"ONLY A STUNT.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 281, 26 November 1931, Page 9

"ONLY A STUNT.”

Mr P. Fraser Replies to Hon Downie Stewart. GOVERNMENT’S LAST HOPE (Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, November 26. “ A stunt speech, and a deliberate plan to frighten the people of New Zealand,” is how Mr P. Fraser, Labour candidate for Wellington Central, described the address

delivered by the Minister of Finance, the Hon W. Downie Stewart, in Dunedin on Monday evening, when the people were warned against the policy of the l abour Party. Mr Fraser said Mr Coates and Mr Forbes, as joint

Coalition leaders, had failed to im-

press the people, and Mr Stewart had been called in as a last hope. “ This speech is no more important than hundreds of speeches I have heard from Mr Stewart,” Mr Fraser said; “ he often wastes his sweetness thus on the desert air. This speech appears in every paper in the country in. the same black type. “ So far the people have not rallied to the support of the Government in this campaign. Mr Coates and Mr Forbes have left the people cold. And the last hope is now Mr Downie Stewart. He comes forward and tells us tftat from his intimate knowledge (I have heard a lot about his intimate knowledge; it does not impress me) the Labour Party’s policy would lead New Zealand to repudiation and insolvency. Labour’s Plan. “ Mr Stewart knows this is not true. Mr Coates and Mr Forbes having failed. Mr Stewart has brought out this stunt. “If the Labour Party goes into power there will be no rash inflation, no repudiation, no departure from the principles of sound finance. But an effort will be made to use the Parliamentary machinery to bring about financial changes. “It will not have to pass a single law with respect to financial affairs. Excellent laws are now on the Statute Book. What is wanted is to give them good administration. “It would be idle for me to claim that all evils would disappear immediately the Labour Party was returned. But I say the Labour Party would guarantee food, shelter and. rent to the mass of the people within a very short time. Then the bigger problem would be tackled.”