BRITISH ELECTIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22720, 5 November 1935, Page 9

BRITISH ELECTIONS

PROGRESS OF CAMPAIGN THE COUNCIL OF ACTION BROADCAST BY LEADER (British Official Wireless) (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) RUGBY, November 3. At tlie invitation of the Liberal leaders, Mr Lloyd George last night occupied one of their three allotted broadcasts in the series arranged in connection with the general election, and dealt with his New Deal proposals, which were rejected some time ago by the Government and were afterwards endorsed by “ the Council of Action for Peace and Reconstruction ” set up under Mr Lloyd George’s leadership. He said that since the war British people had spent £1,200,000,000 maintaining people in idleness with maintenance allowances which were less than sufficient to provide all that was required for full sustenance, but which even in the lifetime of the present Government had cost £400,000,000. For these giganticsums there was nothing to show but gradual demoralisation of those out of work. Would it not have been infinitely wiser fo have expended all this money in subsidising useful work? it was a sinister reflection that throughout the last five years the average numbers of workless had been twice as large as during the preceding 10. Mr Lloyd George then described the scheme he advocated for expenditure on housing, educational development, road improvements, land reclamation and other projects. The sums now spent on doles, if devoted to these useful tasks, would bring wages to hungry households and transform the country. Regarding international affairs, Mr Lloyd George said that Ministers had gone into conferences with a divided purpose and had been hopelessly outmatched by resolute and astute men. He urged electors to vote for candidates of any party who subscribed to the programme of the Council of Action. The council had published a list of nearly 300 candidates whose replies to its questionnaire had fully satisfied it. The largest number of favourable replies were from Liberal or Labour candidates, but the list included several Conservative and Liberal National supporters of the Government. THE WEAPON OF FEAR (British Official Wireless) RUGBY’, November 3. Speaking at Crewe, Major Attlee, leader of the Labour Party, said that the chief weapon in the Conservative armoury was fear. In 1924 there was a Russian bogey, and in 1931 a “danger to savings ” bogey. There were signs that fear would be used in the present election, too, to return that “ so-called National Government.”

ASSISTING INDUSTRY (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, November 3. Mr Neville Chamberlain, in a broadcast election address, said the Government was always working on new schemes to help industry, and he instanced the huge London transport scheme, involving an expenditure of over £30,000,000, which would mean orders for rails, vehicles, locomotives and electrical apparatus, giving much employment. He compared the Labour election programme with that of the Government, and claimed that the Government’s plans for better housing, educational reform, improved maternity services, and raising the standard of the health of the growing generation had been investigated and judged practicable and wise by men who, he asserted, in contrast with their Labour opponents, did expect to be called on to fulfil their promises.