The Hustings

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 492, 23 October 1928, Page 16

The Hustings

Mr. C. IT. Clinkard, the United Party’s official candidate for the Rotorua electorate, has had good meetings at Te Whetu, Mokai and Mangatapu. They were well attended and the candidate received votes of thanks and confidence in each place. * * * “We are going to start our land settlement from an economic centre, not scattered round the backblocks,” remarked Mr. J. S. Fletcher. A Voice: What’s the matter with the Civio Square?^ “Please keep quiet while the candidate is speaking,” requested Mr. J. S. Fletcher’s chairman. The interjector, in aggrieved tones, asked: “Why? It’s an election meeting, isn’t it?” * * * “We are against the keeping of the flour tax which merely serves to keep a few Reform members of the South Island in Parliament,” said Mr. J. S. Fletcher in reply to a question. “As a practical solution of the unemployment position the Kingsland tunnel is farcical,” said Mr. J. S. Fletcher. “Working at both ends the tunnel could only employ between 20 and 30 men. When the tunnel is completed, it will compete against your trams, and depreciate their value.” LABOUR ROOSTERS “I say the Labour roosters came home to roost in Australia and they were roosters —all noise and no eggs!”—Mr. J. ‘ S. Fletcher. The speaker referred to huge losses on Socialistic undertakings in Queensland. STOLE HIS THUNDER “The Prime Minister, in formulating his land policy, watched carefully the preparations of the United Party, three months before the session’s end, and then stole the thunder of the new organisation.”—This is the opinion of Mr. A. J. Stall worthy, United candidate in Eden electorate. “These things leak out,” Mr. Stallworthy said last evening, “and Mr. Coates knew we were getting it ready.” ♦ * * TTMID financiers: Because the fixed deposits at the banks have increased by £ 18,000,000 during the past 18 months, Mr. A. J. Stallworthy, United candidate for Eden, considers there is a lack of confidence in the Reform administration. “The people will not invest their money, because they do not’ trust the Government,” he said last evening. “They prefer to get a modest but safe two per cent, instead of risking an investment at six per cent., and seven per cent, under present conditions.” • * * HOPES TO DISPLACE LABOUR Mr. A. J. Stallworthy, United candidate in Eden, predicts that the United Party will, at this election, displace the u Labour Party as the official Opposition

in Parliament, and at the next General Election will ascend to the Treasury benches. The organisation, he said last evening, is the first serious challenge the Reform administration has received in 16 years. * * • PERFECT MEN Sane, trustworthy, loyal, capable.— Mr. A. J. Stallworthy’s description of the men forming the United Political Party. * * * COVERING MISTAKES/ “When a man is going to build a house he finds out what it is going to cost, and then arranges his finance. Reform gets a loan for the foundations, another for the scaffolding, and so on until finally it raises a loan to cover up the mistakes it made in spending the others.” —Mr. J. S. Fletcher. FAMILY ALLOWANCES “Mr. Coates had intimated that the Government would provide £250,000 for family allowances while the Minister of Labour promised £260,000,” said Mr. H. E. Holland at Timaru. “Having secured office on the strength of this and other promises, the Government so framed its legislation and so cimcumscribed the allowances that only £37,652 was paid out in 192728. Had the 1925 promises been honoured the Minister of Finance would have shown a deficit of more than £40,000, instead of a surplus of £179,000.” At the conclusion of the meeting Mr. Holland was accorded a vote of thanks. * * v HASTY MR. BUNN In reply to an interjector last evening, Mr. Bertram Bunn, Reform man in Manukau, said: “Any man who is opposed to the Singapore base should be chased out of the country.” To this came - the vigorous reply of the interjector: “I’m as loyal as you are. You have no right to say that.” Mr. Bunn: I am sorry. I spoke on the spur of the moment. I made a reply that I should not have made. I withdraw that statement and hope you will accept my apology.” The Voice: Right oh! I won’t nterrupt you any more.