MR. NEWMAN AT SANSON.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17736, 9 December 1919, Page 5

MR. NEWMAN AT SANSON.

Mr Newman met the electors at Sanson on Saturday night. There was a large attendance and Mr Pearce was in the chair. Mr Newman referred particularly to the land settlement of soldiers and also dealt with the subject of taxation, cost of living and the Housing Act. He also referred to certain statements reported to have been made by Mr Hillier at Bulls, and pointed out that Mr Hillier's statement "that there was no room for leaders in the Labour Party" came strangely from a candidate who was publicly announced as the Official Labour Candidate, which, if it meant anything, meant that his candidature was approved by the leaders of his party. His statement "that Mr Holland had no more claim of being the leader of the party than the speaker," he (Mr Newman) thought might be safely Regarded as incorrect. Further, his announcement that he was in favour of proportional representation meant that he is prepared to deprive the country electors of the country quota, which he (Mr Newman) thought would scarcely meet with the approval of the majority of the electors in Manawatu. Again, his remarks that he wanted to build a Parliament that would last three years and then dissolve and that he thought that taxation should be on the unimproved valuo of the land seemed, when looked at superficially, to be superfluous, seeing that the term of Parliament is already three years in New Zealand and that taxation is now supposed to be on the unimproved value. It is gratifying to know that he proposes to tell Messrs Semple and Co. to mind their own business. Of course he assum!ed that both he and the latter gentlemen will be members of Parliament. This presumption appears to be rather a risky one in each case. But the most alarming of all the statements made by Mr Hillier was "He believed in State Banks. Private banks monopolised public credit, and exploited public deposits. Sir Joseph Ward had advocated State Ba#.ks and buying banks, but the speaker did not think this the best way. The paying of interest on borrowed money would be a burden." That is true, said Mr Newman, but does Mr Hillier suggest v.-o should not pay interest on our debts Such a policy would not commend itself to holders of National War Bonds and Post Office Certificates, largely held by the working people of the country. Mr Newman said that he would refer to further statements of his opponent at a later date.