OUT EAST

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 75, 9 November 1928, Page 5

OUT EAST

Mil WALTER’S CAMPAIGN. Mr Walter addressed well attended meetings at Mangaone and Tangarakau on Monday. He referred to the shocking conditions which existed in Public Works befor e Mr Coates into They would all remember the lack of inconveniences, sleeping accommodation, and having to cock their °wn food in those bad old days. The present conditions of the Public Works employees was well-known to themselves and it was satisfactory to know from Mr Coates’ own lips that the work that was being done by the Public Works employees was costing 40 per cent, less than it did in the old days of bad management.

PUBLIC WORKS. Mr Walter criticised the* proposals of tlie United Party to unduly hasten public works now in construction. He pointed out that it would be uneconomical, that it would be' extravagant, and that 1 it would result in a* reversion to those conditions which lie had condemned. He also referred to the manner in which the present Government 1 had

(TeaTt witli loym e 111 , and characterised it as a better method of dealing with a very great difficulty than had ever been previously employed. It wag not a cure hut it offered assistance to those needing it in the time of their need. He also referred to pensions on the lines of'his speech in the House during the Budget debate, and expressed the opinion that the question of invalidity pensions should he further investigated and applied for the relief of those who ar e unfortunate enough to i become unable t'o work.

AT KOHUIUTAHI At Klohuratahi, Mr Walter had an enthusiastic meeting. H e referred to the assistance which has been extended to settlers on country which is inclined t'o revert to native conditions. The present Government was the first that had sufficient courage to tackle this most difficult problem. He knew that the settlers would agree with him that the country they occupied was exceedingly fertile but that investigation was necessary to make that fertility profitable. The sympathy and assistance extended through the • Department of Lauds to settlers was lie knew, greatly appreciated by those on the land. At the same time there was proceeding under th e direction of th e Department of Agriculture and carred out by Mr Bruce Levy exhaustive investigations into the management of this country. There was no need for pessimism, nothing could be gained by that, but th e work that Mr Bruce Levy was carrying out was all to the good.

THE RAILWAY. The completion of the Stratford Main Trunk railway would certainly give fillip to the progress of the district and would be. of benefit to both the Taranaki and Auckland provinces. Mr Crates’ policy of concentration on public works was now in*full operation on these lines and we have the assurance of the present Minister of Public Works, the Hon. K. S. Williams, that the line would bo completed in four to five years.