BY-ELECTION AT PARNELL

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1930, Page 11

BY-ELECTION AT PARNELL

POLLING DAY TO-MORROW REFORM ATTACKS LABOUR POLICY. SERIOUS CHARGE AGAINST UNITED. By Telegraph- —Trees Association. Auckland, May 4. The Parnell by-election campaign is becoming more intense with the approach of polling day on Wednesday. ‘Meetings were held by all the candidates last night, the principal speakers in addition to the candidates being Mr. W. Downie Stewart and Mr. H. E. Holland, the Labour leader, Mr. Stewart devoted the greater part of his speech to a reply to Mr. Holland, who had the previous evening announced the intention of the Labour Party “to stimulate secondary industries in order to buttress the primary industries.” Mr. Stewart said that when as Minister of Customs he sought protection' for the New Zealand boot and shoe industry he failed to receive the slightest assistance from the Labour leader, who sftid: “This is not the way to deal with the problem; industry should be nationalised.” The public was entitled, said Mr. Stewart, to ask Labour to put its views on this question •in black and. white. Mr. Stewart charged the Labour Party with watering down its platform, especially those items that were unpopular with the electors.- The answer to the Sthte Socialists was that State ownership - and management of industry had been tried in other countries and had failed. “If we have not had a trial of Labour administration in this country w;e have had sufficient example of it in Australia to satisfy us that it will b.e no good, here,” .said Mr. Stewart. ...- ? - Asserting . that no industry deserved protection..unless its house was in, order,’ Mr. Stewart urged greater specialisation in.-j industry. Protection was warranted only when an industry -was shown to be in a sound condition and giving good service to the public. “It is most utter nonsense for members of the United Party to tell you that this by-election if it goes against United may result in a general election,” said Mr. H. E» Holland, leader of the Labour Party, in his address. “The position will not- be altered one iota. It will be exactly the same as if Mr. Jenkins had never come to his famous conclusion that no honest man could follow the United Party. It will be I the same as if he had never taken that double somersault which resulted in plunging him into political oblivion.”

Mr. Holland said Mr. Endean had made a very serious charge against the Government, and one which, if it were sustained, should be sufficient to push any Government out of office. Mr. Endean had said it was recognised that the United Party was dominated by the ■ Labour Party, and that if anyone wished to have any matter adjusted in Wellington he was told to see the Labour Party. “In making an assertion like that,” Mr. Holland added, “Mr. Endean- must have specific eases, and I challenge him to produce all the specific eases he knows of.”

Mr. Holland said that, like Mr. Endean, Mr. Donald had said the return of Labour could only result in disaster. That was a funny thing for Mr. Donald to say when he knew that the very best things the United Party had done since it took office had been done at the instigation of the Labour Party. Mr. Holland charged Air. Coates with having been responsible for stopping the farmers building up a co-operative marketing scheme for primary products. In urging such a scheme Mr. Holland said this did not apply .merely. to the production of butter but to all social services. PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE. Auckland, Last Night. The Leader of the' Opposition, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, addressed a packed meeting at Remuera to-night. Many listened to a loud speaker outside. Mr. Coates said Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the : Parliamentary Labour Party, was simply playing with words when he said the planks of tfie party's platform did not include social-isation.-of : the means- of' production, distribution and' exchange I .' • • ■ ' 1.

to the. United Party,- Mi*. Coates said it had failed to carry out its promises, particularly in regard to unemployment. Taking warning from what was happening in Australia and other parts- of the world, the Reform Government ■ had recognised it was necessary. tP yurtail extravagant borrowing. and to curtail many of the works which were .under way.;

A voice: You. admit you were, extravagant? J -•-■ ■■■ ■ • ( Mr. Coates: I admit only that. for every penny put into public work there was'. good and sufficient reason that could be argued on commercial lince.. The Government had been successful in bringing borrowing within reasonable limits when the new policy of ,the £70,000,000 took the people off their feet and they voted in a way which upect the whole political applecart. ... It had been reported that he. had much .to say about the South Island Main . Trunk line. “I want to say here that. I am in favour. of it' if it can bo ; shown to be a. sound commercial propceitipn,” he said. “The midland line ,is different. The Reform Party save .that here there should be a halt. "The country in that region was badly stricken by the recent severe earth movement. Wo hope it has settled down, but anyone who has been over the route will realise the shaking it has had. We say there should be a halt of a few years. before setting out to spend £1,000,000 or £1,500,000 on a line through the Buller Gorge. “There m only one candidate to support on Wednesday,” said Mr. Coates. “If is no use talking about a general election an a threat. If it comes to a general election we will be into that election for all- we are worth. The Reform Party is not down and out as dome would'have you believe. Both inside the House and in the country Reform is still the dominant party and is still a force to be reckoned with. “The ' political situation to-day is very difficult,” eaid Mr. Coates. “We have a Government without responsibility; one party ie in office but another party is dominating it. The real question' is whether this electorate, wants that state of affairs to continue.'’ Votes of thanks and confidence were accorded Mr. Coates, Mr. Endean and Reform. ;.