ELECTION POINTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22716, 31 October 1935, Page 6

ELECTION POINTS

Labour'believed that all tariffs should be removed. —Mr W. G. Simpson, Labour candidate for Patea. Speaking on guaranteed prices, Mr Finnerty, Democrat candidate for Stratford, said that the Labour Party had twisted its policy latterly. A year ago it had proposed that guaranteed prices be paid on the basis of the average price over the eight or ten years prior to 1920, and that the prices received by fanners from 1929 be made up to this average. On the Government Statistician pointing out that this would cost £130,000,000, the Labour Party had found its position untenable and the Labour candidate for Stratford was now talking about stabilisation. It was proposed that prices be kept at a fixed level. The money will come from those who can afford to provide it, states the Rev. P. Frost, Labour candidate for New Plymouth, in his explanation of the way in which his party would meet the difference between guaranteed prices for farmers and the prices realised overseas. The stewardship of money will be made an item of practical politics and a properly graduated income tax will immediately be brought into operation. Mr Will Appleton, Independent candidate for Otaki, declared in a recent speech that, despite what, had been said by the Government leaders, there was a very solid body of public opinion which, while not desiring extreme measures, did think that the Parliamentary life of New Zealand should be strengthened by the admission of new blood. "The call of to-day," he said, "is for men unshackled by party ties, men determined to oppose rash legislation on the one' hand, but who will fearlessly uphold the rights and privileges of the people. Twenty-nine men with energy and experience are seeking to enter Parliament with no motive of personal gain. They are actuated by an earnest and sincere desire to render service to their country." According to Mr R. M. Macfarlane, Labour candidate for Christchurch North, no party other than Labour has a chance of turning the present Government out of power. Many, Mr Macfarlane said on Tuesday night, had grave suspicions about the Democrat Party—that it was only to provide a " sham fight," to take anti-Government votes away from Labour. In Christchurch the Democrat Party had formed an alliance with a "Liberal Party." That was because Christchurch had a Liberal tradition. The Liberal Party perished many years ago. The remnants of it betrayed the workers of New Zealand. Some of them were now in the Upper House. The "Liberals" were supporting " convinced Tories " in other parts of New Zealand —Sir Alexander Herdman, Mr W. Downie Stewart, Mr W. D. Lvsnar and others. During the course of an address at Rotorua last week the president of the Labour Party, Mr Walter Nash, referring to the candidature of Mr F W. Doidge, who is standing as an Inr'epmdent, expressed the opinion that Mr Doidge would have been a Democrat candidate had it not been for a " row between Mr Davy and Mr Goodfellow. or if Mr Davy had not jumped Mr Doldge's claim by pushing in Professor Corbm as the Democrat candidate. In the course of a reply to Mr Nash, Mr Doidge said that the full story of his dealings with the Democrats would probably come out in the course of the pending court action between Mr Pood-\ fellow and Mr Davy. "It is true the Democrats approached me," said Mr Doidge. "They invited me to their conference in Wellington, but very rudely withdrew the invitation when they found that I had entered the lists as an Independent. They have never given up hope of drawing me back into the fold. Three weeks ago their Auckland provincial organiser called upon the chairman of my Matamata committee, Mr B. C. Taylor, and announce! that Professor Corbin did not intend to proceed with his campaign, and urged that my committee should prevail on u-.e to seek the Democrat nomination." The divisional organiser of the Democrat Party, Mr H. C. Baulf, asserts that Mr Doidge grossly misstated the position relative to the candidatures tor the Rotorua seat. It was quite untrue to state that he called on Mr Taylor *bree weeks ago or made the statement alleged in regard to the Democrat Party r candidate withdrawing from Rotorua. ' The Democrat candidate, Mr H. H. Corbin," added Mr Baulf, "is definitely going to the poll and neither he nor the organisation is concerned with what Mr Bridge has to say." Mr Taylor, chairman of Mr Doidge's Matamata committee, on tße other rand, declares that the statement made by Mr Doidge was true in every particular He added that Mr Baulf called upon hiro for the sole purpose of discussing the political situation in the Rotorua constituency. If loud applause and cries of " Sit down! " mean anything, Mrs R. S. Black had the support of the large majority of the meeting at Ravensbourne last evening when she told Mr W. W. Batchelor that it was " like his impertinence to ask her in a public meeting how she voted at the last general election." Mr Batchelor had risen to remind the candidate that figures quoted by her with reference to superannuation payments to certain retired civil servants had been compiled by the Labour Party. Mrs Black smilingly remarked, "Then they must be right." Mr Batchelor then returned to the attack and asked why, if she thought they were right, she had voted for the Government at the last election. " How do you know how I voted at the last election?" was Mrs Black's answer. "Well, how did you?" was the retort. Then the storm broke, the questioner retiring in confusion, shouting from his seat: "Well, you touted for the Government anyhow." The twice issued challenge of the candidate to Mr Batchelor to produce one tittle of evidence that she had touted for the Government appeared to fall on deaf ears.