MR. W. NASH ADDRESSES THE ELECTORS.

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 19, 4 October 1928, Page 3

MR. W. NASH ADDRESSES THE ELECTORS.

On Tuesday evening of last week Mr. Walter Nash who is contesting the* Hutt Seat in the interests of the Labour Party addressed a meeting in the Lyceum Hall. Mr. W. T. Strand presided. Most of Mr. Nash's time was occupied in condemning the Government's administration. The speaker said that Mr. Coates had not kept his pledges made in 1925 when he had promised to improve the social conditions of the people, and to bring into cultivation the great stretches of pumice land. He had promised, to wipe out slum areas, but nothing had been done beyond building a few houses in the Hutt Valley Settlement. The matter of building 200 or 300 houses at Moera was not the solution the housing difficulty. Mr. Nash challenged his audience to show him one slum area that had been wiped out by the present Government. He gave all credit to those gentlemen who had been responsible for the Hutt Valley Settlement scheme in spite of its many faults, but it was a long way short of what the urgency of the case demanded. Dealing with immigration he stated that of the 32,800 emigrants who had arrived 6000 had departed for overseas during the last 18 months. Although he had no objection to the emigrant as an individual he ventured to suggest that no J bond of empire had been strengthened by bringing these people to our shores, for they had gained employment at the expense of New Zealanders. The information supplied by the Government to the emigrants abroad was totally misleading and as a result many families were brought out to starve and would have returned had the Government allowed them to do so. Here followed the harrowing tale of Robert Todd of Timaru who had. written to Mr Nash for assistance and after a very long story of interviews with Cabinet Ministers, etc., eventually secured a passport for himself and family of seven children back to his native home in Glasgow. The Government came in for a full share of condemnation in regard to the policy adopted in placing returned soldiers on the land, the fact that a gospel of despair had been adopted justifies the country in turning them out of office. They had spent 14$ million pounds in land purchase in 12 months and £18 6/- per acre had | gone in stamp duty and law fees.

Criticising the State Loans Department Mr Nash said they could show a handsome profit on a£% basis. He advocated the National Insurance Scheme which he thought should be worked on a confcributary basis. Mr. Nash condemned both private and State owned insurance companies and considered that they should not be permitted to earn dividends.

A number of questions were asked and a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Nash for his address.