CAMPAIGN OPENED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 851, 26 August 1933, Page 21 (Supplement)

CAMPAIGN OPENED.

Mrs M’Combs Cheered at Lyttelton. VOTE OF CONFIDENCE. Mrs E. R. M’Combs, the first woman in the South Island to seek Parliamentary honours, was given a most encouraging reception when she opened her campaign as the official Labour candidate for the Lyttelton by-election, in the Oddfellows’ Hall, Lyttelton, last evening. The hall was filled with an audience which was obviously very sympathetic to her and to the Labour policy, and the few interjections were of a friendly nature. After being given an attentive hearing, the candidate was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, followed by a round of cheers. So enthusiastic did the audience become that the three Labour Members of Parliament present, Messrs F. Langstone, E. J. Howard and H. T. Armstrong, had to respond to clamant calls for speeches, “It will be a great honour for the South Island to elect the first woman member of the House, ’ stated the Rev A. H. Fowles, in moving a vote of thanks to the speaker. “ It is not wise for men to have all their own way, either in domestic life or in the politic cal life of the nation. Mrs M’Combs has given us a remarkable, interesting and stimulating address.” A suggestion by the seconder oi the motion that the vote should include one of confidence was accepted, and the motion was carried with acclamation and cheers, followed by the singing of “ For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” , . , .. After the meeting, which Mrs M’Combs desired to be short so as not to interfere with the attendance at the Y.W.C.A. fair at Lyttelton, the candidate was given a very enthusiastic reception at the fair, at which she gave a short address. Mrs M’Combs strongly criticised the Government’s administration and declared that the Labour Party's policy of planned finance and stabilised conditions for all sections of the community was the only constructive plan for bringing back prosperity to the country^. The splendid work of the late Mr J. M’Combs, M.P., on behalf of Lyttelton, was referred to by the Mayor of Lyttelton (Mr W. T. Lester), who presided. Rights of Citizenship. Mrs M’Combs said that she had been associated all her life with the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which under the leadership of Mrs K. W. Sheppard won for New Zealand women the rights of citizenship. That movement started in Canterbury* and it would be entirely fitting if that Canterbury electorate should return the first woman to sit in the Parliament of New Zealand. In many other countries woman’s place in the Government was fully recognised. New Zealand was far behind other countries in recognising and utilising women’s services to assist in government. England had had her woman Minister for Labour, Miss Margaret Bondfield. In the United States of America the Secretary* for Labour in the Cabinet was a woman. Another woman, Miss Dell, was in charge of the Mint, and there was a woman in charge of the National Women’s Bureau of Labour. In addition, the American Ambassador for Denmark was a woman. In other countries, also, women were occupying positions of responsibility in their countries’ Government. Lyttelton a Radical Seat. Lyttelton had always been represented in Parliament by a radical. The late Mr George Laurenson was a leader of the progressive forces. He and the speaker’s late husband, who followed him, were close personal friends, and both tried to write their ideals into the laws of New Zealand. Both were members of the old Progressive Liberal Association, of which Mr H. G. Ell and Mr T. E. Taylor were also members. The association no longer existed, but manj* of the reforms its members advocated, such as the granting of old age pensions and widow’s pensions, had long since become law. The graduated land tax. which did become law, and which remained on the Statute Book for a long time, had lately been repealed by the Coalition Government, together with another of the association’s reforms, the Arbitration Court, which had been destroyed. The battle for both those reforms would have to be fought over again. A number of other planks of the association’s platform had been adopted by the New Zealand Labour Part}*, and some of the measures advocated had now become imperative, such as the questions of banking reform and the protection and development of the primary and secondary industries. Electoral Reform, Electoral reform also was urgently needed. Under a scientific system of proportional representation, every considerable section of the community would secure representation, and never in the history of this country* was it so important that all points of view should be brought to bear on the problems under discussion in Parliament. Under such a sy r stem women would be certain to secure the direct representation they desired. Proportional representation, said the candidate, would give every considerable section of the community representation, and never in the history* of this country was i.t so important that all points of view should be brought to bear on the problems under discussion in Parliament. Under such a system women would be certain to secure the direct representation they desired. There were at present a very large number of electors who were keenly interested in economic questions. Under a referendum law such as that advocated by the Labour Party, any* large group of electors who were interested in any* particular scheme, such as the Douglas Social Credit System, could compel Parliament to'debate that question. It was not until four elections ago that tv omen became eligible to be elected as members of Parliament in New Zealand. They were not yet eligible to be nominated as members of the Legislative Council, because the members of that august body*, in their wisdom, decided that it was inadvisable for women to enter that Chamber until such time as the Legislative Council became elective, and the electors were given an opportunity* to decide. If the electors should have the right to say whether women should enter the Legislative Chamber, why should they not have the right to elect the men also? The candidate did not believe it should be within the power of

any* nominated body to veto the decision of the people’s representatives. The power of veto should rest in the hands of the people themselves. That could be accomplished by means of a general referendum law, giving 10 per cent of the people the right to demand a plebiscite vote on any proposed legislation, or the right to initiate legislation. Economic Questions. There were at present a very large number of electors who were keenly* interested in economic questions. Under a referendum law such as that advocated by* the Labour Party, any large group of electors who were interested in a particular scheme, such as the Douglas Social Credit system, could compel Parliament to debate that question. The Labour Party’s policy offered practical constructive measures for the solution of many of the problems that interested the candidate, whose experience had taught her that the only way* to get things done was to ally oneself with a political party*. The Labour Party*, declared the candidate. had a constructive plan which provided assistance to primary and secondary industries, and included all classes of the community. They* wanted a new outlook. There must be no repetition of past mistakes. Inaction could not be tolerated. Tf people were to wait for better conditions in New Zealand until there was world recovery*, then they must make up their minds to a long siege. Problem to be Faced. “ There is an old proverb which says that a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step,” continued the speaker. “ Let us take that step, even if we do not get the full distance. The problem we have, to face is one of under-consumption. There is no shortage of food, or any* commodity. The problem is how we are to transfer them to the people who are needing them. It is of no use looking to the orthodox economists for help. They* are like the scientists who tell you that fish eat mosquitoes. The trouble is to get the fish where the mosquitoes are.” “ Forty* years ago, John Ballance and Richard Seddon in somewhat similar circumstances lifted this country out of the depression through which it was then passing. They put in hand a programme of public works and land settlement, and so gave work and adequate wages to large numbers of the people. Under their administration, many progressive measures were placed upon the Statute Book, which ensured to this country a long period of prosperity. * “ New Zealand led the way* in progressive legislation. Let us regain our ideal of an educated and enlightened democracy* living in conditions worthy of the people of * God’s Own Country*,’ Labour Party’s Plan. “ The New Zealand Labour Party has a plan which includes a scheme for stabilised prices for primary producers. It includes the fostering and building up of secondary* industries now in existence and encouragement of the establishment of further industries suitable to the country*. It includes the assurance of adequate wages for all classes of the workers, to provide a reasonable standard of life and the enjoyment of the advantages of the age in which we live. “If elected. I will support the restoration of educational facilities. The curtailment of educational grants has been a serious blow to the Dominion, and the universities also have recently been closed to the sons and daughters of the poorer people.” The curtailment of educational expenditure had reacted disastrously upon the teaching profession. Numbers of highly’-trained men and women were now unemploved. The to close the training colleges would have the effect of throwing out of work a number of highly’-trained specialists who were on the staffs of the colleges. She need not emphasise, to an intelligent audience, the colossal waste that the loss of all that specialised knowledge and training was to the community*. The closing of schools to children under six was another piece of false economy which coincided with the withdrawal of subsidies to free kinder-, gartens. The whole educational system was slipping back. Old Age Pension. The restoration of the old age and economic pensions to their former level was another matter that would have the candidate’s support. At present the Hospital Boards were supplementing these pensions in very many cases, so that the difference was being made up out of the rates. The only* difference was that the old people were being forced to ask for charity* and that the local rates, instead of the Government revenues, had to bear the cost. The Government had reduced the allocations to hospitals, had increased the fees at St Helen's Hospitals by 60 per cent; had reduced the maternity benefits under the National Provident Fund; and reduced the amount under which the family bonus might be claimed by* 10 per cent. Poor people were now being charged for services to the children in hospitals and school dental clinics. Was it not time that there was a woman in Parliament to make a protest on behalf of women generally, against such so-called economies? Constructive Plan. The Labour Party's programme was the only constructive plan for bringing the country* back to 'prosperity. It included planned finance and stabilised conditions for all sections of the community. The present Government already had a very large majority behind it in the House, and a vote cast for the Government in the by-election was an endorsement of all its actions in the past two years. (Extended report by arrangement.)