Wholehearted Indictment of Government
High Exchange a Grave
Mistake
SIB ALEXANDER HERDMAN'S BROADSIDE
Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Last Night
. Wholehearted indictment of the Government for its record iu the past decade was the chief feature of tiio speech with which Sir AlexanderHerdman opened his campaign for Parnell before a crowded and friendly audience at Kemuera to-night. After declaring that the Reform laity, of which ho had been a member had ceased to exist, he said its legislation in recent years and since its mesalliance with the Uniteds had been such as old Reformers would havo shuddered to contemplate. To-dav theic txas no Reform or United, but. only a National Party. Regarding the Democrats, he was glad the leader was a man of Mr. His lop's calibre. Ho respected Mr. Hislop, but could not see his wav to join him because he disagreed with some of his political views though agreeing with others. He pro’ ferred to stand free from an alliance with anv political organisation and if returned he would probably find pome congenial spirits among other Independents. As a member he would vote to put the Government out of office and to keep Labour out of office. Admitting the difficulties Messrs Coates and Forbes had had to face and their good intentions, they nevertheless made grave mistakes and created difficulties worse than those they sought to cute. Money had been squandered, taxation had been made crushingly heavy, Departments had been mismanaged, business had become stagnant and confidence had beeu destroy. C(I.
Sir Alexander advocated the repeal of the unsettling legislation so that Yew Zealand could start work again on well-tested principles. The speaker attributed tkc whole train of evils to the legislation which shook confidence in mortgage security culminating in unemployment.
He cited the reports of the National Expenditure and Native Affairs Commissions as showing extravagance and bungling, especially in regard to swamp drainage and abandoned railways. Tho public debt from 1925 to 19114 had increased by £55.000,000, and ho could, sec nothing in tho Government’s policy or practice that gave hope of largelv reduced taxation or of a cessation from borrowing.
Sir Alexander Herdman considered the high exchange was a grave-mistake and a breach of the Ottawa agreement, damaging to the market in Britain. Among tho possible remedies ho considered were to restore confidence byremoving the fear of uncertainty abouU future Government action, to attempt to make new arrangements for a permanent market in Britain, and reduce the exchange, subsidy on produce as speedily as possible; classify farmers lor assisting suitable cases with dinar* loans; classify the unemployed in 1 J>o same way and overhaul the relief system reviving local committees.
Concluding, Sir Alexander said: “T have lived a life of seclusion for man-' rears and c-aniiot profess to have fm-fo-dat.e knowledge of public business. Other men have that knowledge and exneriencc. They are better able to heli> than I am. To them .T appeal to step forward and help the Dominion back to prosperity and security!” A yot.o of confidence was carried with a few dissentients.
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Bibliographic details
Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 231, 1 October 1935, Page 6
Word Count
509Wholehearted Indictment of Government Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 231, 1 October 1935, Page 6
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