THE WAIKATO SEAT

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXI, Issue 2781, 28 November 1931, Page 5

THE WAIKATO SEAT

i SUPPORT POR COALITION. * ADDRESS BY MR F. LYE v LAST NIGHT. 1 FINE HEARING ACCORDED i CANDIDATE.

Characteristic of Cambridge audiences an assemblage of fully 500 district electors accorded Mr F. Lye, M.P., the Coalition candidate for Waikato, a splendid reception when he gave an address in the Town Hall last night. The Mayor, Mr C. H. Priestley, presided and in response to his request there was not a sign of heckling or disturbance throughout the entire address, though the vigorous way in which the candidate dealt with a variety of political subjects earned for him frequent applause, especially at question time when he answered a number of queries in a frank and ready manner.

In introducing the candidate the cliairman referred to the public services rendered by Mr Lye in Taranaki find during his residence in the Waikato, also his Parliamentary career.

Jtn opening the candidate apologised for the late hour of the commencement of the meeting. He thanked Rev. J. W. Parker for his offer to give up the hall had it been necessary, and to the picture manager, Mr Penny, for agreeing to close down his picture entertainment at 9 p.m. The candidate went on to emphasise the spirit of co-operation and goodwill existing between the United and Reform Parties. If the Government and the responsible people of the Dominion had not recognised the gravity of the Dominion's situation of late there would have been no coalition. The two

parties were united in harmony in Parliament and lie believed the same applied to the great majority of the people of the Dominion. The Coalition 3,ad been formed with the definite purpose of balancing the budget and enabling the people to surmount the serious economic difficulties. No other political group could bo entrusted with the task of helping the country b '.ck to prosperity. Parliament could have been prolonged, but they did not think at fair to vote themselves a further term of office. An offer was made to the Reform Party and a coalition of the two groups was effected. Shortly after at. was decided to go to the people for •a ..definite mandate. Mr Lj r e said he was quite satisfied that just as the National Government at Home would be a great factor in improving conditions at Home with a reflection in the Dominion, so would the Coalition apply in the Dominion. Tribute to Reform. Mr Lye went on to pay a tribute to the handsome manner in which the Reform Party had pulled in with United in connection with increased taxation. They realised their responsibilities to the country. (Applause).

The candidate went on to 'leal with tlie causes of the world depression, i«tcr-Inipcrial trade and the concessions granted to farmers in the last Budget, as referred to elsewhere. Mr Lye dealt at length with the fight in the House when the economy proposals were under discussion with allnight sittings due to Labour obstruction. The cost of passing the Finance Bill to the taxpayer was £3OOO. “'Now, Low did the Country Party represen’artivc vote?" asked Mr Lye, who stated that Captain Rushworth voted 21 times with Labour, three times with the Government, paired eight times against the ‘■Government and went home to bed while 30 other divisions were taken. Mr Lye referred to the taxes placed on the picture film business, and said he .favoured taxing wrestling cxliibithe reason that by one of the greatest confidence tricks in the Dominion, the wrestlers took away with them something like £4OOO eacli year. It was only fair that those who could afford 10/- ringside scats should pay a little

into the Treasury.

Social Services. Money was wanted for social services, the burden of which was growing heavier every year. The Government was taking from the people with one hand and giving back with the other. Free primary education was costing £-1.000,000 a year and £2,902,000 was paid in civil and military pensions. He hoped the Government would always be in a position to pay the old age and widows ’ pensions. The annual wages bill for civil servants was £ll,000000 and the interest bill was £ll,000,000 annually, and -when the income came down £21,000,000 no one could make promises like the Labour Party. Unemployment. Mr Barnard (Labour) had moved in the House that the full rates of pay bo paid to all, including the unemployed. A good deal of the unemployment funds l’ad been scandalously wasted, said Mr Lye. Useless work had been done, but it was .now the policy of the Government to take single men out of the pities and put them on Crown lands nkl public undertakings, or oven where they 'would improve private lands pro-

tided some reproductive work was being done. Married men were to be engaged as near their homes as possible but the young single men must be got out of the towns. It was not the job of the State to find work for any man and those given work by the State should have it on such conditions that they would find another employer as quickly as they could. Mr Barnard's proposal would cost £9,000,000 a /ear and it would become the objective of the State to find work for everyone. In the concluding portion of his address Mr Lye fully defended the tariffs and dealt at length with the wheat duties and relief for mortgagors. At the conclusion Mr Lye was accorded sustained applause. Confidence and Appreciation. The following resolution was proposed by Mr T. A. Hicks and seconded bj r Mr F. H. Tapp and carried unanimously: “This meeting heartily thanks Mr Lye for his comprehensive address and extends to him and the Coalition Government renewed confidence. Further, that the electors of Cambridge and surrounding district place on record their appreciation of the faithful and efficient service the candidate has rendered the electorate and its electors, irrespective of political opinion while acting as Parliamentary representative. “