GENERAL ELECTIONS

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1681, 3 November 1925, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTIONS

THE WAITOMO SEAT. MR J. C. ROLLESTON AT OTOROROHANGA. (By Our Resident Representative.) There was an attendance of close upon four hundred persons to hear Mr J. C. Rolleston, the Reform candidate, on Friday evening at Otorohanga. Mr F. Phillips, chairman of the Town Board, was in the chair. The candidate had a good hearing, and enthusiastic applause punctuated the address.

In opening Mr Rolleston said he was there to give an account of his stewardship during the three years he had represented the electorate in Parliament. The death of Mr Massey was an irreparable loss to New Zealand, for he was a large-minded man with nothing mean in him. (Applause.) The farmers of New Zealand had enjoyed better times during the past year than they had since the slump, and the exports of the Dominion were over the sum of £54,000,000, an increase of very nearly £23,000,000 in the last ten years. Unfortunately, the balance of trade was not as good as it should be owing to the heavy importations, that of exports over imports being £4.,950,063, the smallest margin for many years. When it was remembered that the country's interest bill on loans amounted to just over £5,000,000, and the power to pay that bill depended on the excess of exports, it was important to have a larger margin. This meant that there must be strict economy in both public and .private matters. One of the difficult questions of the day was that of farmers' finance. Mr Massey, seeing the difficulty there was going to be, obtained Parliament's permission to enlarge the scope of the Advances to Settlers Act, and at the same time the Advances to Workers Act was enlarged to provide 95 per cent of the cost of building a house up to £1250. There was at once a rush for money, and applications amounting to £22,000,000 were made. Some said the Government should have raised a loan of that amount, but that would have impaired the Dominion's credit, and probably would have had similar evil effects in New Zealand to those which followed the release of a similar amount for the purchase of land for soldier settlements. He thought that that had had as much to do with the rise in the price of land as anything else. As to the delay in advancing loans, it must be remembered that applications had to be dealt with in rotation. All local bodies were satisfied with the amount of subsidies received, but he thought that preference should be given to districts such as theirs where development was of urgent neCGSSitV. With regard to the future finance of the land, the time was not opportune for borrowing in London. It was true that a certain amount might be raised in New Zealand, but financiers did not have faith enough in land security, it having been impaired by the recent slump, and they (the financiers) were putting their money into the towns. Legislation passed placing income from debentures on the same footing as income from mortgages as far as taxation was concerned would do much to direct money to the country. The restriction of local body borrowing would also make money available for the land. He held that these restrictions should not be applied to developmental work in country districts, but he had not succeeded in getting the Government to see this. Still, he thought they had little to complain of in the matter of public works grants. He had an open mind on the subject of agricultural banks, but he had yet to be convinced of the value of the scheme. These banks did not advance in cash, but in bonds. If money was scarce and dear the farmer might have to sell the bonds at a discount of 10 to 15 per cent. He referred to recent sales - of Danish agricultural bank bonds in support of his statement. A commission had been sent abroad from New Zealand to inquire into the agricultural bank system in other lands, and they should await its return and hear its report. It was said in the House ad nauseum that we should increase the output of primary produce. He agreed that small settlements were desirable, but held that virgin land should be occupied first. It had to be remembered that most of the unsettled land was not of first-class quality, and it was over-valued. Unimproved bush land should be let to farmers for a rent-free period, in proportion to its distance from the railway and its roading facilities They did not want to see the mistakes repeated wihicili had been committed in their district, and before people were settled on the land we needed to know more about it. (Hear, h He'* had been told that the usehold ■policy had emanated from a Palmerston North jeweller—at any rate, it could not have emanated from anyone with experience as a farmer. After dealing with the increased old age and widows' pensions, Mr Rolleston turned to the question of taxation. ,He demonstrated that the farmer was the only one who could not pass on taxation, .and yet whenever the reduction of the land and income tax was proposed the Opposition took up the stand that a .present was being made to the wealthy. This view was, however, opposed by the leading economists of the day. . ' Statistics were at present being got out to show the effect of a change in the method of company taxation. Although a virtue of taxing companies was the ease of collection, it was not equitable because the shareholder who drew only £4OO in dividends paid the same rate as a larger shareholder who drew £4OOO. He did not believe in labouring party politics, but had to consider recent charges of extravagance against the Government. There were less than 500 men owning 6000 sheep; was it likely that the Government would leg--islate for 500 out of the 800,000 to 900,000 electors in New Zealand? He analysed the treatment which the " squatocracy " had had at the hand? of Mr Massey, Sir Joseph Ward, and Mr Seddon, and pointed out that during the war Mr Massey had turned to

the snuatocracy to keep up the revenue. H replied to the Literal condemnation of the lifting of the taxation of the farmers by pointing out that all except three members of Mr Wilford's party had voted for it in the House. The Liberals had discarded the name of Liberal to take that of National because they thought it would be an assistance to their cause. Mr Rolleston described Liberalism as a dying cause and the Nationalist manifesto as a policy of platitudes. •Referring to the Labour party's policy, the speaker said he could not stand for any action which would mean the overthrow of the existing social order. Party Government was inevitable, and he had supported Mr Massey and his administration. He would do likewise by Mr Coates, who was a young man of exceptional ability, and would " produce the goods." (lApplause.) As to local politics, he would not make extravagant promises, but would do his best to obtain the fulfilment of their requirements. Mr Rolleston resumed his seat amid great applause; and then questions were invited.

If elected he would promise to endeavour to bring in legislation to further control the liquor traffic, and also to have the quantity of alcohol in intoxicating drinks reduced so •as to provide light wines and beers. As to fusion, he was in favour of the formation of a strong party to combat the extreme Labour section. But nothing had been done at the conference of the Reform and Liberal parties owing to the fact that Mr Massey's programme had to be consummated, and then, again, it was for the electors to say what the personnel of the party should be. In this connection he might say that he and others of the party were grieved at the fact of Mr Wilford's nines ss. He was a man who had done good, honest work for NeASf Zealand, and it was to be hoped that he would recover his health and be able to take his seat again in Parliament. (Hear, hear.) He lioped to see a much better system of old age pension,' introduced and that system should be an universal one to cover both sickness and old age. He was,, of course, i* favour of old age pensions. On the motion of Mr seconded by Mr Carthew, a hearty vote of thanks and continued confidence in Mr Rolleston was carried, as also was one of confidence in Mr Coates and his party, three hearty cheers being given. This brought one of the most enthusiastic political meetings ever held in Otorohanga to a close.

■WAITOMO CAMPAIGN. (Contributed.) TE KUITI, Monday. Mr Broadfoot, during his Matiere address, described fertiliser as the blood stream of New Zealand's propperitv; but, like many another commodity, it had got into the hands of a trust. He knew it was denied that excessive profits were made, but he also knew that a certain dairy company had wanted to place an order for 1500 tons of fertiliser, and had been unable to get any rebate. Nothing must be left undone to get manure supplied at a cheap rate. Then we should be as rosperous as we used to be. (Applause.) , . , , At M.ahirakau last Thursday night Mr Broadfoot x had another excellent meeting before an attendance of sixty mill workers. After an uninterrupted address the meeting concluded with a vote of thanks and confidence, carried unanimously, in Mr Broadfoot. Another four splendid meetings were the day's tally for Mr Broadfoot yesterday. Meetings at Sowerby's mill, Waimiiha, Mapiu, and Tangitu each favoured the candidate with good attendances and votes of confidence. At the last-named place, in replying to a question, the candidate said he favoured the present free and secular education system, which attitude was in marked contrast to that of his opponent who had supported Mr Isitt's Bible in Schools Bill. An amendment opposing the vote of confidence in Mr Broadfoot was defeated by 30 votes to 9.

MR. STEWART REID AT PIRONGIA Mr D. Stewart Reid, the official Reform, candidate, who has been having such enthusiastic and successful meetings throughout the Waikato electorate since his election campaign commenced, was greeted with another vote of confidence in him and the "Safety, Progress and Prosperity" policy of the Hon. J. G. Coates by a crowded hall of Pirongia electors at Pirongia on Saturday night. Mr W. McCarthy occupied the chair and formallv introduced the candidate, who is well known and respected throughout the Pirongia district. At the conclusion of an interesting address, on the motion of Mr Woolston the candidate was accorded a vote of thanks for his able address and confidence expressed in him as a member for Waikato. The motion was carried unanimously.