ELECTION POINTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22718, 2 November 1935, Page 24

ELECTION POINTS

"Can you tell us why Pencarrow lighthouse and those outback places are in Otaki electorate?" was a question put to Mr Will Appleton (Independent, Otaki) at Porirua. The candidate, commenting on the far-flung nature of the electorate, said this was the thirty-fifth meeting he had addressed during the present campaign. "If you are returned will you come up and see us sometime? " pleaded another elector, amid laughter.

In 1931 there was only one woman candidate, Miss Ellen Melville, who stood for Auckland East. There are four women candidates at the present election. Mrs R. S. Black is the Democrat nominee for Dunedin North. Apart from one aspirant, Miss C. Rawcliffe, who has come forward as a Communist candidate for Wellington East, the others are classed as Independents. Those are Miss E. Andrews (New Plymouth) and Mrs Knox Gilmer, a daughter of Mr R. J. Seddon (Wellington North).

Although she has withdrawn her candidature for Christchurch South, Mrs J. Mackay will act as chairwoman of the women's committee which has been formed in the interests of the National Political Federation.

At least one Labour candidate has no doubts about his party's destiny. Mr Denham (Invcrcargill) declares that the Labour Party is " going to the Treasury benches with an overwhelming mandate from the people to abolish poverty in this land of plenty."

Commenting editorially on the National Party manifesto, the New Zealand Herald says that it gives " a true reflection of the national situation; just as the rival suggestions of a country bursting with all that is needed to make life happy and comfortable without exertion, capable of being made available by some magic process or formula, is a distorted reflection. In a word, the manifesto is in touch with realities and founded on realities. Anyone reading it with an open mind can recognise in it the authentic ri.ng of life in New Zealand as it is being lived to-day. For that reason it should appeal to the thoughtful, to the experienced, to all who prefer political programmes founded on fact, uncomfortable fact sometimes, but still fact."

"If there are any two men in the Dominion in a position to judge the economic and financial conditions they should be the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister, and when both of them declare that the worst of the depression Is over and that the recovery is in progress it may be accepted as correct. The markedly cheerful tone running through the whole community in recent months shows that optimism has been very general, but it is none the less welcome to be told by the highest authorities that the optimism is fully justified."—Christchurch Star-Sun.

Mr J. Hargcst (National Government, Awarua), on the subject of unemployment : " The aim of the Government is to put men back to their own work — not relief work —to assist them to find work In the trade that appeals to them, and where they can 1 give of their best. To assist in this, one of its policy points is to set up a national housing scheme enlisting the co-operation of local authorities and private enterprise. It will be of double benefit as it will provide much-needed housing. We further hope to assist employment by a well-planned Public Works scheme. Public work will be expanded on a plan extending over the next five years."

Speaking on Thursday evening the Labour candidate for lnvercargill, Mr W. M. C. Denham, said it was becoming more evident every day that the people wanted a change of Government, and more people were supporting Labour today than at any other period in the political history of New Zealand. He traced the rise of the Labour vote during the past elections. At the last general election Labour polled more votes than any other single party in the country and the immense gain shown during the last municipal elections was a foretaste of what would happen-at the general election. The Government had been served with "notice to quit," as witness the Lyttelton by-election. Had the Democrat Party wished to " try itself out" there was the opportunity. But the Democrats had not taken the opportunity, being afraid to risk a defeat.

One hopes Mr J. O'Brien, M.P., did not omit anything when he outlined Labour's programme at Otira a day or two ago. When Labour had command of the Treasury benches it had a programme to put before the people, said Mr O'Brien. That programme included restoration in full of wage and salary cuts; full restoration and increase in pensions, including an invalid's pension; establishment of secondary industries; roading, and opening up of all available land for settlement; completion of those railway systems now lying idle, some of which it was admitted had been closed on false information; immediate reopening of schools to five-year-olds, and greater facilities in education for scholars to enable a child showing promise to have free education to and through the universities, the inauguration of a housing scheme that would guarantee every person a comfortable home; guaranteed prices for primary products and a legal minimum wage; control of currency and credit by the State.

Speaking at Bluff on the Government's policy to encourage the fishing industry, Mr J. Hargest (National Government, Awarua) said that at present there were 3147 fishermen engaged in the industry, and their catch was valued, conservatively, at £330,000. The Government had been successful in obtaining concessions from the Commonwealth Government of Australia and all New Zealand fresh and smoked fish was admitted duty free, and it was exempt from primage duty and sales tax. The results had been good. Exports of fish to Australia had increased substantially from £35,804 in 1932 to £93,422 in 1934, and £50,000 in the first six months of 1935. It was disquieting to him to see that Australian trawlers were finding it profitable to come right out to our coasts to fish. We must organise the fishing industry and preserve it for ourselves. Some 18 months ago some oyster packers in Sydney had made a determined effort to have an embargo placed on our locally tinned oysters, and he could fairly claim that it was on his representations that this had been avoided. The imposition of an embargo or a heavy duty would have been serious to Bluff.

Mr J. B. Cotterill, the Labour candidate for Wanganui, claims that the mantle of Ballance and Seddon has descended on the Labour Party. Mr Seddon's daughter, Mrs Knox Gilmer, apparently does not think so, for she is opposing the sitting Labour member for Wellington North

An Independent in Parliament was likened by Mr 0. C. Mazengarb, National candidate for Wellington East, to a voice crying in the wilderness. There was ample room in any party, he said, for men of original and fearless judgment —men who could influence the policy of the party. In order to get anything done one must first convince the men of one's party before one could hope to convince the House.

The question whether the Democrat Party would vote with the Labour Party in the event of a no-confidence motion in the House of Representatives- was put to Mr J. I. Goldsmith, Democrat candidate for Wellington South. He said he would vote against the Government and against the Labour Party by moving an amendment. When the questioner remarked that Mr Goldsmith and Mr W. Duncan, Democrat candidate for Wellington East, seemed to differ on the point, Mr Goldsmith said he would vote to put the Government out.

The Government had had to bear taunts and gibes from its political opponents and from nearly all those people, rich and poor alike, whose financial interests were affected by the depression. And because lie stood as a National candidate, Mr 0. C. Mazengarb (Nationalist, Wellington East) said he had met his share of fault-finding. Some people had been gracious enough to say or concede that he was the right type of candidate—if only he were not a Nationalist. The only thing the members' of the Labour Party had against him was that lie was flying the wrong flag. But lie did not believe in that false, that spurious opportunism which craved cheap popularity by blaming the Government and which was ready to promise anything and everything in order to secure power.

The Minister of Employment (Mr S. G. Smith), speaking at Hawera, traced the history of the unemployment scheme, adding that it was usual for the Minister to get bricks, but this year there had been nothing but praise for the board and the commissioner for the way it had carried out its proposals. The relief workers were now able to ob'ain longer hours of employment, while the rate of pay had also been increased. The relief worker to-day was better treated than in any other country in the world. " I say that without fear of contradiction," he said.