Labour Candidate Declares Loyalty

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 843, 11 December 1929, Page 8

Labour Candidate Declares Loyalty

MR. NASH HECKLED

A LIVELY MEETING (From Our Resident Reporter) W ELLINGTON, Tuesfiav “Our policy is like into the policy of the Labour Government in Britain. So long as we have such a man as the P-ince of Wales heir to the throre and man like King George on the throne I do not think there i, any danger to the British Commonwealth so far as th< Labour movement is concerned.’ An assurance ol the Lai our Farti”s loyalty was thus given by Mr. Nash, candidate lor the Butt seat. jj his meeting at Day's Bay list The meeting was one of he liveliest held during the campaign, and at the conclusion a motion of thanks «tii| confidence was overwhelmingly leated. The candidate was heckled throughout his address. Speaking ol the State as a lendtn institution he said that if there were one thing the Reform Party d d worse than another it was to restrict the activities of the State Advan:es Offices, a statement that called forth an exclamation of ’Rubbish” from the audience. CHEAP MONEY The Labour Party, said Mr. Nash, had never suggested that a Government should lend money at a lower rate of interest than it cost to borrow i it. All that had to be done was to ascertain what it cost to borrow the money, take into account the admiaisj tration costs and then lend to the ! people. j “And what would that rate be?” j inquired a voice. Mr. Nash: Probably 5 per cent, in 1926 the Reform Party increased the rate when they could have continued to lend at 4J per cent. A Voice: You do not believe in interest at all. Mr. Nash: You have never heard me say anything of the sort. EvenLabour member so far as I know- is keen and anxious to increase the rates to those who have difficulty in savin? money. All we want to do is to extend the activities of the Post Office Savings Bank. Tha United Party, continued Mr. Nash, had promised to eliminate unemployment and to remove: the tax on foodstuffs but had doubled tha primage duty. A Voice: Who helped them? Mr. Nash said the Government had agreed to remove the extra 1 per cent, on foodstuffs as from April 1 of next year. That concession had been granted as a result of the pressure which had been brought to bear by ! the Labour Party. An Interjector: Why did your party vote for the primage duty? Mr. Nash: Because of the price we would have had to pay—the price ot the Reform Party coming back again. An Interjector: They hadn’t the : courage of their convictions. ; “I will show you what the Labour ’ Party worked for,” proceeded Mr. ' Nash. A Voice: For the £IOO. [ “As I came into this hall tonight ! somebody mentioned loyalty to me.” ’ continued Mr. Nash. “I want to say that I know of no man in the Labour Party who would do anything to break * up the British Commonwealth ot l Nations.” [ A Voice: Will you join with us in j singing the National Anthem at the , end of this meeting? ' Mr. Nash said he did not het.r lbs T question, which was repeated. INTEREST AND CHRISTIANITY The chairman said the candidate would be only too pleased to answer = written questions at the conclusion

of his address. “That loyalty charge is often levelled against Labour members," continued Mr. Nash. “I want to say that as far as I know we will do everything possible to extend the cooperation between the countries now called the British Commonwealth ot Nations.” Asked whether he had stated on a previous occasion that interest was something for nothing, Mr. Nash replied: “I am of opinion that interest is not definitely in accord with the philosophy advocated by Jesus, but I have never on any occasion advocated the non-payment of interest I have said before that I could no. imagine Christ lending money to anybody at interest. That does not aiiff the fact that in existing society interest is something you have in pay an “ something that ought to he paid. A Voice: Do you say that interest U something for nothing? Mr. Nash: No, I never said that.