“NATIONAL SAFETY”

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1935, Page 7

“NATIONAL SAFETY”

MR. SMITH AT BRIXTON.

. VOTE OF CONFIDENCE CARRIED. An enthusiastic reception was given Mr. S. G. Smith at Brixton ladt night, when he addressed a gathering of about 50 electors. Mr. Smith was given a very attentive hearing, there being only occasional interruptions of a good humoured nature, and at the conclusion a vote of thanks and confidence in the speaker and the Government was carried with only three or four dissentients. Mr. E. S. Allen presided. A brief survey of the political situation as it led up to the formation of the National Government and the steps that had been taken to stabilise the position in the Dominion was given by Mr. Smith on the lines of his previous addresses. While the Government was doing its utmost to bring New Zealand back on to an even keel, the Labour Party in the house during the past four years had never brought forward anything constructive but had always criticised destructively, he said. He explained at length the steps that the Government had taken to assist the farmers.

“Fifty thousand farmers were made bankrupt,” said a voice.

The Government did not start the depression, countered Mr. Smith. The Government, however, hid. to face all the difficulties of the depression and had come through courageously.

Mr. Smith stressed the necessity for returning to power a stable Government and said there was grave danger in returning Labour members, who did not have a free hand but were controlled oy the unions.

Mr. Smith condemned the Labour Party’s guaranteed price scheme as impracticable and said that abolition of the country quota was a definite plank' of the party’s platform. No Labour Government in any country had been a success. Mr. Smith said that there were still in the Labour Party some militant members whose methods were ruthless. He referred to statements said to have been made by Mr. Munro at Dunedin. Mr Smith referred to the very satisfactory position of the Post Office Savings Bank. “If there was a run on the bank to-morrow,” he said, “we would meet it.” He affirmed that confidence had been restored to the country..

Mr. Hislop had stated that the Government was in favour of socialisation of agriculture and the land, but Mr. Smith definitely stated that was not so. He agreed that an analysis of Mr. Hislop’s budget showed that it was unsound, as instead of showing a surplus of £BO,OOO it would show a debit of £22,006,000 “The Democrats promised to borrow you out of your difficulties whereas the Labour Party is going to tax you out of them,” he said. “The National Government stood on a policy of work done,” said Mr. Smith.

Mr. Smith said that on Wednesday the issue was with the electors. The Government had handled the situation over the depressing period so well that they had lived within its income, the national debt had been decreased and the credit of the country had never been better. He appealed to the people to follow the lead of England and send back a “National Government . for national safety.” After a number of questions had been answered Mr. W. Johnson moved that the speaker be accorded a vote of thanks. This was seconded, but an amendment proposed by Mr. A. Rowe and seconded by Mr. F. Smith that the speaker be accorded a vote of thanks and confidence in him and the Government was carried.