Will Support Holland on No-confidence Motion

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 222, 18 September 1943, Page 5

Will Support Holland on No-confidence Motion

Mr. Mansford’s Definite Pledge at Opera House For a wet and windy as well as a Friday night, Mr. A. E. Mansford, Independent candidate, had a large audience at the Palmerston North Opera House last evening when he delivered his first main election address. He was given an encouraging hearing and was accorded a vote of confidence on the motion of Mr. A. M. Ongley, seconded by Mr. P. Muir. Mr. Mansford told a questioner that on a no-conlidence motion he would vote with Mr. S. G. Holland. (Loud applause and cheers.) “In again agreeing to accept nomination for tho Palmerston North Beat I did so at the request of a large number of electors and in fulfilment of the statement I made in 1935 when I said that if I- was not elected 1 would again offer my services," said Mr. Mansford. “On that occasion I stood as an Independent, putting principles before party. When the finul votes were counted I was defeated by 115 votes. On the approach of the elections in 1938 a deputation of prominent citizens waited on me and asked me did I propose standing? I said yes, and they pointed out the dangers of standing as an Indcpcndet and splitting the vote. This did not impress me as much as their further argument that the Independents were not acceptable to tho electors as evidenced by the results in 1935. The deputation wanted me t«i agree to go in the National Party ballot and in the end I reluctantly agreed to do this, saying at the time I felt I was making a mistake. I duly went into the ballot and was defeated. It taught me a lesson I am not likely to forget, and that was to be guided by my own judgment. That is why I am again standing as an Independent. I feci sure that whatever may have been tho electors’ opinion of independents in 1935, to-day they realise that the partv system has outlived its usefulness. Csu you conceive of anything more stupid than a man elected to Parliament being compelled to vote against his own judgment and his own convictions because the measure introduced in the House is moved by the Opposition or vice versa?" he added. “The whole position is too stupid for words. Just fancy a business being run on those lines. The most successful business would be wrecked inside the first year. There is no business in any country more important than the Government of that country and yet we find a system operating in Government that would wreck a commercial undertaking in record time.”

The strongest indictment of party politics in this Dominion was when war came and the two pqlitical parties could not get together, Mr. Mansford continued, and he blamed the Labour Government more than the Opposition for that state of affairs. It simply meant that the members of the party thought more of their political party than the lives of the men, women and children of this country. “Don’t forget it wa3 party government that caused a lot of the hardship during the depression," he ndded. “As I condemned tho then Government for that tragedy, I now blame the Labour Gov-

ernment for ifs failure to cooperate with the .other party in the defence of this country. Party polities is doomed, it will not die without a fight, but the cliango over must come." The candidate said employees need have no fear in casting their votes for him. He would not let them down. Had he done that during the 32 years he had been Mayor? To the “Legion of the Lost," known as the consuming public, he said they could support him with every confidence. He had always endeavoured to do to others as he would have them do to him under similar circumstances, whether it be em* ployer, employee or consumer. Rehabilitation and War Matters Dealing with rehabilitation, Mr. Mansford said that when men were proceeding overseas at tho end of 1939 and the beginning of 1940, rehabilitation should have been an urgent and necessary consideration. Nothing was done (save for the Small Farms Amendment Act of 1940 regarding land settlement only) until the Rehabilitation Act was passed in October, 3941. Even now, with nearly two years gone since the Act was passed, the machinery had not been finalised. There had been a complete lack of authority granted to the local rehabilitation committees that had already been set up in various centres. These committees should be invested with some appropriate authority. There was definitely insufficient liaison existing between the board and those at present administering the Act. Tho present constitution of the board was not calculated to produce the best result. A practical background was an essential element and only through that could we expect practical results. Specially selected paid members should be appointed to achieve this. To date there had been no scientific and comprehensive scheme and survey for vocational training. This should have been done long ago. It was long overdue. The educational aspects of rehabilitation had not yet been properly explored and. provided for. There was a definite tendency for the board to pay too much regard to the nature of security for advances than to practical rehabilitation. The men of this war should at least enjoy the same privileges as those enjoyed by the large majority of tho Crown tenants and particularly tho settlers of the last war, and that was the right to acquire the freehold. The Prime Minister had refused this right as a matter of Government policy, but at tho last moment, and possibly as an election catch, he had made some statement regarding the right to acquire freehold that was incomprehensible dangled as an election bait by reason of public opinion. Greater preference to State houses should be given to exservicemen. The tagging of soldiers to the Small Farms Act and Land Sales Act was not right. There shouTW be separate legislation. Every New Zealander was indignant at the way the war and the soldier was used by the present Government to stealthily get its legislation through. Mr. Mansford also criticised the way the Government had handled the manpower of the Dominion. They had shown lack of vision and want of considered planning as w T as evidenced by the Home Guard-E.P.B. muddle. He also condemned the intention of the Government when the Jap menace was at its height not to evacuate the people on the coast between Wanganui and Paekakariki and it >vas only after a vigorous protest that the War Cabinet agreed to reconsider its intentions. The Government was prepared to leave the people along the const to the “mercy" of the Japs,„and for that action alone he would vote against the Government. “Nothing I can say or (Continued on page 6)