CAMPAIGN NOTES

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10985, 7 November 1928, Page 2

CAMPAIGN NOTES

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Mr Dunbar- Sloane Reform candidate I 'for Wellington Central, said he would come to the question of public health.

A voice: “Was not Peter Fraser ' a prime mover in health?” £ -Mr Sloane: “I don’t think he was £ a prime mover in anything that * was worth anything to the worker.” (Applause, dissent, and laughter). ' While he gave Mr Fraser credit for ‘ his work during the influenza epi- , demic, Mr Sloane- remarked that he , (the speaker) was at the war at the ' time, but his wife dispensed medi- [ cine free to influenza patients, and , another relative, together with a number of ladies, converted his hall at Johnsonville into a receiving home , for patients. “May I have the temerity to say,” proceeded Mr Sloane, “that on this question I break evenly with Mr Fraser.” THE PRICE OF BREAD. Speaking at Makara on Wednesday, Mr W. H. Field, Reform candidate for the Otaki seat, said that his United Party opponent was still brazening out his absurd statement concerning the price of bread. He was, Mr Field said, the only candidate, so far as he could ascertain, who had discovered this shocking act of villainy on the part of the Reform Party. Everybody else knew, indeed his opponent must know, that lie had struck a mare’s nest. Mr Field said that he had ascertained that in Australia, where all this cheap wheat was supposed to be procurable, the price of bread, instead of being 2d per 41b loaf —that is. Id per 21b loaf—cheaper than tho ruling price in New Zealand, the price in the various Australian States ranged from 5Jd to 6-Jd, and in Canada, another great wheat growing country the price is 6ld. Here also in Nov. Zeal; ad the price- does notexceed Gjcl. But the main point, is that if wheat growing was abandoned in New Zealand, and this was imminent only a year or two ago we might at any time have to pay famine prices. Then the Government could fairly be blamed if they had failed to conserve our wheat supply. and with it the reasonable price of bread. THE RIGHT TO STRIKE. Referring to the conference which the Government had called to endeavour to bring about a better understanding between Capital and Labour, Mr Martin Ruckle, Reform candidate for Wellington South, at bis Berhampore meeting, when replying to an interjector, claimed that the Government bad made every effort to have this vexed question settled in a practical manner and even yet the conference had not completed its work, but was to sit again. He pointed out that while Labour was crying out for arbitration in

connection with war. it objected to its introduction to settle matters between employer and employee, preferring to use the -strike weapon. This action showed bow illogical the party wa-s. A RISE FOR M’s.P. TOO. “Would you, if returned to Parliament again, vote in favour of an increase in the honorarium of the member of Parliament?” asked a questioner at Sir John Luke’s meeting in the Sydney street schoolroom, Wellington, “I have said already.” replied Sir John “that I consider that the salaries of members of the Civil Service should he brought up t 0 what they were -before the ‘cut.’ Now the ( ivil servant is worth his screw, and so_ is the member of Parliament. \t hen the Civil servant got his ‘c-ut’ "e crot ours, and when the Civil .servant is placed again on his old footing. then 1 see n 0 reason wily the member for Parliament should not be treated likewise.’’ (Laughter). ELECTIVE UPPER HOUSE. _ “Are you in favour of an elective l pper House?” was a question put to the Hon. R. A. Wright at Karo ri. “I would be in favour.” he replied, “if we had a satisfactory system of election, hut as things' stand 1 prefer the present nominanted system. It may have some disadvantages,. hut it also has some advantages. I would prefer to stand by tho present system.” ALLEGATION NOT BELIEVED. One of the questions asked of fhe Hon. tV. Downie Stewart at his meeting at Dunedin was whether it was a fact that a firm, owned by the Hon. K. S. Williams (Minister ol Public Morks) his brothers, and Air H. L. Tapley, M.P., supplied iron and steel lor the railway workshops, . telegraphs “The Post’s” Dunedin correspondent. Mr Stewart replied that he had no knowledge of the question, hut ho uas satisfied that Mir Williams was not a iiian who would allow himself to lie in a position which would allow of a conflict between his public duty and his private interest. If tho questioner allowed him time he would get some information. “A DING-DONG GO.” Mr Dunbar Sloane, Reform candidate for Wellington Central, devoted a considerable part of his address to the criticism of the Labour Party platform, and the views 0 f the party’s leaders. A voice: “Wliv noi have a smack at the United Party?” Mr Sloane: “1 am not worrying about the United Party. This is a ding-dong go between the Reform laity and the Labour Party; between Dunliar Sloane and Peter eraser; and after this campaign is over ram going-t 0 Mr Coates, and , le ' sav ‘Here is Wellington Central tor you’.” (Applause). LEGISLATION BY MAGIC. “A seetaon of the community seems to think that legislation is a kind ol magic wand,” said the Hon. R.

A. Wright at Karori. When there was a fall in the price for the Dominion’s primary produce the Government was blamed. Some people seemed to think that the Government could wave a wand and make money. WHAT WILL HAPPEN? Mr Martin F. Luckie, Reform candidate for the seat, had told him, stated Mr John Burns (United Party candidate for Wellington South) at Island Bay “By coming forward you are spoiling whatever chance I had.” “To that, said Mr Burns, “I replied—‘No Martin, I am not spoiling Your chance. You never had any chance.' And I said that because I believe that for Wellington South Reform is an impossibility. (Applause). It is true that under first-past-the-post you do not always get the member you want; but Sir Joseph Ward has promised —if returned, as I believe he will be —to introduce "the preferential vote. The Reform Party was pledged t n electoral reform; and the only excuse, and a very poor one, that the Prime Minister could give for not keeping that pledge was: ‘lt people want a change, they will get it, whether or no.’ That is so; and that is, what is going to happen this time.” (Applause).