THE FINAL SHOTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 277, 27 November 1935, Page 8

THE FINAL SHOTS

WANGANUI CITY ELECTORATE I FOUR CANDIDATES IN FORM 'iMMINu IP H’K THE ELECTORS ’ Ail four candidates tor Parliamentary honours in the Wanganui city electorate made their hnal apjieals to the electors last night. Mr. \V. A. Veitch had the Opera House. Mr. J. B. (Jotteriil ibe Plaza Theatre, Mr. J. T. Hogan the Kegent Theatre. Mr. N. K. tiaiu, National candidate, who spoke at tne Opera House the night before, •:onten:ed himself with the Gonville town Hall. This paper has given reasonable space to tue views «i all lour candidates and to all shades Oi pol.ii'ai opinion. On the morning of ihe election it-offers the elector." a biief summary of the views of Ihe four city aspirants, as expressed last • ignt. pius an indication of the tenor •■f vtvii meeting. MR. N. R. BAIN Thvie was an attendance of over 100 ai Mi. 5. K. Gain's litial meeting al iue Gonville Lown Lail last u.gbl. Mr. j- tank >pcnter was in the chair ami introducing the candidate commented <>n his iong association v. itn tne ramily. "I Lad business associations witn Mr. Bain's Ltluer ever aO years ago,” he a.i.J. ‘ He wa* a man who was Known laruiighoui ( litiatcbuicn and tne surlounumg di.-Hiict as a man of i tie highest integrity and 1 have no hesitation in sa.vi 'g mat the candidate is a chip oil .ue v»d b.ock. Air. Lia.ii deait extensively with the Beneiit ial cuecis oi the National Government s administration and stiessed the fau ibat in the formulation of its policy it had taken a lead from the poh< y adopted and carried to such a "Lw.-cssiul ic-ue by the National Government in Great Britain. He then criticised the policy of the Democrats of borrowing 1 om £20,000,000 to x? - I}OC,O'JO a year. nor. tor the purpose of unemployment as Mr. Veitch had misstated him as saying, but for the carrying oh: of the whole of their futile po.ity. In connection with the Democrat policy, he pointed out that in addition to inducing taxation by £4,500,000 tile pciicy would leave a budgetary gap of 122.000,000 and, in view Gt the x 250,500.000 national debt with which the country was at present burdened. ibis was an absurd and futile policy for any sane party to embark upon.

J < 'i it ;<i-ung the policy of the Labour I I’aity, Mi. Gain b<*id mat while agreei ing wi.n ih. h juiaaitai iat> ideals con I tamed in th. i polity whico bad his ut- ! iih.-H '.iiipat.i . iJH whole of me Luoout policy was bated, not on boi* jowc.i luviuy ot increased taxation. bu< on the «i<ation gi costlc.-s credit, a .'tern v.uich had never been tried with .'Uciess in any tcuniry io the woi.d. • ’a the contiaiv wherever it had been attempted it bad resulted in di>asti.ius effects. Air. Bam referred to Air. Stanley Ba.dwtn statement in his book inheritance” ia which tie stressed uh danger to democracy by • t.-» adoption of untried methods and, | patticuhuiv. < ouiriunistic methods. Iln c«n< iii’ion. Air. Bain stressed the fact that the country was facing a I Jay of national crisis, the importance of whi« .i should be realised by eveiy . itir.n ana he earnestly urged every elector »•» carcfuHy and intelligently cot sider the issues in the light ./ the ilc<.i and unbiassed criticism that _ie had sought to present to them. On tlip motion of Air. D. McFarlane. Mr. Bam was accorded a vote of ■ hanks width was carried unanimously with b»ud and prolonged applause. MR. W. A. VEITCH A large attendance greeted Mr. ' Veitch at the Opera House. It was round aijout JOOii in numbers, but was definitely divided -in its view ot the policy the candidate was supporting. Mr. A. E. Halligan presided. Mr. Veitch traversed much of the , ground he covered in most of the elee- . i ion speeches, and was suojected to ’some good-bumoared heckling, particuilarlv when hp challenged the policy of (the Labour Party. He said that New Zealand was emerging from the worst ci sis it had ever taced and was beginning its reconstruction pcr.od. He said that each candidate had had a fair hearing. He had made no charges against his opponents but charges had been made by them again.-t him. The speaker trenchantly criticised the Government and said that it had done more to assist the policy of Labour than any Government New Zealand aad ewr had. He defended the Democrat police to borrow money, which he said was to be carried out to complete unfinished works, which to-day were lying idle. Only those works wh ch could be shown to be payable propositions would be carried on with, and, therefore. the borrowing of small amount of money to makj the revenue producing (would lift some of the burdens off the I taxpayer. Based on the volume of production .primary and secondary, this ‘country va? the most heavily taxed in ■ the world, he said. Abolition of the sales tax, and removal of the high exchange were two planks of his party s policy. His party also stood for the sanctity of contract. He described as ridiculous rhe suggestion of the Nationalists that his party was borrowing 20 to 30 millions for relief of unemployment. Mr. Veitch defended his own action

»n voting against the Government holding that he had placed principles before party. After the Democrats had been in power for some time there would be only one lobby necessary. (Ironicad laughter.) He said that the Prime Minister, faced with his portfolio on the one hand and the task of voting according to principles on the other, had taken his portfolio, and gone for the ‘'dug-out'’ as fast his political legs could carry him A voice: And yeu have alwavs done the same.

Mr. Veitch replied that he had not been afraid to place principles before party. He claimed that the policy of the [Democrats was for ail sections of the people and not for one section of it. (Lproar.) The chairman intervened at that stage and called for a fair hearing. Mr. Veitch saiu he was a believer in party for the purpose of placing political ethics before the people, but party polities in this country had reached a slate far beyond that, and had become a domineering force. When he voted against the Government be had i‘een told that if he dared to disobey there would be a strong combination set up to drive hzm out of Parliament at the next election. .The combination was there but it would not drive him out. (Ironical laughter, followed by applause.) Mr. \ eitch said that the policy of the Brir.sh Goverament had not been the policy of the Government in Ntwv Zealand. Britain had adhered to its principles. New Zealand had not. The speaker described-ths Labour Party's policy of guaranteed prices, which he said he had already proved to be unsound. He had challenged the Labour Party to debate it on the platform. -j'j'v had not been taken up. It was tantamount io raising ih£ exchange to lad pe? cent. A voice: GO back to school. Mr. Veitch claimed that he had done his best for Wanganui. MR. J. B. COTTERILL A re\iew of ttie policy which the Lauour Part;, proposes io put into operation it elected, to tne Treasury Benciits was given by Mr. J. B. Coiteriil wheu be addressed an audience of 2UU persons m ihe Plaza ineati't last mgni. The Maj or of Wanganui, Mr, W. J liogets, presided. Coiioiixl said that the party’s policy io restore a decent living Manuard to a t those who had been dy prived of the essentials oi life during the past live years and the organisation ot au internal economy that womd distribute me production anu services in ,t luanner mat would guarantee an 'n. ome to a man suuicient to enable him to pro-ide himself and his lami.y with ail the necessaries ci lite included ihe iollowtug proposals:— J be guaranteeing to rarmers of satisfactoiy prices for their supplies of produce ior both domestic and external ecnsumptiun. .A slatutoiy liiini’Dum wage or saiaiy based on the sum requires to provide everything necessary ioi an ale quale standard of living. The institution of a national superannuation scheme and a national health service to pre-vide lull medical nursing and hospital attention for all invalids wrh maintenance for themselves and their dependent?, during gicknesc and ill-health. A payment Ig widows to maintain themselves and meir children until th* children are able ig earn their own living. !supei annua lion for all persons at the age. of uU years. I'he re-orgauisa< ion of the Du minion's school, college and university system to provide the maximum eiu rational facilities for all children frou’ the kindergarten to the university. A vole of thanks and conlidci.ee moved by Mr. I?. Dwyer, was carried with enthusiasm and cheers were given lor Mr. Gotteril! MR. J. T. HOGAN la a sirubg jigli.ing speerli, Mr. J. T. Mogul., Miotial cuiiuiuuie ior trie v. augu.iui seal, made a final appeal to a lair alienuaace rri me iregvau 1 heal re last night, and declared riis loyal adherence Io me Eiuerul principles he bad supported ior many yeais. Mr. Hogan was accoiued au attentive iiciiuug and nis remarhs met wini frequent applause. At the close of riis address ue was the recipient oi a. vote oi thanks which was carried by acclamation. Mr. D. E. Dustiu presided. i he speaker emphasised that he had always oeeu a Liberal and saw no reason why he should change his colours. Ihe bututc Book as me Libeials had left it was tar in advance of any mat had come since and the 1- giolatiGa passed during tbeir regime had been studied by piui'essCTS and economists ti'tJin all o»cr the world. tne parly had stood for the benefit of New Z.ealand as a whole, but its measures were not in accc-rdaiu e with wishes of tire mg landowners who disliked their kind being broken up ior the we.tare of the people. Hence the forced disintegration ol the party. Ever since the Lioerals weni our of ofnee, New Zealand had been wandering in a wilderness. The speaker criticised the methods adopted by me present Government particularly the raising of the ci viiange rate and the increased taxation. "We could have been in a much better position to-day but the country has been absolutely and grossly mismanaged ever since me Coalition Government took office,'’ Mr. Hogan asserted. The Laboiii Party was offering a scheme, which, it put into operation, would net piove practicable and would involve the country in heavy expense. Guaianteed prices, said Mr.

Hogan, were farcical. Labour, in fact, had no policy, which was one of the staggering features of the election. “They have not a man in the House, or out of ihe House, who has done more ior the workeis than 1 have, he continued. Mr. Hogan stated that he could explain eveiy vote he had made )n Parliament. His opponents in the present campaign, however, had often misrepresented him. Air. Hogan quoted one instance where it was said that he had voted in favour of read workers paying the unemployment levj of £1 per annum. Jt was not st-ared however, that at this lime the legisla tion also provided ior relief workers being paid 12s a day. And it was ako not stared that Labour, with ail their talk of what they did ior the workers, voted against this on 21 dif ferent occasions. In fact, Mr. Hogaa declared, every measure brought forward by the Coalition Government, even when it was in favour of Ihe workeis, was strongly opposed by

Labour. The Coalition Government had made many mistakes, but it was to be commenaed xor some of the legislation passed. l.eierring to tne fact that he was not attached Ig any political party contesting the present General Liestiou, ihe speaker stressed the fallacy of tne statement that as an fndepend ent he could accomplish nothing if re turned to Parliament. Ihinug gl® year in the House he had been chairman of four different committees. Men who stood as Independents were delinitely looked up to in Parliament and accomplished lac more than thosa dragged in by some party, if a can didale was strong enough to light ao election campaign as an he wa B strong enough to- hold nis own when rcturn-cd. The party man did not count. He was compelled to do as hi was told and if he refused was dealt wiih accordingly. Mr. Hogan said his principal planks were the advancement of Wanganui, decentralisation, the absorption of lhe unemployed in useful afforestation work, land settlement and a sound, linancial basis for superannuation schemes, public service and otherwise. So far as the advancement of Wanganui was concerned the city had been neglected in the past. There had been a lack ot public money spent in Wanganui, ano to-day lhe city had a bridge 01 years old at the end of its main street, and many of its Government buildings were old and dilapidated. The Courthouse and Post Office were glaring examples. The speaker contended that Wanganui, which now seemed to be in a back-wash, was entitled to its fair share of public ■expenditure. He decried tne closing of the East Town workshops, and at a time when Mr. Veitch was Minister of Bail ways. Those shops were an asset to the city and it was the wish of the late fe-ir Joseph Ward that they should be located in* Wanganui. The points and crossing machinery had actually been installed, but, after Sir Joseph’s passing it .was removed at a of thousands of pounds to Lower Hutt. In this respect the Government’s centralisation policy was sadly at fault. Centralisation was a thing which had to be fought. Mr. Hogan stated, in conclusion, that if returned he would light for the interests of Wanganui, a ciose*- settlement of the land round the city, the fostering of trade between New Zea land and Great Britain, less taxation and decentralisation