MR. NASH'S TOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23156, 30 September 1938, Page 14

MR. NASH'S TOUR

: MATTERS OF FINANCE BALANCED BUDGETS INCOME AND PRODUCTION CLAIMS MADE FOlt IABOTJI! [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN COHHKSFONDKN l'J TE PUKE, Thursday , There was a capacity house at the Capitol Theatre, Te Puke, to-night, when 'the Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, addressed a gathering of over 900 people, mostly fanners. Tho Mayor, Mr. B. Keyes, who was in the chair, welcomed Mr. Nash. Ihe -Minister was given a rousing reception and a very attentive hearing throughout, there "being only a few interjections. Mr. Nash dealt with finance, and affirmed that the critics of the Government had been confounded in every way, in as much as the three Budgets presented by tho Labour Government had shown a surplus. The income and « production of the country hail been bo organised and stimulated that piacticallv every person was better oil' than in 1935, and of the £10,000.000 increase in reVentio only £1,600.000 was due to taxation. The overseas debt had decreased by £2,000.000, and the Government had not borrowed one penny overseas during its term of office. Mr* Nash's statement that the finances of tho country were better kept than during the previous 30 years was greeted with applause. All records for both imports and exports had been broken. Good prices meant good wages and a contented people, he said. Prices were not so high now as in 1927, but he claimed that income was higher. , Companies' incomes had doubled since 1934. A Voice: Individual effort. Mr. Nash: Yes, individual effort, supported by the Government. The speaker maintained that it would have been a difficult task to keep down interest rates without the complete control of the "Reserve Bank and the State Advances Corporation. Cheers and isolated cat-calls greeted Mr. Nash's statement that there was a lot of bunkum talked about 70 or SO hours of work on a farm. The farmer's, busy periods were balanced by slack times, and there was a vast difference between the work spread over a long period and the concentrated efforts' of eight hours. Cheers and the singing of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" closed a threeLour meeting.

EARLY DATE OF POLL AGREEMENT OF PARTIES MR.'A. F. MONCUR'S ASSERTION [BI TELEGRAPH SPECIAL REPORTER] TIRAT7, Thursday The Government and the Opposition were united in a desire to hold an early election, according to Mr. A. F. Moiicur, M.P.. Labour candidate for Rotorua, who addressed a meeting of over 400 electors at Tirau last night. Mr. Moncur received an attentive hearing", although statements which referred to the farmers' conditions resulted in interjections and occasional momentary periods of uproar. Mr. H. T. Brill presided. Mr.. Moncur said opinions had been expressed that it was a snap election, but those who had studied the international situation lately must have realised the necessity for an early election. On this point the Government and the Opposition were agreed. He said that had war been declared before Parliament, dissolved an election would have been impossible, but now, that the writs were issued the election must be held on October 15. Af the close of the meeting two motions were introduced, one thanking Mr. Moncur and expressing confidence, and the other expressing noconfidence in the Government. Each •was vociferously supported, but they were not put to the meeting by the •chairman.

: factory statistics INCREASE CHALLENGED MR. H. C. VEITCH'S CLAIM Factory statistics quoted by Government members were challenged by Mr. H. C. Veitch, National candidate Jar Wanganui, during an address on Wednesday night. . The Labour Government claimed that 1125' factories had been established in New Zealand during its three year 3 of office, said Mr. Veitch. Those figures ."were quoted in a Labour Party propaganda leaflet, but they dealt with places one or more persons were employed in manufacturing goods." On investigation it had been found that the figure of 1125 new factories included Chinese laundries and that, where girls worked at home, taking in sewing, their homes were classed as factories. The housing question was also discussed by Mr. Veitch, who said that Mr. J. A. Lee was an expert in giving indefinite replies. "The only way to find out what is being done," said Mr. Veitcfh, "is to make a tour and count the houses. "When the Labour Government took office its leaders said it was necessary to build 5000 houses a year," Mr. Veitch continued. "In their latest propaganda they say they are building at the rate of 4000 houses a year. Finallv, there is the report of the Housing Construction Department, which tells us that after two and a-half years 1959 houses have been built or are m course of construction. "I have been teaching arithmetic for some years," Mr. Veitch added, "but I have never found a boy stupid enough to divide ]059 by 2* and get an answer like 4000." STRAIN OF THE CAMPAIGN MR. PARRY'S VOICE AFFECTED £bY TELEGRAPH —OWN COIUUiSPONDENX] WAKKWORTH, Thursday The strain imposed on the voice by continuous speaking at election meetings was evidenced in the Warkworth Town Rail to-night when the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E Parry, addressed a gathering ol about 200 people. About hull-way through his address, the Minister's voice was very husky. Tho audience crowded as near to the platform as was possible, which led a ■would-be back-seat interjector to goodhumouredly remark, amid laughter: 'There is my chance gone with them." Mr. P. McG. Stewart, Government candidate for Kaipara, also addressed the meeting.