AUDIENCEPACKS THE GONVILLE TOWN HALL TO HEAR MR. ALGIE, M.P.

Wanganui Chronicle, 9 November 1949, Page 6

AUDIENCEPACKS THE GONVILLE TOWN HALL TO HEAR MR. ALGIE, M.P.

Addressing an audience in the Gonville Town Hall last night which taxed the building to its capacity, Mr. R. M. Algie, National candidate for Reniuera, and one of the Front Bench speakers of the Opposition in the life of the recent Parliament, declared that if Socialism were put to the people of New Zealand in the form of a referendum, not as a party issue, there would be an overwhelming vote against it. The people of New Zealand, he said, could vote themselves into Socialism, but there was no recorded cas e in history of a country that ever got out Socialism by the ballot box.

I The meeting was possibly the larg- ! est held in the Gonville Town Hall for , many years. Long before it was time to start every available seat was occupied and extra accommodation was being obtained. People filled the entrance and flowed into the street, and many were accommodated in the annexe nearby and heard Mr. Algie’s address through a loudspeaker system. Throughout his address, lasting an hour and a-half, Mr. Algi e was given a perfect hearing. The meeting was completely free from interjections and his forthright utterances were greeted with applause and his ready wit with frequent laughter. As many people as possible were accommodated at the back of the stage and one estimate gave the attendance at 600. Mr. R. E. Jack presided and also on the platform were Mr. W. A. Shea?. National candidate for Patea, and Mr. E. V. O’Keeffe, National candidate for Wanganui. At the conclusion of the meeting, a vote of thanks and confidence, moved by Mr. P. Lee. seconded by Mr. A. C. Hulbert, was carried. A “CRYING START.” Mr. Algie’s opening remarks that the Prime Minister had got away to a “crying start” in the election campaign, and that Mr. Fraser was never really happy except at a funeral, produced roars of laughter from tne audience. "I am sure I have struck a responsive chord," said Mr. Algie, when the din had subsided. * “I believe that in your district you have loyally and genuinely sent food parcels to Britain, but 1 would like to see you send the people of Britain another kind of parcel, a message that through the ballot box the Old Country is starting to recover,” Mr. Algie added. Because of this regime of Socialism the 61d Country was starting to totter and shed its pieces. More of the Winston Churchill spirit was needed, but that would never be obtained from the present Labour leaders in politics. “Is it fair for the Prime Minister to monopolise the radio on the last night of the election campaign’/” Mr. Algie asked. Cries of No, No! Only a few years ago ther e was a great outcry because Mr. Scrimgeour and his Friendly Road Station was jammed. He had abused certain principles and had threatened to abuse more. "Has the Leader of the Opposition abused any principles, yet he is being jammed, nevertheless,” Mr. Algie added. NOT A FIGHT. The speaker said that this election campaign was not a fight, it was one of the greatest moments in the life of a democracy. In his own electorate he moved among all sections of the community and every man was sure of a good response from him if the same were given in turn. “I am not going to accept the charge made by Mr. Fraser that I am one of the enemies of humanity,’’ Mr. Algie declared. “I was brought up in this country, he was not. If this lovely country was the cesspool of capitalistic activity, as Mr. Fraser and his colleagues say it was, then why did they come here? And if it was in the throes of Tory exploitation, why did they stay? It was easier to leave New Zealand then than it is now.” Mr. Fraser and his party did not lift New Zealand out of the depression, but they did make good use of of the advantages which were there when Labour was elected in 1935. Now Mr. Fraser was saying that if a National Government were elected the economy of the country would disappear. This meant one of two things. Either the economy would collapse, in which case it would be worthless, or the National Party would destroy it. “In which case,” Mr. Algie added, “I have not the words to describe him.” The public of New Zealand had said that it wanted a certain type of economy—a five-day, 40-hour week in particular. “Mr. Fraser says we would destroy these things. But if we did, we would disappear from the political world. Do you think we are going to all the trouble to get ourselves elected just to get out again?” Mr. Algie asked. Today, Mr Fraser and his colleagues were talking about depressions and their remedies for them. In 1931-32, they were invited by the then Coalition Government 1o join in and make a single, united New Zealand attack on the depression, but they preferred to sit on the fence. "But when it. was all over, they turned round and said that they had a cure for it all the time," Mr. Algie added. "If they have a remedy now for a depression, and they say they have, why are they scared stiff about the next one?” “CURE FOR DEPRESSION.” “If they have a cure for a depression, why don’t they let Mr. Nash take another little trip Home and give it out from the roof tops of Kidderminster, from whence he came? What, a wonderful thing if the morning paper of Kidderminster could come out next day and say, ‘Local Boy Makes Good. - If the Labour Government were sure of its remedy, it would not be so afraid of the onset of the malady." Mr. Algie said that he was glad that the people of New Zealand did not hear any references to depressions in Mr. Holland’s opening speech. The Leader of the National Party was ’ooking to Die future and building on the fact that this nation, ably led, could attain to any height. The speaker also said that he frequently gave credit to his political opponents wherever he though!, it was

due. He was glad to say that the Labour Government had done a whole lot of things well. Its stabilisation policy was good if it were applied to everything, and there were points to be admired in its rehabilitation programme. Labour had done well with State housing and this effort was excellent, compared with what had been done in other countries. "Then why am I so bitterly dppo.seed to them?” Mr. Algie asked. "I am going to try and tell you.” He could see no reason or advantage in taking over the Bank of New Zealand, and possibly this could be described as a just for power which could be dangerous. Another wrong move was to make a State monopoly of workers 1 compensation insurance, where previously the setup had been ideal. The old system would be restored if Hie National Party were elected. The National Party would also write the word "Finish” in big capital ietters against any more schemes foi socialisation in New Zealand. Socialism had gone far enough and the speaker said he was opposed to the administration of New Zealand being dictated to by outside pressure group; instead of being carried out by the men elected by the people. It was alsc very necessary to have in public life men of principle who would not throw these principles overboard for the sake of expediency. "How long should these things gc on?" Mr. Algie asked. "I would saj no longer bhan November 30, and or that day I ask the people of New Zealand to vole for New Zealand.” Mr. Algie’s address concluded with rounds of applause and cries that he should continue, but he told the audience that he had come to the meet' ing with the intention of making certain points known, and having done sc was prepared to leave it at that.