KING COUNTRY NEEDS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20098, 8 November 1928, Page 14

KING COUNTRY NEEDS.

DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCES UNITED PARTY'S PROMISES. MR. BROADFOOT'S CAMPAIGN.

[|| V TELEfIUAI'It. OWN COll I! Esl'ON DENT. ] TK KUl't'l. Wedni'iidiiy.

The People's Picture Palace, Te Kuiti, was packed to overflowing this evening, when an enthusiastic meeting was addressed l>.v Mr. \V. ,1. Broadfoot, United Party candidate for Waitomo. The speaker, who was accorded an ovation when ho appeared on tlio platform, was introduced liy the deputy-mayor, Mr. A. iilaekman

In commencing his address the candidate dealt with the formation of the United Party, of which he s;\id ho bad been one of the two prune movers. There wero puny minds that, declared that Iho loader, Sir Joseph Ward, was too old. added Mr. Broad foot, but the party was comprised of young, virile men. who would better be able to handle the affairs of government if their actions were tempered by Sir Joseph's experience. (Applause. )

When the candidate had nunc to the Kincr Country, some 21 years ago, ho said, opportunities were many, but to-day it was not so The creative forces that should have, been at work during tho past J5 years had heen lacking. "We nro the Cinderella of tho districts ot the North Island, anil unless wo fight for what wo want we will not get it." (Applause.) With respect to measures that it was proposed to take to rectify the position in regard to production, said Mr. Broadfoot, closer settlement was advocated. This remedy would apply particularly to tho King Country, where there was evidence on all sides thai To Kuiti should have tieen taken as the centre of a 15-nile radius which, tinder proper treatment, would be a prosperous district. A Voice. It can't bo done. The Candidate: It can be done. (Applause. ) Proceeding to tho question of fhe country's- national resourcos, the candidate said : "We have had Ministers wringing (heir hands about the amount of money that we are sending annually ♦ o America, but what about our own undeveloped industries ? Germany is manufacturing synthetic petrol from coal by-products. Why cannot we do it, in New Zealand ? Sir Joseph Ward has in hand a scheme whereby it is intended to develop the coal by-products industry and that will bo tho first direct attack on thn unemployment problem in this country. It will not only provide new revenue for the country, but it. will furnish new work and a new industry in tin* country."

Tho speaker deplored the lark of imagination on tlie part of those who had governed tiio country in regard to ilovoloping its latent resources. His remarks in this connection wuro received with continued applause. Replying to a question how lie would vote on a no-conlidenco motion by Labour the candidate replied: " J will make my Httitudo clear and will read it so as to avoid the misrepresentation on this question that took place three years ago. The United Party lias been formed to eliminate Reform and to that end 1 will vote Reform out on a no-confidence motion, no matter by whom moved, after which I will do ' nothing whatsoever to allow Labour to rule this country. If tho United Party arc not strong enough to form a Ministry, then we should go backto tho country." {Loud applause.) With regard to the liquor question in the King Country the candidate said lie was in favour of a referendum for the people to settle the question for themselves and a 55 per cent majority on the notional issue. At the conclusion of his address a resolution embodying thank* to the cand' date and confidence in him to represent the district in Parliament was carried amid loud applause, there neing practically no dissent. HECKLING AT WIIA NO AII EI. the claims of labour. ADDRESS BY MR. W. H. CHETHAM. [my TEf.ECJII.VI'II. OWN CdIII'.KSI'ONDKN I. ] W HANG AI! t'.l, Wednesday. Mr. W. H. Chetham, Labour candidate for Mtirsd.cn, addressed a meeting of about 300 electors in the Town Hall. Whangarei, this week, and although there was considerable heckling the crowd was good humoured. Dealing with highways the candidate criticised the conditions of main roads in tho Dominion. He said the railways were "up against it," not only in New Zealand, but all over tho world. The highways should be built to feed the railways instead of being built parallel \\uh them, as was being done in New Zealand. He. then criticised Mr. H. H. Sterling's recent statement in Whangarei in reference to the problem of making the railways pay. Touching on education Mr. Chetham paid I lie schools were overcrowded- better pay should be given to teachers, wl/> should'be paid the highest salaries in tho Civil Service. Children were not being educated to be farmers, but to go into professions, and as farming was an essential industry the present education system was wrong.

Tim candidate quoted the I'rimo Minister iis saying tli,'it a Government was not responsible for unemployment, and lie claimed that :i (lovernment with any statesmanship would deal with the problem. If unemployment insurance were brought into, existence it would lie no more a dole than the results from fire insurance were. Scientific research was very necessary in this country, and tlio (lovei iiinent should provide more money for this purpose. The farming industry was not payintr. and that, was why the fanners were leaving their holdings and lookinu I'll (,'il-er direction*. Mr. Chelham criticised other aspects of the Reform administration, and after re ferritin to the United Party's programme urged electors to vote either lor Labour fir Reform. lie then dealt at length with the Labour Party's platform, and {•oiicliided by saying he was a working farmer, who a lew weeks ago was working mi his farm. A Voice: You will lifi hack there in another two weeks. The candidate answered a number of questions salisfactorily, and a vote of thanks and confidence, was carried by acclamation. Mil. ('OATEN' OPPONENT. . ADDRESS AT PORT ALBERT. f lIY 'I'KLKUII \ril.--OWM COIMIKSI'ONDKNT.] I'OUT AfiBKItT. Wednesday The fiiibonr candidate for Kaipara, Mr. J. (f. Barclay, who is contesting the sent against the Prime Minister, addressed a well ill tended meeting at l'ol't. Albeit last evening, All \V K. Hecroft picsidcil. Mr I»;ii < I.lv received an e.vcellcnt hear itit;, inid devoled a jjond deal ol his adfb'e.s to laud and fanning questions A niuubt'i of questions were asked, and a vole of thanks was carried by acclamation.