THE OROUA SEAT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19443, 31 October 1925, Page 12

THE OROUA SEAT

MR GORDON ELLIOTT FINE SPEECH AT HUNTERVILLE ANSWER TO CRITICISM. CONFIDENCE EXPRESSED IN CANDIDATE. The Reform candidate for the Oroua electorate, Mr. Gordon Elliott, is meeting with a largo measure of success aud receiving sympathetic hearings in. every part of the district he has visited. On Thursday evening he addressed a large audience at Hunterville, and his arguments, facts, and figures placed before the constituents were so convincing th*at only one question was asked him, and ho was not troubled by interjections. Just prior to the meeting Mr. Elliott received the distressing news of his mother’s serious illness, which necessitated his proceeding to Wellington immediately after his address, and postponing some of the meetings scheduled for yesterday. Mr. L. J. Thompson presided over the meeting, and said there was no necessity for him to introduce the speaker, who as they all were aware was on the platform tis the pledged supporter of the Prime Minister, the Hon J. G. Coates. Mr. Elliott prefaced his remarks by intimating that his observations would

principally be confined, firstly, to reference to an article which had appeared in the Hunterville paper; secondly, to replying to criticism by the Nationalist candidate; and finally, to outlining the platform of the Reform Party under which the Coates Administration was appealing to the country. “An Absolute Denial.’’ The speaker mentioned that his first address to a Hunterville audience, delivered three or four weeks ago, was the subject of a sub-leading article in the local paper, which wound up with a statement to the effect that his (the speaker’s) attitude in regard to gaming laws and licensing matters did not “cut much ice” in the electorate, when the Reform League and the licensing trade were in league and working together. “I will give that statement an absolute and unqualified denial. I have nothing to do with the liquor party, and neither has the Reform Party,” declared Air. Elliott. He deprecated the attitude adopted by the writer of the article, which he contended Was intended to injure his candidature. A Soldier and His Farm. In replying to certain statements made by the Nationalist candidate, Air. Elliott said that Mr. Cobbe took from iho balance-sheet certain figures and considered they formed a startling indictment of the Ministers in charge of the various State Departments. Ho had attacked the Hons A. D. McLeod, W. Nosworthy, and R. E. Bollard, and stated they should be consigned to political oblivion to make way for the political brains of the country. He quoted as a specific instance for his ciiarge, the fact that the Government had loaned money to a soldier to enable him to buy a farm in a suburban area at £320 an acre. Air. Cobbe had said that details of the final loss had not as yet come to hand, but when it was ascertained it would require to be written oh. The fact of me matter, however, pointed out Mr. Elliott, was that this suburban section was purchased by the man himself under Section 11 of the Act, and not by the Government. He secured nine acres, and the advance made to him was £2500 on first mortgage and £2OO for the purpose of effecting improvements. The Department advised the man to I look around for a larger farm at a I lower figure, but he insisted on the property he had selected, and thought ho could make a success of it as a market gardener. However, he eventually abandoned the section, with. the result that it fell into the hands of the Government. And Air. Cobbe said that Air. AlcLeod should be consigned to political oblivion because of the chance ho had given the soldier. Personally Air. Elliott did not think so. The land in question had actually been included in a town-planning scheme, and, according to the valuations made by the valuers, the net result Was not going to be a loss that would require to* be written off, but a profit to tko State of between £l5O and £2OO. That ■was the result of the transaction, and the National Party said that Air. McLeod should be removed from otfice because he made a profit, to make way for the , best brains in the country. Whoso brains? The speaker wanted to know. Assistance To Returned Men. Dealing with the repatriation of returned soldiers, Air. Elliott said the latter were given every chance they asked for. The people forced the Government to buy the land, and had they or any Government dared to refuse to settle the men they would have been “kicked out” of office. Unfortunately some returned men were not successful, and sections had been abandoned. Revaluations had been made, and considerable sums had been written off, and he ventured to say that further sums would bo required to be written off. But tho point to remember was that tho Government gave tho men on the band an opportunity to make good. Losses were inevitable, but tho people of the Dominion would be prepared to face any reasonable loss occasioned through the Government putting on the land men who fought for tho Empire. The speaker considered Air. AlcLeod was not to blame, but was solving the problems of the men on the land in a businesslike and methodical manner. Taxation. Another matter of attack was in regard to income tax, and it was suggest I cd that remissions had been made solely to benefit the largo incomes. In order to demonstrate that tho assertion Was contrary to fact, Air. Elliott said that in 1914 an income of £6OO paid £7 10s tax, as compared with £8 15s to-day. An income of £l2OO in 1914 paid £36 and to-day £65; while an income of £lO,OOO, which paid £646 in 1914, was to-day paying £2250. The increase on tho latter amount was 64 times .greater than the increase on £6OO. ’The Reform Party, the speaker contended, had endeavoured to plac3 the burden of taxation on tho shoulders of those best able to pay it. In mentioning Customs duty, Mr. Elliott quoted figures to show that the Government had increased the duty.on luxuries and lowered it on essentials. Surely it must be admitted that if secondary industries were to* bo fostered a reasonable protective tariff must be imposed. Wearer of Many Cloaks. The Nationalist candidate, said Afr. Elliott, had worn many cloaks. Ho was a Liberal stalwart sometimes, and a month ago was flirting with Reform. A week ago he was a National candidate, and to-day ho was a fusion can- | didate. To-morrow what? Ho did not know. A Denial Refuted. Mr. Cobbe, according to the “Wanganui Chronicle,” denied that he had asked Mr. Coates to bo nominated as the official Reform candidate. The speaker said he had been asked on several occasions if he knew anything about the matter, but hitherto had not cared to say anything until he had seen Air. Coates. He had seen the Prime Minister in Feilding, and he gave him permission to make a statement. Air. Coates stated that Air. Cobbe had met hi mat a Reform Rally in Palmerston North, and he had discussed the political situation. All the speaker could say was that Mr. Cobbe had forgotten the incident, or the “Wanganui Chronicle” had mis-re-ported him. Those were the facts of the case. A voice: “It is quite true!” A Plain Statement. 1 The Reform policy as set forth by Air. Coates, continued Air. Elliott, was a plain, straightforward statement, by a plain straightforward man, whose object was to govern the Dominion in a

’ progressive manner without any trim- . mings. The Reform Party offered the people sound and prudent finance. The Public Debt. The Nationalists said that their administration had been ext ragant, and the public debt had been increased by xo6,OUU,UUO between 1912 and 1920. But how had the money been expenuuu ‘This was a point that tho opponents ot Reform weie not prepared lo discuss. Out of loan money the Reform Gov- ] eminent had expended £16,500,000 on j railways; £5,400,000 on telegraph and j hydro electric development, etc., £17,1 3u0,000 by means of advances for ! housing and settling people on the land; '£8,000,000 on bridges, Harbours, etc.; land £6,000,000 on education; a total of £66,873,000. “This has been spent out jof loan monies, and what I want to know is what items they object to,” he remarked. “Will they tell uy what they would cut out? No! They just make a bald statement that our party has recklessly increased the public debt.” Loans must be raised, he considered, for development purposes in a young country. The main thing was to see that the loan money was spent in the right direction, and, with the strict business methods that Reform had applied and intended to continue to apply, the taxpayers would get their full money’s worth for money expended. The Government would have 'an ideal combination in tho Hon. J. G. Coates—the man who got things done —and the Hon. W. Downie btewart, who was going to take control of the finances of the country after the election. Ho was satisfied that the'finances of the country would be in good and capable hands, land tho affairs of tho country would bo conducted on

sound business lines. Other Proposals.

Agricultural education was another matter that was going to be attended to. Farming lands had unquestionably deteriorated, and tho farmers had been taking everything out of tho country and putting little back. In the interests of the primary industries, it was necessary that they should make a more scientific study of farming methods. The farmers might rest assured that the Government was keenly alive to their interests. During the slump period, which they all remembered so vividly, the farmers in the United States were suffering tho same financial disabilities as those in New Zealand despite the fact that they had had an agricultural bank in America for five or six years prior to tho adverse conditions. Tho Housing Problem.

Another problem was that in regard to housing, and the Reform Party' proposed to give direct assistance to private enterprise and local bodies to erect houses. Tho Government had erected 33,365 houses in the last six years and had expended over £20,000,000 on tho housing problem. Unfortunately, tho problem in this respect had not been solved, but it was one that the Government would have to face and solve.

In touching on humanitarian legislation. Afr. Elliott said that the present system of the distribution of old age pensions was wrong. Ho considered that tho aged should bo allowed to keep anything they could earn, and that no reduction should be made in their pensions.

Tho Reform Party intended to extend its policy in regard to public health, *and give assistance to injured workers and family men. It intended to make provision for an increase in the wages earned by the man with a large family, but there was no intention tp reduce the single man’s wages in order to do this. Imperia] Relations. In dealing wtih the question of Imperial relations, the speaker said that Reform recognised that tho safety of

the Dominion was dependent upon the British Navy and loyalty to tho Empire, and they proposed to strengthen the bond of unity. They had a duty to the Empire, and it was incumbent upon them to right the sinister influence that was endeavouring to disrupt tho Empire. Loyalty to the King and the Empire was essential. “No Trimmings—No Rash Promises.” Tho Reform Party’s policy, he added, contained no trimmings, no rash promises and bribes calculated to catch votes. Its slogan was: “Moro business in Government and less interference by tho Government in business.

After referring to tho latest manifesto issued by the Prime Alinister, he explained that he was tho candidate officially selected by Afr. Coates, and if they believed in the latter’s manifesto they should get in behind him. Tho National Party offered tho electors nothing but words, and was on tho eve of political extinction. Labour had a platform designed to revolutionise tho industrial life of the country, and that was what they had to fight. Their policy would increase unemployment, and prove detrimental in tho long run to tho interests of the labour men of the country. The Reform Party recognised that fact and was out to fight Labour. Tho issue rested in the electors’ hands. Who was going to rule this country. Was it .to bo Air. Holland or Mr. Coates, who stood for confidence, progress and stability. He stood for the Primo Alinister, and he appealed, in conclusion, with every confidence for his hearers’ support. Confidence Motion Carried. “If you are elected and tho National Party gains a majority, how will you vote on a no-confidence motion?”asked a questioner. Tho candidate said he would vote with the National Party every time. Labour was too bad an influence to support. Tho National Party, ho assured tho questioner, had no chance of receiving a majority. A motion of thanks to, and confidence in the speaker and the Reform Administration was carried by accllamation, on tho suggestion of Mr. R. AlcAlley, seconded by Afr. S. A. R. Mair.