What Candidates are Saying

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 November 1946, Page 2

What Candidates are Saying

Notes and Comments from the Hustings Slump as Political Weapon. “New Zealand is the only part of the world where the slump has been used as a political weapon,” said Mr. E. F. Chivers, National Party candidate for Westland, addressing a meeting at Blaketown last evening. “Nobody in New Zealand—in fact nobody in the world—knew how to handle the situation at that time. We bought our experience dearly and it is plain idiocy for the Labour Party to suggest that the National Party would let the same thing happen again if it assumed office. Statements like that do the Labour Party no credit and give the people of ‘ New Zealand credit for very little intelligence. We know the answer to slumps now,” he added. “Money is Not Wealth”

“You cannot maintain the social services, improve the education system and the health services without the money to pay for these things,” said the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser. “The Labour Government needs not only the votes of the people to return it to office but also the co-operation of the people after the election so that more and more wealth can be produced to enable the Government to maintain its” services to the people. Money is not wealth. It is only a symbol. Wealth consists of goods and services produced by the people.”

Main Issue of Election. “There will be a lot of side issues raised, a lot of ‘Semple-isms,’ a great deal of hot air will be talked, but the main issue of this election is not whether you want Frank Chivers or Jim O’Brien to represent you in Parliament,” said Mr. E. F. Chivers, National Party candidate for Westland at a meeting at Blaketown last evening. “The main issue is whether you want ultimate Socialism or not. The question before you is what policy you want to be followed in the administration of this country,” he added. State Houses One effect of the plan to sell State houses would be to give tenants who bought State houses a privileged position such as was not even enjoyed by returned servicemen securing rehabilitation benefits, said Mr. E. A. Sharp (Labour, Selwyn). Communists and Labour “In the conflict between the Labour Party and the National'Party the Communist Party says, ‘Choose Labour’. That applies in 77 electorates in this election, but in the other three, vote Communist to strengthen Labour’s hand,” said Mr. A. Ostler (Communist, Christchurch Central). immigration Policy. Addressing a meeting at Blaketown last evening, the National Party candidate for the Westland electorate, Mr. E. F. Chivers, said that the day was coming when New Zealand would have to concentrate on an immigration policy. “We could employ another 30,000 or 40,000 people in New Zealand,” he said, “but immigrants of the type we want are not available just now. and }ve,.have also to set our own house in order first.” In reply to a question, Mr. Chivers said that he felt this country could not be too careful in its selection of immigrants. “Just anybody isn’t good enough,” lie said.

The Cost of Living The cost of living had risen, said Mr. Combs, Labour candidate for Onslow, but he claimed it had not risen at all in several important categories such as bread, butter, meat, cheese, flour, electricity, etc. These were sold at pre-war prices and the cost had been kept down by stabilisation. The cost of stabilisation came out of taxation. Cutting down on stabilisation to reduce taxation amounted, therefore, to “cutting off your nose to spite your face.’”

Labour's Dropped Land Clause Some of the Government’s land settlement legislation had contained a provision that if a man did not live on his farm it could be taken from him, said Mr. W. H. Gillespie, National candidate for Hurunui. But that clause had been dropped. Several Labour members themselves owned farms and did not live on them. That seemed to prove that Socialism was good until it really affected some of the men at the top in the Labour Party.

Housing Asset “These State houses now are an asset that belong to each and all of us. Why should they be sold for the benefit of a few?” asked Mr. E. A. Sharp (Labour, Selwyn).

“Jack Acland’s Act.’’ “It is being said that the National Party would do away with the family benefit. That is quite untrue,” said the National Party candidate for Ashburton (Mr. R. G. Gerard, M.P.) at Ashburton. “The biggest advocate of it was my colleague Jack Acland. Some of the Labour members, including Mr. C. Morgan Williams, also advocated it at that time, and the Minister of Social Security wanted to know where the money was coming from. Mr. Acland pointed out that much of it would be selfrecouping. The National Party got in behind the member for Temuka and now we look upon it as Jack Acland’s Act. When he is member for Timaru he will take jolly good care to see it stays there.” Labour and the Farmers Declaring that he had the greatest respect for the farmers, apd claiming that he had more farmer friends than any other public man in New Zealand, Mr W. E. Parry (Labour, Arch Hill) said that he enjoyed their company and their discussions, and, although they may not agree with him politically, he still valued their friendship. A voice: You are throwing bouquets at yourself. Labour Lives in the Past. “It has lost its ideals, is now dominated- by outside influences, lives in the past and cannot remember anything later than the slump,” said Mr. R. G. Gerard, National candidate for Ashburton, referring to the changed nature of the Labour Party. Menaceyof Socialism. “The National Party stands for freedom,” said Mr. T. R. Beatty, National candidate for Oarnaru, “and thousands of New Zealanders are looking to it to restore to this Dominion the freedom which over the past 10 years has been taken away by power politicians who would fashion this country on the lines of Soviet Russia.”