“NEVER BEEN SO INSULTED”

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1934, Page 10

“NEVER BEEN SO INSULTED”

COLONEL CLOSET’S DECLARATION. OKAIAWA MEETING INCIDENT. A sharp exchange between the chairman, Mr. D., Wards, and the lecturer Colonel S. J. E. Closey, was a feature of a lecture on Douglas Social Credit at the Okaiawa hall on Monday night. After Colonel Closey had outlined the plan for the reconstruction of the country, Mr. Wards made one or two remarks in opposition to the reforms suggested by the speaker. Rising to a point of order, Colonel Closey declared that he had never been so insulted while addressing a meeting. The situation, which had become rather tense, was eased and the meeting, before breaking-up, carried a vote of thanks to the speaker by acclamation. Colonel Closey said it was essential, before outlining the plan for New Zealand to set out where the country stood in regard to world conditions. The collapse of the world price level had resulted in profit going from production. The price level depended upon supply and demand and the world had been endeavouring, by the destruction of supplies, so to increase the demand and thus bring about a rise in the price level.

In no case had this restriction resulted in. a rise in price level. The efforts to raise prices by restricting productions had been attended by disastrous results all over the world.

The only way to build up price was to increase the demand, which meant money in the hands of the people. All over the world nations were endeavouring to raise the consumption. Mexico, with a six-year plan was the most outstanding example. During the first two years the social credit of Mexico was to be applied to agriculture and by this means it was hoped to attract , the best brains on to the land and to place the farming community on a sound and prosperous basis. The second two years would see the social credit of Mexico applied to the secondary industries, and during the third two years the social credit would be used for the development of education and culture.

Professor Irving Fischer, one of Roosevelt’s “Brain Trust,” had said that Mexico during the next 10 years would make more progress than any other country in the world. Colonel Closey requested the audience to abserve how futile it would be for New Zealand to endeavour to raise prices by restricting production, when all tire world knew that no solution to the difficulty lay in that direction. The only solution lay in expanding the purchasing power of the people. Colonel Closey outlined the Douglas social credit plan for New Zealand on similar lines to previous addresses in South Taranaki.

Several questions were forthcoming from the audience which showed its appreciation of the answers by frequent applause. The lecturer then put to the audience the following resolutions: That the cause of the world troubles was monetary; that lack of purchasing power arising from the failure of the monetary system was the specific cause; that the Douglas social credit plan provided a full and adequate solution to the problems. . The first two resolutions were carried unanimously. To the third resolution there was one dissentient voice, that of the chairman, Mr. Wards. EXECUTIVE’S FIRST MEETING. METHODIST BIBLE CLASS UNION. A meeting at Hawera on Monday night of the newly elected executive of the Taranaki Methodist Young Men’s Bible Classes’ Union, was presided over by the president of the Taranaki Union, Rev. B. Metson, The meeting was the first of the new executive, the headquarters of which have recently been transferred from New Plymouth to Hawera. One new class, the Hawera junior, applied for affiliation to the union and was accepted. A programme was arranged for a combined young men’s and young women’s Bible class rally to be held at New Plymouth on Labour Day. It was also decided that, in conjunction with the district organiser, Mr. D. Wills, meetings be held in various parts of the district with the object of adding a stimulus to various groups of classes and bringing them into better contact.

PATEA HOSPITAL AFFAIRS.

MONTHLY MEETING OF BOARD.

The monthly meeting of the Patea Hospital Board was held yesterday, those present being Messrs. C. R. Honeyfield (chairman), W. H. Watkins, C. E. Johnston, W. Back, A. T. Christensen, J. Lupton, R. G. Scown and R. J. Watt. The medical superintendent, Dr. W. T. Simmons, reported that patients in hospital at the beginning of the period numbered 24, 25 were admitted and 12 discharged, leaving 37 still in hospital.

The matron, Miss N. Kelly, reported that Misses B. Montgomerie and M. Parsons had joined the nursing staff as probationers, Nurses Furlong and McKee having left. The laundry was still leaking badly, and could only be stopped by keeping a fire going continually. New blinds were required for the women’s ward.

It was reported that both, matters referred to had been attended to.