REFORM PARTY CAMPAIGN

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 169, 19 June 1931, Page 11

REFORM PARTY CAMPAIGN

MR COATES’S TOUR

ENTHUSIASM AT WAIROA AND GISBORNE.

Following his highly successful visit to Christchurch and Canterbury, Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, Leader of the Reform Party, lias now completed a tour of the East Coast of the North Island. At Wairoa Mr and Mrs Coates were greeted on arrival by a crowd of over 150 people; and a large crowd assembled outside the hotel where a dinner had been arranged by the local executive. Continuing their journey by car, Mr and Mrs Coates next visited Nuhaka, where again a very large crowd, comprising nearly every resident of the district, listened to an inspiring address. At Kopu public works camp the wdiole camp pouulation turned out, waiting three hours for the arrival of Mr Coates, and greeting him on his belated arrival with prolonged cheers. Mr Coates then addressed the crowd, his remarks throughout being punctuated by cheering. At Gisborne a monster rally of Reform supporters was held in the City Hall, over 700 people being present, the whole proceedings being marked by great enthusiasm. In the course of his address, Mr Coates remarked that an increase of taxation at this time would be the surest way of increasing the number of unemployed. The most pressing need of the day was to reduce the costs of production in order to enable industry to continue and expand, while the imposition of further burdens upon industry by way of increased taxation would only make it impossible for many farmers and industrialists to keep on the men employed now. The surest and only way of providing more work was to help business and industry to develop and expand. In this respect the Government had failed entirely to meet the position. Mr C. 11. Williams, chairman of the meeting, said that he believed that the period in opposition had been an immense benefit to the Reform Party, though a disaster to the country. The Reform Party, lie believed, was certain to be returned with a large majority at the next elections; and he felt that they would all go back strengthened, and wiser, as a result ol their period of adversity. Indeed, he believed that the whole people of Now Zealand lvould benefit in the long run through the period of difficulty and adversity through which they were now passing. At the conclusion of the meeting the organiser stated that iiis branch membership roll had passed the thousand mark, and that in the Gisborne electorate alone there ware established eighteen branches of the Reform League, together with a Women’s Auxiliary and a branch of tho Junior Reform League, all of which were increasing their membership daily.