FINAL WORDS

Southland Times, Issue 20641, 13 November 1928, Page 5

FINAL WORDS

THE PRIME MINISTER MESSAGE TO THE ELECTORS “ONLY TWO QUESTIONS” (Per United Frees Association.) Auckland, November 12. The Prime Minister arrived to-day and spent a busy day in Auckland. He addressed two women’s meetings this afternoon and three meetings in support of the candidates. To-night Mr Coates issued the following message to the electors:— “Two questions only have to be answered by the electors of New Zealand on Wednesday and two parties seriously to be considered. The electors have to say whether they desire the return of the Government which has been the Government of the people for the people, a Government which has a record of definite achievements for national welfare and a clearly defined programme for future development, or whether they will commit the affairs of the country into the hands of the Labour-Socialist group. My faith in the people of New Zealand, the receptions which have been accorded to me personally and the statement of the Government case and the reports I have received from all electorates lead me to only one conclusion —that the electors who have studied the political situation are in the majority and that they will say to the Government, ‘Carry on.’ “During the past month it has been my good fortune to have visited many electorates throughout the Dominion. It has been very gratifying to me to find that my predictions concerning the situation have been confirmed, that our critics are stronger vocally than they are in numbers. I have found that the great mass of the people have recognized the fact that the Government has been tested in a period of very great difficulty created wholly by world wide economic depression and low prices, now happily past, for our produce in external markets and that it has performed its tasks with credit to itself and to our land. The people have recognized that the administration has always been fair to all sections of the community, to the producer and consumer, to the worker and employer. They have also recognized that the Government has carried on with the policy which has promoted the co-operation of all our people in a general interest. Co-operation was the basis of the policy during the past three years. It is the basis of our policy for the future. A month ago I set out in the manifesto a brief statement of the Government’s achievements and an outline of its programme. Our opponents have had a month in which to examine it;, but bombarded as it has been from all sides and angles, the record stands unshaken for argument. They have produced vague assertions, unproved and unsustainable, works which compare very poorly with the hard commonsense facts on which the Government has relied in one of the most difficult economic periods New Zealand has ever experienced. The Government with no other desire than to sit in the best interests of the whole country has consolidated and promoted the primary industry of the Dominion in the following directions: Nearly £10,000,000 advanced to settlers in the last three years; rural credits (long term advances); rural intermediate credits; reduction in railway freights for the encouragement of production; guaranteed assistance to fruitgrowers (mostly small men) ; stabilized the prices for wheat-growers ; assistance to the pork industry (great benefit to small farmers) ; assistance to the poultry industry; establishment of the Massey Agricultural College; latest scientific research; herdtesting.

“May I set out again a few of the essential points in the Government’s programme: Safe finance, no extravagant borrowing, relief in taxation, progressive public works, development and improved highways and country roads; improved railway services; co-operation of railway and motor interests, especially heavy traffic and rectifying economic disabilities; extension of hydro-electric schemes; a sound policy of land settlement based on the existing legislation by assist ance to part-time farmers near towns; to small holders in rural districts, to men who desire to band together in the purchase of holdings suitable for subdivision by opening up pumice and other unoccupied lands, all tending to increase our exports and consequently our national wealth; assistance to primary industry by increased financial facilities; expediting of applications now in the hands of the Advances Department from settlers and workers; easing the burden of local rates; encouragement of secondary industries; public health extension; modern vocational education; assistance to those of our returned soldiers who are only now revealing the effects of the war strain; remedial action on analysis of the causes of unemployment; promotion of industrial peace and social welfare; equal opportunity for all our citizens; no fanciful promises.

“The Government cannot promise to work a miracle which the United Party professes to be able to work. It cannot promise to reduce the national revenue and increase the expenditure and yet have no increase of taxation. We certainly do not attempt to win public confidence by such electioneering devices. The Labour Party has obviously been ‘soft pedalling’ on the platform of which the extreme planks have been temporarily hidden. Nevertheless there is no room for doubt that the objectives of extreme socialism still form its real platform. These objectives I feel confident the great majority of New Zealanders will never adopt. Naturally the Labour-Socialist Party hopes to gain seats by splitting votes in some constituencies. Wherever the three parties have representatives in th? field a vote for the United candidate will be in effect a vote for the Labour-Socialist Party. Three years ago I appealed to the electors to give the Government a sound working majority. That appeal was not made in vain. To-day I ask for a renewal of their confidence. Supported by th? energy and industry of the people we have steered the country through timee of stress and difficulty. The status and credit of New Zealand has not only been maintained, but has never been higher. I am entitled therefore now that solid prosperity is once again within our reach to ask the electors for another sound working majority in Parliament to enable the Government still further to put into operation its safe and progressive policy for the advancement of the Dominion.”