NATIONAL PARTY

Kaikoura Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 21, 14 March 1938, Page 2

NATIONAL PARTY

I A meeting of supporters of the Na- , tional Party took place at the Oddfcli lows’ Hall on Saturday night, Afr J. Davidson presiding over an attendance of about a score. Arrangements were discussed respecting organising in connecion with the forthcoming election. Mr E. F. Healy (Wairau) attended tho meeting. MR KYLE, M.P., AT BLENHEIM. Although the ammunition soon seemed to be exhausted, political critics at the meeting held at the Town Hall, Blenheim, on Saturday night, when Mr H. S. S. Kyle, AF.P. for Riccarton, gave an address on behalf of tho National Party, subjected the speaker to a hot tire of questions at the conclusion of his speech (says the Afarlborough Express). He handled them all admirably, however, and gave his answers in a business-like fashion that obviously met with the approval of the audience. The first question came from the back of the hall, obviously from a supporter of the Labour Party, who inquired whether the speaker had come to represent the National Party or merci 7 abuse the Labour Party. This was an easy one for Air Kyle, who lost no time in making it clear that, he represented the National Party, but that he would abuse the Labour Party as much as he liked within the bounds of decency and order. “What do you consider a fair wage on public works?” was the next question. Replying, Afr Kyle said that he believed in paying a man on his merit and worth as much as an industry or undertaking would stand. “But if the public works will long stand up to the wages that are being paid to-day, I’ll go ‘he’.” he said. Tn Central Otago, he added, he had seen an example of huge expenditure on public works, where they were tearing up perfectly good roads and making them into a speed wav, and, in fact, the new roads would not suit tho settlors in the locality as well as the old ones. That, ho believed, was going on all over the country. Tn any ease no country could ever hope to settle its unemployment problems by public works—that was well recognised. “Does the speaker believe in the South Island Alain Trunk line?” asked another questioner. Air Kyle: Did vou come in late? T thought T dealt with that subject pretty fully in my address. Tt will i cost, wo arc told, £1,800,000 to complete the line, and T believe that from the point of view of national defence alone the line should be completed. “If the National Party is returned to power will it complete the South Island Alain Trunk?” came another question. Air Kyle: So far as 1 am concerned. The questioner: Thank you. Another questioner: Why? Afr Kvle did not answer. Answering a further question, the last one of the evening, Air Kyle said that he was in favour of the recent | amendment to the Pensions Bill, but he thought its provisions should be made more general. A vote of thanks to the speaker was carried by acclamation, without any indication of dissension.