THE COALITION CAUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21037, 23 November 1931, Page 12

THE COALITION CAUSE.

m. RANSOM AT ROTORUA. ASSISTANCE FOR FARMERS. LAND SETTLEMENT PROGRESS. CLOSE VOTING ON MOTION. [FROM OT7R OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ROTORUA, Sunday. The Minister of Lands, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, delivered an address before a crowded audience at Rotorua last evening In support of the Coalition candidate for the Rotorua seat, Mr. C. H. Clinkard. In the course of his speech, which was punctuated freely with interjections, the Minister dealt with the land development policy of the Government and of his own department in. particular. He also appealed to the electors to support the Coalition Party and return a strong Government, which would be capable of remedying the present unsatisfactory condition of the national finances. , There was mild disorder at the conclusion of the meeting, when, following a motion of thanks and confidence in the Coalition Government, an opposition motion of thanks to the speaker, but of no confidence in the Coalition candidate, was put to the audience. On the voices, the voting on both the amendment and motion appeared to be evenly divided, but, amid a hubbub of cheering and interjection, the chairman, Mr. T. Jackson, Mayor of Rotorua, declared the motion to be carried. The Minister said New Zealand was faced with a most serious position, but he felt that the people would not allow their difficulties to get the better of them. A strong and stable Government alone could face the present position and the electors were given the opportunity of returning such a Government by supporting the Coalition Party. Plight of the Farmer.

Referring to ths evidence brought before the recent inter-Party Committee, Mr. Ransom stated that the position disclosed had been that possibly 30 per cent, of the farmers in New Zealand under present conditions would be able to carry on without assistance; a further 30 per cent, would be able to carry on with reasonable assistance from the banks and the Government, but the remainder would be quite unable to remain on their farms unless a very large measure of relief was afforded them. Ninety per cent, of the wealth of the Dominion was derived from the soil and that alone made it obvious that, before the position of the Dominion could be restored, something must be done to assist its primary producers. Realising the position, the Government had made determined efforts to lighten the burdens which were hampering so many of the farmers of the Dominion. It had repealed the graduated land tax, had transferred £250,000 to assist county councils in reducing rates, had made available a further sum of £IOO,OOO to provide cheaper fertilisers, had negotiated with the banks in order to effect a reduction in the rate of interest on overdrafts and had placed the Mortgagors' Relief Act on the Statute Book. In addition, the operation of the State Advances Department had been further directed to assisting farmers in every way possible. Development at Galatea.

Dealing with land development, the Minister stated that here he felt in close touch with his audience, as there was no district in New Zealand where so much development work had been carried out as around Rotorua. A Voice: You have done good work. Mr. Ransom referred specially to the development of the Galatea estate and the' N'gakuru block. Both these areas, he considered, offered excellent prospects for closer settlement. It was expected that 120 farmers could be settled at Galatea and at isgakuru. Excellent results had already been attained. At the conclusion of the address a number of questions, the majority of which were in connection with the expenditure on Galatea, were answered by the Minister. A number of other questions were also asked, but in certain instances Mr. Ransom declined to answer the queries, . stating that the points raised were, not relevant to the subject matter of his, address. •Mr. Ransom delivered an address on similar lines at Matamata yesterday afternoon. In spite_of heavy rain, there was an attendance of 130, over which Mr. J. Buchanan, chairman of the Town Board, presided. At the conclusion of the address a motion of thanks was moved by Mr. D. B'. Higgins, seconded by Mr. P. Hawke. An amendment, moved by Mr. J. O'Connell, seconded by Mr. E. C. Banks, expressed thanks to Mr. Ransom and confidence in the Coalition candidate. The amendment was carried.