GENERAL ELECTIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 October 1928, Page 2

GENERAL ELECTIONS

MINISTER ANSWERS MR HOLLAND

(Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, October 11. Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister of Lands, spoke at Upper Hutt to-night. He took the opportunity, he said, to reply to some statements made by Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, at Masterton last night. Much of Mr. Holland’s speech, said Mr. McLeod, was a complete distortion of fact, and an appeal to the non-intellec-tuals, while much of the academic financial proposals that were put forward by the Labour Party in all parts of the Empire while in opposition, had had to be abandoned when they came into office, striking examples being found in Australia. He asked Mr. Holland to cease platitudes and point to any one of the Australian Labour-governed States where money for farmers and workers had been cheaper or advanced to a greater exent than in New Zealand. Mr. Holland’s statement that the Government approved and encouraged the raising of the overdraft rates by the Banks last year was contrary to fact. ‘What the Government did not, y,nd does not now agree with,” he said, “is that there was a necessity for a corresponding increase in the lending rates. Mr. McLeod said that he was extremely satisfied that the State Advances Office had made profits of over one and a-quarter millions. Referring to the appointment of Mr. Sterling as Manager of Government Railways, and to Mr. Holland’s statement that it was illegal, as was the restoration of his superanuation rights, Mr. McLeod pointed out that the same procedure was adopted here as in other countries. Mr. Holland knew that well enough. He (the Minister) did not agree to an indiscriminate reinstatement. The Government could agree without full investigation. The Government of New Zealand had gone further in allowing civil servants to support Labour, and in extending them leave to contest elections, than any other democratic country in the world. Mr. McLeod said he considered it .amusing that not more than two or three of the United Party candidates were farmers. He referred to the fact that the Government had advanced in five years £19,347,000 to enable people to build and own their own houses. This amount was unequalled by any other country in the world of the same population as this. He described the great success of the recently formed rural credits scheme. He believed New Zealand would never fulfil its destiny by primary production alone. He stressed the need for the highest efficiency in primary manufacturing and labour, and also the need of scientific research work. SIR J. WARD’S SPEECHES. WELLINGTON, October 11. Sir Joseph Ward . (Leader of the United Party) will open the campaign on behalf of the United Party at the Auckland Town Hall on Tuesday night next. He will leave for Auckland on Monday.

Sir Joseph Ward will speak iu Wellington later, but the date has not yet been fixed. He also intends to speak in some of the larger centres.

MR. COATES AT CHCH.

CHRISTCHURCH, October 11.

The Prime Minister will open the election campaign at Christchurch next Wednesday, speaking in the new Municipal Concert Hall.

BULLER.

Mr Robert Patterson, a well-known Westport business man, has been selected by the United Party as its candidate to oppose Mr H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, for the Buller seat. Mr Patterson was the Liberal candidate for the Motueka seat in 1922, when he polled 2906 votes against the sitting Reform member, Mi- R. P. Hudson, who secured 3444 votes. It is understood that the Reform Party will not nominate a candidate for Buller at the coming election.

AVON ELECTORATE

CHRISTCHURCH, October 12

Mr. H. H. Holland, member of the Hospital Board and Drainage Board, will be the Reform candidate for Avon.

PAHIATUA SEAT

PAHIATUA, October 12

Mr G. Harold Smith, the Reform candidate for the Pahiatua seat, opened his campaign last night by an address at Ballance before a large attendance, including many ladies. The candidates received a most excellent reception, and a Unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. The chairman, Mr J. H. Bremner, paid a very glowing tribute to the services given by Mr Smith to the constituency, when he previously represented the electorate. HURUNUI CONTEST. CHRISTCHURCH, October 12. Mr L. R. C. Macfarlane, the Reform candidate for Hurunui, addressed a meeting in Rangiora last evening. He said he could claim that he was a Liberal in all things, except in regard to finance, in which he was a Conservative. There was no need for the establishment of a State bank. He favoured immigration organised on a sliding scale, and declared that the United Party was composed mostly of malcontents and profiteers. His opponent, Mr George Forbes, was “a decent little chap,” but so far as the United Party was concerned, had fallen in up to his neck. The candidate was accorded a vote of thanks.

GISBOR NE C ANDI DATE.

GISBORNE, October 12

Mr. W. Lissant Clayton has announced his candidature for the Gisborne seat in the interests of the United Party.