ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Evening Star, Issue 22192, 21 November 1935, Page 18

ELECTION CAMPAIGN

PREMIER AT INVERCARGILL LARGEST MEETING IN YEARS [Peb United Press Association.] . INVERCARGILL, November 20. The Prime Minister this evening addressed one of the largest political meetings held in Invercargill for many years. The Civic Theatre was crowded, and the Victoria Hall in the same building was also full, and a loud speaker had been hurriedly installed to enable late arrivals to listen to the Prime Minister. It was a lively meeting front •tart to' finish, but the interjectors were natured. „ . SJr Forbes devoted himself chiefly to •»V«*ding the Government’s policy and 1o advancing reasons why continued ttmnoTt from the public should be given. Jfo said that the Post Office deposits had reached £50,000,000. a record. That showed how confidence in the Sountry had been restored. One ot the most difficult tasks the Government had to fftco was it's, endeavour to meet the deficit on the railways, how a very definite - improvement could be shown. Be emphasised that the people of Great Britain had recognised the work of their Government, and had supported it, and he had no doubt that the result of the election m New Zealand mould show that the people of the Dominion ifcid followed the lead of their kith fcr.tl kin overseas, and rallied to the sttP;,-ort of the Government. “ The leader of the Democrat Party ir aAksag' all sorts of innuendos about ii»6 honesty of the Government, basing libes* on Auditor-General’s report, ' w>id Kc Forbes. “Mr Hislop would k*vr Vice people believe that there had Lota misappropriation of public 1 isonsv.” . He added that when Mr Hisquoted from the Auditor-General s ieurt failed to quote the final paragraph which stated that no doubts were east .on the correctness of _ the accounts, but only on the way they were presented to Parliament. Mr Forbes said that since Mr Hislop was as ready to impugn the honesty of tne Government, it might be well to investigate his position. Mr Hislop had himself broken faith, for hehad publicly said that the Mayor of Wellington had a full-time job, and that the city must suffer were the mayor elected to Parliament. Yet Mr Hislop nimseli was . now offering his services as a Parliamentary candidate. People in glass houses should not throw stones, Mid Mr Forbes. ... , .. Mr Forbes-also mentioned that there was no truth whatever in the suggestion emanating from Mr Hislop that the National Government intended to extend by one year the life of the next , Parliament; , ~ ! A vote of thanks and confidence was carried by acclamation at the conclusion of Mr Forbes’s address.

MINISTER OF FINANCE MANUFACTURERS MUST CD-OPERATE [Pii Uwm Pbem Ahocutio*.] NAPIER, November 20. In continuation of his tour through numerous electorates by aeroplane, the Minister of Finance, Mr Coates, arrived at the Hastings Aerodrome from Palmerston North this afternoon. He addressed two meetings in the after-noon—-one at Hastings and another at Havelock North —while at night a large open-air meeting assembled to hear him. He is to proceed to Gisborne by air- to-morrow morning. On all three occasions he was met with crowded audiences. He met with a good deal of organised interruption at is meetings, but was not in any way overcome by it. ~ . ~ At M'Lean Park in Napier, Mr Coates said the Government recognised the importance of the manufacturing industries and the need for their further development. “In our tariff policy we have fully ■ carried out the terms of the .Ottawa agreement, while at the same time maintaining what we considered adequate, though moderate, protection for the Dominion’s industries. The manufacturers themselves must realise it is up to them to do their part also. The report of the Tariff Commission made ii clear that certain branches of industry to-day arc not in a thoroughly satisfactory condition. Attention should be given particularly to the question of reducing costs by various forms of co-ordination. By tackling this problem for themselves the manufacturers will avoid the necessity for-Government intervention in the matter. There is need also for a levelling up of the working conditions of those factories which are now below the standard set by the best firms in industry. It is not at this stage a matter of raising the standard, but only bringing the lower factories up to the present standard of labour conditions observed in the best factories. “ Another point to which the manufacturers should give attention is quality. There are many lines of manufactured goods now produced which are of excellent quality, but others which arc by no means a credit to our industries. I do not refer merely to cheap articles, but to those which arc inferior and defective even at a low price. The point is that inferior or defective goods are apt to bring discredit on New Zealand products as a whole, and I feel that steps should be taken to fix at least a basic standard of quality for each class of manufactured goods. By working out a scheme of co-ordination the industries would place themselves in a hotter position to survey the supply and demand of skilled labour, and to ensure that sufficient apprentices were given an effective training. At present the matter of apprenticeships is left more or less to chance. “ In a general way I have to say. to the manufacturers that the Government recognises the value of their industries and wishes to help them, but we expect them to co-operate by helping themselves. If New Zealand industries remain unorganised and uncoordinated, they will find the competition of imported goods becoming keener year by year as overseas manufacturers continue to improve in efficiency and co-ordination. If New Zealand manufacturers tackle this task themselves they cam rely upon the Government to give sympathetic con sideration to any request they make for the necessary administrative machinery to enable them to achieve • this •■object;.”-''

" UNHOLY " ALLIANCE DEMOCRAT LEADER ON COALITION WELLINGTON, November 20. Speaking at New Plymouth, Mr Hislop, leader of the Democrat Party, -said it was perfectly true that he had criticised the present Government very severely, but his criticism had always been fair and perfect!y justified. It was ■ from the lips of members who formed the United and Reform Parties that the strongest criticism of each other had come. In support of this he quoted from an official statement issued , by the Reform Party in 1931, three months before the Coalition - was formed., On April 29; 1931, Mr Forbes had made a public proposal to Mr Coates that the Reform and the United Parties should disband with a view to forming a new Nationalist Party. The reply of Mr Coates then was that Mr Forbes was engaged in a clever piece of party tactics in a desperate attempt to save his bankrupt and discredited party from the fate which it so richly deserved at the next Genera] Election. However, Mr Forbes and Mr Coates got together, ancl the result had been disastrous, which < was exactly what Mr Coates prophesied in 1931. ■ ■ " The official pamphlet of the Reform Party had asked whether Mr Forbes had any mind of his own. and, whether he was not the weakest Prime Minister New Zealand had ever had. Mr Coates and his party laid charges against the United Party and Mr Forbes, and had then joined them as an accessory after, the fact. Mr Hislop said that this unholy political conspiracy must be stopped. The Government by party intrigue, manoeuvring, and hypocrisy tried to force itself upon the electors as the o>*y alternative to Labour. It was time the people had a straight, honest, and sincere party before them, and that some elements of sincerity and honesty were introduced into the politics of this country.

DUNEDIN CENTRAL Mr Peter Neilson, the Labour candidate, addressed a well-attended _ meeting last’ evening in the Kensington Presbvterian- Church Hall, Mr J. B. Bell, “p res i din g- Mr Neiisou referred to the assertions of Government supporters to the effect that New ea ‘ land was once again on the high road to prosperity. Such a contention, said the candidate, was amusing in view oi the fact that the Minister of Employment had stated recently that 60 per cent of the wage earners of the Dominion were, receiving less than _io a Until the wages and salaries of the people were placed on a level commensurate with the productive capacity of the country, said the speaker, it" was ridiculous to talk of returning prosperity. It was high he said, that an economic system which was responsible for cases of injustice and hardship was ended, _ and a more humane social order substituted. ihe Labour Party’s policy, was based on the principle of the greatest good tor the greatest number.. Mr Neilson answered several questions, and on the motion of Mr T. Greig was accorded a unanimous vote of. thanks and confidence by acclamation. ‘ How to Achieve Prosperity was the subject of the address to the electors by Mr Sidney Wren, Independent candidate, at St. Andrew s Hall, Carroll street, last night. The candidate outlined the national situation, and explained his policy for increasing revenue, reducing taxation, and eliminating unemployment. If I seem parochial,” said .Mr Wren “ it is because Dunedin is not getting, a fan deal. Only by ike return of a vigorous, unfettered representative to Parliament can we hope to re.store Dunedi to her former prosperity. Many questions were answered by Mr Wren, who was accorded a vote of thanks. Mr D C. Cameron. Nationalist Government candidate for Dunedin Central, addressed two meetings yesterday. In the afternoon about 5U ladies assembled at the Presbyterian Hall, Mornington. when the candidate spoke on the position of affairs generally, with special reference to matters affecting women. The. meeting addressed by Mr Cameron m the evening at Anderson’s Bay was marked by enthusiasm. the Marigold Salon being packed to the doors. MrJ. A. M'Donald occupied the chair. Mr Cameron said that although he clefinitely refused to follow the example of the Opposition candidates and make promises which .he knew could not be carried ont. there - were three things which he definitely could promise if he was elected to represent Dunedin Central. He would give strict attention to all dutie? which devolved upon him as the member for the electorate; he would support and advocate all. matters of interest concerning the city of Dunedin; and he would support every movement in the city for the alleviation of distress. The candidate advocated. as one means of dealing with the unemployment problem, the rebuilding of many of the primary schools, which might well . be modernised to provide better conditions for the children. He failed to see why the Unemployment Board could not make a grant of some of its funds to. the Education Board for. the purpose of carrying out a work which would be beneficial from many points of view. At the conclusion of a most successful meeting Mr Cameron was accorded a hearty vote of htanks for his addresS. • DUNEDIN NORTH Mrs R. S. Black, Democratic candidate for Dunedin North, addressed a packed meeting in the Albany Street Hall last night. Mr W. de Clive Lowe presided. Mrs Black prefaced her remarks by saying that no matter what party was in power the women and children of the country would ! be better cared for if there were women in Parliament. She then went on to say that those countries which had forced women into the background Were in a very bad state. Stating that the health of the women and children should be the first care of any Government, Mrs Black stressed the value of pure foods being made available, and touched on some of the causes of jll-health. The speaker then went on to discuss the policy ol the Democratic Party, dealing briefly with a wide range of subjects. ihe Government’s financial policy came in for criticism, and the party’s proposed housing scheme was touched on. The sales tax, she said, was definitely a hindrance to business. Pensions were referred to, and Mrs Black outlined the national health scheme proposed by the Democratic Party. The pre-rent Government was referred to as a dictatorship. the candidate then going on ■ to deal with some features of the matter of education and kindergartens. Ihe expansion of the tourist traffic was urged, and the increased exchange vote and guaranteed prices .cere also commented upon. At the conclusion of her address Mrs Black said that should she be returned to parliament she would keep in direct contact Mifn

the people of her electorate. At the conclusion of her address Airs Black answered a number of questions, and was accorded a .hearty vote of thanks Mr A. S. Falconer, National Government candidate for Dunedin North, was well received when he addressed a meeting of electors in the Wakari School last night. Mr Robinson was in the chair. The candidate, in referring to the super-ambitious proposals of tbe Democrat Party and to the equally impracticable platform as expounded by Labour, explained that in order to afford relief from taxation such as that promised by tbe Democrat candidates, and at the same time give service the cost ot which must inevitably be met by increased borrowing, could result only in creating a deficit. Labour’s policy of guaranteed prices was, he emphasised, only a piece of electioneering bait. . The future policy of the Government would be such' as to ensure a continuance of that advancement towards prosperity that had begun as .the result of the Government’s efforts during the past four years. For the ultimate good of all classes, said Mr Falconer, there was only one 'course for the electors to take, and that "’as to return the National Government to power. After questions had been asked and answered, the candidate was accorded a vote of thanks, v DUNEDIN WEST The Roslyn Presbyterian Church Hall was filled last night when the Hon. VV. Downie Stewart (Independent Nationalist) gave an address to a most attentive audience. Mr J. C. Begg presided. There was- only one interjection, but numerous questions, mainly on currency, were asked at the conclusion. All Stewart emphasised the fact that the problem of national finance was very similar to that of private finance. He joined issue with the Labour Party in that he held that something had to be done to reduce costs tj 0.-ing expenditure within the ’ bounds of income after prices had fallen in 1930. Had that not been done ciiaos would have resulted and greater hardship would have been caused. If it was possible to avoid what the Government had done, why was it that those countries which had adopted the same method as was employed in New Zealand were the only countries which were now returning to prosperity, while the others were still floundering in the morass? It was a curious thing that the Labour Party claimed that it could guarantee prices, introduce social services, and cure unemployment without increasing taxation or borrowing. If it could do that, why could it not go furtner and relieve the country of all taxation by the use of credit? The Labour 'Party claimed that it could solve the problem of unemployment rapidly and without difficulty. Air Stewart, however, quoted one of the Labour Party’s own loaders of thought in Great Britain as saying that even under Socialism she solution of unemployment would be a prolonged and difficult effort, catling for the highest quality of sustained energy and practical wisdom. A motion of thanks was carried by acclamation. CHALMERS The National Government candidate for Chalmers (Mr A. E. Ansell) addressed a welhattended meeting at Outram last evening, when he received' a cordial reception and an attentive hearing. Air J. Hendry occupied the chair. Mr Ansell dealt fully with the steps taken by the Government to assist the primary producer, and submitted proof that by such assistance the production costs of the farmer had ben reduce.d. Regarding the extravagant promises being made to the electors today, Air Ansell remarked that it was necessary to remember that these promises, even if they could be carried into effect, would involve such a strain upon the financial resources of the Dominion that the forward move in the economic position '-which - had followed the four years’ work of, the National Government would not only be checked, but there would probably be a serious set-back. They must separate the ideal from the practical, and face realities. A vote of thanks to the candidate for his address was carried by acclama tion.