ELECTION CAMPAIGN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22247, 23 October 1935, Page 16

ELECTION CAMPAIGN

CONTROL OF PRODUCTION GUARANTEED PRICES PLAN PROPOSALS OF LABOUR PARTY [from our own correspondent] CAMBRIDGE, Tuesday An explanation of the Labour Party's theory of guaranteed prices was given by Mr. W. Nash, M.P., president of the Labour Party, during an address delivered in Cambridge last night. There was an attendance of about 250. Mr. Nash said cost should be tho governing factor in determining prices, not supply and demand. Tho Labour Party proposed to arrange for the country's produce to bo paid for nt a guaranteed price, irrespective of the quantity. After the first season the Government would explore world markets, particularly the markets of Great Britain, in order to sell tho maximum quantity of tho Dominion's produce. When tho quantity of dairy produce required lor consumption in New Zealand had been ascertained, continued Mr. Nash, the total annual production necessary would be determined by adding the bcal and overseas quantities. Tho primary industry would then bo asked to produce that quantity in tho next season, and it would bo given guaranteed prices for that quantity to provide for the Dominion's maximum markets. The guaranteed price for the first season would he determined probably from the average dairy prices over the last eight years. Mr. Nash said that should the Labour Party gain office it would purchase at market value the shares in the Reserve Bank owned by private individuals and make the institution a Government bank. Arrangements would then be made for the bank to finance the guaranteed prices. The speaker received a unanimous vote of thanks.

KAIPARA SEAT MR. CAUGHLEY AT PAPAROA [bt telegraph—OWN correspondent] PAPAROA, Tuesday The Democrate candidate for Kaipara, Mr. J. Caughley, addressed electors last night. Mr. Caughley said the Democrat Party stood for an overhaul of the taxation system,, to place the burden on shoulders best able to bear it, for an investigation of bank credit conditions, to place tho control of credit in the hands of the people, and for assistance to the farmers Jjy a direct subsidy, as against the wasteful method of assistance by raising the rate, of exchange, which has cost £30.000.000 to provide farmers with £22,500,000. Mr. Caughley challenged the member for Kaipara to debate the figures with him with three accountants present. ' Mr. Caughley said he would vote against the Government on any noconfidence motion, but would not support the Labour Party as a Government. Ths Democrats were opposed to Labour's policy. He also drew attention to glaring instances of waste of unemployment funds. On the licensing issue Mr. Caughley said he would support a bcro majority retention clause, State*" purchase and control, the removal of licences from out-of-the-way places to main roads and centres of population, but with the proviso that residents in the area concerned should have a vote on the matter before an hotel was placed in their midst.

CONTEST FOR WAITOMO ADDRESS BY MR. F. JOXES [from our own correspondent] TE AWAMUTU, Tuesday An address was delivered in Te Awarautu last evening by Mr. F. .Tones, Labour M.P. for Dimedin South, in support of the candidature of Mr. J. Jones, the Labour candidate for Waitor.no. The attendance of electors was ibout 100, and the Mayor, Mr. G. Spinley, presided. Mr. Jones detailed Labour's and condemned the present Government as wasteful, extravagant and incompetent, being out of touch with national needs to-dav. At the close a vote of thanks to the speaker and confidence in the Labour Party was carried by acclamation. THAMES. DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE GOLDMINING PROPOSITIONS [bt telegraph—OWN correspondent] THAMES, Tuesday There was only a small attendance at the initial speech of Mr. P. Keegan, the Democrat candidate for the Thames electorate, last evening. The Mayorj Mr. L. Ensor, presided. Mr. Keegan at the conclusion of his address .was accorded a vote of thanks. After criticising the high exchange rate and reviewing the Democrat Party's proposals to help the farmer Mr. Keegan explained the party's proposals for a national health insurance scheme, the increase in pensions, higher pay to the police and other civil servants, and the encouragement of vocational training". Ho also dealt with Parliamentary reform and a better system of keeping the national accounts. Regarding the needs of Thames, Mr. Keegan spoke of the Democrat Party's help to recover gold from Thames deep levels, where there was enough, he said, to pay the whole of the national debt. The party's first move would be to unwater the field. Another feature was a long tunnel through Una Hill to . prospect the seven big reefs contained there. Both these propositions would bo self-supporting. Mr. Keegan contended that the real issue at the elections was between Socialism and liberty. The Labour Party's policy was nob practical, only experimental, and the country was tired of experiments.

ADDRESS IN SUBURBS DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE The Democrat candidate for the Auckland Suburbs seat, Mr. W. J. H. Clark, opened his campaign at Henderson last night at a well-attended meeting in the Foresters' Hall. Mr. H. Thornley presided. The candidate based his address on the policy of the party, and at the conclusion answered a number of questions. He was accorded a vote of thanks.