GENERAL ELECTIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 November 1928, Page 8

GENERAL ELECTIONS

MR. SEDDON IN WESTLAND. Mr T. E. Y. Seddon completed his tour in South Westland on Saturday, where he travelled from Waiho Gorge to Hari Hari, and gave his concluding addresses on the southern tpui’ in the evening. During the day he visited Tetaho and Herepo, and spoke in the large hall at night at Hari Hari, there being a good attendance. Rev. E. Osiiiers, in the absence of Mr Searle, local county representative, occupying the chair. . Mr Seddon spoke for an hour and a quarter, reviewing general politics and referring to several local matters, including works about the district. The address was well received and at question time a number of questions were asked, and answered to the satisfaction of the audience. Mr T. Wells proposed a vote of thanks which was seconded by Mr J. Ferguson and carried. Mr Seddon returned to Greymouth last evening. AT RAILWAY WORKSHOPS Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon addressed the staff of the Railway Workshops this morning, and was accorded a good hearing. The Mayor, Mr. J. W. Greenslade, presided, and introduced Mr. Seddon. In doing so he stated that it was not usual for the Mayor to preside at small meetings. He did. so to enable him to state that he had been asked to preside at a meeting in the Opera House to-morrow night when Mr. Mr. James O’Brien, the Labour candidate for Westland would address the electors. He had also been asked to preside at a similar meeting in the Town Hall to-morrow evening at which Mr. Seddon was to give his final preelection speech. It was a case of “first come first served,” and Mr. O’Brien had asked him first, and he would therefore be presiding at the Opera House. They'all knew Mr. .Seddon and the interest he took in Railway matters. He hoped Mr. Seddon would be accorded a good hearing. Mr. Seddon stated he appreciated the position in which the Mayor was placed, and wished to express his thanks to him for presiding at today’s meeting.

In opening his remarks the candidate stated that at Mananui it had been said that he was sheltering behind the ladies’ skirts. Seeing that the Greymouth ladies followed prevailing fashions and wore dresses which were fairly short he did not appear to have much chance to hide a body of such proportions.as his! Standing as a supporter of Sir Joseph Ward, he would draw attention to the fact that the Railways had do.ne well under Sir Joseph Ward’s regime. The general management, which had been in the capable hands of Mr. T. Ronayne, (who was for a long term associated with the West Coast), and Mr. McVilley, in Sir Joseph Ward’s time, had been succeeded by a Railway Board. One knew that a Board was not as satisfactory as an individual and the Board, after standing'its trial, had been scrapped and the old order reverted to. In Mr. Sterling, the Railways had a highly capable business man who tackled all his problems as.business problems, and the Railway staff would find that reasonable requisitions made to him would receive sympathetic hearing and he would do what he could to meet the men every time.

' The speaker assisted to get £BOOO for the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, which was strongly supported by Sir Joseph Ward. It was argued by Mr. Harris, M.P. for Waitemata, that if the Government made such a grant all the Friendly Societies would be “on” to the Government for similar assistance, but this had not been ..the experience. By representing the condition of affairs at Otira to Mr. H. H. Sterling, the latter had agreed to make a number of improvements to render the lot of the railway servants happier and more congenial than they were before, and, during his visit in December, he intended investigating' matters for himself. If the Otira men made requests, Mr. Sterling coujd meet, he (the speaker) assured those present, they would be met. He suggested that if Railwaymen at Greymouth had any matters to bring before Mr. Sterling they should take the opportunity when he was in Greymouth next month. He could assure them that their requests would receive a sympathetic hearing, and redress that might be thought fit in the circumstances. Regarding the erection of the Roundhouse at Elmer Lane, he had been pleased when the structure was opened and the engines and men placed in the new quarters. While Mr. Coates was in Greymouth, during the Jubilee, he had gone with the speakei* to inspect the old engine shed and had been much upset to find conditions as wretched as they were. Time did not permit of his speaking on all the topics he had for his address, 'but he wished to impress on the men that if elected he would watch the Railways staffs interests and attend to all matters entrusted by them to his care. A hearty vote of thanks and confidence was accorded Mr. Seddon, on the motion of Mr. G. Morrison, seconded by Mr. Green.

• TO-NIGHT’S MEETINGS. a f: ’ Mr. Sheldon will address the electors of Gladstone to-night at 6.30, and Camerons at 8 o’clock. TO-MORROW’S FINAL ADDRESS. Mr. T. Seddon will deliver his final address in the Town Hall to-morrow (Tuesday) evening at 8 o’clock. A cordial invitation is extended to ladies. MR J. O’BRIEN’S MEETINGS. Mr James O’Brien, Labour candidate or? Westland, will speak at Blaketown to-night at 6.45, and in the United Pavilion at 8 o’clock. UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —The Labour Party are up against it in trying to find anything to boost their candidate. Their manifesto says that Jim O’Brien worked hard on the Borough Council to float a loan to finance works for the relief of unemployment. I would like to point out that he did not work harder than, any other councillor, and not as hard as the ratepayers will have to work to find the interest and sinking 'fund to repay the loan; also that the Coates Government made it possible I for the Council (not Jim only) to unfidertake the necessary works by giving I a subsidy of £1 for every £1 paid

out in wages to the workers. Yours RATEPAYER. Greymouth, Novembei' 12. MR. D. M. ROBERTSON. At Millerton the Reform candidate Mr D. M. Robertson, was accorded a reception of so cordial a nature, that, after an attentive hearing by an appreciative audience, one of his. supporters from Westport personally thanked the Millerton audience for providing facilities which made the meeting memorable in every way, particularly the sporting spirit displayed towards the candidate by the men. ;some of whom had views entirely opposed to those of Mr Robertson. The northern campaign has been of extreme encouragement. TO-NIGHT AT COBDEN. Mr D. M. Robertson, Reform candidate for .Buller, will deliver a political address to a final rally of electors in McKane’s Hall to-night (Monday) at 8 o’clock. ’ A special is accorded to ladies. Mr W. S. Clark (chairman o the Town Board) will preside. MR BLACK AT REEFTON. Mr G. C. Black, the United Party candidate for Motueka, will address the electors of Reef ton in the Theatre Royal this (Monday) evening at 8.30. Ladies are specially invited to attend. MR HUDSON AT REEFTON. (Our Own Correspondent.)

REEFTON, November 12. Mr R. P. Hudson addressed the electors at the Theatre Royal, Reefton, bn Saturday night, when there was a large attendance. The chair was occupied by Mr I. Patterson, president of the Reefton Progress League. Mr Hudson stated that he had always endeavoured to give full attention to- all correspondence from electors. He had six counties or part of counties in his electorate, and he would refer inquirers to the chairmen of County Councils as to whether he had not procured grants for the several counties. Reference was made to finance. He said that New Zealand stood second to none in the money market of the world. The national debt of New Zealand had gone up to 251 millions. Of this 71 millions was caused through the war, eight millions for soldiers 1 ’ settlements, and thirty-one millions for; public works. He read extracts from' Hansard, in which Sir J. Ward con- J demned borrowing. It seemed extraordinary that such statements were made by a man who now stated he would borrow 70 millions for two purposes only. The petrol tax was for the purposes of the roads, which was’ necessary. Income tax was also readjusted. On an income of £450 in 1914 a man with no children paid £3 15/ ; in 1918 he paid £3 18/9. A man on £9OOO a year in 1914 paid £600; in 1926 it was £l9BO. A. farmer paid no income tax. He paid land tax, and he was sure that a’ farmer would sooner pay income tax than land tax. He did not want to tell any new story. He preferred to stick to the truth. Compari-. sons were made with other countries, to the benefit of this Dominion. Of the Customs 36 per cent came from spirits and tobacco, 10 per cent from motor vehicles, 21 per cent from apparel, drapery and textiles, foodstuffs paid 44 per The duty on flour and wheat varied. The Customs tariff was revised two years ago by the House, and if anything was wrong the members of Parliament were to blame. The Customs duties were imposed practically on luxuries. Comparison was made of the advances to settlers in Auckland and Nelson. It was reported that Auckland had been granted 15| millioiis and Nelson only £640,000. Auckland had a population of 438,000 and Nelson 51,000. Nelson was practically developed before Auckland was started. The Reform party had given Nelson £408,000. Nelson therefore got nearly double under Reform than under the Liberal regime, and Auckland got just as liberal treatment when the Premier was a South Island man.

Re emigration policy, this was started with the sanction of Parliament. The Government stopped the system of assisted emigrants, but did not stop people in New Zealand bringing their friends out. Unemployment was a world-wide and a .Government was riot responsible. In the United States the unemployed numbered 1 in 28, in Britain 1 in 38, in Queensland 1 in 63, in New South Wales 1 in 167, in New Zealand 1 in 378; therefore, this Dominion was in a better position than other countries.

The Workers’ Compensation Act in 1922 and 1926 the Reform Government had raised the compensation to £lOOO, and the accident rate was raised to 66 per cent. Pensions were also raised, and the age of women reduced to 60. The treatment of returned soldiers was admitted to be more liberal in New Zealand than in any other part of the world. Advances to workers were also raised, the total in ten years amounting to 32| millions. The Police Offences Act brought in in 1926, described as a disgraceful interference with the liberty of the subject, was an amendment of an Act passed in 1884, which gives power to any person to arrest a person. In 1926 this power was confined to a constable only. In reply to Mr Humphrey, Mr Hud-

son said he did not consider it an insult to offer a single man 9s working alongside a married man at 12/. He would not vote with Mr Holland on a no-confidence motion against Sir J. Ward. He did not criticise Sir J. G. Ward’s financial policy. He only compared it with the 'Reform Government’s. Mr Pettigrew moved a vote of thanks and confidence be accorded the candidate. Seconded by Mr Nicolson. The Chairman put the motion, and declared it carried.