GENERAL ELECTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22723, 8 November 1935, Page 12

GENERAL ELECTION

DUNEDIN CENTRAL Mr D. C. Cameron, National Government candidate for Dunedin Central, addressed a fairly large audience in Cameron Hall, Anderson’s Bay, last night. Mr 1. Somerville occunied the chair. The candidate was given an attentive hearing, and at the conclusion of his address he was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.

Mr Cameron stated, in the course of his .address, that he had always been deeply interested in the manufacturing industries of New Zealand, and he considered that 'in their improvement and development lay very largely the solution of the problem of unemployment. He was of opinion that some of the Unemployment Board’s money, derived from the taxing of the people, could be loaned in gome way to the manufacturers to expapd the industry and keep the worker’s in profitable employment. Mr Caiheron answered a number of ouestions at the conclusion of his address.

Mr Peter Neilson, the Labour candidate for the Dunedin Central electorate, continued his campaign last evening when open-air meetings were addressed in rCaversham at the corner of Asquith street and the South road, and at the lower end of the Glen road. The speaker, in his opening remarks, referred to a prophecy made during the 1931 election campaign by Mr H. E. Holland, who had stated that if the Coalition were returned with a blank cheque an immediate attack would be made on all classes of pensions, wages afid salaries would be reduced, the compulsory provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act would be destroyed, social services would be reduced, and, as a result, a general intensification of the economic depression would take place. That prophecy, said Mr Neilson, although ridiculed bv Coalition candidates at the time, had been fulfilled to the last detail, and the electors had no guarantee that such a state of affairs as had been brought about by the disastrous policy of the Government would not be continued if the present Government were elected for a further term of office. Reference was made by the candidate to several proposed reforms which were planks in the Government’s present election policy, such as the National housing scheme,_ the national health scheme, and the national superannuation scheme. All these things, said Mr Neilson, were traps to catch tne unwary, and he drew the attention of his audience to the fact that the Government had qualified its proposals by stating that they would be put into operation only when finances permitted. Mr Neilson stated that he believed that it was fear of the Labour Party reaching the Treasury benches that had prompted the members of the Government to include such radical measures in itA programme, and he did not think for one moment that the Government had any intention of proceeding with them after the election if it were returned with a majority. Several aspects of the Labour Party’s policy were dealt with by the candidate when claimed that only by putting Labour’s policy into operation could a condition of lasting prosperity be brought about !n the Dominion. Both meetings concluded with unanl-. mous votes of thanks to the speaker and confidence in the Labour Party. DUNEDIN NORTH About a score of stormy petrels livened proceedings considerably in tlffi George Street Hall last evening when Mr A. S. Falconer (National Government candidate for Dunedin North) addressed a full house. The candidate devoted the greater part of his speech to the achievements of the National Government during the past four years, and outlined the plans for the future with regard to unemployment, national housing, taxation, and public works extension. He disposed of his recital of the Government’s record in an atmosphere of comparative calm, but when he turned to the Government’s intentions he was subjected to some steady heckling of a clumsy kind which gradually swelled into a concerted chorus of laughter and interjections above which his voice, raised very considerably, was scarcely audible. He attacked the Democrat Party ,as a super-ambitious organisation trying to tempt the electors with projects absolutely impossible of fulfilment, and provoked increased demonstrations when he referred to the Labour Party as protagonists of an uncertain and erratic policy, with no hope of doing any better for themselves than their confreres had done in other countries., The candidate was asked a variety of questions, many of them, in the words of the chairman (Mr F. W. Mitchell) being of an academic nature and not fair to the candidate.. At the conclusion of the meeting a very vehement member of the audience moved—“ That we have no confidence in Mr Falconer as a representative of the worker’s.” Half a dozen people jumped to their feet in a race to second the motion, which was received with cheers. When Mr A. H. Allen rose to move an amendment the mover of the motion electrified the house with stentorian points of order, and was 'Y 1 ™ difficulty persuaded by the chairman that Mr Allen was moving an amendment and not a motion. On being put to the vote the amendment—“ That Mr ralconer be thanked for his address”— was carried on the voices.

®V® - x? a f£’ ® e , m °crat candidate ;,? +P t -AI T^'n 11 ’ addressed a meeting in the Leith Valley School last evening, there was a good attendance, and she was fIT9 n tl an . attentive hearing. Mrs Black said that one of her chief reasons for standing for Parliament was to try and improve the lot of the women and children, and ’f the Democrat Party were leturned one of its chief considerations would be the women and children of the Dominion. Mrs Black dealt fully with the party s policy, and paid particular attention to prison reform, the price of citrus fruits, reduction in taxation, the neeh tor a housing scheme in New Zealand, the sales tax, which she said was definitely retarding business and would have to come off, a national health insurance scheme, and pensions. She also paid a tribute to the fine work of the kindergartens in New Zealand. The meeting was presided over by Mr J. Donaldson. DUNEDIN WEST ■^ r addressed an audience of 65 ladies in Wilson Hall yesterday afternoon. The' candidate spoke about the ethical principles of the Labour J. arty, and made brief reference to the humanitarian planks of the party’s plat--I°mi. Several questions were asked and answered at the close of the meeting, and a vote of thanks and confidence in the candidate was carried by acclamation.

In his address at the Bishopsconrt cricket pavilion last night Dr M'Millan dealt at considerable length with the report of the commission which investigated the administration of the Department of Native Affairs. He claimed that the whole of the Cabinet members were responsible along with Sir Apiraua Ngata for what was disclosed in that report, and said that the electors were not entitled to trust a Government which had been involved in the state of affairs disclosed by the report. Dr M'Millan also dealt at length with the Labour Party’s proposals for a national superannuation scheme. It would, lie said, have to be subsidised by the Government during the early stages, but it would eventually become self-supporting. Everybody would pay into it and everyone would receive superannuation irrespective of the income he or she was receiving The candidate also referred to the party’s national health scheme which, he stated, would concentrate on the prevention of disease. At the conclusion of the address Dr M'Millan, who answered a number of questions, was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. CHALMERS Mr AnSell addressed a well-attended meeting at Warrington on Wednesday evening, and was accorded an attentive hearing. As in his previous addresses, Mr Ansell reviewed the events of the past few years, showing that New Zealand had passed through what was the most difficult and perilous period that this country has experienced. He stressed

the fact that not only had New Zealand suffered, but every country in the world had been severely affected. In order to show the seriousness of the world-wide economic disorders, Mr Ansell stated that since 1929, world trade had fallen by about 30 per cent, in volume and by nearly 70 per cent, in value. It would be admitted by all classes of tho community that the Government had to face a most difficult task, but they had followed the hard path of economy and retrenchment which, although at the time was unpopular, had saved the situation. New Zealand had emerged from difficult times, and the issue to-day was whether the people of New Zealand were prepared to experiment with fantastical policies that had proved failures in other parts of the world. On the motion of the chairman (Mr I. Findlay), Mr Ansell was accorded a hearty vote' of thanks for his address, after reference had been made to the straight-forward manner in which the member had answered all the questions. Mr A. Campbell, Labour candidate for Chalmers, speaking at Kuri Bush Brighton. Allanton, and Momona, was listened to by enthusiastic audiences. Mr Campbell dealt at length with guaranteed prices and the Mortgage Corporation. He explained fully Labour’s educational system, and also dealt with the pensions scheme. The candidate was accofded votes of thanks and confidence. THE CLUTHA ELECTORATE

Mr J. A. Roy, the National Government candidate for Clutha, nothwithstanding the inclemency of the weather on Wednesday night, had an attendance of about 40 at Waihola, Mr Brown occupying the chair. The candidate traversed the steps taken by the Government dur ing the slump period in order to keep the ship of State afloat. Dealing with the Labour Party’s promise of guaranteed prices to the farmer, he stated that such a programme could only be carried out at great cost to the rest of the community and did not seem to be practicable. A number of questions having b?en answered, the candidate wa s accorded a hearty vote of -thanks, on the motion of Mr P. Macdonald. Introducing Mr Roy to an audience of over 100 at Lovell’s Flat on Monday night, Mr Jasper Clark, who presided, said they had before them a man who had been born and brought up in South Otago, ia which lay all his interests, and he had been selected as a suitable representative in Parliament for the district at a large meeting of representatives of practically all the districts within the electorate. At the close of his address, which was characterised by a note of straightforward manliness that seemed to appeal to his hearers, the candidate was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. Mr Roy is making every endeavour to meet all the electors in the wide and scattered electorate, and on Tuesday visited Wharetoa, Popotunoa!, and Clydevale. On Wednesday morning he addressed a number of the settlers at Glen ledi, and in the afternoon bad a good meeting at Taieri Mouth, where _ there was a large percentage of ladies in the audience. Mr A. M'Kenzie occupied the chair. The candidate received a very attentive hearing, and was accorded a vote of thanks. On Thursday the weather was wet and stormy, but Mr Roy held meetings at Puerua, Kakapuaka, Waite peka, and Warepa. At these places be was on “ familiar stamping ground,” and created a very favourable impression. OPPOSING LABOUR ACTION OF COMMUNIST CANDIDATE RESIGNING AS UNION SECRETARY Mr Samuel Ikin, who. was asked to resign from the position of secretary oi the Carpenters’ Union because he has decided to stand as a Communist candidate for Dunedin North against the official Labour candidate (Mr J. W. Miniro), has intimated that his resignation will be handed in at a meeting of the union th.e evening. Mr Ikin considered that he had been rorced into the position because of the action of the union in placing a motion demanding his resignation on the agenda paper for the special general meeting on Friday last. The total membership of the union is 496, but there was an attendance of only 37 at the meeting, when the resolution asking the sec retary to resign or retire from the election contest was carried by 21 votes to 16Considering that the union was not a political party and that its ranks held all shades of political opinion, Mr Ikm has acted on “piinciple” and has accepted the decision to resign. He believes that the small attendance at the meeting and the small majority by which the motion was carried prove that the question was not a live one among the members of the union. Although the previous secretary of the union was fully _ employed, the position at the present time calls for only parttime work.

THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL ADDRESS AT BALCLUTHA. MINISTERIAL VISIT. The Postmaster-genera] and Minister of Labour, Mr Adam Hamilton, has consented to visit the Clutha electorate next Monday. The Minister will come from the south, and will speak in the Coronation Hall, Clinton, at 4.30 p.m., and at Balelutha, in the Britannia Theatre, at 8 p.m. At Balelutha, Mr Roy, the National candidate, will occupy a seat on the platform and will give a short address. As this will be the first political speech delivered in Balelutha by a Minister of the Crown for many years a large attendance is anticipated. DEMOCRAT CRITICISM MR BITCHENER DEFENDS GOVERNMENT. (Per United Press Association) TIMARU, November 7. Speaking at Fairlie last night, the Minister of Public Works, Mr JBitchener, took strong exception to the criticism levelled against the Government. particularly against Messrs Forbes and Coates by Mr Hislop, the Democrat leader, and Mr Hislop’s indictment of the administration of the Stores Control Board over which he (Mr Bitchener) presided. Mr Bitchener made reference to the problem of unemployment and said the leader of the Democrat Party claimed to be able to cure the problem, but be had thousands of unemployed in Wellington where he was mayor, and had put forward no solution.

THE WESTLAND SEAT A NATIONAL CANDIDATE. (Per United Press Association) CHRISTCHUCHH, November 7. Mr Harben Robert Young, who contested the Avon seat against Mr D. G. Sullivan at the last general election, been announced as the National Government candidate for Westland. Mr Young is an engineer residing in Westport. AUCKLAND EAST SEAT (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, November 7. Mr J. B. Donald, chairman of the Auckland Executive of the Democrat Party, and a former Postmastei-gencral and Minister of Customs and Marine in the United Cabinet, announced himself to-day as the party’s candidate for the Auckland East seat, which he hold from 1928 to 1931, when he retired. The candidate held his first meeting to-night, when he dealt with the main features of the Democrat policy and was well received by a small attendance. TO-DAY’S MEETINGS Mr J. W. Munro (Dunedin North). — Orange Hall. Leith street, at 8 p.m. Mr P. Neilson (Dunedin Central).— Corner Anderson’s Bay road and Queen’s drive, 7 p.m.; Lome street, at 8 p.m. Mr F. Jones (Dunedin South).—Lome street, at 7.30 p.m. Mr A.'Campbell (Chalmers). —Otokia, at 7 p.m.: Henley, at 8.15 p.m. Mr Te White Love (Southern Maori). —Central Committee rooms, Bond and Liverpool streets, at 8 p.m. Mr A. E. Ansell.—At Sawyers’ Bay, at 8 p.m