LABOUR AND THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19163, 31 October 1925, Page 15

LABOUR AND THE LAND.

NO ATTACK ON HOMES'. MR. SAVAGE'S PLEDGE. A SOLEMN DECLARATION. The Deputy-Leader of the Labour Party, Mr. M. J. Savage, adheres to his interpretation of the party's land policy. At an open-air meeting in Ponsonby last night he backed it up with a solemn pledge that the interpretation would in future be his own policy, and that he would use his vote and influence ingly"We come before you as a party, not as individuals," continued Mr. Savage. "We ask you to put your confidence in us. Our opponents say that we are rogues who want to rob you of your farms and your homes. They say all sorts of mad things like that, and try to put the blame on to us. I have given a lifetime to this business, and when people who have come into it only yesterday say things like that against us, I say they need heavier artillery to show us where we are wrong."

As for the assertion that Labour wanted to rob the people of their homes, he could say at once that a Labour Government would have quite enough to do without bothering the people who had homes. "Even if we wanted to displace you, the job would be too big," he declared. "And the liability is too big. There are about £270,000,000 of mortgages on house properties and farms in New Zealand to-day. You can dispose of your farm to anyone you deem fit. "Interpretation is Everything." *

"There is nothing against that in the Labour programme as we see it. Our opponents hold up the 1919 constitution of the party to you, but like any sensible body we hold a conference every year to alter anything that needs altering. It is not the programme, but what we say about it. I give you my pledge that it does not interfere with the purchase of your home or its disposal to anyone you see fit."

Mr. Savage went on to say that the resumption of £2O,(XX) estates, which the programme did contemplate, would not be accomplished over-night. The Labour Government would reserve the right to acquire them or not, as it saw fit. Uiis was no more than the present Government had empowered itself to do by recent legislation. Labour's opponents still said that it intended to confiscate lands and destroy tenures. What it proposed was first to use unoccupied Crown lands, which comprised one-third of New Zealand, and portion of which was useful for certain purposes, at any rate. Secondly, having settled the Crown lands, it would consider the £20,000 estates, which numbered 1080. He was quite aware that some of these were town properties, and he did not suggest that cows should be grazed in Queen Street. , A Voice: What about the Civic Square ? (Laughter.) . Mr. Savage: Even the Civic Square would not make a dairy farm, although it might be put to better use than it is at present. " Over the Fence."

When the occupied but unused land, estimated at one-third of New Zealand, had been dealt with, members of the present Labour Party would be about ready to die. Then, possibly, Labour would ask the public to set it a new task, but meanwhile the £20,000 estates would be quite small enough for it to tackle. The newspapers who quoted passages from the Labour programme had failed to quote other relevant passages, or to cite the general principles upon which the piogramine was based. " This does not affect the home that you are purchasing," declared Mr. Savage. I give vou that pledge. I have been 30 years in the Labour movement, and in all that time I have never been accused by anvone in the party of breaking a pledge. To* have an individual who is only just standing for Parliament say that to a mati who has spent a lifetime at it well, it is over the fence. " I have lived in this constituency for 20 vears. lam always to be found. I know what pledges I ought to make to my constituents, and I intend to keep my pledges. If I tell you that this is not going to affect your home, you can stake" your life that I will use my vote and my influence in that direction, bbcause it squares with the policy of the Labour Party. I know what pledges I have made, and I do not have to look up anv notes in order to find whether I reallv made them 'at such and such a meeting, or whether I did not. I tell you that this will not affect your home unless it is to lighten your load, arid with your consent. Our job will be to let you alone unless you come to us, and to get you homes if you have not got them. Mr. Savage made a similar assurance about farm lands. " They say what lam telling you is only political argument, but is their argument"anything else than that? They say that I—but I will not repeat what they call me. I have given you my word, and vou have just as much right to take my word as that of the individual who is opposed to me."

CANDIDATES' MEETINGS.

PROGRAMME FOR TO-DAY

Candidates will address meetings today as follow: Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central), corr.er Cook Street and Vincent Street, 8 p.m.

Mr. J. A. Lee (Auckland East), Roxburgh Street, Newmarket, 7.30 p.m.; Hill Street, Newmarket, 8.15 p.m. Mr. Oakley Browne (Auckland East), Masonic Half, Eden Terrace, 8 p.m. Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West), cornetßyle Street and England Street, 7 p.m. •corner Norfolk Street and Kent Street, 8 p.m. : corner Summer Street and Oliphant Street, 9 p.m. Mr. S. "Oldfield (Auckland West), Heme Bay Mission Hall, Heme Bay Road, 3 "p-in- (ladies' meeting); St. Stephen's Hall, Jervois Road, 8 p.m. Sir James Parr (Eden), Victoria Hall, Avondale Flats, 8 p.m. Mr. H. Cr. R. Mason (Eden), Kauri Timber Bush Camp, Waitakere, 3 p.m.; St. Enoch's Hall. Morningside, 8 p.m. Mr. J. W. Yarnall (Roskill), corner Kitchener Road and Edendale Road, 7.30 p.m. Mr. Hall Skelton (Roskill), corner of Burnley Terrace and Edendale Road, Kingsland, 7.45 p.m. Mr. W. J. Jordan (Manukau), Onehunga Woollen Mills, 8 p.m. Mr. T. Lamont (Waitemata), Mission Hall, Stanley Bay, 8 p.m. Mr. A. G. Osborne (Waitemata), Marine Square, Devonport, 8 p.m. Mr. E. D. McLennan (Franklin), Mauku Hall, 8 p.m. Mr. D. McClymont (Franklin), Howick Public Hall, 8 p.m. Mr. A A.Ross (Thames), Ness" Valley School, 2 p.m.; Ramarama Hall, 8 p.m. Mr. W. E. G. Willy (Thames), Matatoki Hall, 8 p.m. Mr. J. A. Young (Hamilton), Melville School, 8 p.m. Hon. R. F. Bollard (Raglan), Otaua, 8 p.m. Mr. Stewart Reid (Waikato), Red LetVsr Box, Pokanui, 11 a.m.; Pirongia Hall, 8 p.m.