MASTERTON SEAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 September 1938, Page 6

MASTERTON SEAT

MR J. H. IRVING AT EKETAHUNA. AN EXCELLENT HEARING. The National Party candidate for Masterton, Mr J. H. Irving, received an excellent hearing at Eketahuna last night, when he addressed a meeting of 200 electors. The Mayor, Mr W. Simpson, presided. Mr Irving spoke largely on the lines of his address in Masterton the previous night. He pointed out that in the event of a war in which Britain became involved, it would be difficult for New Zealand to send its produce overseas, owing to long-range bombers and New Zealand would not be in the same position as she was during the last war. The lack of foresight and wisdom of the Labour Party in basing its present social security proposals on the value of export production was thus made most apparent and, he maintained, these heavy commitments would be incapable of being fulfilled. A vote of thanks to Mr Irving for his address and of confidence in the National Party was carried with great enthusiasm almost unanimously. Earlier in the evening, Mr Irving addressed a meeting at Mauriceville East where there was an attendance of 36. Mr Irving dealt in detail with some points of the National Party’s policy, making particular reference to taxation. After answering several questions he was accorded a vote of thanks. LABOUR CANDIDATE MEETING AT NIREAHA About fifty electors attended a meeting at Nireaha last evening addressed by Mr J. Robertson, Labour candidate for the Masterton seat.' Mr Arthur Golder presided, and the candidate was given an attentive hearing. “We are told that we are indulging in an orgy of borrowing and spending and in the same voice that we are getting enormous volumes from taxation,” said Mr Robertson, “but we are certainly not doing both, and as a matter of fact, we are living within our income for the first time in many years.” Over the preceding twelve years, said Mr Robertson, New Zealand borrowed upwards of £50,000,000. Labour hac reduced debts in London until today the debt charge was lowest per head since 1916. Labour was accused of encouraging thriftlessness, but the position today was that if a steady, decent man was unfortunate enough to have to face a £6O hospital bill, and the speaker had just been talking to one, he would have to pay it off at 7s 6d or 10s per week from a £5 a week salary. If that young man was a drunken waster, the hospital board would not get or even ask for anything. Therefore, it was the present system and not Labour’s proposals that were encouraging the thriftless. Mr, Irving had said that Labour in the House was dominated by the group outside, but the same thing exactly was said of Seddon. Prior to the last election, the Press were accusing the Coalition of Socialism. Mr Irving had stated in Masterton that all connected with the National Party were perfectly satisfied with the choice of Mr Hamilton as leader, but Mr Irving had forgotten, said Mr Robertson, that Sir George Wilson, the president, had resigned on that account. Mr 'Robertson asserted that there was at that time, and still existed, great opposition to Mr Hamilton’s leadership. Mr Irving had said they did not want to be ruled by foreigners or by immigrants either. Both Mr Seddon and Mr Massey were immigrants, said Mr Robertson, and, in fact, the two most prominent Prime Ministers who were not immigrants were Mr Coates and Mr Forbes, yet Mr Irving’s party had dumped both of them as a leader. • Mr Robertson was accorded a vote of thanks for his address. On Monday night, Mr Robertson received a splendid reception when he spoke at Alfredton. The meeting was well attended. DAIRY FARMER POSITION UNDER GUARANTEED PRICE » Mr J. J. Mah'er, Upper Hutt, addressed a meeting of about 175 electors at Martinborough last night on behalf of the National Party. The Mayor, Mr C. Skill, presided. Mr Maher dealt critically with the guaranteed price and other Labour legislation. In moving a vote of thanks, Mr F. Alpe, a small dairy-farmer, said that Mr Maher had stated facts that could not be refuted. ‘lf the Government wants to know where the dairy-farm-er stands on the guaranteed price, let them take a vote of producers and find out,” said Mr Alpe. The meeting concluded with cheers for the Hon Adam Hamilton, and Mr J. F. Thompson, the National candidate for Wairarapa. Reports of other political meetings appear on page 2.