GENERAL ELECTIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 November 1928, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTIONS

1 MR SEDDON’S 3IEETINGS. Visits to Okarito Forks and Okarito were made yesterday by Mr Seddon, and he spoke last evening at Waiho to a good attendance of electors, receiving a favourable hearing. Mr Louis Gibb occupied the chair. Mr Seddon dealt with local matters during his speech, including the extension of the South Road and the early erection of the Waikukupa bridge, the material. for which is now in Wellington. \ I On the motion of Mr Peter Graham, seconded by Mr -James Green, a vote of t'hanks and confidence was accorded Mr Seddon. Mr Seddon will address the electors of Hari Hari to-night at 8 o’clock. He will, speak at Camerons and. Gladstone on Monday and at the . Greymouth Railway Workshops at 12.30 p.m. MR J. O’BRIEN’S MEETINGS. Mr J. O’Brien, Labour candidate, will address the electors of Gladstone to-night at 6.30 and Paroa at 8 o’clock. He will speak at Kumara Junction at 10. a. in. to-morrow and Camerofis School at 2:30 p.m. -

AN EXPLANATION. With reference to the pictorial cartoon that appeared in the “Star” yesterday, showing Mr J. O’Brien as standing on a barrel labelled “Communism,” Mr O’Brien takes exception to that, he claiming that it makes him. appear to be a Communist. Of course it does nothing of the kind. The “Star” has never said that Mr. O’Brien himself is a Communist. The “Star” has criticised him, especially on the occasion of a recent "unemployed” demonstration at Greymouth, for being associated with prominent Communists, and assisting them in that particular gathering, which was conducted under - the auspices of the Red Flag. However, in fairness to Mr O’Brien, we make this explanation. MR D. M. ROBERTSON. . Mi- D. M. Robertson, Reform candidate for Buller electorate, will deliver a political addr'ess to a final rally of electors in McKane’s Hall, Cobden, on Monday, November 12 at 8 p.m. A special ihvitatibh is accorded to ladies. MOTUEKA "eIRCTORATE. Mr R. P. Hudson, Reform candidate for Motueka, will address the electors of Reefton in the Theatre Royal this (Saturday) evening at 8 o’clock. Mr G. C. Black, United Party candidate for, Motueka, will address the ’electors on Monday as follows :—lnangahua Landing at noon; Cronadun, 3 p.m. ; Blacks Point, 6.30 p.m. ; Reeftoh, 8.30 p.m. MR. COATES AT WOODVILLE. WOODVILLE; November 9.

The Prime Minister addressed a largely attended and enthusiastic meeting at Woodville this afternoon, being warmly welcomed. Introducing him, the Mayor, Mr H. P. Horne, thanked Mr Coates for his work as Minister of Railways. He had Had erected 27 railway cottages which relieved tlie housing shortage, and also made a concession whereby Boroughs received a £2 for £1 subsidy on borough highway maintenance, and for also lifting fhtlher maintenance bn the Gorge Road off the local bodies. Mr Coates said he recognised the Mayor’s position as a political opponent, and congratulated Mr Horne on the brave stand he took in paying a tribute to the Prime Minister.

Mi- Coates dealt effectively with the United Party, pulling down their three main planks of platform, viz:—(1) proposal to borrow seventy million; (2) subsidies on secondary industries; and preferential, voting. He classed the statements of Sir Joseph Ward with regard to from thirty to forty thousand being unemployed next winter as ridiculous, outrageous and stufcid, with not the slightest founda-

tion. He outlined Reform’s work, accomplished and that proposed. He spoke for an hour and a-half, experiencing trouble with his voice and Received an attentive hearing throughout; punctuated with loud applause. An enthusiastic vote of thanks and confidence was carried with only one dissentient.

AT DANNEVIRKE. DANNEVIRKE, November 9. Mr Coates addressed an overflowing meeting at the Town Hall tb-night, about 1300 people being in the hall and many outside. The Premier, Mrs Coates, and party were heartily applauded on entering the hall, and there was a presentation of bouquets to Mrs'Coates, the Mayoress and Mrs Smith, wife of the Government candidate, of Pahiatua, which formed an interesting preliminary to what proved a good humoured meeting throughout. There was a fair number of interjections from the same individuals. Mr Coates said he macle no excuses for addressing a Dannevirke audience. He believed he could still serve New Zealand and that he would do so after November 14. (Applause). After considering the criticisms and declamations of opposition, a fair inference was that the present Government was about as nearly perfect as any that ever existed. The Government had a big majority but nobody could say it had abused it. They legislated for the people as a whole, without consideration for class interests. He defended the sliding scale of wheat duties. Replying to an interjection, Mr Coates said he never would agree to a farmer paying two taxes. Either he must pay land tax, or income tax. They must give an incentive to men to go on the land, as primary production was the great standby of this country.

Mr Coates said that Sir Joseph Ward’s statement at Christchurch that next winter we would have between 30,000 and 40,000 unemployed was exaggerated. No responsible man in this country ought to make that statement. He had Exaggerated and greatly exaggerated. Sir Joseph Ward’s railway programme was about as silly as anything ever proposed. It was weak, ill considered, and uneconomical. Mr Coates routedly condemned the statement that he proposed bringing into the country ' from 300,000 to 400,000 people during the next four years. This did not seem to him to be logical. It was ill considered. What would they do with the 400,000 people? A voice: Put them on the land! Mr Coates replied that he would have nothing to do with that. The best farmer was the . young citizen of the Dominion, who should have a show., Jeremiahs and croakers had blamed the Government for the past degression, and surely the Government was. entitled to claim credit for having pulled the country through that de-

pression. The croakers and Jeremiahs had not gauged the spirit of the people aiid their capacity to pull New Zealahd through the worst depression that might befall the country not only in the pdst, but in the days to cbihe. Replying to an interjection about champagne, Mr Coates said he knew that a whispering campaign was going on.

A voice: Do not take any notice of it! “I don’t,” said Mr. Coates. “It’s the same old form of attack.” He knew that the people of New Zealand were just as shrewd as anybody else id knowing where it started. There was no man in New Zealand fitter than he was, or who worked at a higher pressure. He was working all the time. He never slackened up, if he had a job to do, and he could not do that unless he were pretty abstemious. lii response to a call, three cheers were given at this stage, Mr Coates, after defending the Government’s policy on his previous lines, a speech occupying two and a half hours, concluded amid loud applause. The meeting carried a hearty Vote of thanks to the Prime Minister for his able and convincing address, and expressed confidence ih him and ih the preseiit Government. There were few dissentients.

OAMARU. OAMARU, November 9. At the Opera House to-night the United Party candidate, Mr A. I. McPherson, delivered his niaih address to the electors of Oamaru electorate, receiving an attentive hearing from a large audience. His’criticism mairily was directed against the Government’s land settlement policy. He enunciated the proposals Of the United Party. There were one or twb interjections. One man was removed by . the police. Mr MacPhersori received a Vote of thanks and confidence.

“tote” Odds. (Special to “Star.’’) AUCKLAND, November 10. Mr. Frank Adeahe, Reform candidate for Auckland West, emphatically favoured the telegraphing of money for investment on the totalisator, saying that there w'ere hundreds, and thousands of bookmakers in New Zealand, from whose betting, unlike that on the totalisator, the Government received ho. revenue. Gambling was an inherent “kink” in the Britishers’ character, and if we must gamble let it be openly, and revenue-producing, rather than hole-and-corner gambling.

CIVIL. SERVANTS’ SALARIES. (Special to “Star.”) AUCKLAND, November 10. Further reference was made by Mr J. S. Fletcher last evening to the charges of political bribery against the Government. He affirmed he had actual proof that the salaries of certain civil, servants had been raised a few days ago and offered to give details of individual cases to any bona fide inquirer. Speaking at Westmere, where Mr I). R. AL Beattie presided oyer 150 people, Air Fletcher said he resented the suggestion that he had formulated rash charges on no evidence. When lie was told that certain civil servants’ salaries had been raised he refused to take any cognisance of the information until he was supplied with names and addresses of some of those concerned. “This evidence was supplied to me,” said Air Fletcher, “and here it is, with five names and addresses. I extend the offer to any person in this audience to look them over, and it will be found my statement is true.” • The candidate put the papers on the Chairman’s table.

“Does that prove or deny my charge that some increases have been granted,” he asked. “I say it proves it up to the hilt. If some civil servants have been getting these increases, it is

a fair inference that others haVe been ■getting theni too. That is. a .grossly iihfair thing to do during the election Campaign. It is an injustice to other members of the service because if one mail Mils his salary increased from the beginning of the year, others have the rigfht to draw attention to it, but When increases are granted in the middle, of the year, as it has been done in this case, other members have no redress.” Referring to his previous criticism of the Government for placing orders on the eve of the election, with Price Brothers, for two locomotives, Mr Fletcher quoted the statement made by Mr Coates last month to the effect that orders for locomotives would be placed with a firm when plans are completed. How did this tally with the explanation now made by the Prime Minister to the effect that arrangements for the construction of locomotives had been made 18 months ago, when at that time plans had not been completed.