GENERAL ELECTION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 304, 21 November 1935, Page 11

GENERAL ELECTION

PALMERSTON SEAT. MR J. A. NASH’S CAMPAIGN. About 60 electors assembled last evening at Takaro to hear an address by the National candidate for Palmerston, Mr J. A. Nash. Mr Howard Smith presided and Mr Nash was given a splendid hearing. Dealing with national affairs, the candidate showed the great improvement that had taken place during the past year, and made special reference to the bnovancy of the Government finances and returning prosperity. Ho gave an outline of the Government's proposals to establish a library system right throughout New Zealand on the eamo lines as that in Britain to-day, and also explained very fully the operations of the Reserve Bank and the Mortgage Corporation and what they meant to New Zealand. In connection with local affairs, Mr Nash said that it was desirable for Palmerston North to have control of its airport, for it would be a valuable asset l>efore very long. He hoped that the City Council would take it over, and he congratulated the few enthusiasts who, with vision, had laid, the foundations for placing the city on to the aviation map. After a number of questions had been asked and answered, the candidate was accorded a hearty vote of thanks on the motion of Mr F. E. Edwards who referred to the address as an able and lucid one.

MR MANSFORD AT HOKOWHITU

The Independent candidate for Palmerston, Mr A. E. Mansford addressed a large attendance at Hokowliitu last evening. Mr J. T. J. Heatley was in the chair.

Mr Mansford referred to B class radio stations which he thought should receive more encouragement. In connection with the visit of Mr Coates, he said that he had come as the result of an S.O.S. from Mr Nash. Mr Coates, in his address, had referred to the exchange, position and stated that it had enabled industry to compete with the depreciated currencies of other countries. The inference was that we depreciated our currency to meet the competition of our biggest competitor, Denmark, but Denmark, according to an article written by a Dane, Mr Carl Thalbitzcr, which tho speaker jiroduced, had depreciated the Danish kroner to meet the New Zealand exchange. In regard to the Mortgage Corporation, Mr Mansford said that those having loans under the Advances to Settlers Act were now being asked to pay more to the Mortgage Corporation than to the Advances Department. “This explodes another of Mr Coates’s arguments,” _ said the speaker. Mr Coates had said there was no more sickening, thing than constant irritation and worry of debt burden and we had got to straighten this out. Mr Mansford contended that the Mortgage Corporation had not shown that willingness to assist the farmer that Mr Coates suggested, in fact they had found all sorts of excuses as to why the loan should not be granted. “Ibis explodes another of liis arguments, said the candidate, “and it would appeal therefore that Mr Coates s risit is likely to do Mr Nash more harm than good.” At the conclusion of the address Mr Sweetman moved a vote of thanks and confidence, which was seconded by Mr W. Thomson and canied unanimously. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting.

MANAWATU SEAT,

AIR LINKLATER’S CAAIPAIGN

Air J. Linldater, National candidate for Aianawatu, addressed a wellattended meeting at Poroutawhao School last evening, the chairman bein Air F. Jackson. The candidate s speech followed on the lines of bis previous addresses. At the conclusion, a vote of thanks, on the motion of Air H. Kilsby and seconded by Air J. Hewett, was carried. THE DEAIOCRAT CANDIDATE. The Democrat candidate for Aianawatu, Air M. H. Oram, addressed meetings at Mangaore and Weraroa yesterday afternoon, dealing with the general policy of the party at both places. At 'Weraroa, in spite of counter-at-tractions, there was a good attendance, and at the conclusion of the address, instead of the customary vote of thanks, a vote of thanks and confidence was proposed and carried unanimously and with enthusiasm.

Air Oram also addressed a very wellattended meeting at he Town Hall, Bulls, last evening, Air Holland presiding. Tho candidate specially asked for questions concerning the party’s policy. Mr Oram dealt with the question of the development of secondary industries and immigration and the benefit that would accrue therefrom to the primary producer, education, and some of the fallacies underlying the Douglas theory, as propounded by Colonel Closey. He also stressed the fact that Colonel Closey had still failed to tell the electors the details of his currency proposals, how he proposed to put them into operation and their effect not only internally hut on our financial relationship oversea. In answer to a question Air Oram read extracts from the reports of the AuditorGeneral, alleging discrepancies in the Public Accounts between the published figures and those shown in the Treasury books. INDEPENDENT’S CAAIPAIGN. An address was given by the Independent candidate for Aianawatu, Air J. K. Hornblow', at Te Arakura yesterday afternoon, Air A. J. Baxter presiding. Air Hornblow was in good form and bis speech was closely followed by the audience. At the conclusion, a number of questions were asked in connection with education and its administration. On the motion of Alessrs P. Hansen and W. E. Thomas, a vote of thanks was accorded the speaker. In the evening the candidate delivered an address at Kairanga, the meeting being presided over by Air Hyde. He showed how savings could be effected and taxation reduced by means of the reorganisation and overhaul of Government departments. A vote of thanks, on the motion of Alessrs C. AI. Hyde and Eagle, was carried.

PREMIER IN THE SOUTH. REPLY TO MR HISLOP. Per Press Association. INVERCARGILL, Nov. 20. The Prime Minister this evening addressed one of the largest political meetings held in Invercargill for many years. The Civic Theatre was crowded and Victoria Hall, in the same building was also full and a loud speaker had been hurriedly installed to enable late arrivals to listen to the Prime Minister. It was a lively meeting from start to finish, but the interjections were good-natured. Mr Forbes devoted himself chiefly to defending the Government’s policy and to advancing reasons why continued support from the public should be given. “Tho leader of the Democrat Party, is making all sorts of innuendoes about the honesty of the Government, basing these on the AuditorGeneral’s report,” said Air Forbes. “Mr Hislop would have people believe that there has been misappropriation of public money.” He added that when Mr Hislop quoted from the AuditorGeneral’s report he failed to quote the final paragraph which stated that no doubts were cast on the correctness of the accounts but only on the way they were presented to Parliament. Mr Forbes said that since Mr Hislop was so ready to impugn the honesty of the Government it might be well to investigate his position. Mr Hislop had himself broken faith for he had publicly said that the Mayor of Wellington had a fulltime job and that the city must suffer were a Mayor elected to Parliament, yet Air Hislop himself was now offering his services as a Parliamentary candidate. “People in glass houses should not throw stones,” said Mr Forbes. The Prime Alinister also mentioned that there was no truth whatever in the suggestion emanating from Air Hislop that the National Government intended to extend by one year the life of the next Parliament. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried by acclamation at tho conclusion of Air Forbes’s address.

THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. AIR HISLOP’S ALLEGATIONS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Nov. 20. Air T. C. A. Hislop, leader of the Democrat Party, in a statement in reply to Air Forbes, xvho criticised Air Hislop’s remarks in reference to the public accounts and the reports of the Auditor-General, said the Prime Alinister had charged him with being new to the political game, but he did not see any particular fault in this. If a desire to tell the truth was new then he must*plead guilty. He had a long and extensive business experience, and balance-sheets and accounts were the same the world over. He was surprised that tho Prime Alinister questioned the accuracy of the Auditor-General’s reports. The Domoci’at Party was pledged to investigate the whole position and clean it lip immediately it occupied the Treasury benches. He quoted extensively from reports by the Auditor-General and contended that the Prime Minister could never justify the scandalous position of the public accounts and finances. The people of New Zealand must place their affairs in the hands of an honest and responsible Administration. The present Government had shown itself to be without scruple in its mismanagement and downright political conniption.

“STRETCH OF IMAGINATION.” EX-SECRETARY’S COAIAIENT. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Nov. 20. “Tho statement is a gross stretch of imagination. It is / neither true nor fair and casts an unwarranted reflection on tho integrity and capacity of the Public Service,” said the ex-Secre-tary to the Treasury (Air A. D. Park), when referring to-night to the statement by the leader of the Democrat Party (Mr Hislop) that “there lias been wholesale bungling and juggling with our public accounts.” Mr Park added that his remarks were not connected in any way with the political situation, but that lie made .his statement merely as an ex-perma-nent head of the Treasury and as a professional accountant.

SECONDARY INDUSTRIES

AIINISTER URGES CO-OPERATION

Pei- Press Association. NAPIER, Nov. 20. , In continuation of his tour through a number of electorates bv aeroplane, the Minister of Finance (Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates)' arrived at Hastings Aerodrome from Palmerston North this afternoon. He addressed two meetings in the afternoon, one at Hastings and another at Havelock North, while at night a large open-air meeting assembled to hear him. He is to proceed to Gisborne by air to-morrow morning. On all three occasions he was met by crowded audiences. He met with a good deal of organised interruption at his meetings, but was not in any wayovercome by it. At McLean Park, Napier, Mr Coates said the Government recognised the importance of the manufacturing industries and the need for their further development. “In our tariff policy we have fully carried out the terms of the Ottawa agreement, while at the same time maintaining what we considered adequate, though moderate, protection for Dominion industries. The maniiMcturers themselves must realise it is wp to them to do their part also. The Report of the Tariff Commission made rt clear that certain branches of industry to-day are not in a thoroughly satisfactory condition. Attention needed to be given particularly to the question of reducing costs by various forms of co-ordination. By tackling this problem for themselves manufacturers would avoid the necessity of Government intervention in tlie matter. Ihere is need also for a levelling up of working conditions in those factories which are now below the standard set by the best firms in industry. It is not at tins stage a matter of raising the standard, but only of bringing lower factories up to the present standard labour conditions observed by the best factories. Another point which manufacturers should give attention to is quality. There are many lines of manufactured goods now produced which are of excellent quality, but others which are by no means a credit to our industries. I do not refer merely to cheap articles, but to those which are inferior and detective even at a low price. The point is that inferior or j defective goods are apt to bring dis- 1 credit to New Zealand products as a | whole, and I feel steps should be taken to fix at least a basic standard of quality for each class of manufactured goods. By working out _ a scheme of co-ordination the industries would place themselves in a better position to survey' the supply' and demand of skilled labour and ensure sufj- i iicient apprentices were given effee- i

tive training. At present tho matter of apprenticeships has been left more or less to chance. In a general way I have to say to the manufacturers that tho Government recognises tho value of your industries and wishes to help you, but wo expect you to co-oper-ate by'helping yourselves. If New Zealand industries remain unorganised and unco-ordinated you may find the competition of imported goods becoming keener year by year as overseas manufacturers continue to improve in efficiency and co-ordination. If you tackle this task yourselves you can rely upon the Government to give you -sympathetic consideration to any request you make, for the necessary administrative machinery to enable you to achieve this object.” THE COALITION. COMMENT BY MR HISLOP. Per Press Association. NEW PLYMOUTH, Nov. 20. Tho leader of the Democrat Party, Mr T. C. A. Hislop, in a speech here, said it was perfectly true that lie had criticised the present Government very severely, but his criticism would always bo fair and perfectly justified. It was from the lips of members who formed the United and Reform parties that the strongest criticism of each other bad come. In support of this he quoted from an official statement issued by the Reform Party in 1931, three months before the Coalition was formed. On April 29, 1931, Air Forbes had made a public proposal to Air Coates that the Reform and United Parties should disband with a view to forming a new Nationalist Party. The reply of Mr Coates then was that Air Forbes was engaged in a clever piece of party tactics in a desperate attempt to save liis bankrupt and discredited party from the fate which it so richly deserved at the next general election. However, Air Forbes and Mr Coates got together and the result had been disastrous, which was exactly what Air Coates prophesied in 1931. An official pamphlet of the Reform Party had asked whether Air Forbes had any mind of his own and whether he was not the weakest Prime Alinister New Zealand had ever had. Air Coates and his party had laid charges against the United Party and Air Forbes and then joined with them as an accessory after the fact.

Air Hisfop _ said that this unholy political conspiracy must be stopped. The Government by party intrigue, manoeuvring, and hypocrisy tried to force itself upon the electors, as the only alternative to Labour. It was time tho people had a straight, honest and sincere party before them and that some of the elements of sincerity and honesty were introduced into the politics of this country. DEMOCRAT LEADER. QUESTIONS TO AIINISTER. Per Press Association. NEW PLYMOUTH, Nov. 20. Devoting most of his address to a criticism of the Government, the leader of the Democrat Party, _ addressed an audience of COO to-night, while a large number beard the address through loud speakers. Air Hislop criticised the Government’s policy in raising the exchange, in dealing with unemployment, and in bringing down legislation of a Socialist character. He also addressed three questions to the Alinister of Finance. They were: Did the Government of Canada or any other country pay for gold taken iii notes of a currency depreciated by political pressure? Is it not a fact that in every other country gold taken from the banks with its attendant profit was handed to the Central Bank as security for its obligations to the public and depositors instead of l>eing used in large measure, as was done by Air Coates, to balance the Budget ? As a result of the Coalition’s operations what will be the value of a Reserve Bank note should England revert to the gold standard which may occur at any time ? Air Hislop also claimed that when approached by the Nationalists to stand for Parliament lie was told that Air Coates would fix somewhere for him. Air Hislop was accorded votes of thanks and confidence.