THE EGMONT SEAT.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 10 November 1928, Page 6

THE EGMONT SEAT.

AIR. HAWIvEN AT NORAIANBY. A CAPITAL REOEIPIiON. There wag one of the largest audiences ever seen in the Town Hall at Nor man by last night when in pursuance of hi's candidature for the Egmont seat Hon. O. J. Hawken delivered an address there. He received a very good hearing and at the conclusion was accorded, a hearty vote of thanks. Air C. J. Preston was voted to- the chair and briefly introduced the speaker. Air Hawken spoke for an hour and a half mainly on the. lines of his address at Kaponga, in which he criticised ‘the absence- of a declaration on the part of his opponent as to a policy or as to which party he was prepared to support. All* Hawken said that no particle of policy had been put before electors by Mi* Wilkinson, and apparently he expected tlie electors to take him on trust. He referred to the two main planks of the policy enunciated by Sir Joseph Ward—the big loan and the completion of the railways and added that, although All* Wilkinson had been at the United Conference in Wellington and presumably had had a liand in the arrangement, he had still declared “no support, but only a leaning to 'the United Party.” Air Wilkinson had since, he added, categorecally refused to support either of the big issues in the leader’s proposals. Air Wilkinson was directly opposed, according to his speeches, to further borrowing and also .to f the. completion of the railway system which he considered _ would never pay. Air Hawken said the construction of the railways was a very vital question to the working man because if stopped, there would be five ''thousand men and many “permanent casuals” put out of employment. The railway works had been used since the Liberal days “to take up the slack of employment at a difficult part of the year.’.’ Air Wilkinson had no policy to follow and must find one. A voice: “He’s the man to find one.”

“Yes,” said Air Hawken, “he’s a critic and where a hundred find fault, oidy one shows any constructive ideas. Such a man was wanted in 'the Parliament of New Zealand.” Then, said All* Hawken, Air Wilkinson talked about customs duties, but he should remember that these were put on as far back as most people could recall, by former governments and varied from time to time. The duty on Hour, he added, had been imposed many years ago and was raised last year 'to £3 10s with an Australian price of £l3 10s, and with a sliding scale, so that as the domestic price in Australia went up the duty was lessened and if flour there was £l7 per ton, there was n© duty. Sir Joseph Ward had never been opposed to duties on imports, but lie knew the value of growing wheat an the Dominion. The sliding scale was an inducement to farmers to grow' wheat. If this was not done many men would be put out Qf work and much, money sent away to Australia. He was- against sending business where they could get no return as was the ease with America. One of the first business for a Government to consider was finding employment and this cessation of wheat growing would at once, cause unemployment. Labour agreed to the duty. A voice: “Cut up the land amd put them on it.”

“All right,” said Mr Hawken, “that is a big question and we shall come to' i‘fc later.”

It might be news to Mr Wilkinson that a lowering of duties on linoleums, towels and crockery meant no less than £170,000 to the Dominion’s finances. It was done ! to relieve the poor people. The talk of reducing customs amounted to nothing. A voice: “He said they would be revised, not reduced.”. “Yes, it would appear Air Wilkinson wanted to try tp teach men grown old in the service of 'the country,” said Air Hawken. The candidate referred also to the assistance to other industries, to- tlie Work of the railways especially the Taupo line and the settlement of the large unoccupied area in that neighbourhood; to the control hoards; the Rural and Intermediate Credits Acts-, to give better finance for farmers ; the borrowing schemes, stressing the fact that the present Government had adopted a tapering policy of borrowing; tlie reduction in cost of fertilisers; superannuation for civil servants. In regard to railways. Air Hawken said he wondered if Air Wilkinson would urge that the Stratford Alain Trunk line be not completed. A voice: “Taranaki wants it finished as early as possible.” He made a reference to the land policy of the Government and Air D. J. Hughes remarked that the landsettlement policy advocated by Air AlcLeod was tlie best ever put forward. The Act by which: they were out to help small settlors, said Air Hawken, could be used to cut up large estates. He again dealt with the _ duty on agricultural machinery, explaining how it was- th ait the heavier plow was taxed to help the local manufacturer. In conclusion, he said that if returned to- Parliament it would be his duty to look after all classes and to show

that the Government was out to help every section of the community. QUESTIONS.

in reply to a questioner, who said it was dinieult to get rirst grade wneat, Mr iiawken said this should not be so and tnat if men liero would get tlieir supplies direct they \vould get better quanty and at a reasonable price. in reply to Mr Hughes, Mr liawken said it was not always good policy to erect all buildings an concrete fur wood suited some better. do another questioner the candidate said he was in favour of paying superannuation to local body servants and he believed this was being done. -V. voice: “Ward brought it in.' 3

inferring to a question regarding freehold estate, Mr iiawken saitl lie was in favour of limitation 0 f area, but where a man had several sons he was entitled to get land for them. “Hon. Mr McLeod,” said Mr Hughes, “met the settlers in every way in regard to the proposal to secure an area near Normanby and if all were like him the Cabinet would be a good one.” He added that they could not, however, come to terms-with the owner.

Air Hawken said that, in order to try to get large holders or Hand to cut them up, taxation had been made very high. “Gould you not make it harder still,” said an elector.

“A good deal,” said Air Hawken, “could be done by negotiation.”

A question in regard tq Arapuni brought the reply that the trouble was absolutely non-existent. Air Havvkcn referred to the other power schemes and said that in the end they would be successful and show a big revenue. On the motion of Air Rl. Crocker, seconded by Air J. Forbes, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the candidate.

Air Hawken briefly acknowledged this and said that if they wished a stable government they should vote for the Government that had carried them through a difficult period. A vote of thanks to the chair concluded the meeting.

MR WILKINSON AT MANAIA LARGELY ATTENDED MEETING. In furtherance of his candidature for the Eginont seat at the forthcoming elections, Air C. A. Wilkinson spoke before an attendance of approximately 400 people last evening at the Alanaia Town Hall. The candidate was cheered to tlie echo several times during the evening, and received the most attentive and enthusiastic hearing. Air Wilkinson’s address was on similar lines : to that given at Okaiawa and elsewhere during the week. During the course of the address, interjectors were given short shrift by the majority of the audience and ) were promptly howled down, with the result that the speaker had an uninterrupted two hours in which to put before the electors, his views of the political situation, at the end of which the speaker was loudly applauded. Air H. Alead, occupied .the chair, and conspicuous among the audience were electors from Opunake, Pihaana, Kaponga, and Eltham. SOME QUESTIONS. “If returned, are you in favour of publishing dividends and allowing money to he sent to the totalisator?” Air Wilkinson : “1 am certainly in favour of publishing dividends and investors sending money to the totalisator. The law as it stands, is an absolute farce.” “If elected would you work to delete the compulsory clauses in the Dairy Control Board’s scheme?.”/ “Absolutely. Not only the clauses, but two of the nominees as-well!’.’ “Is it" a fact that the funds of the civil service are in a bad way?” “Yes, certainly. There is a shortage of £400,000. The fund has been bankrupted by the heavy payments in superannuation -to highly paid civil servants.” ‘ ‘What is your view on the C.O.D. system?” “I am quite agreeable that the people should have the 0.0. D. system if they saved anything by it.” “Did you, when in Parliament, support the Daylight Saving Bill?’.’ I “No, I always opposed it.” “If el/ected. would you support Lab-j our or the present Government?” “I would not support Labour on any consideration. ’ ’ “What are your views with regard to secondary industries. Are you in favour of further taxation?” “I am not in favour of further 'taxation, but I am in favour of protecting our own manufacturers and producers by taxes in the right direction.” “You said you were not a free trader. Why do you propose to take off the duty on wheat and flour?” “I would always give secondary industries reasonhle protection and what i*s more the necessities of life such as wheat and flour should not be taxed as they are at the present time.” (CJheers.) “What are your views with regard 'to the Bible in schools?” “I am absolutely opposed to it. Religion should not be taught in schools. There are ministers to do that, and children should be taught elsewhere but j in public scltbols. Teachers may have , different ideas as regards religion, andj each person should he allowed to have j his or her own thoughts. The teaching I of tlie Bible in schools woidd entail