COLONEL MITCHELL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14118, 12 May 1920, Page 6

COLONEL MITCHELL.

VISIT TO MASTERTON. Colonel Mitchell, after addressing the Progressive League 'yesterday: Afternoon, later met a number of business men in the ■A. and P. booms, Mr R. Brown presiding. • , The chairman stated that the people of the Wairarapa had a very real grievance against the Wellington people regarding the Rimutaka. deviation. It was not right that Auckland should make a bid for the trade of the W aira.rn pa. However, a live wire had now arisen in the person ot Col. Mitchell, and he sincerely hoped that something would be done. Messrs C. H. Perry, F. W. Temple G. R. Sykes, R. J. King, J. Allen, and \V. 11. Jackson also spoke on inatte.rs affecting Wellington and the Aairarapa. and especially in regard to the Rimutaka deviation. In tlu* «*ourse of ltis address, Colonel Mitchell stated that the competition between Auckland and Wellington was pevfectlv ridiculous. The trade belonged to Wellington. There was no question about that. Ho did not think Wellington was a, dear port, tor it should really be the cheapest m the Dominion. Regarding the himutiika line he say no reason m the world why it should not be proceeded with at once, but the lines at present m construction Should bo Ihnished and brought into a paying condition. Ihc Rimutaka. deviation, however, was one of the most pressing works in x evv Zealand, and should not be toleiated one dav longer than it was possible The matter of choosing the route should be left to the Government and its experts. Housing had not only been a war complain.t We had grailu.,ll v „ o nc back for the past twelve years at aerate of about 70 houses per year. Ml unessential buildings should be stopped,: and the housing problem ser.--oufdv taken in hand. “ They are buildin.r 'more picture shows—God knows « have enough of them now, said the speaker. If the wave ot Bolshevism was to be prevented it was necessary to house the people, at. least, with d -- eeiiev. In. regard to the Masterton Hi..li School, he suggested that Ihe Mavor and member for the district should join a deputation to the Minister on Monday next, and urge the claims of that necessary work. PUBLIC MEETING. There was a. fai,r attendance at the Municipal Hall last evening, when Col. Mitchell addressed a public meeting, Mr F. W| Temple presiding. In the course of his address Col. Mitchell congratulated some of the public men of the Wairarapa district on their generosity ni connection with what they had done for the soldiers, although he could not congratulate some in other parts of the Doimni&n. Those progressive men who had produced a soldiers’ training farm were to bo congratulated. It showed what a few-men imbued with the Tight ideals could accomplish for their fellow men. In the opinion of The speaker, the requirements of the Wairarapa were t t ln . ( .—first, the deviation of the Rimutaku: second, many more-people; and third, cheap power—the power that did not raise its wages every pay day and did not require any shovelling. W e had had no ris'lit, he said,' to use all our coal, and let all the water power go to waste. Unless there was a united push for. the province, it would be neglected. It all depended' upon the amount- ;: of power that could be brought to bear, upon the Government. The Government was only human, and it would respond to the whip. Well nigton had been asleep too long. They, had been satisfied to let- others do the work, being engrossed in their own affairs. Consequently they were being left behind, and were not receiving the population that the northern centre was receiving. It was necessary there should be some united policy among members of Parliament for the province. Auckland always toed the line, and presented a united front. That unitv, however, was lacking with Wellington. As a citizen, and a returned soldier, he asked the public to look upon the .returned soldier with kindly Dealing with land, the speaxer said the soldier, when he went away was promised by the Minister that upon his return he would have land. What did he find on his return? He was charged the inflated prices of the values’lie had himself increased and really created. The inflation of land values was the verv worst thing, for the farmers’ meat‘at the present time was a glut on the market, and there was also a. slump in wool. Thank God, those things came gradually! He believed that the Government should have taken the whole of the war profits. There had been equality at the front; and there, should ’ have been equality at homo. Ho did not believe in the "present wretched Labour organisation in some parts of the country, and he was not a Bolshevik. Four pounds per week for a single man was enough, but how was a married man with children to manage? .Could a man do it at the present price of produce? Dealing with housing, he remarked that no provision had been made for the -restruction of the old shacks and the increasing population. The environment of slumland tended to the increase of disloyalty and Bolshev - ism. Colonel Mitchell then went on to deal with hydro-electricity. The rate of progress at Mangahao was absurd.. The whole of the policy of the Public Works department in carrying out those works was dilatory, and he was not surprised that the Wairarapa people were tackling a scheme of the!/' own. Selfishness permeated every corner or our business life, and supply and demrtnd did not control the prices of produce. Prices were arranged in some little back room and the people were forced to pay. One of the most dangerous things going on in the community to-day was the lessening of hours and lessening of effort. . , At the conclusion of 'Col. Mitchell’s address Mr G. R. Sykes moved a hearty vote of thanks to'the speaker, which was carried,