ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20074, 11 October 1928, Page 13

ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

'AUCKLAND EAST.

MRS. MAG U! RE'S ADDRESS.

REFORM'S SOCIAL PROGRAMME

AUDIENCE VOTES CONFIDENCE

"You put me in, and I promise you my behaviour will bo most exemplary and will pave tho way for others of my sex to follow." said Mrs. C. E. Maguire when opening Iter election coinpaign for Auckland. Last last evening. About 200, including a majority of women, attended her meeting, which was held in St. Andrew's Church hall. Mrs. Maguire is tho official Reform candidate for Auckland East, and she had for her chairman I)r. J. Hardio Js'eil. I'll ring tho course of an hour's fluent address, in which the candidate gave special prominence to tho social reform side of politics, she was subjected to a certain amount of hostile interjection from a group of men at tho back, but she continued on her way unruffled. The greater part of the audience was obviously with her, and her points wore frequently applauded. The chairman introduced Mrs. Magmro as one whom they thought well worthy j of being tho Lady Astor of New Zea- | land. Ho referred to her services on the Auckland City Council, as president of the Civic League unci of the Myers Kindergarten, and in other capacities. Mrs. Maguire declared that now she was fully persuaded it was her duty to stand she was "going to get right into it up to the neck." She had been told she oiHit to stay at home and look after her husband,' but she had such a good husband that lie did not need any looking alter. She commented on the fact that although women in this country had had the vote for 35 years .they had not yet returned a woman to Parliament. .That was a disgrace. Women Good Financiers. What was there that Parliament did that was not of interest to women ? She looked upon Parliament as a kind of national housekeeping, and women wero the greatest financiers in the world, it was a matter of making the money available fo as far as possible. The present Government was evidently in favour of having women in Parliament, as it had made her its official candidate. A Voice: In favour of tho right kind cf woman. , T , , The Candidate: Yes, and I stand hero ks tho right kind of woman. (Applause.) Speaking of the sound position oi tho finances of tho country, Mrs. Maguire said New Zealand could go on the market, aiul borrow at a better rato o . n * terest than could any other Dominion. It, was true our national debt stood at £251.000,000, but 70 per cent, of that was productive. In the l>' s t six > f ' als wo had paid off £9.000.000 of debt, Were they not proud of their little country . She doubted if there was another country that had such fine social services. The administration of the hospitals was a lesson to the rest of tho world. In tho Old Country it was always beg, hog, beg for hospitals, and tho wholo svstem was kept up by ch.aiitj. Ie ex plained tho New Zealand system of maintaining hospitals by a municipal rato subsidised by tho Government. "Heart of Child Welfare."

Naturally through its climate Auckland received a larger share of unemployed than other centres, and they had to receive aid. Her view was that charitable aid should be a national and not a local responsibility. She went on to refer to the St. lleli'iis Hospitals and the Plunket training, under which all babies now knew when to go to sleep. (Laughter.) The work oi the Plunket Society was followed up by the kindergarten, where the training was of absolute love. Iheie was no forcing and no unkind word ever passed the teachers' hps. Ihe kindergarten work was the very heart of clnla welfare, and when that was fuhy availed of they would soon bo able to do away with that pet abomination of hers, the Children's Court. The kindergarten was not supported by the Government, but L was subsidised by it. She knew unemployment was uppermost in the minds of many, and some had the temerity to blame tho Government for it. She thought tho Government had striven splendidly to meet tho situation. Among tho causes of unemployment she mentioned tho introduction of machinery and the top-dressing of soil, but immigration had nothing to do it. The unemployed should ba divided into two sections, tho unemployed and the unemployable. Farm Colony System.

She believed tho system of farm colonicss at Rotoroa could bo copied ftnd multiplied with great advantage. Unemployable men could bo put there under guidance and taught useful and productive occupations. 'I lie farm colony would <lo away with a great deal of tho "unemployable" problem. Mrs. Maguire touched upon tho problem of backward children, and spoke of the patience and tenderness and care she had watched tho teachers in an Auckland Kchool expending upon such cases. At present there wero 6000 children of this tvpo in New Zealand, and what wero they going to do with them ? A Voice: Give us politics. Mrs. Maguire said this was where the Mental Defectives Act came in, and it would provide places where defective children would lie loved and cared for and educated up to a point where they could no a benefit to the country. The Government was trying to find a place for them, where they would bo happy until tho end of their days. Much had been said about tariff reform, but all the Government sought to do was to help our own people and industries. Why should we import American fruit when we had " fruit to burn " in our own country? Roads and Railways. She was anxious about roads, and wanted to see good roads to open up the country and provide access to small holdings. Although tho Government had dorie wonders in improving tho roads, and the railways, too, much yet remained to be done. " A lot of you do not know much about work," she said, addressing herself more particularly to some interrupters at the back. "If you would try it for a bit yen would be surprised how contented it would make you." (Applause and laughter). She closed with an appeal for the support of the electors. If you do not put mo in you will bo sorry for it all your days," she concluded In answering a sheaf of questions banded in, the candidate said she was not in favour of a Stale Bank or of the nationalisation of medical services. She favoured the daily repetition of tho Lord's Prayer in schools, but not the exposition of the Bible there. She would not support the repeal of military training. She favoured a referendum on such a subject ns the Bible in schools. She believed private wards in public hospitals would be a very good tiling. On the question of her attitude on tho prohibition question, the candidate said she favoured a two-issue ballot paper and a bare majority. It was a matter for tho people. More than that she would not say. A motion of thanks to Mrs. Maguire for her address, and expressing confidence - in her as candidate for tho electorate was moved by Mr. S. Coldicuft. A hostile amendment of thanks, but expressing no-confidence in the candidate 1 or in tho Reform Government, was also moved. Tho motion was put, and declared car- .#!• ried on the voices. Tho meeting broke Tip with some cheering for Mr. J- A. Leo, " JU.P., the sitting member.