NOISY MEETING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 278, 26 November 1935, Page 5

NOISY MEETING

MR. STUART AT WANGANUI EAST TOWN HALL CROWDED OLT The A'augauui East Towu Hall was packed last nigut wuen t:.e National uoverumeut candidate lor the Kangitikei elecLorale, xur. Alex btuain, A1.1'., outlined tue legislation enucteu by inc Government uunng the past luur years, lavery a\ailaoie seat in the hall was used and many people were standing inside the hall a.id in the \esHbulc. Mr. Dupe Gibbous preside I. I ue candidate was subjected io a fair amount of goou-natuied heckling during bis address but the interjections weie freer when question time came. One c-f his statements in repiy to a questioner was nut appreciated by a section of the audience and he was counted uul. T he meeting refused to pass a vote of thanks to the speaker. as the cuairmati and Mr. 6t'iart were mourning the platform tb-e farmer was greeted witn cries of “Good old Hope. ’ When i he candidate was sorting out his papers there were interjections uf ‘ you any Treasury bills?’’ and “Ha'e you any react pay there L'’ •‘Taete is no need fur me to introjucc Mr. tituari to yuu,” said iLie ■caairn.au. “You all know him well,” Vuievs: Oh, yeah’ Air. btuart saiu thai, the Dominion had passed througu' a difficult period during tue past lour years, “Our up puntnis aic gu.ng aiuund telling you • iia: I,no Govyruiuent has been icopunsible fur ad our present ills.’’ \ oices: Absolutely. Air. btuan: 1 am giad that they have at least one suppot ter anyway. 1 did nut cvme here lu-nigiit io piviuise yuu air, iii-ing. laat ia against, the religion of a (Scotchman. Air. tSiuart then reviewed the results of lliv Labour I’arty's regime >u England and A ustraliu. Voices: Get back io New Zealand. Air. btuart said he firmly bc.ieved that the promises being placed before inc c/eciors by the Government's op-pG-nenls could not be carried out. Toe Government was faced with a serious drup in the national income and to place the country back on a sound looting economies involving xIOjOOU,000 were effected by reducing wages and salaries and reducing public expenditure. The Government, nad made every endeavour to pull the country through the diliicult position that H had got into through no fault of its own. 'l'he Labour f’arty saiu the Government was respons ble for th*> depression but it was impossible for New Zealand to avoid the slump. A voice: If war had broken out yuu could have found the necessary money, Mr. Stuart: It is a different thing tv light for one's country. A voice: Good old Alex. Air. Stuart said that the Government bud reduced the bank rate of interest to -1 i per cent, and had established the ALortgage Corporation which would stabilise the price of money fur many years to come. The Iteserve Bank huu been established and had been of c(>nsiderable. benefit to the- country, “it has been said that prior to the establishment of this bank the tradiiig banks were running the affairs vi tue Dominion,” said Air. iiluari. “lhat was right up io a certain po»nt. ibc position is different lu-uay.' (Loud laughter). Dealing with the exchange question, Air. Btuail said Inal must of his audience would agree that the higher- rale had been ui cunsiderab.'e 1 -iiclil tv the Dominion, \ uices: To you, Alex. The exchange nad been of greatef assiatfOce tiiau any other measure passed by the House, he said. .1 ue question had been thoroughly invcstigatvd before bit, rise was made. He nad been told by several successful businessmen that the increased exchange had been of great assistance to themselves, Lu the wage earner, a.id every other section of iue uomuiunitj. i Laugh tei;. Air. biuiut: Air. Chairman, when yuu get Idugnter yuu always know lid' your auuience is in accord with yuu. the speaker then outlined the ocm fits which he said bad accrued num the high exchange rale and each of his «>taiemuDls was greeted with loud laughter. The Lauour f’arty, he said, was strongly opposed to the increase cloud appiause) bul was always crying out lur greater protection for the secondary industries uf the Dominion. No measure had given greater protection to these industries. A voice: Why did you take out spending power away? lhe 3iuiigagurs l»elief Act and. tat) final Adjustment Bill, said Air. btuart. weie placed on tue iSlatute Books to protect the wage earners. Alany or them had bought homes. . . . Voices: And Jost them. ■ Air. Stuart said that these people were unable to pay their intered and had it not been fur the Jegisiatio i tiie.r mortgagees would have been enabled to taue possession uf their homes. Voices; They have. Mr. Stuart said lhe action of the Gov ernnient in extending the life of Parliament bad been lut> subject of ccnsidtiable criticism. The first question was whether it had been beneficial ur prvjedicial to lhe country 3 welfare. Lveiyone fioui the Prime Minister down at the time when that legislation was passed would have been pleased to give up bis seat. Voices: Why don't they? The Government cuuld nut carry c-ut its rehabilitation programme in three years, and had been obliged to extend its life. Every sane person, he aaid would agree with them that the extension had been Lreneficial to the country. Loud voices; No, No. A voice; Goidoii and George would have missed their trip to the jubilee celebrations. (Laughter). Air. Stuart: it would be a poor circus without a clown. (Laughter). When Mr. Stuart endeavoured to continue his address he was subjected to a torrent of interjections. The chairman rose to appeal for a fair hearing but was loudly jeounted out. ”1 would like to refer to the Bill passed through Parliament for the returned soldiers, said Mr. Stuait (Loud “Ohs”). “No one van say that 1 have never done my best in tire interests of the men who fought for us on the battlefields.” A voice: You cut their pensions. Air. Stuart then outlined tire legislation for the provision of assistance to ‘‘burned out’’ soldiers. If there was any section of the community that deserved 1 onsideration it was the sol-

dicrs. (Hw, bear). A \oill; Un l.ae eve of the election. Another intuijecter said he had been seeking assistance without succcas since be was discharged. A voice: Only two days, Alex. “As you are quite aware,“ said Mr. btuart, “the light is between the Labour Party and .... A voice: Not yuu. | Another voice: And the Press. ‘‘The fight is between the Labour Parly and the Government,” said Mr. btuart. “If the Democrats are returned it will only be in small numbers and they will become Independents. Independents are dangerous because they are always seeking popularity. I have been in the House long enough ” Cries of “Too long” and “Yes.” “. . . to know that they are more of a nuisance than anything,” he continued. “The Democrats say that the country is being controlled by 144 boards. A voice: Are there any worms in them ? Another voice: 3Vhy worry about Mr. Hislop. He does not count, you say. Mr. Stuait declaied that the Labour Party’s policy of guaranteed prices was unworkable and “bunkum.” The dairy industry had turned the scheme down by three votes to one. It wo-uld place the country hack in tb-e position it was when Captain Cook arrived. (Laughter;. Air. Stuait said the Budget of 1935 showed a surplus of £.1,526,000 and the public debt had beei reduced by £1,000,000.

Voices: 'Lhat is i'i theory. They “pinched” the money from the High ways Fund. Mr. Stuart.- You realise you have a good Government but you wor.'t admit it A Voice. Th* (iavernment has done i us. ■ “If the chairman will not blow his ivhistlb I will give you lhe GovernInient's policy,” said Mr. Stuart. “The Governn ent proposes to carry on the affairs of the country in a sound businesslike manner and when conditions warrant it to reduce taxation and restore salary and pensions cuts. A Voice: Blow the whistle, Hope. Mr. Stuart: 1 am not a rich man. but 1 do not care whether 1 am in Parliament or not. At this stage a whistle was blown in the audience. The Chairman: That is ouly the line umpire! Air. Stuart: Confidence ; n the country has been improved. How much confidence would there be if the Labour Party was in power? Loud Voices; More. If the present Government was returned the Dominion would be in line for years of prosperity. “Do not tell me you are going to put experienced men off the Treasury Benches? Loud Voices: Yes! In concluding. Air. Stuart said that if he was returned to Parliament he would continue to do his best ik»r the electorate. When question time was finished Air. C. F. Mcßeth moved a vote of thanks I to the speaker and a vote of no confidence in the present Government and the sitting member for Rangitikei. J

i Mr. F. C. Atkinson rose to speak, but jvas counted out t.fice. “I want to (move an amendment. . . .’’he said, but his remarks werr. drowned in the noise. Voices: Sit down. The Chairman: Are you fellow? all cowards? Surely you can play the game. Voices: We have. Mr. Atkinson then moved an amend Iment that the speaker should be accorded a vote of thanks. On being put to the meeting the amendment was ' lost by an overwhelming majority.