GENERAL ELECTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22719, 4 November 1935, Page 10

GENERAL ELECTION

> THE GOVERNMENT’S STEWARDSHIP i BENEFICIAL RESULTS OF POLICY (Per United Press Association) FEILDING, November 2. | The Minister of Defence and Justice, ,Mr Cobbe, opened his campaign last ■ night. There was a large attendance. The Minister said the country needed a strong, reliable, stable Government. T|ie present Government had safely steered the ship of State through the rocks of depression. He reviewed the' measures taken to protect the primary industries and said the country was now improving economically, but still needed a steady Government and not “ currency cranks.” Referring to the pegged exchange the Minister showed the benefit of this to farmers, particularly mentioning the dairy farmers. He ridiculed the proposal of the Democrat Party to pay a bonus to farmers equal to the exchange benefit without any commensurate cost to the country. Mr Cobbe claimed that the Mortgagors Relief Act had been of the greatest benefit to the farmer, saving many from ruin. He also defended the Mortgage Corporation Act, which, he said, was for the purpose of providing cheaper money for the mortgagee with easy terms of repayment. The Government’s legislation had brought down the rates of interest to a lower level than had ever been previously known. The Labour Party’s guaranteed prices scheme would mean inflation, the evils of which the Minister exposed. The present currency system might not be perfect, but it had stood the test of centuries, so why replace it witli a scheme which had proved a failure in every country which tried it? Speaking of defence the Minister said the Government was preparing for the reasonable defence of the chief ports. It had imported military aeroplanes and had ordered a further number. The Dominion was not militaristic, but it must prepare for defence against aggression. Referring to the War Veterans Act, the Minister said this legislation provided for pensions for war veterans who were now suffering incapacity. He added that Mr Hislop had misrepresented this Act by saying that before a veteran could receive any benefit he had to prove that his incapacity was definitely due to war service. The Act, the Minister explained, did not demand such proof. He asked who could have done so much for the Dominion in the meat negotiations as Mr Forbes and Mr Coates, who had succeeded in getting valuable advantages for the farmers. Mr Cobbe, who was very favourably received, was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence without opposition. THE MINISTER OF FINANCE DOUGLAS CREDIT INTERRUPTERS (Per United Press Association) HELENSVILLE, November 3. Noisy opposition from a party of rabid Social Credit enthusiasts was encountered* by the Minister of Finance, Mr Coates, during an election meeting at Helensville last night. The majority of Mr Coates’s opponents arrived by -motor truck from outside the electorate, and, placing themselves in strategic positions in the crowded hall, they made early and determined attempts to interrupt the meeting, Mr Coates turned a number of interjections to good advantage, but at question time he annoyed the visitors by refusing to answer any questions based on the Douglas theories. No one understood the system, Mr Coates said, and he advised the questioners to address their queries of Mr Aberhart. of Alberta. WELLINGTON SUBURBS INDEPENDENT DOUGLAS CREDIT CANDIDATE. (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 2. Mr G. W. Dodds, a salesman, has announced himself as an Independent Douglas Credit candidate for Wellington Suburbs. The Douglas Credit organisation in Wellington stated to-day that Mr Dodds had not been accredited by it and it had nothing to do with his candidature. THE MANAWATU SEAT MR HORNBLOW TO STAND AS INDEPENDENT. (Per United Press Association) FOXTON, November 2. At a meeting of Mr J. K. Hornhlow’s supporters last night it was unanimously decided to reject the northern deputation’s request that he should withdraw his candidature in favour of the sitting member. Mr Hornblow will contest the seat as an Independent candidate. It was reported a few days ago that a deputation representing the Nationalist Party in the northern portion of the Manawatu electorate had waited j upon Mr J. K. Hornblow with a request l that he should withdraw in favour 1 of the sitting member. Mr Hornblow i said he would submit the request to his | supporters. Mr J. Linklater (National- i ist) is the sitting member. '

LABOUR PROPAGANDIST SERVICES OF MR P. C. WEBB. (Per United Press Association) WESTPORT, November 3. At a meeting to-day of delegates to the Bnller Labour Representation Committee the following resolution was adopted:— “ That this meeting places on record our highest sense of appreciation of the conspicuous and faithful service to this constituency and to the Labour movement generally by Mr P. C. Webb. We further consider that the interests of the Labour Party can be best served at this juncture by requesting Mr Webb immediately to undertake propaganda work in other constituencies where he considers help is most required.” CHALMERS ELECTORATE MR ANSELL’S OPENING ADDRESS. i. Mr A. E. Ansell, the Nationalist candidate for Chalmers, opened his campaign on Friday at Purakanui, where he addressed a well-attended meeting. Mr Ansell received an excellent hearing and at the close of his address was accorded hearty applause. The difficulties of the past few years were outlined by the candidate, and the necessity for economies and retrenchment following a seriously diminished income was stressed. The Labour Party, said Mr Ansell, had refused to face the unpopularity involved in these adjustments which had resulted in carrying the Dominion through the most difficult period of its history, preferring to follow the lead of the British Labour

Government, which had brought Great Britain to the verge of bankruptcy, and that of Mr Lang of New South Wales, who one day discovered that there was not enough money left in the Treasury to pay the wages of the Civil Service and could not even keep up the family endowment payments. Mr Ansell said that the Labour Party had skilfully baited several hooks to catch the vote of the farmer and had very carefully hidden the. barbs of the hooks which were the loss of the country quota, and one of the main planks of the Labour policy, the socialisation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange, which policy meant the abolition of private ownership of land. The Labour Party during election campaigns kept its foot on the soft pedal in such matters, but the objectives of the Party were as he had stated. New Zealand electors were being asked to experiment with policies that had, proved disastrous in other parts of the world, but the financial record of other Labour Administrations had not been sufficiently successful to justify a trial in the Dominion.

Mr Ansell was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his address, the mover stating that the vote of confidence could be left until polling day. DUNEDIN SOUTH ADDRESS BY MR JONES. A resume of the legislation passed by the Government in the past four years and its effects on various sections of the community were points dealt with by Mr F. Jones, Labour candidate for Dunedin South, at a meeting in the pavilion at St, Clair on Saturday evening. In the course of his address Mr Jones said that not one section of the community could claim to have achieved prosperity as a result of the policy of the Government in the past four years. He attached the Government for its action in reducing the old-age and soldiers’ pensions, and added that the Government had penalised thrift in New Zealand. He condemned the wage reductions and said that all the Government had done was to create a country of pajipcrs. There was a large attendance at the meeting which was presided over by Mr J. B. Ruth. Mr Jones was thanked for his address, and a motion of confidence in the candidate and the Labour Party was carried. ADDRESSES BY MR COX The Rev. E. T. Cox returned at the week-end from Central Otago, where he spoke to large audiences at Roxburgh. Cromwell and Alexandra on the Labour Party’s programme. On each occasion the Mayor of the town presided and extended a welcome on behalf of his respective borough. On Saturday Mr Cox spoke in the Clutha electorate at Hillend, where Mr Eric Little took the chair; at Moneymore, where Mr A. B. Stewart presided; and at Lovell’s Flat under the chairmanship of Mr Jasper Clark. He dealt with Labour’s financial proposals for guaranteed prices, assorting that the charge of using the printing press to create money was entirely unfounded.

TO-DAY’S MEETINGS., Mrs R. S. Black (Dunedin North), — Presbyterian Church, Gladstone road, at 8 p.m. Mr A. S, Falconer (Dunedin North). —Woodhaugh at 7.30 p.m.; Leith Valley at 8.30 p.m. Mr J. W. Munro, M.P. (Dunedin North). —George Street School at 8 p.m. Mr P. Neilson (Dunedin Central). — Tomahawk, at 8 p.m. Mr W. A. M'Naught (Central Otago). -—Kingston, at 8 p.m. Mr F. Jones, M.P. (Dunedin South). — Musselburgh School, at 7 p.m.; St. ah’.a terminus, at 7.30 p.m.; the corner of Pay View road and Grove street, at 8 p.m. Mr H. K. Edie (Central Otago).— Chatto Creek, at G.BO p.m.: Ophir, at 8.30 p.m. Mr Norman Knell (Waitnki), —Livingstone, at 7 p.m.; Tokarahi, at 8.30 p.m. Mr J. A. Macpherson, M.P. (Oamaru). —Hillgrove, at 7.15 pan.; Moeraki, at 8 p.m. Mr W. A. Bodkin, M.P. (Central Otago).—Lawrence, at 8 p.m. The Rev. E. T. Cox (Clutha) .—Clarendon, at 6.30 p.m.; Tokoiti, at 8 p.m. The Rev. A. H. Nordmeyer (Oamaru). —Waitaki South Hall, at 8 p.m. Mr A. E. Ansell, M.P. (Chalmers). — Karitane, at 8 p.m. Mr R. Fraser (Chalmers), —Warrir>~ton, at 7 p.m.; Seacliff, at 8.15 p.m. Mr,J. A. Roy (Clutha). —Berwick, at noon; Stony Creek, at 0 p.m.; Lovell’s Flat, at 8 p.m. Mr D, Campbell (Chalmers). —Kuri Bush, at 7 p.m.; Brighton, at 8.15 p.m.