ho tool? up, and ho had I made his attitude clear to the Labor Party. I Nevertheless ho considered that tho comj pulsory military service system could very well be scrapped. Mr Sidey had given m hid rc&eou far voting £os the second

reading of the Public Expenditure Reduction Sill that ho desired to reduce the ■wages of the highest paid) Civil servant®. By that moans only, he claimed. could hia desire be given effect to. Well, to 1020 124 of the front rank of tho raihvav employees received £77,110, and In 1922 they received £76,999 —a reduction of Ifa lid" each man per year. But the men on thcf bottom rung had had their wages reduced by 10s per week. The workers in the dominion had had their wages reduced by £7,000,000 per annum to all, and on •the other hand their burdens, had been added to by the fact that the Customs duties since 1918, had been increased by no loss a sum than £1,952,951. As regards the statements that tho land policy of the Labor Party meant the confiscation of the people’s properties, Mr MaeManua wanted to' say that the Press was taking advantage of a badly drafted clause. He did not consider himself pledged to anything so absurd as that. It was only a blind on the part of the Press to divert attention from the awful land scandals of the present Government. He claimed, that tho -Labor Party was the only party that had come forward with, a constructive policy'. The total public and private indebtedness of New Zealand was about £557,000,000, and some £50,000, 000 per annum was ■ required for interest. It was the wealthy men and tho wealthy Inaiitutions which received most of that interest, and) yet the Massey Government had granted a handsome rebate as regards tho taxation imposed on these wealthy concerns, A vote of thanks to and confidence in the candidate was carried unanimously.

DUNEDIN CENTRAL. Mr J. Gilchrist addressed about 100 workers in Burt’s foundry, Cumberland street, at noon yesterday, the attendance coming from different works-in -the neighborhood. Last night Mr Gilchrist spoke to ahont seventy persons in the Presbyterian Church Hall at Kensington. Mr J. 8. Loydall was in the chair. The candidate elaborated various planks in the Labor Party’s platform, and called attention to the work done in Parliamentby the Labor Party, which was very watchful of the interests of the people of Now Zealand. Ho referred' particularly to the action of tho Labor Party in regard to the Public Expenditure Adjustment Bill, tho Workers’ Compensation for Accidents Bill, and tho Customs Duties Bill. The Labor Party- bad put up a good fight for,nurses iu private hasp!tats, Who wore, at present being sweated; many of them were paid very low wages. After answering come questions, Mr Gilchrist was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. Cheers weregiven for Labor and for Mr Holland. Mr W. S. Maslin, Independent Libera! candidate, addressed about 100 electors in tho High Street School last evening. Jho chair was occupied by Mr Caldwell, who referred to the energetic’manner in which Mr Maslin was proseouting his election campaign. Tho candidate spoke for nearly two hours on the chief political questions of the day. While dealing with theliosnsincr question, ho stated that ho pi and alwavs had been a staunch Prohibition*.; .and an ardent worker for the caw* of uplifting of humanity. He was give* a very attentive hearing throughout, amt after answering questions was, at the call of one of tho audience, accorded three hearty cheers. Mr Mashn received a unanimous vote of thanks.

CHALMERS. Speaking at Waitati, Mr J. Stephens, Labor candidate for Chalmers, stated .that the land policy of the. Labor tarty was for keeping the. people, in their own homes, rather than putting .them out ot their homos, or having themrackrented by mortgagees. For this reason sun eillance by. the "State of transfers is insisted upon. Cordial votes of thanks to the candidate and the chairman, the Rev. J. L. Jameson, concluded the meeting. THE WAKATIPU~BEAT. _ Our Cromwell correspondent wires: Matters in connection with the General Election are proceeding quietly, and the general opinion is that Mr Horn will retain the seat. Reform supporters, especially Jandl owners, aro organising thoroughly on behalf of their candidate; but Mr Horn has a splendid record behind him ne representative for the district for the last three years. .