MOST VITAL ELECTION

Evening Star, Issue 20022, 13 November 1928, Page 6

MOST VITAL ELECTION

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S MESSAGE

CHANGE WANTED-UKITED “HAS THE GOODS "

LSrixiit io tee ‘ Stab.’]

INVERCARGILL, November 13. In a fmiil message to the electors Sir Joseph Ward states: “Public meetings throughout the country show that people desire a change of government and the opportunity of obtaining cheap money in sufficient supply to give men and women anxious to secure their future independence fuller and wider scope. My critics have endeavoured to create the impression that the scheme proposed by mo for introducing fresh capital to develop our great resources is a plunge into the unknown. It is interesting to recall that they said precisely the same thing when the advances to settlers system was introduced thirty-four years ago. Many of them publicly predicted that it was impossible of accomplishment, and that wo would not obtain the money in London for such purpose; or that, in any case, great losses would be sustained. It will be remembered that 1 had to go to England to undertake the obtainmg of that money. It was successfully accomplished and largely over-sub-scribed, and in the period that has intervened forty millions sterling have been lent by the department without loss On the contrary, while giving the settlers and the workers cheaper money than could bo obtained in the open market it has earned a very substantial profit. The whole cost of management amounts to a sum of £35,000, and the net profits on the year amount to £-19,070, which has earned over the whole period profits to the extent of £1,900,000. It is a safe estimate, based on actual results, that the profits on the amount under my present proposal, when it is all loaned out in from eight to ten years, will be another £60,000 per annum (that is, one and a-half times the amount earned on forty millions now). “ Referring to my proposal to complete the long-distance railways i v an expenditure up to ten millions sterling, the capital cost of the open and unopened lines is at present £58,800,000, and the capital cost of open miles is £51,200,000." There is therefore in round figures £7,600,000 worth of lines under construction that have not been opened. Surely it is advisable to turn this large sum of nnearning open miles of railway into profit-earning lines by completing them, and so preventing the loss of the interest upon this huge sum. It is estimated that, in addition to this. £3,400.000 will complete all tho long-distance lines. “As to both the money for tho settlers and workers, and for the completion of these lines, no taxation whatever is necessary.

“I am strongly of opinion Hint a, minority election to Parliament should nor bo allowed to continue. For tho last seventeen years this has been tho care. The party governing the country has represented a minority of the electors right throughout that period, and I submit that the electors should have an alternative vote, ensuring majority representation and appeal to the general public to give tbo_ whole of my policy their earnest consideration. Some people take; pleasure in misunderstanding and deliberately misrepresenting tho nature of my proposals. I have made them clear, but all the wiles of political chicanery have boon employed to cloud the issue. My suggestion is that £60.000,000 bo raised for advances to farmers and ■workers, by the sale of Government bonds, to be let out at the rate of six to eight millions annually, those to be repayable over a period of 32] years, and the interest to be 4.2 per cent., this to bo paid by the borrower, with no increase of taxation whatever. A lewcritics, for obvious reasons, say this cannot be done, but to repeat ray declaration, made in Invercargill: ‘What I have promised can be done, and if returned to power I will do it.’ “Combined with this now system of advances, the speedy completion of the Main Trunk railways and a vigorous policy of assisting small holders to become firmly established on tho land will, I predict, give an impetus to the dominion’s growth that will result in a marked revival of prosperity, in which every section of tho community will benefit, enabling this most fertile land to support a population more commensurate with its admittedly groat capacity.' “ I regard this election as one of the most important in tho history of tho dominion, and confidently await the issue.” VOTE FOR UNITED MRS YOUNG'S ADVICE TO PUZZLED ELECTOR [Special to the ‘Stab.’] AUCKLAND, November 13. To Mr George. N. Carlson, Airedale street, Auckland, who wrote seeking political guidance, Mrs Margaret Young, Independent Labour candidate for Wellington East, replied; “ There’s only one thing you can do—rote for the United man.” Carlson had stated that he was in a dilemma bow to vote in faro of Mrs Young’s reported remarks ancut the Labour leaders, and because bo could never vote Reform. READY TO LEAD LABDUR’S MESSAGE TO ELECTORS [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, November 13. Mr Holland, the Leader of the Opposition, has issued the following message to the electors The question to be determined by tho electors at the polls to-morrow is whether the Labour Party shall continue its natural progress, and become the Government of the country, or whether the present Cabinet, led by Mr Coates, shall continue to control the affairs of the dominion. The failure of the Government to organise closer laud settlement, the increase in interest rates and the holding up of loans from the btate Advances Office, tho restrictions placed on the Public Trust Office and Post Office Savings Banks have nil tended to extend the power of private financial institutions, with the consequence that there is a drift from land occupations, accompanied by deteriorated lands and an increased area in fern, scrub, and second growth. The smashing of the dairy control, the enormous increase in the mortgage debt, together with unprecedented unemployment, is menacing the progress and development of the dominion, and in both rural and city constituencies the policy of Labour has been warmly approved and applauded. “ All the available evidence proves that tho Government has lost the confidoncc of th© people. The only alternative is that of a Government formed from the members of the party which I have the honour and privilege to lead. If called upon to form a Government, the Labour Party will, during its first Parliament, legislate in accord with its

election policy, which has been placed before electors by tho Labour candidates. The principle sections of tht policy are: (1) Closer land settlement; (2). an extension of tho State Advances Office; (3) the removal of deposit reetrictions from tho Public Trust and Post Office Savings Bank; (4) national health insurance; (5) improved old age, widows’, and other pensions; (6) workers’ compensation as a national service; (7) full support and assistance to the primary and secondary industries; (8) an investigation of the transport systems (rail, road, and water); (9) the organisation of employment and unemployment insurance; (10) the regulation of immigration in accord with the demand for labour and land settlement; (11) the restoration of the wage and salary cuts, < 13> the maintenance of the national school system, with smaller classes and free requisites; (13) the repeal of compulsory military service, and the reorganisation of tho defence system; (14) full sopporttothe League of Nations, and the outlawry of war.

“ Tho Labour Party’ lias consistently and courageously fought tho forces m reaction, and for the cause of democracy and a freer, fuller life for all. The Labour Party has now completed ten years in opposition to the Government. After the 1925 election it became the official Opposition. On every occasion Labour members in Parliament have fought consistently against the reactionary proposals of the Government. Given tho privilege and honour of forming tho Government, tho Labour Party will draft its laws and administer the affairs of the dominion in the interest of all citizens who render useful service. I ask all electors who believe in democracy, good government, equal opportunity, and progress towards a system of cooperation and service to help and vote for the Labour candidates to-morrw. LABOUR LEADER REPLIES MR COATES’S CHINA “CANARD “ [Per - United Press Association.] WESTPORT, November 13. Mr Holland, Leader of the Opposi* Lion, addressed crowded and enthusiastic meetings at Seddonvillo and in Waimangaroa last evening, and was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. At the latter place Mr Holland referred to certain statements made in Wellington by Mr Coates - with relerpnee to the British Council of Action and China, and said the desperate plight of tho Government was revealed when its loader found_ himself impelled to make wild allegations which could not be substantiated, and when he substituted a txn’sonal attack for political criticism. Air Coates had sijiiif that AllHolland had sent a cablegram to the British Council of Action iif 1925, and that ho had suffered a rebuke at tho hands of Mr J. H. Thomas because of that cablegram. There was no truth in either statement. No cablegram had been sent by him to the council in 1925, and consequently there was no record whatever of any attack on himself by Mr Thomas arising out of such a cable. Eurthormore, Mr Thomas hail publicly declared in favour of the establishment of the Council of Action at the, time it was formed, and had moved a resolution expressing the British Labour movement’s approval of both the establishment and the object of the Council of Action. Tho council was pre-eminently a peace movement. Mr Coates’s statement relating to his own attitude with respect to China was equally misleading. Tho refutation of that canard would ho found in the pages of his booklet, ‘ Chapters in the History of China.’ in which ho set forth (hat if a handful of British nationals in China were really in danger, instead of sacrificing thousands of lives and spending many millions of money in a futile war it would he more common sense to provide for their removal from the danger zone. ELECTION DAY PULLING ARRANGEMENTS Polling booths in nil electorates will be opened to-morrow at 9 a.m.. and will close at 7 p.m., the same hours being observed for voting on the Prohibition issue. All shops will observe a half-holiday, and the law requires that all hotel bars shall be closed from midday. The headquarters of the various returning officers will be : Chalmers. —Registrar’s office, Bond street. Dunedin Central.—Victoria Hall. Dunedin West.—Burns Hall. Dunedin North.—George Street School Hall. Dunedin Dunedin Town Hall. The Macandiw's Bay Ratepayers’ Association announces that results will bo given out by wireless from the hall. Sir Charles Stalham, tho Independent candidate for the Dunedin Central seat, addressed a well-attended meeting in the Methodist Church Hall, Cavorsham, last evening. Mr 1). S. MTherson was in the chair, and Mr Shannon was also on the platform. At the conclusion of the address a hearty vote of thanks was accorded tlm candidate.

Mr Charles H. Smith, the United Party candidate for Dunedin North, was well received when lie addressed a crowded meeting of electors in the Foresters’ Hull, Albany street, last night.' Tho candidate spoke on matters relative to tho land question, unemployment, finance, education, and pensions (universal and contributory), and also gave a general outline of the United Party’s policy. At the conclusion of the address, several questions were asked and answered. The speaker was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, which was carried unanimously. An amendment was moved by Mr Mark Silvorstone, but finding only three supporters in favour, was lost. Mr M'Crae occupied the chair.