What The Candidates Are Saying . . .

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27241, 18 November 1949, Page 8

What The Candidates Are Saying . . .

“The War Is On” “The war is on,” declared the Minister Of Defence, Mr Jones, in the St. Kilda Methodist Church Hall last night “The Nationalists are getting rattled. They have been working long hours travelling to their candidates’ meetings in fleets of cars. But they know only too well that their chances are getting less every day, and they have become ve)cy irritable in consequence. My opponent, Mr G. Lyon, has had a few exchanges with me, and I think this will help to brighten up the campaign. Mr R. G. Brickell, the National candidate for North Dunedin, has also entered the fray. But in his case, he started it.”

Crocodile Tears “I want to warn everyone that Mr Fraser got away to a ‘ crying start ’ in: this election campaign, but it will be' as nothing compared with the crying he will do into the microphone for his broadcast on the eve of the election. They will be crocodile tears Don’t drop into the maw of the crocodile —you will never come out.”—Mr R. G. Brickell, candidate for North Dunedin, at Maori Hill last night.

Invisible Friend? Speaking of the burden of taxation in New Zealand to an audience at Green Island last night, Mr W. Sullivan (National. Bay of Plenty) said Mr Nash took s|d of the cost of each packet of cigarettes. “What’s left is the fag end,” he added. “If you go in off the road for liquid refreshment you pay your 6d, but find you have an invisible friend, Mr Nash, who quietly takes 3d of that.” he added. Looking Backward

“The Labour Party policy assumes that we have reached our goal; that there is nothing better ahead for the future. It is a policy of looking backward rather than one of looking forward,” Mr D. Murdoch, National Party candidate for Dunedin Central, told a §athering of 48 people in the Carroll treet Church Hall last night. Contented Candidate

“In the last 14 years this country has changed from a state of despair to one of security,” said Mr R. Walls, Labour candidate for North Dunedin, at! the Wakari Community Centre last night, when he spoke in conjunction with the candidate for Dunedin Central, Mr P. G. Connolly. “ I have spent the whole of my life in Dunedin,” he a<|ded, “ and I must say that this period is the happiest I have known.” About 50* people attended the meeting. Fewer Maternity Homes 1

“A Labour Party candidate the other day produced figures to show that the birth rate had increased in recent years, but he did not tell anyone that there were fewer maternity homes. Forty-five have been closed down in recent years. A National Government will ensure that sufficient maternity homes are provided.”—Mr Gerald Lyon (National, St. Kilda). speaking at Anderson’s Bay last night. Funny Twist

. “ I don’t like the word ‘ politics,’ and you cannot say ‘statesmen.’ I don't like' ‘government’ either. That word has- a funny twist to it these - days.” said Mr R. G. Brickell, National candidate for North Dunedin, when explaining to his audience at Maori Hill how he came to enter the political arena in this election.

Tweedledum and Tweedledee

“All ideals . . . something fanciful like Lewis Carroll’s ‘ Alice in Wonderland,’ ” was how a questioner described the policy expounded by the Communist Party candidates, Mr J. L. Marston, Dunedin North, and Mr J. J. Hannan, Mornington, at the Orange Hall last night. “At least two characters in the book can be likened to our opponents in the election,” retorted Mr Hannan. “Tweedledum and Tweedledee . . . they are the Labour and National Parties.” There were 126 at the meeting, which was comparatively quiet during the speeches, but became noisy while questions were being asked.

Sales Tax An advertisement in yesterday’s Daily Times concerning a number of articles on which sales tax is paid was referred to by, the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, at St. Kilda last night. “I notice in the articles listed,” he said, “that 2Jd sales tax is paid on baby powder, and id on sandsoap. There is nothing in the advertisement, however, to show that sales tax has been removed from all foods, all descripe tions of clothing, footwear, furniture, household materials, building materials, agricultural implements and many other articles.” The meeting, which was attended by 16 electors, was presided over by Mr J. Ruth. At the conclusion, the speaker was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence.

Potatoes Next Month During question time at Anderson’s Bay last night, an elector who announced he was in his eighty-ninth year asked Mr Gerald Lyon (National, St. Kilda) if he could get him some potatoes after November 30. Mr Lyon replied that he knew a man who would start digging an acre of potatoes on December 4. The potatoes would not be worth digging before then. This was another example of how silly such price controls really were.

The Three L’s _ "Remember the three L’s —the lawyer, the landlord and the land agent. They dislike State houses as they cannot get a rake-off.” This was the advice which Mr P. G. Connolly, Labour candidate for Dunedin Central, offered his 50 listeners at Wakari last night, when he discussed the benefits enjoyed by a State house tenant.

“ Best In The World ” “I heard Mr Nordmeyer the other night and he said this country’s housebuilding programme was the best in the world. How can the National Party beat that? ” asked a questioner of Mr D. Murdoch, National candidate for Dunedin Central, last night. “Mr Nordmeyer is a religious gentleman. I’m only a grocer. I suppose his knowledge of building is no greater than mine. I think the programme can be improved,” the candidate said. The National Party did not propose to have half-completed houses lying idle for months. Four Ugly Sisters

“I think we ought to advertise the fact that Dunedin is a Cinderella city held back by the ‘four ugly sisters.’” said Mr G. C. Stephens. National candidate for Mornington. in an address at Caversham last night to a gathering of electors. “We have no need to be proud of our four Dunedin representatives,” he said. “What a niggardly return had been given by them.” Estimates had been announced for proposed exits from the north and south sectors of the city. He would say that these estimates had been lying in a drawer and marked. “Not to be opened until one week before the election.”