AMONG HIS PEOPLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20086, 25 October 1928, Page 15

AMONG HIS PEOPLE.

MR. COATES IN THE NORTH. WARM WELCOME EXTENDED. EXPRESSIONS OF CONFIDENCE. [ 11Y TE I. EG It.M'H.—o W N CO lIR ES PO XI) E N'T. ] DARGAVILLE. Wednesday A very large and enthusiastic ineeting of the electors of Dargaville, the headquarters of the Prime Minister's constituency, this evening gave Mr. Coates a unanimous vote of thanks, appreciation and confidence, pledged themselves to do their utmost to secure his return to Parliament and freed him from the duty (if addressing further meetings in the district in order that ho might devote his time to the election campaign in other parts of the Dominion. Tho Prime Minister ami Mrs. Coates arrived m tho Kaipara electorate to-day after a rapid journey from Southland. They left Invercargill on Sunday and reached Paparoa this afternoon in time to 1)0 present at a gathering of over 500 settlers, who camo to hear Mr. Coates expound the policy of tho Government. Mr. Coates also visited his home and spent some timo with his mother. Tho warmth of tho reception accorded Mr. Coates, not only at Paparoa and at Dargavillo, but at tho stations 'along tho lino, showed that the Prime Minister's popularity among the people who know him best has not diminished. Mr. Coates.' address at Dargaville was on tho lines of previous speeches. The crowd greatly enjoyed Mr. Coates' invitation to ask him "We are all New Zealauders and you are entitled to ask 1110 questions," ho said. "You Can kick me out, too, I suppose, but I am on the box seat now and I've got a chanco to get some, of my own back before you do." "They won't do that, Gordon," a voice called, the remark being the signal for cheers. Referring to the definite programme of hydro-electric works and railway construction which had been laid down by tho Government, Mr. C'oates said he had challenged tho Opposition to say which hvdro-electric. scheme, railway or load it would cut out arid no one had been bold enough to try to alter the policy. I am rather proud I have had a linger in all these," said Mr. Coates. "1 claim support for a Government which has had the courage to look ahead and to so organise the public works of this Dominion that the most urgent ones are completed first." Discussing briefly some of the work to be done in the future, the Primo Minister said the Government was determined to do something in tho way of invalidity pensions. It was not right or fair that the wife and cjiildren should suffer when the breadwinner of the family, through an accident, was rendered unfit for further work. In some cases the dependants were worse off than if the father were dead. Mr. Coates said a question ho intended to tackle was that of local rating, which was too big a burden on the land. "Some sav the Government's taxes on the land are too high, but they were not high compared with some of the local rates, '. said Mr. Coates. "We have got to get tho rates down somehow." To-morrow Mr. Coates will visit Iviiawai and Te Kopuru, arriving in Wliangarei in the afternoon to address a meeting there in tho evening. PRIME MINISTER'S TOUR. BRIEF STAY IN AUCKLAND. ADDRESS HERE NEXT WEEK. Looking remarkably well and showing no signs of stress after his extensive postsessional election campaign in the South, tho Prime Minister, Mr. Coates, arrived at Auckland by the first express "from YVellington yesterday morning, leaving two hours later for Dargaville. lie was accompanied by Mrs. Coates, Mr. I. D. Thomson, head of tho Prime Minister's Department, and Mr. T. If. Aickin, private secretary to the Prime Minister. Mr. Coates was met upon arrival bv a few personal and party frienos, and aftei breakfasting at the Grand Hotel entrained by the Whangarei express for Dargaville to open his campaign in his own electorate of Kaipara. When being given a farewell by a small party of well-wishers he said the Southern four had represented some soiirl effort. It was a case of fighting all the way," but everything was going very well indeed. The Primo Minister will return to Auckland during tho week-end and will speak in the Town Hall on Monday evennig. LIFE-LONG' OPTIMIST. A CHEERFUL CANDIDATE. TWO KINDS OF " BOWLS." "I make no apology for criticising the Government —a good policy is always worth good criticism, said Air. Bertram Bunn, Reform candidate for Manukau, iri speaking in the Methodist Ilall. G)ecuwood's Corner, last evening. "The Opposition has no policy, so I have no criticism to offer," he, continued. I have been an optimist all rny life, and I believe in the cheerful 'good morning' spirit." A Melancholy Voice: And no breakfast.. The Candidate: I was watching a happy gathering on tho bowling green the other day, and I thought a great many people would 1)0 better off if they were playing bowls instead of drinking bowls in the b;ir Au interjector remarked that everybody would be better off if the Government was put out. Mr. Bunn: If you go on talking like that you will have the country run by trade union secretaries, i oil do not bclive you are being treated well because so much is done silently. I think some men in Parliament are inclined to stay too much in the background. You would be better satisfied if they came out on tho platform frequently and spent Jess timo in their offices. A vol" of thanks was carried. OPPONENT OF-MR. COATES. ADDRESS AT H ELENSVILLE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] HELENSVILTjE, .Wednesday. Mr. J. G Barclay, Labour candidate for Kaipara, addressed a fairly largo attendance of electors in the Lyric Theatre last evening. Mr. .1. Maekio presided The candidate spoke ehiofly on Labour's platform, and also criticised tho Reform Government's policy. lie dealt at length with Labour's land policy. He is a farmer himself. State banks and financo in general were fully dealt with. Mr. C. West moved a vote of thanks, which was carried by acclamation.