PALMERSTON SEAT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 303, 20 November 1935, Page 9

PALMERSTON SEAT.

MR NASH AT WEST END

Mr J. A. Nash addressed the electors at West End last evening when, despite the inclement nature of the weather, there was an excellent attendance of residents. Mr F. Owtram presided. The candidate detailed the work of the National Government during the past term and explained why extraordinary measures had been introduced to meet the position in which New Zealand had been placed—circumstances which were common in all parts of the world. Mr Nash remarked that many reports had been circulated about the Mortgage Corporation Act, which he considered was one of the best pieces of legislation enacted. He fully explained its objects and the benefits that would accrue to all concerned in being able to have the present State Advances loans readjusted and to secure new loans at very low rates of interest and also on the long-term principle. The candidate’s speech was marked with examples which he advanced to show that the position was improving right throughout the country, and at the conclusion of his address numerous questions were asked and answered. A vote of thanks was accorded both the speaker and the chairman on the motion of Mr Schaare.

LABOUR’S CAMPAIGN. Tn an address to the electors at Longburn last evening, the Labour candidate for Palmerston, Mr J. Hodgens, said that the present three-cornered contest was an attempt to keep Labour off the Treasury benches. If it were a straight-out contest between Labour and the Government in the Palmerston electorate the result would be a handsome win for Labour. The wonderful progress made by the party in Canterbury and Otago had been recorded even by Government organs. Referring to the education system. Mr Hodgens said that electors would be wiser in sticking to the party who would give their children free education from the kindergarten to the university than to trust again to the Government with its four years’ record concerning education. The candidate said he often wondered why Mr Nash, who had been a loyal follower for 17 years, had never been offered a seat in the Cabinet of his party. His party had even gone so far as to call Mr Masters, who had lost the support of his electorate, to the Legislative Council and stretched the constitution to make a Cabinet Minister out of him without first offering a position to Mr Nash. As an elector he wondered why, but as an opponent he would like to know definitely. Every member of a Labour Government would be part and parcel of some Cabinet group with one of the number functioning as the Minister in. charge, so that if they struck together for this election they would have a member who would be closer to Cabinet rank than any representative they ever had before.

MR MANSFORD AT TERRACE END. Mr Mansford, the Independent candidate, addressed the electors of Terrace End in the Coronation Hall last night, when there was a large attendance. Mr F. Jackson presided and briefly introduced the candidate. In referring to the question of the universal half-holiday, Mr Mansford remarked: “1 notice that Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., has received a telegram from Mr Forbes in which the electors have been left where they were and can have a poll for a district half-holiday. Surely Mr Nash must be slipping badly after what Mr Bromley said at the aerodrome, when he said that Mr Nash was so persistent that he found it bettor to give him what he wanted. Either Mr Bromley’s statement was nothing but political propaganda or else Mr Nash was not persistent enough with Mr Forbes, otherwise the people of Palmerston North and elsewhere would have got their poll for a universal half-holiday. If you send me to Parliament you will get a universal Saturday half-holiday. Mr Nash, when speaking at the Opera House, spoke of the Government as having followed a consistent policy. How can it be a consistent policy when Mr Nash said in 1931, 20,000 unemployed were to be taken off the No. 5 scheme and put on the land ? That confidence was to be created by the return of the National Government. The people showed they had no confidence in the Government. They locked their money up in the banks on deposit and all the banks in turn reduced their advances, and what is more, 8000 odd people more left New Zealand than arrived, and there are 800 less on the land, a consistent policy! Mr Nash talks about a promising outlook. It certainly is a promising outlook for the wealthy squatters of New Zealand if the present Government is returned, but it is a wretched outlook for the wage earner and the unemployed, and just as Mr Nash and his Government made promises in 1931, so they are making promises to-day which they in their inmost hearts know that they don’t intend to fulfil. “With reference to Mr Hodgens, 1 notice that because I asked him to explain, lucidly and clearly til© guaranteed prices, which surely it is his duty to do as a representative of Labour and which is part of their platform, he takes offence and asks me where the twenty million came from in connection with the purchase of the credit for the exchange. I am well aware of where that money came from, but that does not answer my question. “If Mr Hodgens is not capable of setting out in pounds, shillings and pence what the cost of guaranteed prices would have been to New Zealand over the past few years then we must take it that he does not want to do so.

“I have never said that I was opposed to guaranteed prices. Ail I have asked him to do is to explain his party’s policy clearly and lucidly in regard to guaranteed prices so that the electors of Palmerston North can judge for themselves. “Mr Bromley, when in Pamcrston North, referred to the condition of an unemployed man who suffered a relapse and failed to recover and died. He states that no reasonable person would attach any blame to the Unemployment Board for that misfortune. I say definitely and distinctly that blame does attach to the Unemployment Board because clearer instructions should be given to their employees so that those unfortunate enough to be on relief or on sustenance do not misunderstand the position, as this man did.” The candidate, who was accorded an excellent hearing, answered a number of questions and was accorded a vote of thanks, as was the chairman.