POLITICAL POINTS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 1 November 1928, Page 8

POLITICAL POINTS

! WHAT CANDIDATES SAV. CAMPAIGN NOTES AND JOTTINGS A Housing Achievement. Mr. T. Forsyth said in his Hataitai speech that the present Governmenthad done more to solve the housing problem in New Zealand, than all the other Governments put together, and he gave particulars of the number of houses which had. been erected at Lower Hutt and Miramar. In particular. he dwelt on the favourable conditions on which people had been able to acquire homes, with gardens and all conveniences, facing broad roadsfor 22s per week, which paid all interest and principal in 34 years. A Constructive Policy.

Referring to the policy of the United Party, as outlined by Sir Joseph Ward, Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt) said that newspapers might criticise the policy, which, was a fair attitude for them' ’to take up, but they could not say the United Party had not a policy. The Labour-.Socialist p*ol l cv. said Mr. Wilford, was: “Let us smash the Reform policy to bits.” The United policy was: “Let tts build and help our country.” In The Limelight.

“Sir Joseph Ward always was a man to do those things to attract attention,” said Mr. F. JL Hughes, Reform candidate for the Avon seat, speaking at the North Lin wood School. “One of his most notable acts was to give away a battleship costing £2,000,000. It was o-ne of his trump cards, and came off well.” Mr. Hughes added that Sir Joseph Ward was , now endeavouring to attract attention in his declining clays of politics by proposing to raise a loan of £70,000,000.-

“Daring, Glaring, Impertinent.’’ “I think the statement in the Labour. Party’s programme with regard to the League of Nations is a daring, glaring, and impertinent one,” declared .Mr. Dunbar Sloa-ne, Reform candidate for Wellington Central, at his Abel Smith street meeting. He was a great supporter of the League of Nations himself, he added, and he did not like to think of the destinies of that League getting into the hands of tue ultra-pacifists.

New Zealanders First. “Do nob mistake me; I have the greatest admiration for the spirit of immigrants, leaving the Old Country and coming out to settle in a new one. 1 came out here myself as an immigrant at the age of 15, and I shall never regret it.o This statement was made by Mr. G. C. Munns, United Party candidate for lloskill, when explaining his party’s attitude toward land settlement. He said they believed now was not the time for bringing out immigrants. New Zealanders should all have jobs first. Hedgehog And The Hare.

Mr. J. W. Munro, the Labour candidate for Dunedin North, has not-! much to say in favour of either the United Party or the Reform Party. At a. meeting addressed by him last week he related a fable of a- race between a hedgehog and a hare. The race was along trenches in a turnip field, tjhe leaves of the turnips overhanging the trenches. The hare was astonished to find at the end of the race \ that the hedgehog was there first, and he asked for another run. In the second competition the hedgehog was again lat the end ol' the trench first.

The result quite nonplussed the simple-minded hare, so the fable reads. He did not know that there was a hedgehog at each end of the trench. The speaker said he need not apply the anology further to the. presen t election beyond saying that the Labour Party could be likened to the hare. It was being headed off by both parties. A Splendid Institution.

A high tribute to the valuable work which was being done for. the people of the Dominion by the Public Trust Office was paid by Mr. R. Semple, Labour candidate for Wellington East at his meeting at Miramar. Air. [Semple said he had had a lot to do with the Public Trust Office through claims arising from mining disasters, and in every case the Public „Trust Office had administered the relief funds without charging one penny piece. The Public Trustee was also doing this in private relief cases. This was why the lawyers and the wealthy lending in.stituitioiis did iiot like the Public Trust Office. “It is a splendid institution,” declared Mr. Semple, “and a great boon to the people of this country.” Mr Sterling’s Salary.

No business concern in Great Bril ta'in with a capital of £6O, (MX), 000 would dare to pay its manager only £3500 a year —the salary paid to the General Manager of the Now Zealand Railways. This statement was made by the Reform candidate-for Eden, Mr. V. H. Potter. He said that Mr. H. H. Sterling, the Railways manager, had saved the Department £20,000 in the last five months, and if he were paid £IO,OOO it would be an economical salary to pay- him; he would have made more than he cost.

The superannuation arrangement with Mr. Sterling was well worth while, declared the speaker. When All-. Sterling was asked to return to the Department lie has said his price was £SOOO a. year if lie was not given superannuation from the time lie originally joined the service.

A Place for Women. “Is the candidate in favour ol lady members of Parliament?” was a question addressed to Mr. K. McLennan, the United Party candidate for Wellington Suburbs, at Brooklyn.

Mr. McLennan said he believed there were ladies who could do a lot better than some of the men. “Women have come to the front a lot recently,” said the candidate. “Look at the womeh who have swum the .Channel. I don’t think there’s a man here to-night who could do it.” (Laughter.) lie believed that women of the right type would be of great value in Parliament, particularly in the committees. A voice: Do you believe in women in the Legislative Council? (Laughter.) Air. McLennan: That's easily answered. because f don’t believe in the .Legislative Council at all. I believe too much of tlie work of the country is done in the Legislative Council instead of in the House of Representatives. Look at what they did to the Summer Time Rill.

Another voice: Does the candidate believe in women in the home? Mr. McLennan: That’s easily answered, too, for I’ve got one of the best wives in Wellington. Candidate’s Ready Replies.

Mr. A. M. Samuel. Reform candidate for. Thames, has a quick and pleasant way of dealing with interjectors. At- Paeroa this week a section. of the audience was rather disturbed by a. persistent tapping on the floor. “It is all right, ladies and gentlemen,” confidentially explained the candidate. “I am getting that applause from a most intelligent-look-ing dog.” (Laughter.) “What do you know about- work?” was a. question put by a persistent questioner at Thames. “There is no man in this room who has worked harder than I have,” was the reply. “I have carried my .swag, felled bush, fired ships, trimmed coal, and scaled ships’ boilers for 5s a day. and I have always managed to keep myself respectable.” “Tell us the next winner at Avondale,” was another request from the back benches of the crowded hall. “J should not worry, my bov,” replied Mr. Samuel. “You will be one of the first there the way you are going.” (Loud laughter.)