CLAIMS DISPUTED.

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

CLAIMS DISPUTED.

WORK OF GOVERNMENT.

CRITICISM AT ROTORUA.

COUNTRY PARTY CANDIDATE.

[0 Y TELKCiBAI'H. —OWN COIUIESPONDENT. ] ROTORUA, Friday. Tho Country Party candidate for tho Rotorua electorate, Mr. S. 1L Judd, addressed a meeting of electors at Rotorua last evening. The Mayor, Mr. J. N. McLean, presided. Mr. Judd said the. financial position of the country was unsatisfactory and there was a growing amount of unemployment. There had been a gradual reduction in the number of farm workers and, in (he six years from 1921, 19,000 people had left the country for work in the (owns.

Tho candidate criticised tho claims of tho Reform Government that so many things had been done for tho country and said that when ifs claims were examined what it had dono amounted to very little.

With regard to the claim of providing easy finance for farmers under the Rural Credit scheme the money was borrowed at 5 per cent, and lent at 6£ per cent., a chargo of 1 per cent, in excess of what could be done. This was in order to maintain tho present rates in the interests of the Government's "financial friends."

The speaker referred to the operations of tho . corporate agricultural banks in Europe, where they had been in existence for a long period. He said in Denmark tho bank enabled tho farmer to obtain money at 4| per cent., which included sinking fund. Another claim was that the Highways Boards had relieved the expenses of roading borno by county councils. As a matter of fact, ho said the cost of construction had been increased and the burden was heavier. Tho promise of the Reform Government to construct roads to the most distant man on the land so that he could reach the railway station meant tho construction of 64.000 miles of road, and the promise was absurd.

The claim of the Reform Government in regard to the establishment of herdtesting was not true. 'l'ho Farmers' Union had started the work and made a success of it, hut the Government claimed the credit.

Tho claim of cheap electric power for tho farmer was not correct. Tho cost of operating his plant by electricity was one-third more than by using a benzine plant. Tho Horahora station had shown a profit of £20,000 and when they asked for a reduction in price they were told tho Lake Coleridge scheme was run at a loss and that one station run at profit had to make up the losses of the others. Thus tho Waikato farmer had to pay for Christchurch people's light. Mr. Judd said he considered this was not tho time to put more money into farming. Tho business was not paying because tho production costs had been artificially increased. Very few people knew by how much. The increase had left the worker in a worse position than ho was 20 years ago. .At the close of the meeting the candidate was accorded a vote of thanks.

APPEAL TO ELECTORS.

LARGER AUDIENCES WANTED.

DISCUSSION OVER MOTION.

An appeal to electors of Manukau to attend his meetings and thoso of liis opponent in larger numbers was made by Mr. Kells Mason, United Parly candidate for Manukau, in an address to about 100 people in the Penrose Hall last evening. Mr. J. Adams presided. Mr. Mason said the electors were partly to blame for the condition of the country at present. The small attendance might bo taken to reflect the apathy ot the people and to show they were prepared to put up with the way in which the country was being mismanaged. He urged the people to make both his meetings and those of Mr. B. Bunn, the Reform candidate, "bumper" meetings. The candidate, in reply to a question, snid that while he . was against too much Slate interference he was inclined to think a Stale bank scheme should be adopted. The Liberals bad always held there was a strict line of demarcation beyond which the State should not go. The nature of the resolution to be passed in favour of the candidate caused division of opinion. A motion expressing thanks and confidence was proposed and seconded, and an amendment was proposed to give thanks to the candidate, but to make it, clear the meeting had every confidenco in the sitting member. Mr. Jordan. The seconder of the amendment said he was sorry Mr. Mason was not standing for some other electorate.

A Voice; Kaipara Flats. After hearing the voices for and against tho amendment, the chairman said ho would liko a show of hands. He finally decided to accept a motion of thanks only, slating Mr. Mason was agreeable to this.