OPPOSITION’S JOB

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 689, 14 June 1929, Page 16

OPPOSITION’S JOB

REFORM READY FOR TASK MR. COATES AT INVERCARGILL Press Association INVERCARGILL, Thursday. "We have a hard job in front of us as the Opposition,” said the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, at a luncheon given by his supporters today. He dealt with finance and railways. When the Reform Party relinquished the reins of office, he said, the credit of the country stood higher than ever before, showing that the policy followed had been sound in principle and had worked out in practice. In addition to producing healthy trading balances the late Government had been instrumental in reducing the expenditure from tho Consolidated Fund accounts by £190,000, by which sum taxation had been reduced. The Reform Government had never waved its flag or endeavoured to take credit that was not due, nor had it hesitated to give its opponents full credit for any good work. He hoped the present Government would be as fair in its treatment. Mr. Coates said it was not generally known in the South Island that all the negotiations toward the establishment of a regular shipping service between Victoria and the South Island had been carried out by himself, and all that was left for the present Government to do was to take up the specifications and finalise matters. Referring to railway construction, Mr. Coates said he hoped that before the Government proceeded with any project a full statement as to the economic position would be made available in order that the costs might be weighed against the advan tages. He mentioned the Taupo railway, and pointed out that full investigations had been m<" ie before the work was proceeded with. These investigations had shown that the project had been fully justified. The Taupo railway could not be compared with the South Island Main Trunk extension, as the former was purely a developmental line. “We shall give the Government reasonable time and opportunity,” concluded Mr. Coates, “but there shall be criticism if it is necessary, and we will expect the Government to answer any questions we may ask.”