RANGITIKEI ELECTORATE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17735, 8 December 1919, Page 5

RANGITIKEI ELECTORATE.

MR MELDRUM'S CANDIDATURE

Mr Meldrum met the Wanganui East Workshop employees at mid-day on Friday, and received a very good hearing. Mr Foster presided over an attendance cf between 80 and 100 men.

The speaker, in his address, touched upon the main items of his platform, on the lines of his previous addresses. He stressed the necessity for New Zealand to be adequately .defended, both on land and sea. He pointed out how dependent New Zealand was upon the British Navy, and it was necessary there should be an adequate British naval force in, the Pacific. For defence on land he favoured the present territorial system. Dealing with land settlement, the speaker said it was necessary, for the welfare of the country, that v;s many people as possible should be put on the "land i he prosperity of the cointry depended on the land. The Government during the last few years had not made effective use of the Lan£ for Settlement Act which was for the purpose of breaking'up large estates for closer settlement. Stressing the necess'tytntho acquisition of more land. Mr Meldrum said that the Crown lands bad nearly petered out; in Wellington there were none at all. He advocated toe best use being made of the pumice land in the Auckland province, and the establishment of the Urewer?. native eountrv. One of the Mnssey party s daims'wu-* that they would settle tho Native jand question, but they have r-ot done so yet. In dealing *™» the settlement, of returned soldiers, Mr Meldrum blamed the Government for no, acquiring sufficient land to satisfy all soldier requirements. He also advocated the extension and better provisions for educating the youth of the country in farmin:- matters. Mv Meldrnm dealt with the 'cost of living as on previous lines, remarking in passing that the Government had not adequately administered *,he laws to check profiteers, tor