"HOPELESS TANGLE”

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12285, 3 November 1925, Page 5

"HOPELESS TANGLE”

NATIONAL PARTY'S POLICY i . MR MCLEOD’S INDICTMENT. Speaking* last evening at Greytowu, whero he addressed a large and enthusiastic gathering, the Minister for Lands, (the Hon. A. D. McLeod) dealt scathingly with the National Party. "It is possible for electors to understand/. the hopeless tangle our National opponents have got themselves into?" he said. "With scarcely a vestige of "policy, many of theft} sav they are prepared .to follow Mr Coates as Prime Minister, yet the political welkin rings with their ‘charges against the Government of reckless borrowing. Do they realise that, a hart from the borrowing of money needed for advances to settlers, workers, housing, and soldier repatriation, which they dare not object to, practically all tbe rest of the amounts borrowed have been for population and development? "Again, they daro not tell electors that they will reduce either wages or staffing, hut on the other hand they seek the Public Service vote by stating their intention of restoring the 3922.cut5. They say that their anxiety for fusion largely arose out of the necessity preventing at alt costs the Parliamentary growth of those holdiing extreme Socialistic views, and not for the purpose of saving (heir own political positions. But do (hey attempt in any way to win support by adopting a high .national viewpoint through devotion to which our late great chief’s health was broken, and which our young Prime Minister is endeavouring to carry on? No! As far as most of their candidates are coneerned. it is from local prejudice and little things that they hope to be returned. God help our country if it is on the strength of narrowore judiee % and what can be got out of Parliament in the shape of £ a. d. that our members are to be returned.” THE LICENSING ISSUE. , At the end of the meeting, over which the Mayor presided, Mr McLeod was asked a number of questions. He was asked if 'he would support legislation to deal with the question of license or nolicense. He replied that all such questions were for the people, and he was not in favour of deciding them by legislation At this meeting and at a meeting later in Carterton, Mr McLeod was accorded nn enthusiastic vote of thanks and confidence. MR FORSYThTt~KILBIRNIE THE RIGHT OF FREEHOLD. Mr T. Forsyth addressed a large meeting of electors last nigilit at Kilbirme Hall, when Mr A. G. Jorgensen occupied the chair. Mr Forsyth stated thkt as he had already dealt with the principal planks of the two parties contesting the seat, viz:—Reform and Labour, he proposed to briefly sum up tho position on the eve of the election. , _ The objective of the J\abour Party, no proceeded, was the Socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange. The Reform Party objective was a definite, clear cut statement, but what dis tho Labour Party’s objective moan to-dav? Ht was difficult to say, as every day brought a new interpretation from some Labour candidate as to wliat principles he stood for. Take for instance (he most vital issue of this election, viz:—the Land Policy. The Reform Party stood for tho right oi freehold, which it had introduced and legislated fin*, whereas the Labour Party stood for "a land tenure based on occupancy and use, which Hr Holland had for ready reference described as the “usehold.’" The financial aide of labour’s land policy was a blank, and ae a matter 4 of fact the I.abour Party have not yet indicated where the necessary money is to corbe from which will be requijed to give alt the concessions and free services set out in their platform. After questions hud been answered a vote of thanks and confidence was declared carried by the chairman. An amendment of thanks only failed to find a seconder.