TO THE ELECTORS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10742, 13 November 1928, Page 5

TO THE ELECTORS.

PRIME MINISTER’S APPEAL.

GIVE US A AYDRKING MAJORITY

AGAIN.

NO CLAIM TO BE AHRAOLE WORKERS'..

VOTE FOR A UNITED- IS A VOTE ' FOR LABOR, Praia Associations i . AUCKLAND" Nov. 12. The Prime Minister, Air. Coates, issues tlhe following message to the electors:— ’ -g .. .. (•• “Two. questions only have to be answered by the electors of. New Zealand : on. . Wednesday- and two parties seriously to be considered. The electors havei to • say whether they desire .the return of a Government which lias been a Government of the people for the people—a Government which has a’ record of definite achievements for national .welfare .and a clearly defined programme for future development—or whether they will commit the affairs of the country into the hands of the Labor group. My faith in"the people of New Zealand, the receptions which have been accorded to me personally, and the statement od: the Government s case, and the reports I have received from all the electorates lead me to only one. conclusion —that the electors who have studied the. pojl- - situation are m the majority and that they will say to the Government ‘Carry on.’ 1 _ . “During the past month it has been my good fortune to have visitod many electorates throughout tpo Dominion ; it has been very gratifyino* to me to find my* predictions concerning the situation have been confirmed; that our critics are •stronger vocally than they are m numbers. I have foxuid that the great mass of the people have recognised the fact that the Government has been tested in a period <?f very great difficulty, created wholly by the world-wide economic depression and low prices, non happily past, for our produce in the external markets and that it has performed its tasks with credit to itself and to.our land, llie people have recognised that the Aaininistration has always been fan to all sections of the community to the producer and the consumer; to the worker and the They have also recognised that the Government has carried on with a policy which lias promoted the cooperation of all our people Hi 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 outlined its programme. Our opponents have had a mouth in which to examine it, hut, bombarded as it lias been from all sides and angles, the record stands unshaken, roi argument they have produced vague assertions, unproved and unsustainable words, which compare vary poorly with the hard commonsense facts on which the Government lias relied. In one ot the most difficult economic periods Neiv Zealand has ever experienced, tlie Government with no other desire than to act in the !<est interests of the whole' country, lias consolidated and promoted the primary industries of the Dominion in the following directions: —- Nearly ten million advanced to settlers in the last three years. Rural Credits (long-term advances). Rural intermediate credits. Reduction in railway freights for the encouragement of production. Guaranteed assistance to fruitgrowers (mostly small men). Stablished prices for wheatgrowers. • . , , Assistance to the pork industry (a great benefit to small fanners) Assistance, to the poultry industry. , Establishment of the Aiassey Agricultural College. The latest scientific research herd-testing.

“May:l set out again a few of the essential points in the Government programme: — Safe finance. No extravagant borrowing. Relief in taxation. Progressive public works development. Improved highways and country roads. Improved railway services. Co-opelnitioii of railway and .motor interests, especially in respect of heavy traffic. j Rectifying economic disabilities. . Extension of hydro-electric . schemes. Sound policy of land settlement, based on the existing legislation Ify assistance to part-Dmo fanners near towns, to small holders in rural districts, to men who desire to band_ together in the purchase of holdings suitable for subdivision,. by opening up pumice and other unoccupied lands, all tending to increase our exports and, consequently, our national. w-ealth. 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. Pubbe health extension. Modem vocational education. Assistance to those of our returned soldieris who are only now revealing the effects of war strain. Remedial action on the analysed causes of unemployment. Promotion of industrial peace and social welfare. Equal opportunity for all.

“Our citizens, we make no fanciful, promises. The Government cannot promise to work the miracles which the United Party professes, to be able to work. It cannot promise to reduce the national revenue and Increase expenditure and yet have no increase of taxation. We certainly do not attempt to win public confidence by such elecßonering devices. The Labor Party lias obviously been ‘soft pedalling’ on a 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 Labor-Socialist Party hopes to gain seats by splitting votes in some constituencies. Wherever,, the 1 three, parties.;have representatives in the field a -vote for a United candidate will be, in effect, a vote for the Labor-Social-ist Party. Three years ago, I. appealed to the electors to give -the Government a sdund working majority.. That, appeal was; not made in vain. To-day I. fisk for a renewal of their confidence. Supported by the energy,and industry of the peep le, ,we . havesteered tlie countrv through times of stress and difficulty. The status... and oredit of New. Zealand has not only, l>een maintained, but has never. been higher. I am entitled, there-; fore, now that solid prosperity is once again within our Te|ach to ask the electors for another, sounq |