AWARUA SEAT

Southland Times, Issue 20616, 15 October 1928, Page 6

AWARUA SEAT

THE UNITED PARTY MR PERRELLE SPEAKS AT WAITUNA CRITICISM OF GOVERNMENT The United Party candidate for Awarua, Mr P. de la Perrelle, opened his campaign on Saturday evening with addresses at Morton Mains and Waituna. Despite showers of rain and snow there was a very fair attendance at Waituna, and Mr Perrelle was given a most attentive hearing. Mr D. McKenzie was in the chair and in introducing Mr Perrelle he paid a tribute to his services to the electorate as their member from 1922-1925. Not only was Mr Perrelle an experienced Parliamentarian, but he was a man experienced in the work of many local bodies. Mr Perrelle said that in offering his services once more for Awarua constituency it was at the request of a large body of electors from all parts of the electorate. During 1922-1925 he had the honour and privilege of representing them in Parliament, and he thought he could safely say that few, if any, opportunities were missed by him in fulfilling the obligations associated with the important position. He realized that service to the constituency and to the Dominion as a whole was essential and in carrying it out he fearlessly endeavoured to represent the great bulk of the people. Personally he considered that party government had many great drawbacks, and he had both in and out of Parliament favoured the elective executive. However, the time for this ideal form of government was not yet, and he considered of all the parties, the claims of the United Party were paramount. Much had been written and said in a cynical, criticising way about the advent of the third or new party. It was no new party—it was the old Liberal Party united with a vast body of electors determined to bring about that prosperity and contentedness the country once enjoyed under the regime of Liberalism. “Borrow, Squander and Tax.” In their 1925 manifesto the Reform Party proclaimed that they stood for sound and prudent finance. He briefly examined what they had done when in office. In 1912 the gross public debt stood at £84,353,913. In 1927 it was £245,850,889 —an increase of £161,496,976. Taking off the amount represented by the Great War’s cost, £81,843,534, it left an increase of £79,659,442. During the past three years of “sound and prudent finance” the increase of indebtedness had steadily mounted up. In 1926 it increased by £11,046,831, in 1927 by £6,995,411, and in 1928 another £5,000,000 was borrowed. The gross indebtedness ppr head of population was £l7O. When Reform came into power the interest bill per head of population was £2 5/10. At March 31, 1927, it was £5 19/-. Referring next to taxation, he reminded his hearers how taxation crippled industry, meant less production, created unemployment and raised the cost of living. The taxation per head in different countries made interesting reading. In Great Britain it was £l5 2/6, in New Zealand £ll 8/5, in Australia £9 1/-, Canada £6 19/-, France £8 5/10, Germany £5 6/-, Italy £3 8/9. The amount raised in revenue in New Zealand by way of taxation last year was £16,853,916, or £ll 8/5 per head. In 1911 the Government (then in opposition) stated that New Zealand taxation was out of all proportion to the population of 1,000,000 people. Yet with about 1,250,000 people taxation had more than trebled. Lavish administration, wasteful departmental expenditure and incompetent ministerial control had squeezed the very life-blood out of the taxpayer and had crippled enterprise. Mr Perrelle then gave a few examples of extravagance. In 1914 the High Commissioner’s office cost £6269, in 1927 it was £25,287. The cost of the Treasury Department in 1914 was £12,574, in 1927 it was £25,287. In 1915 the permanent State employees totalled 33,301 with a wage list of £5,867,308; in 1925 there were 40,160 employees with a wage list of £10,259,666, nearly double. It would be possible to go on ad infinitum giving glaring examples of wasteful extravagance, but he would pass on to refer briefly to local bodies government. In 1912 the amount totalled in round figures £20,000,000 at a cost per head of £l9 4/-. In 1926 it was £59,000,000 at a cost per head of £42 3/-. That naturally came back on the land. “I have shown you enough,” said Mr Perrelle, “in reference to Government finance to convince you that the Reform Party has justly earned the appellation of ‘Borrow, Squander and Tax.’ ” The Railways. Mr Perrelle reminded his hearers that the railways belonged to the people. That being the case, the public should patronize them as liberally as possible. Low freights and fares must be essential factors in bringing that about. The Government two or three years ago laid down the principles that would guide them in authorizing new railway construction. There were to be reports from different Departments, estimates as to likely revenue and expenditure and generally the very closest investigation. Right on top of that no reports had been forthcoming in regard to the Rotorua-Taupo railway which was down on the estimates to cost £BO,OOO. A few years ago a Commission which was set up to investigate this proposed line put the revenue from farm produce down at £l3BO per annum and said there was no likelihood of the railway returning sufficient revenue to meet working expenses and interest charges. A return recently stated that there were only 13,000 sheep in Taupo County, as well as a few goats. In other words, £BO,OOO was spent on a “political” railway. It had been stated that the railways lost close on £7,000,000 a year, but it was expected that the expenditure of £360,000 on a station at Auckland would enable them to pay their way! He said that he was strongly opposed to a retiring allowance of £2300 as was proposed for the present general manager of railways. Any such vast sums whether for railway or other Government officials were not right. He was opposed to any tampering with the £3OO limit now fixed for superannuation. Land Settlement. Mr. Perrelle said that the Reform manifesto had stated that the party stood for “closer settlement of occupied lands by purchase and subdivision.” What did they find? In May last the Minister of Lands stated at the Waikato County Council table that in the last two years 13,000 settlers had left rural holdings. He also gave information that the total number of rural holdings in the Dominion was 85,000. It was most diequieting to hear that about 15 per cent, of the holdings proved so unprofitable that the occupiers had left them. To proceed, the land purchased for settlement in 1923 was 60 acres, in 1924 126 acres, in 1925 1719 acres, in 1926-27-28 about 21,000 acres. Included in the recent purchases was that the Te Wera block in the Motu district. It was criticized by farmer representatives in the House as a collossal blunder and not denied. It was 9922 acres - costing £64,630 and would require £6OOO spent on it. Then it would be nothing better than a small station. The land was in light bush and scrub, was light chocolate land and pumice. Truly if it were asked where was the Reform policy of chosen settlement echo could only answer where.

But to delve more deeply. In 1912 under the Liberal administration out of every 100 people, 43 went to the towns and 57 to the country. In 1926, Reform’s best year, 51 went to the town and 49 to the country. If that rate continued it would soon be all towns and no country except sheep runs. It was the duty of the party in power to do everything possible to encourage settlement in the country. Without that the Dominion could never prosper. As John McKenzie said: “Put the people on the land. Keep them on the land by the maximum encouragement to occupy.”

State Advances. When Sir Joseph Ward brought in this legislation, the finest ever placed on the Statute book, giving many a successful farmer his first start, it was stigmatized by the Conservative Party as a “State Pawnshop.” There was no need for the Rural Credit scheme, which was a failure, when the State Advances Department existed. Mr. Perrelle said that when in the House he had advocated the borrowing of £20,000,000 for the State Advances Department. Money was then available in the Old Country at from 31 to 4 per cent, and if his suggestion had been availed of, as had been subsequently proved, many a settler would have been on the land to-day. That money would have been reproductive and would not have burdened the taxpayer as did the huge borrowing for unproductive works. For the latter objects money had been borrowed and squandered. Unfortunately in connection with applications for loans from the State Advances office applicants had to wait for years in some instances. He was strongly opposed to the Government lending out money from the State Advances office to local bodies. Those bodies could go on the open market with their gilt-edged securities. From 1918 to 1927 local bodies had received £6,394,195 as loans from the State Advances Department and in the nine months of the present year £32,195. That was a positive disgrace when the farming community was urgently in need of assistance and when workers wanted homes. Trusts and Combines. The Coates manifesto of 1928 stated: “Encouragement of secondary industries and suppression of trusts.” What had the Government done to promote secondary industries? The answer was nil. What had it done to suppress trusts? The same answer applied. In fact not one of the 16 points in the notable manifesto of 1925 had been given effect to. It had been a Government of broken pledges and promises. Reform lived in the past. Reform worked for the wealthy Reform “grab-alls”, while on the other hand the United Party lived to solve neglected problems and to bring back that prosperity New Zealand once enjoyed. The decision would be in the hands of the people on November 14. Education. As they probably all knew, he took a very keen interest in education, believing that a good education was the greatest boon a parent could confer on his child. He stood for a system of free, compulsory and secular education, and of providing every possible facility to place the country pupil on an equality with the city child. Uniformity of school books, as far as practicable was essential and there was no reason why the books should not be obtainable at a minimum of cost. Facilities should also be provided for pupils in country districts, distant from the railway, to have the opportunity of attending technical instruction —even by motor conveyance, because, after all, the back country pupil was entitled to all the privileges of those more favourably situated. Afforestation. He had always persistently advocated afforestation on lands unsuitable for cultivation, yet which would be entirely suitable for forest purposes. He quoted authorities to show that at the present rate of sawmilling there would be an acute shortage of timber in 1970, Just prior to the close of the final session in 1925, he received a written promise from the Minister (Sir Heaton Rhodes) that £2OOO would be placed on the Estimates to purchase an area of land with which to commence forestry operations in Southland. Three years afterwards, the present Minister said (in reply to Sir Joseph Ward) that he would favourably consider the purchase of land for the purpose if a suitable area was found. The Department knew of suitable areas in 1925, and this statement again was but another of piecrust promises which could not be relied upon. Other Matters. Mr. Perrelle said that he was strongly in favour of any policy which attracted tourists to the Dominion. They were far more remunerative then flooding the country with immigrants and causing unemployment. Southland’s wonderful charm should never be lost sight of. He criticized the 1927-28 estimates for road grants. The North Island grants came to £696,732 and the South Island grants to approximately £271,000. But that , was not the worst. Auckland received £316,787 as against the South Island’s total i of £271,000! 1 Mr. Perrelle concluded by stating that 'if on November 14 the electors returned ■ him as their member he would, he believed 1 be capable of serving them faithfully and would be ever alert to consult their interests. He trusted that the country would return to the Liberalism it had j previously so much enjoyed. Questions. I Two questions were submitted to the 1 candidate. In reply to a query if he was in favour of Daylight Saving Mr. Perrelle stated that when in the House he had voted against the measure because so many people in the country had complained of its hardships. He had consistently maintained that attitude. There was no reason why in cities a scheme could not be adopted, but it was not suitable for country districts. “I take it that you are not in favour of the bible in schools?” was the other question. Mr. Perrelle said that he believed in free, compulsory and secular education. The bulk of the teachers were opposed to the bible in schools. He was a strong advocate for bible teaching in the home and in Sunday schools, but it should not be made compulsory in the schools. The Nelson system however, was quite satisfactory. Thanks and Confidence. On the motion of Mr. W. Cole, a hearty vote of thanks and confidence in the candidate was carried by acclamation. At Morton Mains. 1 Prior to his address at Waituna, Mr. Perrelle spoke to a good audience at Morton Mains. Mr. T. Moss was in the chair. On the motion of Mr. A. Withington a vote of thanks nad confidence was carried by acclamation. MR DENHAM’S CANDIDATURE. ADDRESS AT MOKOTUA. Mr W. Denham, the Labour candidate for Awarua, addressed a meeting of the suppliers at the Mokotua factory on Saturday and received an attentive hearing. Mr Denham also addressed meetings on the same evening at the Mokotua Schoolhouse and at Gorge Road. He spoke of the inefficiency of the marketing of primary produce. They received less than 50 per cent, of the marketable value of their produce. The speaker also dealt with insurance companies’ bal-ance-sheets. Out of every pound collected for premiums the victim of an accident received 10/5; the insurance company absorbed 9/7. Comparing Canada’s workers’ compensation with that of New Zealand, the comparative percentage of expenses to premiums for the year 1926 was: New Zealand 39 per cent., Canada 4J per cent. They would do well to copy Canada’s insurance scheme. In reference to Sir Joseph Ward and the United Party, it seemed pathetic to think that Sir Joseph had relinquished the name of Liberal and gone over to the United Party. All the name changing in the world would not alter the fact that there was only one brand of Conservatism, and Sir Joseph and Mr Coates were in the same boat, that is, as far as political principles were concerned. He could not imagine Sir Joseph Ward interfering with the banking monopoly of New Zealand, nor yet would he desire to see any change in the present marketing system for primary produce. It was to be hoped that at the next election the working farmers would see that their interests and the wage-earners and all those who laboured with hand or brain in the fields of usefulness were identical. Nothing would suit Conservatism better than to keep the agricultural worker apart from the workers of other industries. Mr Denham was accorded a vote of thanks for this address.

MR ADAM HAMILTON.

Mr Adam Hamilton, Reform member for Wallace, opened his election campaign on Saturday night at Dunearn and Heddon Bush. Though the night was stormy, the hall at Dunearn was well filled. Mr Charles Clark was elected chairman. Mr Hamilton briefly outlined the political situation, giving an interesting and instructive address on the different departments of State. On the motion of Mr Munroe, seconded by Mr Patterson, Mr Hamilton was accorded a vote of thanks for his address and continued confidence in him as member for Wallace. At Heddon Bush there were some 70 electors present. Mr W. Watson was voted to the chair. After his address, which was on similar lines to that at Dunearn, the candidate was asked, and answered, several interesting and important questions. A vote of appreciation for his past services, especially to primary producers, was accorded Mr Hamilton on the motion of Mr G. Mathieson, seconded by Mr D. Malcolm, and the hope was expressed that he would be re-elected as member for Wallace. THE MID-CANTERBURY SEAT. (Per United Press Association.) Ashburton, October 13. Mr J. Connolly, of Rakaia, has announced has candidature for Mid-Canterbury in the interests of the United Party .