SMITH COMPLAINS OF ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES

Northern Advocate, 26 October 1946, Page 4

SMITH COMPLAINS OF ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES

“The change in the electoral boundaries was brought in on the cheap, meaningless cry of “one man, one vote, one value,” said Mr S. W. Smith, MP. (National—Hobson) to an attendance of about 100 at Te Kopuru last night. Mr F. Wordsworth presided. The cheapness of tlje cry could be gauged from an examination ot' the rolls, Mr Smith claimed. Auckland Central, which was about the size of a pocket handkerchief as compared with Hobson, contained about 9000 electors compared with approximately 14.000 in the Far North electorate. “In the past your member was readily available at -short notice to every constituent. Now, no matter where he lives, he is a long ‘way from somebody.” not responsible for slump Mr Smith said no political party was responsible for the slump. In any case the so-called New Zealand Tory Government of slump times had done more for the people than did any Labour Government in Australia at that period. Today no particular or individuals were running the National Party, the funds of which were contributed from all over the country. He believed in the profit motive, the hope of reward providing the incentive for people to do something for themselves.

“I say that Governments which have gone before were mindful to some extent of the people and they introduced those schemes which provided the foundation on which the present Government has built,” he said when dealing with social security. "We want to give the Government every credit for what it has done, but the claim that it is the Government that gives social security to the people is incorrect. The people give it to themselves through the Government.” SOCIAL SECURITY The National Party was pledged to carry on social security as it existed today but with alterations. “We can build up in New Zealand a tourist trade second to none in the world,” he continued, “and we should make every effort to attract overseas people, not only for their money, but. to encourage them to settle here.” Replying to a question Mr Smith said Nationalists had repeatedly asked for cld age pensions to be paid direct by cheque, but they had been told this was a difficult thing to do—an answer that was unacceptable to them. “I will do all I can to bring this about,” he said. He was accorded a vote of confidence.