Address By Mr. Hamilton At Town Hall

Northern Advocate, 13 June 1938, Page 8

Address By Mr. Hamilton At Town Hall

“How many points have we been given of Labour’s policy for the next election,” asked the Leader of the Onposition, the Hon. Adam Hamilton, in the Whangarei Town Hall on Saturday night. “We have not heard a single word. Wouldn’t they like to get ours! ■tZ “There will be no sidetracking from the point at issue at the election. The subject before the country today is Labour’s policy in the last two and’ a half years, and no other. It is our task to observe and to criticise and to bring before the public the doings of the Labour Party during that period. “When the next session of Parliament is over they will announce their policy, and we will announce ours.” Mr Hamilton’s remarks were made in response to repeated demands from a section of his audience for an exposition of the National Party's policy. iuterjectors Overcome, • For his address to the Whangarei public, Mr Hamilton was greeted by a packed house, and received an enthusiastic hearing by the great majority of the audience, his remarks being punctuated by frequent applause. Ho was, however, given a very difficult task by a running fire of interjections and comments, accompanied , by booing and hooting. which created such disturbance that the Mayor, Mr W. Jones, who presided, was forced to call twice for the speaker to be given a fair hearing. In general, however, the electric amplifier which was employed gave the speaker the advantage over those who disagreed with his views. Mr Hamilton, on arriving at the Town Hall, accompanied by two pipers, was greeted, by applause and booing, which continued till he reached the stage. Mr Hamilton made a comprehensive review of political matters affecting the Dominion today, his remarks being characterised by a trenchant criticism of the Socialistic policy of the present Government and a reiteration of the belief of the Nationalist Party in the rights of private ownership and

enterprise. During the proceedings the National pandidate for Marsden electorate, Mr

A. J. Murdoch, was also on the platform. The speaker was briefly introduced to the meeting by the Mayor. The Electors’ Choice. “The government of the country is in the hands, not of Parliament, but of the electors,” declared Mr Hamilton, “and unless the people are prepared' to take a keen interest in the problems confronting the country at the present time, all ideals of democracy will be in danger. It is for the electors to make the choice. Last time they made a radical change, and I think they will make another one next time. “There are people in Now Zealand who say that they are not interested in politics, but if they are not, then politics are interested in them, and many people have felt their effects in the last two and a half years.” Increased Cost of Government. Mr Hamilton spoke of the increased cost of Government as revealed by the Appropriation Bill at the last session. In 1927-28 the annual appropriation had been some £29,000.000, and Ihe year before Labour came into office almost £30,000,000. Last year, however, it had been £54.000,000, cion increast of £23,000,000.

“Those who say they are not interested in the face of those figures are not doing their duty in the interests of democracy,” declared Mr Hamilton, Unprecedented Interest. Mr Hamilton went on to state, however, that there was now, six months before the election, a political interest evident which was unprecedented in the history of New Zealand. “People are beginning to realise what is at stake,” he added. “This country is not going to submit to Socialism.

“In New Zealand we have a splendid heritage, with the finest standard of living the world has ever seen, and that should make us vigilant to ensure that what we have received may be handed down to future generations.

"Labour says that the past has been a failure, and that State Socialism must be established to get tiro best out of the country. Wc must see that what wc have already gained is preserved, and that we continue to make progress, but Labour will not only not permit progress, but will do damage to the good 1 that already exists.

In this country we have the privilege of self-government. My friends at the back of the hall who booed me

when I came in do not realise that they may be the ones to put it in danger.” Thanks and Confidence, At the conclusion of the address, Mr J. A. S. Mac Kay expressed thanks to Mr Hamilton for having favoured Whangarei with a visit, and with having given such an interesting and informative outline of the political position in New Zealand. Mr Hamilton was a New Zealander, and, as such, had a full understanding of the aims and aspirations of New Zealanders, individually and as a nation. He formally moved a resolution expressing the confidence of the meeting in Mr Hamilton and the. National Party. Mr F. Cullen, of Maungaturoto, seconding the resolution, endorsed Mr Mac Kay’s remarks. When the motion was put to the meeting there was loud booing and shouting from the rear. An amendment expressing want of confidence was ruled' out of order as being a direct negative of the motion. The resolution was then declared carried, lollowed by three cheers and musical honours, while a section at the back of the hall unsuccessfully endeavoured to dampen the enthusiasm of the majority.