LEADERS' CAMPAIGNS

Evening Star, Issue 20959, 25 November 1931, Page 4

LEADERS ' CAMPAIGNS

PREMIER AT ASHBURTON [Pjek United Press Association.] ASHBURTON, November 24. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes) addressed a crowded meeting here this afternoon. He was warm y welcomed on rising, and was frequently applauded during his speech. After explaining the serious national difficulties leading to the formation of the Coalition, Mr Forbes said that the Labour Party had failed to grasp the financial situation. To restore the salary cuts would cost £3,000,000, and with other things Labour had promised to do it returned to power it would require £12,000,000 to £15,000,000. The Labour Loader said they would control the currency and credit and the banking system, but they talked very easily about controlling the credit of the country. How could they control it? To propose to control now was the action of a spendthrift.' He (the speaker) had been criticised for supporting the abolition of the graduated land tax, but the present situation was an extraordinary one. The men hardest hit were the sheep farmers. Mr Forbes reaffirmed that the men with a lot of land were the hardest hit. “ Ballanco and Seddon were broadminded men and in similar circumstances would have done as I have done. X was told I had been false to ,my . trust. That is my reply when people tell men what Ballance and Seddon would have done.” The question of unemployment was One of the most serious, and he had not been able to find in any country anything to guide New Zealand. The Minister of Labour and the Minister of Agriculture" were occupied in providing schemes to divert the labour 'available on to‘the land, to make work reproductive, and to secure a return for the money spent. Mr Forbes said - that the Coalition Was out thoroughly to overhaul the arbitration system, but ho gave a fiat denial to the statement that the Government intended to abolish the court. There were ways in which the system was aiding the relief of unemployment. The Government, was' out to ’make it more elastic and more applicable to present-day conditions. On other matters Mr Forbes spoke ton the lines of his speeches at Rangiora and’ elsewhere. Concluding, he urged support for the official Coalition candidate, for party politics did not count in this election. The Coalition Government’s policy would be one of rehabilitation. A vote of thanks and confidence in the Coalition Government was proposed and was altered to confidence in the Coalition Government as at present constituted, and was carried in that form unanimously.

MR HOLLAND IN THE NORTH

COALITION'S "BANKRUPT POLICY” NEW PLYMOUTH, November 24. Mr H. E. Holland, Labour Leader, addressed a packed house, a crowd in the street listening to the lond speakers. Mr Holland made reference to the speech of the Hon. Downie Stewart at Dunedin, and said that in common with the utterances of Mr Forbes and Mr Coates it betrayed complete bankruptcy in the matter of policy. The electors were entitled to know from every party what its proposals for reconstructioo amounted to, but the Coalition had no policy whatever to offer. All that its three most prominent leaders could say was i that they ' demanded a blank cheque to be used at their own sweet will after the elections ■ were over. It was probably the first time in the history of New Zealand that the party occupying the Treasury benches had gone to the with- ; out a policy of some sort on which to base its claims for support. The people could ho sure of further wage reductions and additional wholesale dismissals from the Public Service, accompanied by pensions reductions and attacks on education and other social services, but they ?ould be sure of nothing else. Recent statements made by Mr Coates showed that Mr Forbes and the United Party could not bo entrusted with the powers that were now being asked for. Mr Forbes himself had amply demonstrated that it would bo both foolish and dangerous to give Mr Coates and the Reform Party these powers. The Labour Party in the present contest stood alone in having a definite programme to place before the electors. A vote of thanks and confidence was parried almost unanimously.

OTHER MEETINGS

WELLINGTON, November 24. Mr Walter Nash, Labour candidate for Hutt, said that, as secretary of the Labour Party, he could give an assurance that no member ‘ of the party would countenance at any time any interruption of any candidate’s opponent. No friend of the Labour Party would stop anybody from stating his case. WESTPORT, November 24. Mr John Monzies, Coalition candidate for tho Bailor electorate, opened his campaign at Hector and Soddonville this evening. He got an excellent reception and was accorded votes of thanks and confidence. Ho advocated the use of more New Zealand coal and urged that wharfage and freightage charges should bo lowered and that more activity should be displayed in gold mining. Ho stated that tho New Zealand unemployment system was superior to that of any other country. He favoured the overhauling and remodelling of the Arbitration Court.

NATIONAL WORKS REVIEWED

FURTHER AFFORESTATION URGED ILLUSTRATED ADDRESS BY MR W. B. TAVERNER

Mr W. B. T avornor, Coalition candidate for Dunedin South, addressed a packed meeting in the St. Kilda 'Town Hall last evening, when he dealt iu detail with public works and afforestation, his subject matter being illustrated by some interesting slides depicting various important works and tbo process of construction. Mr J. AY. Dove occupied the chair. In his opening remarks Mr 'Taverner said that he had taken over the port-, folio of Public Works on the formation of Mr Forbes’s Ministry, and that when ho resumed control of the department some 17,000 men and about 1,300 staff were on the register, ami the total vote under expenditure was £8,000,000. In the time that elapsed before the presentation of the Public Works Statement bo had made careful examination of the general position, having in mind the fact that the public works expenditure was financed entirely on borrowed money. Mr Taverner said that in introducing the Statement in the House he liad drawn pointed attention to the necessity that existed for immediate review of the position and for drastic cutting down of expenditure. Ho said that a continued programme of expenditure of borrowed money on services that were not likely to prove productive would probably "in the end result in a serious condition in the public finances of the dominion. Mr Taverner went on to emphasise the fact that the net profits that had been returned by the State hydro-elec-tric schemes had been 0.90 per cent., which showed a complete justification of the policy adopted in developing hydro-electric energy. The situation brought about by tho shutting down of Arapuni was somewhat critical, proceeded Mr Taverner, but the difficulties were all overcome, more particularly because of the attitude adopted by the Auckland Power Board, winch had immediately at its owii expense undertaken to increase its steam plant by 15,000 k.w. Tho importance of tho Arapuni station could be gauged from the fact that in addition to supplying Auckland and districts, there were no fewer than 9,000 milking machines on tho lines in the Waikato. A work ot equal magnitude, hut possessing entirely different characteristics, and with engineering problems in many respects different to the Waikato scheme, was the development at the Waitaki River. At this ' stage, Mr Taverner showed some interesting pictures of this important development, which, he stated, was "oing to mean a great deal to Dunelin in the near future, and explained that some months ago a contract had been completed between him as Minister of Public Works and Dunedin City. Council for tho supply of electricity at a figure which would show a good return to the department, and at tho same time would render it unnecessary for Dunedin to undertake further developments at Wnipon. There was no question, he remarked, but that the interconnection of tho two systems would add to the security and reliability of each tof them and be advantageous both to tbo department and to Dunedin. ■ In referring to tho work of the Public Works Department in Otago, Mr Taverner showed on tho screen some views of general interest, which included the cast-to-west tourist route known as the Makarova road, upon which there had been employed 240 men. Nearer Dunedin the department had, with the assistance of the Dunedin City Council and the Taieri County Council, re-formed and sur-. faced Flagstaff road, and this had given employment to sixty men for many months. Further work put in hand for relief to unemployment in Dunedin had been the regrading ot tbe Upper road at Purakanui, and tho work was now in progress. A scheme had also been worked out and a survey made for what was known as the Riverside road from Titri to '1 aicri Mouth, but owing to the fact that the Bruce County Council had not been prepared .to undertake the maintenance of the road, tho department had been unable to proceed with the work ; while another scheme that was being investigated was the reclamation of 1.000 acres at Blueskin Bay. The speaker also gavo some detailed information rcrogarding the various schemes for bringing further land in Central Otago under irrigation, and stated that preparations For making a start were now complete. . , . Mr Taverner passed on to activities in tho State forest ■ service. He stated that in the early days of afforestation the work had been carried out by the Lands Doparmont, but some eight years ago, when there was realised the great national importance of afforestation for tho production ol softwoods, and scientific care and treatment of tho native forest of New Zealand a separate department had been set no. He bad worked in oerteet harmony with tho director, and largely owing to the experience lie had gained in the Dunedin City Council, which had the largest municipal plantations in New Zealand, he had been able to formulate a policy which in the years to come won Id have a very beneficial effect on the community.

In conclusion, tho speaker then traversed briefly the work done on tho various afforestation schemes, and said that as a result of his personal knowledge he believed that there was a great future in this industry. Nearly every country in Europe was timberproducing, and there were huge natural forests in America and Canada; but so great was the demand for soft woods, and so enormous bad become the utilisation, particularly for tho manufacture of paper, that before many years had elapsed there would be partial famine in timber supplies and a corresponding increase in the price at which it would bo sold. Within the next fifteen or twenty years, New Zealand’s ciiotic plantations would bo ready to pub timber on tho market equal to that grown anywhere, and ho believed it could bo exported at a profit and at tho same time would supply employment to a very largo number of people. At the conclusion of bis address Mr Taverner answered a number of questions, and was accorded a hearty rote of thanks and confidence. (Extended report by arrangement.)

WELLINGTON SEATS

LABOUR FIGHTING HARD (TiioJi Ouk Coiti;i:si'oxjjr,.vr] WELLINGTON, November 21. Though Uio Coalition leaders did not succeed in getting former party candidates to follow- their advice to prevent vote-splitting in the Wellington district, three constituencies provide a clear issue hct.veeu Coalition and J.labour, with the consequence that tlie Opposition realises that it has a very

stem fight ou band to oven hold its own. The chances are that Wellington’s Labour representation will diminish as a result of the contest. Wellington North provided one of the host chances of regaining a seat lor Reform, which had hold it for many years, but tho anti-Labour vote is being hopelessly split between tho official candidate, Mr G. A. Troup, and the former Reform member (who was defeated hut election), .Sir John Luke. There is a considerable amount of sympathy with Sir John Luke’s contention "that ho should have again carried tho colours, though his health prevents him from actively campaigning. He is relying entirely ou liis committee unci newspaper appeals, and is sure to poll sufficient to spoil the chances of tho official candidate, with the result that the previous verdict is likely to be repeated, and Mr Chapman (Labour) returned as a minority member.

Wellington Central appears to be an impregnable stronghold of Mr X*. Fraser (Labour), whose real opponent is ii well-known ex-schoolmasler, Mr Robert Darrodi. Apparently -Mr Fraser’s opponents recognise tbo danger, even in face of the previous record majority, for they are following up the Coalition candidate, spoiling all his meetings by uproar and constant questioning. If Mr Darroch scores a win it will be a sporting tribute to his pertinacity and the good instincts of the electors.

Tho way being clear in Wellington blast for a, straight contest between tho sitting member (Mr R. Semple) and tho Coalition nominee, Mr T. Forsyth, who formerly represented the district in I’arliament, there is some chance of a Labour defeat. Mr Forsyth is an excellent campaigner with a good public record, while it must also be said for Mr Semple that he, too, has proved a hard-working representative for the district. Any substantial swing over in public sentiment to the Government should be evidenced by Mr Forsyth winning back.the seat. On the figures of last contest Wellington South, is again a certainty for Mr R. M'Keen, the Labour member, who defeated Reform and United previously by a clear majority, the opposing votes being 5.026, while the winner scored 5,984. Here the field has been cleared for Mr Will Appleton, who makes his ,first appeal as a parliamentary candidate. but is thoroughly experienced in ’public affairs, Ilis platform methods are pleasant; he makes a strong appeal and knows how to get his points before the clectr—ate, despite the hampering attention of a regular gang of opponents who make ins meetings lively. 'This is another case of a definite swing providing the promise of a Labour defeat and tho appearance in Parliament of a very capable and successful business man.

It is generally admitted that Mr R. A. Wright can"hold, the Suburbs seat against -Mr Brindle (Labour) and an Independent, Mr K. M'Lennan. Ho fought them in 1928, winning with a majority closely approaching 2,000, and he lias not gone back-in popularity. Hutt seat was held until December, 1929, by Sir Thomas Wilford (United), but tho by-election consequent on bis resignation when ho became High Commissioner for Now Zealand iu London gave victory for Mr W. Nash (Labour) by 213 votes. Ho was a minority candidate to the extent of 2,356 votes. The present fight provides tbo best local evidence of the Coalition. spirit, for the Reform candidate of the- byoleclion, Mr H. F. Johnston, and his committee are working whole-heartedly for Mr Kerr, hoping to give him tho advantage of 2,570 Reform votes in tho electorate. Though Mr Nash has been a keen parliamentarian, ho can scarcely expect to overcome the logic of figures now that they have tho chance of working wholly against him, so that a Labour defeat is highly probable in Hntt.

Summing up tho Wellington position, it seems probable that the official Opposition will suffer from the appeal to the electorate. This impression accounts for the angry spirit shown by opponents of the Coalition supporters, who have evidently organised their interruption of meetings. One candidate knows his unfriendly questioners by mime, as they appear at all bis meetings, and one of them is a nominator of a Labour candidate. But for’the friendly services of the newspapers—who are giving similar space to Labour speakers for uniformly quiet meetings—tho supporters of the Government would find it almost impossible to get their views before tho electors. Wellington Central is being asked to elect a Communist, whose slogan “ Got into step with Soviet Russia ” is likely to cause him to lose his deposit. Judging by attendance at meetings, there _is only a moderate amount of public interest in the contest, and the deciding factor will bo tho stay-at-home voter, who has read about lively meetings and is able to quietly assess the rival policies.