WORK BEFORE DOLE.

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

WORK BEFORE DOLE.

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF. INSURANCE PLAN REJECTED. LABOUR CRITICISM MET. [iJY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HELENSVILLE, Friday. Tho Prime Minister, Mr. Coates, scored effectively over three or four Labour interjectors at a meeting of electors hero this evening. Tho audience greatly enjoyed tho fun and at the closo gavo Mr. Coates ono of tho best ovations he has yet had. Amid applauso which lasted for some minutes they carried a resolution of thanks and confidence, and refused to give a hearing to a man who wished to move an amendment of thanks only. The chairman of tho Helensville Town Board, Mr. J. Muekie, presided. Tho first interjection eatno when Mr. Coates. in speaking of tho difficulty of solving tho unemployment problem, expressed his abhorrence of anything in the nature of a dole.

"Unemployment insurance," a man called. Tho Prime Minister: The d01e...

The interjector persisted and the chairman was rising to call him to order when tho Prime Minister said: "Leave him alone; I like this. I have got him. Wo will talk unemployment insurance. What about Queensland Tho Interjector: Queensland paid out £250,000 last year on unemployment insurance and Now Zealand spent £500,000 on relief works. The Prime Minister: And Queensland with its unemployed insurance has ono man in every oO out of work, and wo in New Zealand have only ono in every 300. How does that strike you ? And Queensland's men are still out of work. Cost of Insurance. Tho Prime Minister said tho Leader of the Labour Party quoted unemployment insurance as the panacea for unemployment. He did not know what he was talking about. Tho Industrial Conference, on which the workers had full representation, said it was not a panacea and recommended that further inquiries should be made before it was introduced into Now Zealand.

Mr. Coates said it would cost New Zealand £300.000 from tho Consolidated Fund for unemployment insurance, and the workers and tho employers would havo to contribute. Before the scheme was brought into this country tho fullest investigation should be made. "Leave him alone; ho is not here," another of the interjectors called when Mr. Coates announced his intention of dealing with some of the remarks concerning him which Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, had made in his speeches. "You must ho frightened of him," said the interjector. "You havo not managed yet to bring out tlio man I am frightened of," the Prime Minister retorted, amidst applause. The Interjector: Well give us something about yourself.

Tlio I'rirr.o Minister: 1 have, and if you want something good to talk about I don't know that you could find anything better than myself.

A Persistent Interjector. After one man had been interrupting for some time the Prime Minister asked him: "Are you a Communist?" The Interjector: That's my business. Tho Prime Minister pressed for an answer. "You are not a bad-looking sort, of fellow," he said, "and I would like to talk with you, but if you are a Communist it is no good trying to talk to you."

As the mail made no further answer the Prime Minister continued his speech, but the interjeclor appeared later when Mr. Coates was making reference to the pushing 011 of public works under the regime of the Government. "Yes, and you are doing it on scab wages; nine bob and twelve bob a day." the man called loudly. "Look here, you are the most ignorant man I have yet come across," the Prime Minister said. "Tell me of one single instance of any man employed in the contract parties or anywhere else on railway or hvdro-electric construction who is earning only nine or twelve shillings a dav. Tell me one—you cannot. You are the sort of individual who is a danger to thir community. I tell you there is not one of those men who is on that wage. Wait until the numbers go up on election day. I always score with the public works men. They know who is their friend and be is'not the agitator who stands yapping at the street corner." "THE FIGHT 18 ON." MR. OSBORNE'S DECLARATION. WAITEMATA CANDIDATES. Yet another candidate for Parliament has adopted the "gloves off ' attitude, Mr. A. G. Osborne, Labour candidate for Waitemata, making an announcement to that effect at an open-air meeting at Devonport last evening. "My opponents have attacked mo, and tiie fight is on," Mr. Osborne saijl. "The United Party candidate is not 'cutting any ice,' and the real fight is between Mr. Harris and myself. 1 have bad the honour of having both my opponents attend niv meetings, but T hope I never shall attend the meeting of another candidate. " Mr. Harris says the Labour Party has toned down its platform, but while two years ago he made most amazing statements against Reform administration, to-dav he is supporting the party which lie accused of being commercially corrupt. The Reform Party is more a party of muddlers than <>f corruption. A plea for support for Labour was made by Mr. J. A. Lee, candidate for Auckland East. EASTERN MAORI SEAT. RATANA'S FORMER SECRETARY [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION] 01SB0HNH. Friday. Mr. Pita' te Turiki Tamate Moko has been nominated for Iho Eastern Maori seat, in opposition to Sir Apirana Ngata. It is stated that Mr. Moko stands as an Independent. He was formerly secretary to Mr. W. T. Ralana. and at one time boxed in the Australian ring as Peter Thomas. NOMIN ATI ON DECLINED. MR. VIGOR BROWN'S STAND. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION'] NAPIF.It, Friday. Mr. J. Vigor Brown, who represented Napier in Parliament for many years as a Liberal, declined nomination as the United Party candidate for the Napier seat., asserting that his Mayoral duties occupied all his time.