PICTURES V. POLITICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17338, 9 December 1919, Page 10

PICTURES V. POLITICS.

NO HEARERS FOR CANDIDATE. MR. GRJ3ENSLAPE AT TAKAPU^A. An address was to have ' Seen given at at the Parish Hall, Takapuna, last evening by Mr. A. E. Greenskde, Opposition candidate for Waitemata, but owing to a picture theatre .next door proving more -attractive than a" political address, nobody attended to hear the candidate. By pert mission of the manager of the picture theatre, Sir. Greenslade ■ addressed the audience there daring the interval, which lasted 10 minutes. His address, which he entitled, "The Better 'G'e in Politics," was listened to attentively, and at its conclusion a vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously. THE GREY LYNN SEAT. MISS- MELVILLE'S CAMPAIGN. RICH MEN AND TAXATION. Miss E. Melville, the Government candidate for Grey Lynn, addressed a meeting of electors in the Richmond Hall last evening. The building was crowded, and the candidate received a most enthusiastic reception. Mr. 0. Norgrove presided. An unusual incident marked the opening of the meeting, a handsome bouquet of sweet peas being presented to Miss Melville by a little girl named Mercia Alien. The candidate, who dealt with the question of war taxation, saH the larger portion of the increased impost was paid by wealthy people, and not by the poor men, as often was stated. She pointed out that no income tax was paid on incomes of less than £300, and no land tax or death duties pn estates of under £500. » An interjector: Will you tell us something that 'the poor man does come in on? Miss Melville: "Yes, the tctalisator'" She pointed out that the total investments in Isew Zealand had risen from £2,800,000 in 1912 to £5,000,000 in 1917, while last year, even with the reduction of racing permits, the amount was £4,500,000, -and the indications were that the present year's return would be a record. A second interjector (to the first) : That settles you all right! (Laughter.) The candidate, "who advocated the limited freehold land tenure, referred to the frequent cry concerning the "un- ; earned increment," and said a great many of the people who had the land j were not the pioneers of the country, and | certainly by their labours had earned the inclement of the value of their holdings. j (Applause.) The two real solutions of the cost-of-living problem, she said, were to be found in increased production and in prohibition. A reference also was made to the Board of Trade legislation passed last session, and the speaker said that if the new stringent regulations were carried out they would stop profiteering- In touching on the housing question, she said that one of the most effective cures for industrial unrest would be to give each man an opportunity of acquiring his own home. In reply to a question, Miss Melville said she did not believe in a policy of wholesale nationalisation, as the Dominion already had sufficient financial responsibilities. A vote of thanks and confidence to Miss Melville, moved by Mr. H. C. Powell and seconded by Mr. S. Tnrkington, was carried, with one dissentient. * SPEECH BY MR. RICHARDSON. The Labour candidate for Grey Lynn, Mr. P. Richardson, addressed a crowded meeting at the Jubilee Hall, Fungsland, last evening. Mr. Chas. D. Grey presided. Speaking of Moderate Labour, Mr. Richardson stated that he defined the words as meaning sane reasoning, and it was impossible for him" to follow, such men as Messrs. Semple, Webb, and Holland, who, the speaker maintained, were not acting • for the betterment of New Zealand by their unpatriotic tactics. He absolutely "declined to associate himself with any thing flavoured with revolution and Bolshevism. As regards arbitration and conciliation, he was convinced from practical experience that the present law was no doubt good at the time of its institution, but had long since outlived its usefulness. He quoted tile delay in arriving at a. settlement in the butchers' strike, and said thai- had a system of wages boards been adopted a just and equitable settlement could have been arrived at within a week. A hearty vote of thanks and confidence was accorded the candidate. i AUCKLAND WEST. Mr. A. J. Entrican, Opposition candidate for Auckland West, addressed a wellattended meeting of electors .in the Bayfield Methodist Church last evening. Mr. J. Stanton presided. The candidate received an attentive hearing. Mr. C. H. Poole also addressed the meeting. A vote of thanks and confidence was accorded Mr. Entrican, there being one dissentient. The major portion of the address delivered by Mr. M. J. Savage, Labour candidate for Auckland West, at the West End Theatre, Ponsonby Road, last even-; ing, was a discussion on the cost of living. There were between 600 and 700 people preient, and Mr. J. J. Sullivan presided. The candidate quoted from the report of the Royal Commission appointed in ISI2 to inquire Into the cost of living. He said the commission candidly stated that trusts, monopolies, and combine*- were in opera- I tion in New Zealand. Mr. Savage criti- i cised the action of the Merchants' Association in refusing to give evidence before the commission, and" named four Auckland merchants who adopted this attitude. Mr. Savage was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. —__~ ' EDEN. Mr. C. J. Parr, sitting member and Government candidate for Eden, addressed a large audience at Swanson last evening. Mr. A. Christian presided and stated in introducing the candidate that Mr. I'arr had given useful service to Swanson in regard to the new railway time-table and road grants. Mr. Parr emphasised the necessity for extending the suburban railway service to Kumeu, and said he believed that when the coal shortage was overcome further improvements would b? niade<r Further, the Government should improve the telephone services everywhere in country districts so soon as material and telephones were available. Mr. Massey was the first Minister for Railways to produce an improved suburban time-table. Mr. Parr had an excellent reception, and was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.

SPEECH BY MR. POTTER. Mr. Vivian H. Potter, the Government candidate for the Roskill seat, addressed a meeting at the Epsom Hall last evening. Mr. G. F. Lovegrove presided. The candidate referred to his own personal association with the district, and dealt with the present state of the political parties. He stated that the legacy left to the present Leader of the Opposition by the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, in the form of a substantial working majority in the House, had dwindled to a minority, and he eulogised Mr. Massey's bull-dog tenacity as an indisputable factor in achieving this. The candidate strongly deprecated aspirants to parliamentary honours waiting to see the trend of public feeling before definitely outlining their own policy arid emphasised the fact that the period for "rail-sitting" was past. ' Mr. Potter's references to the questions of education, railways, and Labour extremists met with the cordial approval of those present. The drastic scope of the Anti-Profiteering Act placed on the Statutes by Mr. Massey was outlined. A number cf questions were asked, and the candidate was accorded an enthusiastic vote of confidence and thanks.