Mr John Dwyer at Roto-o-rangi

Waikato Independent, Volume XLIII, Issue 6035, 21 October 1946, Page 5

Mr John Dwyer at Roto-o-rangi

ADDRESS TO THE FARMERS

GUARANTEED PRICE DEFENDED

Mr John Dwyer, Labour candidate for Waikato, opened his campaign in

the Roto-o-rangi Hall on Thursday last. There was an audience of up:e | wards of 60 people who gave the candidate an attentive hearing. In his opening remarks Mr Dwyer reviewed briefly the policy with which the Labour Party sought and obtained the franchise of the people in 1935. He reminded the audience of the vigorous and efficient manner in which the party put that policy into practice. The»achievements of the Gov-

ernment and the policy of the party was overwhelmingly endorsed in 1938 ‘jt and again in 1943. He maintained that its record was such that the people would again vote to return the Labour party in 1946 with an increased majority. As a basis of comparison Mr Dwyer dealt with the conditions which prevailed before 1935. The Government lead by Michael Joseph Savage found itself confronted with the task of rehabilitating the people of New Zealand —poverty and despair were widespread; business was stagnant; industry was crippled; 57,000 unemployed were existing below the bread line. Men and women stood in queues to wait for charity—food for their children and cast-off clothing. “Today our political opponents ask the people to change their political colour in protest against the shortages that war has created. Today people do not stand hungry waiting for charity —they have the cash ;n their pockets. They have full employment,” said Mr Dwyer. The candidate spent much of his time dealing with the position of the farmer. He outlined briefly his long connection with the dairy and sheep farming industry. The farmers were, he maintained, harshly treated in the years before the Labour Government came into office. Even in the decade before the depression there were 160 farmers a year declared bankrupt. Last year there were two. Farmers’ mortgage indebtedness between 1913 and 1930 increased from £BO million to £245 million. Today farmers were decreasing their mortgage load. He dealt with the guaranteed price system at considerable length, claiming

it had given the farmer security and prosperity and that it would guard him against possible future repetitions of the evils of world depressions. He quoted figures to illustrate the reduced mortgages and the reduced interest rates which were advantageous to'the farmer. , Mr Dwyer discussed the stabilisation policy of the Government with particular reference to the advantages which the farmer has enjoyed. The sharermlkers’ present conditions were compared with the past and a comparison was drawn with past and present farm labour conditions. Mr Dwyer outlined the rehabilitation achievements of the Government. He.quoted figures to show the men settled on land and housed, tradesmen trained, businesses established and loans granted. He pledged his party if returned to office to continue to work until every returned man was satisfactorily rehabilitated. He outlined the financial policy and achievements of the Government, and compared the financing of this costly war with the financial policy of 191418. Housing and education were dealt with at considerable length. The candidate answered several questions and was giv£n a vote of thanks from a friendly and courteous audience.