ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Southland Times, Issue 22733, 8 November 1935, Page 8

ELECTION CAMPAIGN

LABOUR LEADER CORDIAL WELCOME ADDRESS AT CHRISTCHURCH GOVERNMENT TACTICS ASSAILED (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, November 7. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr M. J. Savage, addressed a meeting in the Choral Hall to-night. The hall was crowded, although the night was wet and wintry. The Mayor, Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P., presided. Mr Savage was given a most cordial welcome, the audience singing “For he’s a jolly good fellow.” At the conclusion of the address a motion was carried by a show of hands, with one dissentient, expressing thanks to the speaker and confidence in the Labour Party. Mr Savage dealt at length with some of the tactics employed by the Government organizers in their attempts to discredit the Labour Party’in the eyes of electors. Mr Savage stated that large and expensive advertisements were appearing in the Press, the object of which was to stampede the people into believing that their savings would not be safe under the Labour administration. Such propaganda came very badly from a Government which, by its own deliberate act in raising the rate of exchange, had brought the value of the New Zealand £ from 20/- down to 16/1. If some of the Government mathematicians were to go into figures, they would have no difficulty in advising the electors just what that meant to depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank who had £49,423,714 standing to their credit at March 31, 1935. Every person who deposited in any bank a pound worth 20/- before the raising of the rate of exchange could at present draw from that bank a pound worth only 16/1. The same applied to the total deposits of all banks, which amounted to approximately £120,000,000. The raising of the rate of exchange had, without any run on the banks, destroyed 3/11 out of every pound of the people’s savings. Another aspect of the matter was that working men were not allowed to have savings in any bank so long as they were employed under the Unemployment Act. Before the men could qualify for relief work, they were bound to use up their savings. The Government propaganda against Labour was intended to convey the impression that under the Labour administration the Post Office Savings Bank would not be able to meet the demands of its depositors. The fact was that the demands would not be met now, as the great bulk of the money had been invested in other undertakings, some of them of very questionable value. All banks were in a similar position which did not mean that they were not solvent, but it did mean that the misleading picture drawn by the Government of the possibilities under the Labour Government would apply to-day if the banks were put to an unfair test. The object of Labour was to make it possible for people to have something to save and then to safeguard those savings. INVERCARGILL SEAT NATIONAL CANDIDATE. The National Government candidate, Mr John Miller, addressed a meeting of ladies at Gladstone yesterday afternoon. The candidate was given an attentive and cordial hearing, and at the close of his address was accorded a vote of thanks. Mr Miller, who was introduced by Mr McLachlan (chairman), reviewed the conditions through which the Dominion had passed and emphasized the value of the Government's legislation in effecting the recovery made after the depression. He also spoke on the social conditions of the present time and the steps taken by the Government to improve them. Mr John Miller, the National Government candidate for Invercargill, addressed a large meeting at the Georgetown hall last evening. Mr Peter Milne was chairman. Mr Miller was given an attentive hearing, at the conclusion of which he was accorded a vote of thanks. Referring to the contest for- the Invercargill seat at the general election, the Southland correspondent of The Tribune, Auckland, states: “Mr John Miller was evidently chosen by the National Party because his voting power had been demonstrated as very strong in mayoral elections. His crushing defeat of opponents, coupled with strong championing of the unemployed gave Labour the idea that the Mayor of Invercargill must necessarily become a devout supporter of the New Zealand Labour Party; but at no stage of his career has this candidate not been definite in his adherence to the old Liberal Party. His principles do not appear to him as having been sacrificed. The Pvt. Hon. George Forbes is the ‘United’ Prime Minister of the Dominion and since he is a renamed Liberal, Mr Miller feels himself to be logically on the right side. His leanings have been and are towards the most needy—the unemployed.” DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE. Mr Gordon J. Reed addressed a meeting of electors at Tisbury last night, there being 40 present. Mr Owen Smith occupied the chair and introduced the speaker. The candidate covered the ground somewhat or; the lines of his former addresses. He received a very attentive hearing and at. the conclusion of the address answered a number of questions. The candidate received a vote of thanks for his address and confidence in him as a fit person to represent the Invercargill electorate in Parliament. LABOUR CANDIDATE. A meeting of the central and suburjan election campaign committees of the official Labour candidate for Invercargill, Mr W. M. C. Denham, was held last evening, Mr R. P. Meek presiding over a full attendance. z Mr Denham expressed himself as more than satisfied with the progress made and said that reports justified the assumption that Labour would gain the Invercargill seat. Arrangements were finalized tor the campaign to open on the 14th. Satisfaction was expressed at the action of the relief workers, one man stating that 103 relief workers on one particular section were so anxious that the Labour candidate should be returned that they had donated a sum of £3. General appreciation was expressed by those present, one remarking that this action should refute the statements made by a candidate that he had the support of the local unemployed. i

AWARUA SEAT MR HARGEST’S CAMPAIGN. Mr James Hargest, the National Goveminent candidate for Awarua, addressed enthusiastic meetings at Drummond and Oreti last evening. At Drummond the hall was filled, Mr J. Kincaid presiding. A motion of thanks and confidence was carried on the motion of Mr C. C. O. McLeish, seconded by Mr George Chilton. At Oreti 70 electors were present, Mr T. McLean being chairman. Mr Robert Cowie moved a vote of thanks to and confidence in Mr Hargest, and of absolute confidence in the present Government. The motion was seconded by Mr R. J. Woods and carried. At both places Mr Hargest dealt with the assistance the Government had given to the farming industry during its term of office, stressing the exchange, subsidies on rates, fertilizers and cartage of lime. He repeated his statement of the previous night on the Government subsidy on country rates and the present happy prospect before the ratepayers of the Southland Power Board. DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE. Mr L. A. Niederer, Democrat candidate for Awarua, addressed the largest political meeting for 20 years at Waimatua on Wednesday evening. MiTapper occupied the chair. In introducing the speaker the chairman referred to the successful and enterprising work done by Mr Niederer on local bodies. He also stressed the advantages of the Duck Creek scheme both to farmers and to the unemployed worker, and he congratulated Mr Niederer on being the prime mover in getting that scheme started. Mr Niederer outlined his party’s policy and dealt fully with matters pertaining to Southland. At the conclusion of his meeting the candidate received an ovation. Mr A. Welsh moved and Mr J. Moloney second a motion of confidence in Mr Niederer and his party. This was carried unanimously with applause. At Rimu at 8.30 there was a large attendance of electors at the Rimu Hall to hear the Democrat candidate. Mr J. Shand occupied the chair and outlined the public life of Mr Niederer. Since Mr Niederer had represented them on the County Council practically every settler in the riding had had a gravel road built to his gate, he said. Mr Niederer had proved himself on local body work and should be entrusted with the confidence of the Awarua electors to represent them in Parliament. Mr Niederer addressed the gathering along similar lines to his previous address and on concluding was greeted with applause. On the motion of Mr A. Batchelor, seconded by Mr R. Grieve, a hearty vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously. MR DOYLE’S CANDIDATURE. Successful meetings have been held during the week by Mr T. F. Doyle, Labour candidate for Awarua, who has received attentive hearings at each centre visited. On Monday evening at 7 o’clock Mr Doyle spoke at Tisbury, Mr L. Gilson presiding over a good attendance. At the conclusion of the address a motion of thanks and confidence was carried on the motion of Mr L. Evans, seconded by Mr J. Evans. At 8.30 the same evening Mr Doyle addressed a meeting at Woodend, Mr W. T. Edge occupying the chair. About 50 electors were present. The speaker was accorded a most encouraging reception and a vote of thanks and confidence, moved by Mr F. Preston and seconded by Mi- G. Saunders, was enthusiastically carried. Continuing his campaign on Tuesday evening, Mr Doyle spoke at Grove Bush and Mabel Bush. Between 30 and 40 were present at the former meeting, Mr J. Ross presiding. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried on the motion of Mr J. McAdam, Mr T. Hanning being the seconder. At Mabel Bush Mr Goldsmith presided over an attendance of 72. In this case the vote of thanks and confidence was moved by Mr J. Welsh and seconded by Mr R. Canning and carried. On Wednesday a well-attended meeting was addressed at Morton Mains at 7 p.m. by Mr Doyle. Mr Blackmore was chairman, Mr W. Brown proposing and Mr S. Wilson seconding a vote of thanks and confidence, which was carried. At 8.30 p.m. the candidate spoke at Dacre to an audience numbering about 90. The meeting was presided over by Mr J. Keir. Mr Doyle received a particularly good hearing and at the conclusion of his address was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. At all the meetings addressed keen attention has been paid to the Labour candidate’s remarks and the local executive members are well pleased with the encouraging reception riven Mr Doyle in the various districts. WALLACE CONTEST THE DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE. The meeting held at Riversdale by Mr W. Hinchey, the Democrat candidate for Wallace, was attended by about 100 electors. The chair was occupied by Mr Qualter. Mr Hinchey dealt with the Democrat policy and criticized the administration of the Government. At the conclusion of the meeting numerous questions were asked concerning various matters in which Power Board affairs held an important part. The audience followed the address with keen interest and the meeting closed with a hearty vote of thanks and confidence, which was carried by acclamation. OTHER SEATS COMMUNIST FOR DUNEDIN SOUTH. (Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, November 7. Because he is standing as a Communist candidate for Dunedin South in opposition to the official Labour candidate, Mr Jones Samuel Ikins’s resignation as secretary of the Carpenters’ Union has been demanded. He declined the alternative to retire from the contest and is resigning as secretary . . He stated that on principle this was the only course, as the union was composed of all shades of political opinion and was not political in nature. Although the union has 496 members, only 37 attended a special meeting, and the motion demanding retirement or resignation was carried by a majority of six votes. NATIONAL CANDIDATE FOR WESTLAND SEAT. (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, November 7. Mr H. R. Young, who contested the Avon seat, against Mr D. G. Sullivan at the last general election, has been announced as the National candidate for Westland. ADDRESS BY HON. J. BITCHENER, (Per United Press Association.) Timaru, November 7. Speaking at Fairlie last night, the Hon. J. Bitchener took strong exception to the criticism levelled against the Government, particularly Mr Forbes and Mr Coates, by Mr Hislop, the Democrat leader, and Mr Hislop’s indictments 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 he had thousands of unemployed in Wellington where he was Mayor and had put forward no solution. MR J. B. DONALD AS DEMOCRAT. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, November 7. Mr J. B. Donald, chairman of the Auckland Executive of the Democrat Party, and former Postmaster-General 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 held from 1928 to 1931 wher. he retired. The candidate held his first meeting to-night when he dealt with the main features of the Democrat policy and was wejl received by a small attendance*