ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20088, 27 October 1928, Page 15

ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

"BOMBSHELL FIZZLES."

LABOUR LEADER'S CHARGE.

DAIRY control and radio

PRIME MINISTER'S ANSWER.

fjjY TELEG.It Aril.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] lIELENSVILLE. Friday.

A vigorous rebuttal was mado by the Prime Minister, Mr. Coates, to-night to tho allegation contained in the speech c f tho Leader of tho Labour Party, Mr. II E. Holland, at Wellington on Thursday that there was some connection between tho abandonment of absolute dairy control, an article published by Mr. W. Goodfellow in the Exporter, and the loan mado by tho Post Ollico to the Wireless Broadcasting Company.

"This is what Mr. Holland calls a charge against tho Government," said t ] lo l'rimo Minister. "It was preceded b v a'hint f'" nl Mr - McKeen, tho Labour candidate for Wellington South, that a bombshell relating to dairy control was to be dropped and that he hoped the explosion would be enough to smash the present Government. Note the pious hopo! Any old 'diggers' will remember what a 'stink' bomb was like, and this go-called bombshell is ono of them." Mr. Coates said as soon as ho read tho statement ho telegraphed to Mr. Goodfellow advising him that ho would deal with tho subject on tho earliest possible occasion —his meeting in llelensville that night—and asking him if ho cared to mako any observations A message of a similar naturo was also sent to the Secretary of the Post Office, Mr. G. McNamara, who was also asked to supply {he date on which tho Broadcasting Company applied for tho loan and that on which it was granted. Mr. Goodtollow's Statement.

Mr. Good fellow had replied as follows: «'Tho original contract provided for four 5000 watts broadcasting stations. Subsequently, for State and military reasons, tlio Postmaster-General requested the

Broadcasting Company to erect ono super station at Wellington, which was agreed to, provided the Government arranged a loan to cover this additional capital expenditure. "Mr. Holland's reference that this financial assistance was in any way associated with dairy control is without the slightest foundation, and is nothing but grossly insulting political propaganda. My statement in the Exporter of May 28, 1927, blaming tlio Labour Party for tho board's failuro to establish tho council system of election is strictly correct. Iho preform Party were in no way responsible for tho failure of absolute control." M:\ Coates said Mr. McNamara's reply was as follows, and he asked the audience to ta.ko particular notice of tho dates: ."Tho press report states tho Leader of tlio Opposition referred to an article signed by Mr. Goodfellow in May, 1927, in tlio Exporter. The first application i'or a Joan from tlio Broadcasting Company is dated October 5, 1926. Au agreement was completed on December 16, 1926, but the money was not paid over till July 20, 1927, tho company not having ordered material from -England until the loan was assured. Funds of Wireless Company. "It was not generally known that the department collects during April in each Year tho total amount duo for licences for 12 months, and pays to the Broadcasting Company only one-twelfth of its share per month. At tho time the application was made, the department held in trust for tho company £5945. At the time the loan was actually made the amount held was £21,234, and at the present time tho department is holding £24,244, so that, apart from tho mortgage on the station, tho department is actually holding that amount of money payable by monthly instalments to tho company."

"There lire the whole of the facts in connection with Mr. Holland's charges that there has been an agreement between the Government, Mr. Goodfellow, the Broadcasting Company and the Dairy Board/' the Prime Minister said. "J hat wonderful bombshell has fizzled. (Applause.) There has been no connivance. {Applause.| The talk that the Government was responsible for smashing dairy control is hot air."

The Prima Minister said (bo Government had submittrr! two names to the Dairy Board, and they had selected Mr. S. Paterson as (lie Government representative in the London agency. Mr. Coates said ho had found there were serious difficulties among members of the board in England, and Tooley Street was alarmed. .Ml he had done was to send a table to the board in New Zealand setting out th-j position as he. saw it as bead of the Government. It was nothing less than his duty to have done so.

INDEPENDENT AND LABOUR. POSITION IN RANGITIKEi. MR. HOLLAND STANDS FIRM. [itY TELEGRAPH. —OWN COlt KKSTONDENT. J WANOANUI, Friday. A deputation of Marten supporters of Mr. J. T. Hogan, Independent candidate for Rangitikei, waited on Mr. 11. I'- Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, here to-night, with a request that Mr. E. I'. Andrews, Labour nominee, should withdraw from the campaign. It was pointed out that Mr. Hogan had declared he would voto with Labour to put (lip Government out of office, and it was therefore thought it was best to make a straight-out contest. Mr. Andrews was «i stranger to tho district, having been imported from Auckland Mr. Holland said if the workers at Marlon were affiliated they must have been consulted. Mr. Tlogan was not a member of the Labour Party, which under no circumstances would withdraw its man for a vote that would not lie certain. Mr. Holland added that Mr. Hogati could have joined the Labour Party 15 years ago, but did not and had not done so since.

CONFIDENCE IN IfEFORM

MR. MACMILLAN AT TE PUKE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TB PUKE, Friday. Tho Reform candidate for Tauranga, Mr. C. E Macniillan, addressed a wellattended meeting of electors at Te Puke last evening Ho was accorded an attentive hearing. Tho chairman of tho Town Board, Mr. 11. 0. Coonc.y, presided. Mr. Macniillan said tho administration of tho Reform Government was in the best interests of all sections of the community, and ho outspokenly criticised the methods o|: tho Country Party. A number of questions bearing on licensing, unemployment and immigration wero ftsked, ancl a vote of thanks and confidence in the candidate was carried.