GENERAL ELECTIONS

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 November 1928, Page 2

GENERAL ELECTIONS

MR COATES’S MESSAGE. CHOICE BEFORE ELECTORS. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 12. The Prime Minister (Mr Coates) arrived to-day and spent a busy (lay at Auckland. He addressed two women’s meetings this afternoon, and three meetings in support of Reform candidates to-night. Mr Coates issues the following message to electors: Two questions only have to be answered by the electors of New Zealand on Wednesday, and two parties seriously to be considered. The electors have to say whether they desire the return of a Government which has been a Government of the people, for the people, a Government which has a record of definite achievements. for national welfare, and a clear defined programme for future development, or whether they will commit the affairs of the country into the hands of the Labour-Socialist group. My faith in the people of New Zealand, the receptions which have been accorded to me personally, and the statement of the Government case, and the reports I have received from all electorates, lead me to only one conclusion; that the electors who have studied the political situation, are in the majority, and that they will say to the Government, “Carry on-.” “During the past month it has been my good fortune to have visited many electorates throughout the Dominion, it has been very gratifying to me to find my predictions governing the situation have been confirmed, and that our critics are stronger vocally than they are in numbers. I have found the great mass of people have recognised the fact that the Government has been tested in a period of very great difficulty, created wholly by world-wide economic depression, and low prices, now happily past, for our produce in external markets, and that the Government have' performed its tasks with credit to itself, and to our land. The people have recognised that the administration has always been

FAIR TO ALL SECTIONS of the community, to the producer and consumer, and to the worker and employer. They have also recognised that the Government has carried on with a policy which has promoted co-operation of all our people in the general interest. Co-operation was the basis of the policy during the past three years. It is the basis of our policy for the future. “A month ago I set out in a manifesto, a brief statement of the Government’s achievements and the outline of its programme. Our opponents have had a month in which to examine it, but bombarded as it has been from all sides and angles, the record stands unshaken. For argument, they have produced vague assertions, unproved, and unsustainable words, which compare very poorly with the hard commohsense facts, on which the Government has relied, in one of the most difficult economic periods New Zealand has ever experienced. The Government with no other desire than to set in the best interest of the whole country has consolidated and promoted the primary industry of the Dominion in the following directions, nearly ten millions advanced to in t]ie last three years, rural credits (long term advances), railway freights for the encouragement of production, guaranteed assistance to fruitgrowers (mostly small men), stabilised prices for wheat growers, assistance to the. pork industry (great benefit to small farmers), assistance to poultry industry, establishment of Massey Agricultural College, latest scientific research, add herd testing. May I set out again a few of the essential points in the Government’s programme; safe finance, no extravagant borrowing- relief in taxation, progressive public works development, improved highways and country roads, improved railway services, co-operation of railway and motor interests, especially heavy traffic, and rectifying economic disabilities, extension of hydro-electric scheine, .sound policy of land settlement, based on existing legislation by assistance to part-time farmers near towns, to small holders in rural districts, and to men who desire to band together in' the purchase of holdings suitable for subdivision; by opening up pumice land and other unoccupied lands all tending to increase our exports and consequently our national wealth, assistance to primary industry, by increased financial facilities, expediting of applications now in the hands of the Advances Department from settlers and workers, easing the burden of local rates, encouragement of secondary industries, public health extension, modern vocational education, assistance to those of our returned soldiers who are only now revealing the effects of war strain, remedial action on analysed cases of unemployment, promotion of industrial peace and social welfare, equal opportunity for all opr citizens.

NO FANCIFUL PROMISES. “The Government cannot promse to work a miracle which the United Party professes to be able to work. It cannot promise to reduce national revenue and increase expenditure and yet have no increase of taxation. We certainly do not attempt to win public confidence by such electioneering devices. “The Labour Party, has obviously been “soft pedalling” on the platform of which the extreme planks have been temporarily hidden. Nevertheless, there is no room for doubt that the objectives of extreme socialism still form its real platform. These objectives, 1 feel confident the great majority of New Zealanders will never adopt. Naturally, the Labour Socialist Party hopes to gain seats by splitting votes in some constituencies. Whereever the three Parties have representatives in the field, a vote for the United candidate -will be in effect' a vote for the Labour-Socialist Party. Three years ago, I appealed to the electors to give the Government a sound working majority. That appeal was not made in vain. To-day, I ask for a renewal of their confidence, supported by energy and industry of the people. We have steered the country through times of stress and difficulty. The status and credit of New Zealand has not only been maintained, but has never been higher. I am entitled therefore .now that solid prosperity is once again within our reach to ask the electors for another sound working majority in Parliament, to enable the Government still further to put into

operation, its safe and progressive policy for the advancement of the Dominion.” UNITED PARTY. SIR J. WARD’S APPEAL. INVERCARGILL, November 12. The Leader of the United Party, Sir Joseph Ward, has issued the following appeal to the people of New Zealand: ‘‘ We are now on the eve of the general election, and I confidently ask the people of the Dominion to seriously consider the policy of the United Party. By your votes on Wednesday you will be asked to decide whether the exodus from the lanss in the interior is to continue, whether the unemployed problem is to become more acute ; whether the financial stringency is to increase; or whether you will boldly adopt the policy enunciated by me, which will ensure to the settlers and the workers the necessary finance on long-dated, easy and safe terms, will give a fresh Impetus to settlement; will open up new avenues of employment, and generally will stimulate enterprise and so that the Dominion will be able to absorb its unemployed, and, prevent the serious troubles arising therefrom, which were greater last year than at any time during the last 35 years. “For some time now it has been generally admitted that a change in Government was necessary by large numbers of business men, farmers, and workers. I would strong recommend them not to lose this opportunity of helping to restore substantial financial conditions and so improve the opportunities for the people by their own efforts to greatly better their position. The United Party consists of people of all classes —Liberal, National, Reform and Labour. The United Party is much more widely supported than our opponents. I regard, this election as one of the most momentous in our history, and confidently await the issue.’’

MR. DOWNIE STEWART’S SPEECH. INVERCARGILL, November 12. The Minister ol Finance, Hon. W. Downio Stewart, addressed a large audience here this evening. He s.aid that so far the most serious statement made by Sir Joseph Ward was his open declaration that he would on a nocohfidence motion ally himself with the Labour Party to unseat the Reform Government. This statement was almost more important than his borrowing proposals, if the' electors, he said, had time to realise its full iinplicatibii. The speaker doubted if a single Unifed Patty candidate would be returned to 'Parlianient. If was t.fle first time in the history of New Zealand that any responsible third party leader had agreed to tie liiipself at the chariot wheels of Labour for the purpose of rejecting the Government. It might be argued that the matter was of no importance, dr that not sufficient candidates would be returned to give effect to Sir Joseph’s purposes; but the mere fact that he would be willing to combine with the Labour Party was sufficient to condemn the whole United Party, except such a member as had expressly stated that he would in nd case vote with Labour on a no-con-fidence motion moved by Labour." The Minister then dealt with Sir Joseph Ward’s loan proposals, stating that neither in his original statement nor in any of the revised statements had Sir Joseph proved that his proposals would not cost the taxpayers a penny in either direct or indirect taxation. In fact the opposite was only too obvious. The aliswer that Sir Joseph made to all criticism was that he had himself initiated and a success of the State Advarices Office, and therefore he would also make a success of this new loan proposals. His (the Minister’s) reply was that the reason that Sir Joseph had made a success.of the State Advances Office was that he never leirt money through that office' without a reasonable margin to cover expenses and show a small profit. His (the speaker's) maiii difference vvith Sir Joseph was that he obviously proposed to lend money at less than cost, and that a loss must be borne by the taxpayer. “If the electors wish tc replace the present Government,” said Mr. Stewart, “they should replace it by a Government that will borrow less than us; not by a Government that will borrow a great deal more, and lend it out at less than cost price.” At the conclusion of his address, the Minister was accorded an ovation, the audience joining in the singing of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” A vote of confidence in the Government was overwhelmingly carried.

MR. HOLLAND’S DENIALS WESTPORT, Nov. 13. Mr. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, addressed crowded and enthusiastic meetings at Seddonville and Waimangaroa last evening, and was accorded votes of thanks and confidence. At the latter place Mr. Holland referred to certain statements made at Wellington by Mr. Coates with reference to the British Council of Action and China, and said the desperate plight of the Government was revealed when its leader found himself impelled to make wild allegations which could not be substantiated, and when he substituted personal attack for political criticism. Mr. Coates had said that Holland had sent a cablegrahi to the British Council of Action in 1925 and that he had suffered rebuke at the hands of Mr. J. H. Thomas, because of that cablegram. There was no truth in either statement. No cablegram had been sent by him to the Council of Action in 1925 and consequently there was no record whatever of any attack on himself by Mr. Thomas arising out of such cable. Furthermore, Mr. Thomas had publicly declared in favour of the establishment of a Council of Action, at the time it was formed and had moved a (resolution expressing the British Labour movement’s approval of both the establishment and the object of the Council of Action. It was preeminently a peace movement. Mr. Coates’s statement relating to his own attitude with respect to China was equally misleading and a refutation of that canard would be found in pages of his booklet “Chapters in History of China,” in which he set forth that if a handful of British nationals in China were really in danger, instead of sacrificing thousands of lives and spending many millions of money in futile war, it would be more common sense to provide for their removal from the danger zone. MR G. C. BLACK AT REEFTON. (Our Own Correspondent.) REEFTON, November 13. The Theatre Royal was well filled last evening, when the final rally of the

United Party!s candidate, Mr G. C. Black, took place. Mr T. E. Williams, president of the Miners’ Union, occupied the chair, and introduced the candidate, and referred to the candidate being a native, born and bred in the town. Telegrams from Sir J. Ward, Messrs R. McKenzie and Colvin were read. The financial operations of the Government departments were traversed by Mr Black, and comparisons made with Auckland and Nelson provinces. The amount of advances to settlers shows that over 27,000 advances to settlers have been made in the Auckland Province as against 1300 in the Nelson Province. The hydro-electric schemes of the two Islands were discussed, and the comparisons showed 10 to 1 in favour of the development of the North Island schemes. The estimated actual costs of the - big schemes were shown to vary considerably, and thp true cost of the various works were not obtainable. The Auditor-General reported adversely on the accounting, considered the taxpayer was not made aware of the true position. The Public Works estimates for 1928-29 were analysed, shoeing that £2,750,000 was being spent in and around Auckland City as against £BQ,OOO for the BullerInangahua section. The Rotorua-Taupo line was next brought forward, and the reports of the Commission on the above proposed line were read showing that the land to be served was limited.

The position of the General Manager of Railways was put before the meeting, showing that £lOO per week was being paid for no work being done, and then a new General Manager was appointed at a salary of £3500, with a superannuation of £2300 per year. His cost to New Zealand if he attains 62 years would be £59,000. The United Party’s programme, said Mr Black, was appealing to the whole pf New Zealand. The hostility shown to the leader of the Government at Auckland, Te Awamutu and Wangariui, foreshadowed a change in Government. The leader of the United Party had an honourable record both as a civil servant and politician, who had served his country well, and was neither old nor tired, and was well’ able to lead the United Party, to lead New Zealand prosperity by the policy they proposed. The method of raising the money was by debentures to be issued at £95 per £lOO, to be repaid in 32£ years, with interest to the /lenders at 5 3-4 per cent. Criticism was levelled at the State Advances Office when it was first inaugurated, but it had been a success. The proposals submitted by the United Party would meet with the same favour. The present Government had given but £l3s) from Public Works funds to assist' the mining industry, and the" <?f knew what the present party in power had dope to fos.ter mining. In reply to Mr J. D, MWdoph as to whether the arrangements with regard to the management of tfie railways was an advantage, Mt Black stated it would be, but the increased charges on the superannuation fund would make it more expensive. In reply to another question, the candidate stated he had ript mentioned his opponent’s name and did riot intend doing so, but as far as the subsidy on the Motueka bridge was concerned. the Government claimed, credit foj- everything exebpt the Taspian flight. ' ' . In reply to Mr Schultz, he the United Party We not concerned as to land fenfire, th>ir idea being to get people settled on the lipid. Myß- A. Sharpe moved a vote of thanks and' confidence in My Blayk- W G. G. Lockington seconded the resorption, which wp? carried without a dissentient.

The candidate thanked them all for the vote of thanks and confidence. He referred to the hospitality and kindness shown him throughout the electorate during the campaign, and moved a' vote of thanks to the chairjnan; which was carried with acclamation.