THE LIBERAL-LABOUR CAMPAIGN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 18 June 1924, Page 13

THE LIBERAL-LABOUR CAMPAIGN.

MR T. M. WILFORD AT WAIAIATE

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

(Special to “Herald.’’)

Notwithstanding that the a “<Rence’oi S4S, e *V’& Sg «< & lion, fired tho openii g Sonth Libera’-LabouriiCampaign deform* and delivered +v><. Masse v regime with character is ot the xiassej as brightness which kept 1 interested througlto«t his speech which exteiKled^ove^n Sen a'n ovation'when he entered the ball, and was enthusiastically applaud ed when he rose to speak. , Mr D. A. Fulton (Deputj-Alaj °i), presided, and apologised for the. absence of the Mayor (Mr A. through indisposition. The chan man mentioned that Mr Wilford had been retained for his electorate toi * . years —a record of which any politician would harm reason to be pioud. Mr Wilford said he was proud ot tins fact, and it was a fair certificate ot his record on which to travel round. He desired that night to expose .hu sham of the present Government. In doing so he would speak politically, and in no sense personally. _ He referred to liis recent meeting in the 1 rime ?,[inister’s electorate (Pukekohci, when he had received a 3 to 1 vote of confidence in favour of Ins party, as against a resolution, of confidence in a‘Massey Parliament. No mattei bow the Press might try to mislead them they could not escape from that facts. 3n no place in the North Island had he failed to be given a vote oi confidence in tho Liberal-Laboui Party.

MR MASSEY NO ADMINISTRATOR

Air Wilford said that Mr Massey would never 'be an administrator, though he was one of the ablest politicians New Zealand hacl evei known. On his own admission Mi Massev had failed as Minister of Finance, and his failure was expressed in his own words —“if they were not very careful there would be no Con solidated Fund 'left, and they had better get someone else to look, the firahc.es of the country.’ That was the Prime Minister’s confession oi failure. The Reformers were joy-rid-ing up and down the country, electior.ee ring, and making promises which they did not keep nor ever intended to keep, but in Reform’s own words these promises did the trick. (Laughter). The Reformers were squander-maniacs, reckless and without regard to the welfare of the country. Between 1919 and 1922 they had increased the expenditure rrom the Consolidated Fund from £IB,OOO, POO to £28,000.000, and then the Alas-: sey press sounded a chorus of praise. The people who were chiefly benefiting bv the Massey regime were the big combines which had a stranglehold, mi this country,' while tlie big squattoi was all right. Small farmers had a mighty hard row to hoe. A tragedy was going on before their eyes —far niers, especially, in .the North Island, were walking offitffSilr farms in a state of bankruptcy. In some cases the farmers had bought too high, but in others they had been led to believe that money would be available for them from the Advances to Settlers Depart-’ ment, and it was not" forthcoming. He was speaking of affairs as ho knew them to exist in the North Island. The small farmer was being sent to the wall by the stranglehold which the big combines had on tho country, and the Massey Government looked on and did nothing. The Prime Minister said the Advances Department would meet those who required loans, yet he had abstracted more from the Advances Department and ugocl it for the purpose of floating local loans. Notwithstanding that all the money which was repaid by borrowers should be lent out to other borrowers, in the year following the dissolution of the Coalition Governlment the Prime Minister had taken £2,391,000 out of tho Advances Department and had invested it in war loans, so that workors and settlers were deprived of the money. In 1922 tho Opposition had compelled the Prime Minister to refund some of this money, but at tho end of 1923 there was still £1,160,000 owing by the Treasurer to the Advances Department, and he wanted to know whether this money had been repaid in 1921. So far he had been unable to get an answer. He would get one, however, within the next two months. The Advances to Settlers Act was a Liberal measure, and the Massey Government had never liked it. It was far better for tho real parent to look after hs child than to have a foster-parent in charge. (Laughter). AGRICULTURAL BANK.

Referring next to the proposed establishment of Agriculture Banks, working in co-operation with a State Bank, Mr Wilford quoted the Stato Fire Department as an augury for the success o- a State Bank. The latter would look for a low overdraft rate rather than a high dividend rate. That fact would cause private banks to lower their rates, and when a man borrowed money lor a house the State should ensure his life for the amount of the loan. If he died then the insurance money could be handed to his widow to discharge the mortgage, so that she would have a free home for herself and her family. Anything which had to do witli State enterprise was anathema to Reform, which fought the Stato Firo Insurance Office and similar State enterprises. Stato fire insurance had reduced premiums, and the public had as a result received reductions totalling over three millions. Every other insurance office had to come down to the level of the Stato Office. A State Bank would have a similarly good effect. (Hear, Hear). The Liberals were up against the vested interests of this country when they suggested a State Bank. On Empire matters the two parties stood together, out when it came to legislation for the mass of the people, they were as far apart as tbo poles. There always would be a wide difference between Liberals and Conservatives. Mr Massey said there was no need to be pessimistic, but _ it was necessary to conduct the affairs of the country on sound lines. Disposing of securities to pav off part of the National Debt was not really reducing the debt. The National Debt of New Zealand to-day was about £219,000,0UU, and they had a stoneblind Government, so far as means of reducing this great burden was con cerned, Mr Wilford went on to refer to his recent trip to the East, and gave a great deal of information concerning the need for and the possibility or New Zea'Jaud opening up now markets there. This wap the day of big trusts, and it looked as though Now Zealand would soon be hopelessly left. Recently in Great Britain a combine was formed with a capital of £8,780,000 to exploit the meat industry. The future of the New Zealand industry depended upon its ability to squeeze between the American and British combines. New Zealand was doing little or nothing as an offset to the big trusts, which threatened soon to squeeze her out, if proper steps wore not taken. Mr Wilford sin wed attractively got-un tins of l-Aer and

cheese, which had been sent horn Australia to Singapore. One ot the tins of butter was branded New Zealand,” though it had never been m tins country, and lie said mat wlii.e other countries were exploiting for eign markets, New Zealand was doing nothing. PAST THE MERIDIAN.

Reverting to his attack on Mr Massey, Air Wilford said that the rrime Minister had stated over and over again, that it was bad for one Government to be m power year after year, and that it was m tlie best interests of tho country, that , there should be a change ot Government. He boasted of a surplus of £1,812,000, but bow ■ had he got it ? Simply by taking it from the people by way ot taxation. If the surplus existed, it had been wrung from tlie people by over-taxation. Air Alnssey’s plan to spend this money on public works was not a good policy. Capital works slioukl not be constructed out of taxes, but out of loans, because tlie expenditure was for all time. Posterity should bear its share, and the surplus should be given back to the taxpayers by reductions of Customs duties, land or income taxes. Reduced Customs duties was a plank m the Liberal Party's platform, to give practical help to householders struggling with tlie cost of living. (Applause). The Government had no soup kitchens today, but they, had the record since Sir Harry Atkinson’s time, of the largest number of bankruptcies which had ever occurred. In proof of this -Mr Wilford quoted from the Abstract of Statistics (a Government publication), the number of bankruptcies last year—the largest since the 80’s, and said the record was even greater than the official list showed, because there were in addition, numbers of farmers who had walked off' their farms without actually filing their schedule in bankruptcy, and farmers preponderated in the list of bankruptcies. That was how the Reform Government was treating the small farmer. Every, Government had three phases—the rise the meridian, and the fall—and the Reform Government had long passed the meridian.

FOILING THE SOLDIERS. Air Wilford proceeded to make an indictment of tne Government’s policy 1 off Sunder settlement, xne only people wno oeneiltted by it were those wno sold land to the Government at huge prices. Speaking on tins question, tne rion. W. Aosworthy had said that the Government cannot keep oil helping tools. Air Wilford said the treatiueu of the soldiers was a wicked betrayal, and the present revaluation was stultified by the appointment of the same valuers as were previously employed. The farms should be written down to- the present day values, arrears cancelled, and the soldiers given a fresh start. That was what the Liberal Party would do. (Applause). The bluff in regard to soldiers land revaluation was being repeated in the Advances Department. Al'r Alassey said that any man with security could still obtain advances, but actually the Department was months behind, in dealing with applications. It was not a fact that any many with security could obtain advances. '• The Government had fooled the returned soldiers, who had been foolish to be misled by them. Colonel Herbert had said that he was bound to say that the returned soldier had been fooled, and he blamed the R.S.A. for relying on the word of the Government. Sir Andrew Russell added that the sword would fall ion tjie, in six - months’ tinier The GoVfernment would not face the : position which was put to them. The land had been bought far too dearly and it was the duty of the Government to see pthe 'returned soldiers through. Surely it was the duty of the Government to honour its scrap of paper, and it promised to give the soldiers a chance. It. was part of the policy; of’ the Liberal Party to give that chance. (Applause). Air Wilford further remarked on the way in which the people of this country were being exploited through the price of petrol by the “Big Petrol Three.” He had bought petrol in San Francisco for lid per gallon, and had imported 20 cases direct at a saving of nine shillings per case, as compared with the price charged in New Zealand. He nad brougfft the matter up in the House, but the Government would do nothing. They said they would get the Board of Trade to inquire into it. The Board did inquire into it two years ago, since which time lie had heard notffing further concerning it. One of the leading men in tlie petrol world was a member of the Taxation Commission. The vested interests in New Zealand could not be hit without bruising a Reformer. (Laughter). Nauru phosphates had also gone up in price because they also were being exploited, and the farmer had to pay. Referring to taxation, Air Wilford said that high taxation killed production, increased the cost of living, ami lessened employment, and taxation was certainly too high in this country. His party would aim at reducing it. (Applause). In conclusion Air Wilford said that the first plank in the Liberal platform was constitutional Government, and the maintenance of the Empire. He was not in the Waimate district to speak against the Reform member. The Liberals claimed to be the middle party, and declined to mix with any extreme party. The Reformers stood for some of the people, and so also did the Labour Party, but his party stood for all the people —for the promotion and the growth, of the national good. His party was of the opinion that class consciousness was one of the worst possible things l'or the country. <t the Liberal Party were returned to power they would claim to produce no Eldorado, but a return to the lines followed by Ballance, Seddon, and Ward, who had done so much tor this grand little Dominion. Air Wilford resumed his seat to the accompaniment of long-continued applause. All' AI. J. Corrigan moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Wilford for his eloquent and comprehensive address, and of confidence m his party. In doing so Mr Corrigan paid a warm tribute to the Liberals, and expressed the hope that they would soon be back to power. In seconding the motion, All' J. Alcthat opportunity to mark liis appreciaCullough said he would like to take tion of Air Wilford’s speech, and especially of his reference to soldier settlers. . . The motion was put and carried with three dissentients in an audience which numbered 450. Air Wilford returned thanks for their expression of confidence, and said that he had never failed to get a vote of confidence, simply because the cause was a good one. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to tho chairman, and rousing cheers for the “good old Liberal flag” „ .. Air Wilford. who leaves for Dunedm to-day, was tlie guest of the A\ annate Savage Club at their korero last evening.