MR MORRISON AT WAVERLEY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17731, 3 December 1919, Page 11

MR MORRISON AT WAVERLEY.

Mr E. Hart occupied the chair and briefly introduced the candidate, who said he came before the meeting as a supporter of Sir Joseph Wand; as he considered that side best. At the same time, he did not believe m party politics at all, but was very strongly in favour of an Elective Executive. He defended the action of the Liberals in severing themselves from the National Government, arid claimed that they were entitled to a lot of credit for leaving everything in splendid order. He reviewed the work of last session, and credited the Government with doing some • very useful work, eurv.cially the 'Land Laws Amendment to prevent aggregation, and the largely increased education vote. The Repatriation Department was not doing the best possible for soldiers, as many were being settled on unsuitable land, and he would increase the grant to £3500 for farm and stock. Mr Massey and the native land legislation were condemned, and he tried to explain how the Premier had made aggregation possible. The same laws should be applied to private lands as to Crown and Native land to get the big estates broken up. Dealing with the set of questions submitted by the Farmers' Union, he felt that the Union platform was in every way reasonable, and he could not see why money invested in land should be taxed higher than any other investment. Further, he hoped to see landowners., (especially small farmersi_fc§lieved from "the present taxation on their mortgages. On the licensing question hi always did favour a bare majority, and still would. Dealing with education, he felt that it was not as free as it was supposed to be, as there were many things parents had to pay for. Technical education was in many cases beyond the means of people in the country, and he would like to see it all absolutely free, so that rich and poor would have an equal chance of first class education. He fwas pleased to see that the Reform Government had very largely increased the vote for education, as that was a step in the right direction. The appointment of an important and highly-paid general manager for our railways did not please him at all, as he i'elt there were local men quite capable, as had been already proved, and he quoted from the Railway Commission's report to show that the blame for the railway cut rested on the late manager to A large extent. He favoured nationalisation of coal mines as the only way out of the present difficulty, this stop being recommended by both the Industries Commission and the Board of Trade. After dealing with the Defence proposals, with which he did not agree, .the speaker severely criticised the -out-of-date methods of the Minister for Public Works. The Hon. Mr Fraser, he contended, was too old for his position, and clung to many old-time ideas which were quite behind the times. Instead of the present system he would set up a board to allocate grants to local bodies, and would put on a tyre tr;x to pay for the upkeep of main road--. In answer to a question about the 11 cost of living, Mr Morrison exp.la.r.v.l I that a very good measure had b^n passed last session, bearing Mr Mas,seys name,, namely, the Board of Trade Bill, which he believed was drawn up by the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald. This was really the vrry best thing possible to stop profited-, ing. The candidate was g.'ven a very Sqt-iet hearing and a yoU of thank*, at the conclusion. A vote of thanks to the chair terminated one of the | very tamest political meetings on rei |cord.