DOMINION ELECTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 19062, 3 October 1925, Page 11

DOMINION ELECTIONS

REFORM BANNER UNFURLED GOVERNMENTS POLICY OUTLINED GUIDING PRINCIPLES PROGRESS AND NATIONAL SAFETY [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 2. The Prime Minister to-day issued the following manifesto:— “The electors of the dominion will shortly be called upon to decide upon ivhat principles and policy the new Parliament is to act in safeguarding ami developing the interests of the people of New Zealand. The coming election will be one of the most important in the history of the dominion. ,(i must decide grave issues. _ The world to-day is in a state of ominous unrest —industrial and political. The British Empire stands as the bulwark of the -world's freedom. It is against the stability of the Empire that the assaults of Communism are made. In many countries incessant efforts are being made to aggravate class conflict and to bring about revolutionary upheavals subversive of social order and civilisation. Fortunately, our own democracy in New Zealand has been characterised by sound, sober political instincts. Hitherto it has refused to be led astray by false doctrines. Tbe dominion has earned a world-wide reputation for sound government and its advancement in social welfare. AIM OF THE GOVERNMENT. “ I appeal with confidence to the electors to support the policy of the Government, which seek# to eliminate all causes of class warfare and bitterness, to promote the weil-beiug of tho whole community, to strengthen and develop onr Imperial relationships, and to make New Zealand an example of what a healthy and industrious democracy can be. The programme of the Government is designed to achieve these ends. We stand for the stability and safety of the State and the Empire, for tho security of the individual, for toleration and equal opportunity for all, for eider and peace in the community. * More business in government and less government in business.’ That is our slogan.” A brief statement of some of the Government’s aims, is submitted for the consideration of the electors. THE FINANCIAL PROBLEM. “ Sound finance must always constitute the firm foundation of good government. Onr heavy war debt venders it doubly important that we should proceed with the utmost caution. Nevertheless borrowing is necessary to complete our large hydro-electrical undertakings, our railway system, irrigation, and other developmental works. It is hoped to reduce our external borrowing gradually, and to rely increasingly on local loans and our surplus revenue, . To attain these objects the Government has in recent years applied strict business methods in its various departments. It has eliminated political influence in the distribution of Government grants, concentrated on the completion of works in the order of their Importance, and decentralised as far as practicable administrative authority. These principles will be adhered to and extended. Thus tbe taxpayers ■will get full value for the funds with which they provide the national exchequer. TAXATION. “ It will be the earnest endeavor of the Government to investigate thoroughly the incidence of taxation, with the object of placing the burden upon the shoulders of those who are best able to bear it. Indirect taxation through the Customs is also being explored with a view to ascertaining to what extent the cost of living can be further reduced by this means, whilst at the same time affording adequate protection to local industries. LAND AND SETTLEMENT. “ Pronounced activity in land settlement extension has been hampered in recent years owing to the fact that the primary industries have been slowly recovering from the unexampled depression'of 1921. The return to stability in export values enables the Government to anticipate a demand which will justify tho continuous purchase of suitable lands for subdivision and settlement purposes. A general survey of all unoccupied lands in the dominion will be undertaken in order to ascertain what areas are capable of profitable production, with a view to the settlement of such lands. There are still large areas of swamp lands capable of development, but in order to obtain a better understanding of tho relationship between expenditure and the ultimate true value of the land a searching invqstigotion will require to bo made of the areas now in course of development. The settlement of onr pumice lands is another problem to be faced in the near future. It is proposed to take in hand a considerable area for experimental purposes along sound farming lines, so that the Government may be in a position to discuss with the Imperial authorities under the overseas settlement scheme the possibility of developing these areas. The freehold tenure for which the Reform Party has always stood is to be maintained, if so desired, by Crown tenants, and extended to all classes of State rural leasehold lands, while at the same time it is intended to enact still more adequate provisions against tho possibility of aggregation. On the one hand inducements by way of assistance in reading, etc., will be offered to those desiring to subdivide private lands which are suitable for closer settlement, while on the other hand should voluntary methods fail the Government will not hesitate to make use of the compulsory clauses in the Act in order to secure such land for subdivision. The impracticable land tenures framed by Socialists and’fanciful theorists must be opposed. Encouragement will be offered to lenders to invest their capital upon sound rural securities. SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURE. w As time goes on the soil of New Zealand ia losing its virginal fertility, and there s greater need for more scientific farming methods. Recognising this the Government recently deputed the Board of Agriculture to inquire into the system of general education in agriculture.. To meet this difficulty the board has recommended the establishment of a college of agriculture in a central position, the extension of accommodation at Lincoln College, the development of farm training schools for lads such as that at Ruafcura, an increase in the number of agricultural Instructors throughout the dominion, and the encouragement or the study of agriculture by school children. A commencement has already been made, and concrete proposals embracing the whole field of agricultural education are now being carefully gone into. FARMERS’ LAND BANKS. H Tbe Government desires that whatever scheme is undertaken in this direction such scheme shall .be of a character that will readily assist tho primary producers and be a financial success. Accordingly arrangements have been made for k commission consisting of three gentlemen possessing special qualifications to go abroad to investigate and to report on the position. One is a representative of re,pute appointed from the farming com- " munity and one ia a gentleman of

experience from the commercial community, whilst the third member is the financial adviser to the Treasury. EMPIRE UNITY. . . “ Wo desire to maintain unimpaired our loyal adherence to King and Empire, to seek by all practical means to strengthen and develop Imperial unity by improved means of consultation, by tariff preference, and by adequite contributions to Imperial defence. The malign influences which are at work to undermine and destroy tiie Empire must bo exposed and combated if we are to preserve our gveat liontagc which to-day is such a potent influence in preserving the peace of the world. We must support and assist the League of Nations to extend its sphere of influence with a view to building up international goodwill and concord. SECONDARY INDUSTRIES. ■ “The policy of the Government is to encourage ‘secondary industries suitable to New Zealand bv reasonable tariff protection, and by the collection and distribution of information through the Department of Industries and Commerce. The tariff is designed so as to draw the largest items ol revenue from luxuries, to provide a free breakfast table, and to exempt from taxation as far as possible all items of necessity. Encouragement is afforded local industries, bub not on such a high scale as to create a monopoly or to exempt such industries fiom reasonable competition. The Government stands for the suppression of trusts, combines, and monopolies inimical to the public interests. “Our present immigration policy Is working smoothly. It is proposed to continue it, and to strengthen organisations at Home now undertaking tho work of selection so as to maintain a god class of immigrant to the dominion. The average number of assisted immigrants is about 10,000 a year. Some critics allege that this number is too large, and others that it is too small. Experience shows that about 10,000 can be absorbed annually without creating unemployment. The number will be increased as circumstances warrant. THE HOUSING PROBLEM. “Although in the past six years New Zealand has probably done more than any other country to remedy the shortage of houses, further efforts must be made to meet tho needs ot our increasing population in this respect to eliminate the slum conditions from our cities. This is necessary for a healthy environment and the cultivation of good citizenship among the younger generation of onr people. N tt only win tho State give direct assistance, but private enterprise and local authorities will also be encouraged to engage upon the business of house building for wage-earners. WORKERS’ COMPENSATION. “It is proposed to provide greater allowances for those injured and for tho dependents of those who lose their lives while carrying out their daily work. THE PENSIONS LAWS.

“This year the Government has added £150,000 to the pensions of our aged people. Widows and the orphans have also been greatly assisted. The question of universal pensions, > which will give fair assurance against sickness and unemployment, is now being explored. It is hoped to devise a practicable and satisfactory scheme. WORKERS’ FAMILIES. ,

“ The Government recognises that, while wages are feed by the Arbitration Court on the assumption that a man has a wife and two children, those wage-earners whose families exceed that number must find it difficult to make ends meet. Proposals to meet this difficulty have been put forward. The Government will examine them carefully with a view to Ending some means of helping the worker so that largo families will be encouraged and not discouraged. * ■ EDUCATION REFORM. “The Government believes that a community well trained and educated will make for national efficiency and safety, and the present progressive policy will be maintained and reinforced, such reforms being made in higher education as will ensure the best training of every student according to his bent, rather than the mere passing of external examinations along the olet traditional academic Hues. ■ HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE. “Marked progres has been made in the Health Department in dealing with disease and epidemics, and in the extension of our hospitals, both maternity and general. There will be no relaxation of effort in any of these directions. The Government’s endeavor is to place the health of the community on the highest possible level. A thorough and complete reorganisation of our mental hospitals has been already entered upon. Material improvements will be effected in their management and- in the methods adopted for the treatment of patients in such institutions. _ Acting on the principle that prevention is better than cure, generous Government assistance will be continued through the medium of the Plunket Societies, and essential information and help given to the young mother. Infant life w'ork has also been carried on with great success by dental clinics established for the treatment of school chilrden, and by medical examinations which are conducted in certain schools from time to time. The extension of both systems and their more vigorous prosecution will be part and parcel of the policy of the Government. A LOCAL GOVERNTMENT ’ BOARD. “ For the purpose not only of creating greater confidence in local body projects, but of safeguarding the country's credit and deciding what remunerative works are essential in the .best interests of local bodies, it is proposed to set up a local government CONCLUSION. “I have made no attempt to sot forth a spectacular programme involving vast sums of money and wholesale expenditure. I can make no fanciful promises. To do so would be to produce a mere chimera of a false, illusory hope. Experience has demonstrated that reasonable and steady social progress must be based on prudent finance I believe as a native-born New Zealander that if the electors will support the Government in its endeavor to develop the dominion on sound, steady lines of progress, we shall succeed in building up a srong, virile, self-reliant democracy, which will still further enhance the high reputation that our county enjoys in the eyes of the world. In the forefront of our platform are the bedrock principles—national safety and progressive development. Here in this free country, bountifully endowed as it is by a wealth of natural resources, a health-giving climate, and an enterprising people, we are beset with no difficult racial or industrial problems such as unfortunately afflict other lessfavored compiunities. Periods of depression and hard timse have certainly occurred in our history, but we have always succeeded in winning through. With’ the completion of the ambitious schemes of development now in hand embracing hydro-electricity, irrigation, improved means of communication by railways, roads, and bridges, we shall have provided for the ever-growing population of the, dominion facilities for its comfort and prosperity at a cost which compares favorably with any other part of the world, and certainly under much more beneficient conditions.” MANAWATU. THE NATIONAL CANDIDATE. [Per United Press Association.] LEVIN, October 2. lift- P. L. Tfollings, formerly a stipendiary magistrate, has been approved as the National candidate for Manawatu.

HAMILTON. [Per United Press Association.] HAMILTON, October 2. Mr W. Lee Martin, Labor, candidate for Hamilton seat, opened bis campaign last night. The candidate was well received, and in the course of his speech elaborated the Labor Party’s platform. On tho liquor issue ho said he favored a hare majority vote. If returned ho would assist the endeavor to smash trusts and combines. The candidate was accorded a vote of thanks and con ' fidence. WAITAKI. [Per United Press Association.] WAIMATB, October 2. Mr George Barclay, tbe National candidate for the Waitaki seat, addressed a good meeting here to-night. He favored fusion on reasonable grounds. He contended that trusts dominated the Reform policy. The present taxation, ho said, was grossly unfair; yet the only recommendations of the recent Commission which were adopted were those in the monied interests. The graduated tax was the fairest, but he preferred the Commission’s recommendation to tax farmers’ incomes alone. He advocated increased settlement, better rural education; and agricultural colleges, no alteration of the liquor laws, reafforestation, State and agricultural banks, and more expenditure on public works in the South Island, as the North Island was getting the major portion. A vote of confidence in tho candidate was passed.