GENERAL ELECTION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 13 October 1922, Page 7

GENERAL ELECTION.

\ THE PAHIATU|A S}EAT 1 . ■?■

(BY TELEGRAPH —PftKSS ASSOCIATION.. DANNEVIRKE, Oct. 13^ Mr. El A. Ransom, who is the official ■ Liberal-Labour candidate for the Pahiatua seat, opened his election campaign at Matamau last night. Mr. > Ransom declared himself opposed to party government; but did not think an independent attitude /satisfactory. Therefore, while there were only two lobbies in the House, he believed that a member should attach himself to the party which came nearest his ideals. Therefore he would support the Liberal Party. v ■^Lt the end of his-address the candidate said ; that he would support principles before party, measures before men. The candidate emphasised the fruits' of past Liberal legislation. and declared that Liberalism was 5 not down > and out, but very much alive, and claimed that Mr. Massey in 1911. sought i the support of Labour to oust the Lib-! erals. He condemned the Premier lor dragging the Union Jack into politics,-• Btating that it was a, dastardly act. ' Both official Labour and Reform feared ' the Liberals. He criticised the vast increase in the country's expenditure i and suggested that experts should in! vestigate to effect reforms. He advo- : cated the railways being removed from political control and placed tjnder a board', and thought that an improved system of immigration was needed, so that new arrivals could be settled upon waste land and instructed in farming, ' and so become useful farmers and increase productivity. New industries' should be encouraged, and there should be more intensified and scientific farm- j ing and a uniform system /of herd ; Testing. The present naval*" experidi- ' ture was necessary, but he thought that the Dominion* contribution' should be made in kind and not in cash. For every pound we gave tiie'j Imperial authorities should reciprocate by the purchase of stores. j ■ A vote of thanks and confidence an Mi v. Ransom as a fit and proper per- j son to represent the district in Par-' liament was carried. '