FORMER MINISTER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22261, 8 November 1935, Page 13

FORMER MINISTER

DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE MR. J. B. DONALD'S CAMPAIGN AUCKLAND EAST SEAT Coming forward as the Democrat candidate for the Auckland East scat, Mr. J. B. Donald opened his election .campaign in the Parnell Library Hall last night. Ho said that owing to indisposition during the past week he had been uncertain as to when ho could commence his public addresses, and so had been unable to give more than brief notice of this meeting. Mr. Donald, who is chairman of the Auckland executive of the Democrat Party, was elected as a United supporter at the 1928 election, and was Postmaster-General and Minister of Customs and Marine in Sir Joseph Ward's administration. He did not seek re-election at the 1931 election. There was an attendance of about 40 people at last night's meeting. Mr. R. MeVeagh presided. Unemployment Problem At the outset Mr. Donald said he did not intend during the campaign to indulge in personalities. This was probably tho most important election that the Dominion had ever experienced, and it was only right that tho electors should be able to hear the views of the candidates without too much interference and without any descent to personalities. He thought it would be wise to state at once why he could not support the present Government. There were various reasons, but the chief one was the handling of the unemployment problem by the Government. The Minister of Employment, tho Government and the Unemployment Board had all said that they had not been able to solve tho problem. It would be agreed that this was a problem that needed to be faced, and a solution must be found if that were possible, and the admission of tho Government provided good 'reasons why a candidate and the electors could not support the Government. The past four years had been a period of misery for the unemployed and their families, when many of them hardly knew where their next meal was coming from. The candidate believed that the Democrat Party would find the solution. Tho policy of tho Democrat Party was to absorb tho unemployed at standard rates of pay and it had a definite scheme by which this could be done. He explained the policy, which aimed at arranging for works through Government departments, local bodies and private employers—works which would create assets when completed. High Exchange Opposed The candidate expressed his disapproval of the increase in the rate of exchange, which he said had been intended to help the farmers, who could have been helped in quite another way. They had received some benefit at first, but to-day th,it benefit was small and not worth the cost to the country. He also thought that the sales tax was one of the worst any Government could impose. The policy of tho Democrats was to allow the exchange to return to normal, as it was feared that unless this were done the primary producers bo faced with a tax on their goods'entering Great Britain. •, In conclusion, Mr. Donald said he realised that he had not been able to deal with the whole of the Democrat policy, but in view of his health he asked for the indulgence of his audience and said that at his subsequent meetings he would cover the position fully In answer to a question Mr. Donald said ho understood that the Democrat Party's proposal to increase tho present pension rates by 25 per cent would bo in substitution for the national superannuation scheme advanced by the Labour Party. A motion expressing thanks and confidence in tho candidate was carried without dissent. GUARANTEED PRICES MR. H. D. CARO'S CRITICISM [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Thursday Ono effect of the Labour Party's plan to pay guaranteed prices to 'farmers for their produce was referred to by Mr. H. D. Caro, Democrat candidate for Hamilton, when'addressing the electors at Horsham Downs. The leader of the Labour Party, Mr. M. J. Savage, had stated that guaranteed prices should commence at an average of, say, the last eight or 10 years, said. Mr. Caro. If the butter, cheese, lamb and wool exported from New Zealand during tho seasons 1929-30 and 1934-35 inclusive had realised the averpgo of tho prices ruling during the three seasons 1925-26 to 1928-29 inclusive, the aggregate value of those products for tho five slump seasons would have beon approximately £135,000,000 greater than was actually the case, notwithstanding the raising of the exchange rate to 10 per cent in January, 1931, and to 25 per cent in 1933. In plain words, said Mr. Caro, the Labour Party would, dur ing tho years 1929-30 to 1934-35, have had to pay out guarantee money to the farmers aggregating £135,000,000, or £27,000,000 per anum.