MR EDMOND'S ADDRESS.

Western Star, 26 November 1935, Page 3

MR EDMOND'S ADDRESS.

Mr Edmond. the Labour candidate for Wallace addiossod about 203 electors in J'leek's Hal] on Monday evening, Jli.s Worship the Mayor (Dr Trotter) presiding. Mr Edmond siijd he was not a stranger to Kivertou, but was an ordinary individual who was carrying the Labour banner. He icfened to the false reports being circulated about the money in the bink s which would be taken if the Labour ['arty g"t into power. The C.ovcrnini'iit had not kept faith with thu people, and had extended Parliament by another year without, consulting the electors of the dominion. The cause of the depression was du c to the policy of the Reform Party who brought down a , Bill for the freehold of {he. land—which, was

! now known as the stranglehold. The 1 land value in 1928 was 92i millions, and ! to-dav it had increased by 242 per . cent * When the slump came th e Government made a cut of te u per cent., and this had the effect of intensifying the depression Mr Edmoud then touched on the' unemployed, and the attitude of the Minister of Labour lit regard to the work. In this respect he took off his hat to the Ministers of the various religious bodies for what they had accomplished on behalf of the un. | employed men. ' The pegging of the exchange did not help those it was intended to assist. No doubt if it had not been put on some of the big firms would have been p.gainst the wall. It was supposed to help the farmer, but the only ones benefited had been the loan companies. The speaker als o delt with the Sales Taxi and the Reserve Bank, manacrer of the latter receiving *> salary of £SOOO a vear. and was exepmt from Income tax. There were also eisht directors who met once a, month, and were pi id at the rate of £4O ,a day, and travelling expenses j So far as doing business with the banks it wi« made by those institutions and not b*- the ma,) seeking accommodation. Mr Edmond then dealt with the Mort-o-pgo Corporation for which £IOO,OOO was hold by shareholders whose interest was guaranteed. The cost of running this department was enormous, and the "ountrv would have been better off' under +h? Advances to Settlers. Th e speaker ■Mien referred to the black spots of the | and instanced the affairs of tho Native Department which had -■ Hindered thousands of pounds. At tho 1 e?inuimr of the year the Government f ta+ed that all Art Union profits were ' o he spent on relu-f. He noticed that 'inlv recently, five large sums from this •■•orii'ce hud gone to Mr Coatcs' elector-' "t?. He also referred to legislation! twentv-one years ago to have a 'ipi l th scheme introduced, but they *till waiting f nr it. The Labour Party if returned would restore the pen*'oti fund, safeguard superannuation and . "lyil servants I

A t the conclusion of his address the sopqkor was accorded a vote of thanks -nd confidence on the motion of M l ' T. McOall, seconded by Mr .Tas Spears. MR HAMILTON AT OHAI. The Hon. Adam Hamilton, the National Government candidate fo>-Vya-llnce. .addressed a large gathering in the Ohai Public Hall on Monday. Thei> was an attendance of about 200. The chair was occupied by Mr W. J A. McGregor. ' The address followed along the lines of the candidate's previous speeches,' He reviewed many of the statements contained in the booklet on guaranteed irices that had been circulated by the Labour Party. It was evident, said Mr Hamilton, that the guarantee, was to be only on the first year's production, and that so far no explanation had been forthcoming as to how the money would be found for paying th e amount that would be involved over and above what the farmers' products would bring iit the markets of the world. A point that was worthy of interest was the fact that at the present time the ranks of the Labour Party did not contain a farmer or one experienced in marketing conditions.

Mr Hamilton was accorded a very attentive hearing and a motion of thanks moved by Mr McLean wa s carried by acclamation.

Earlier in the evening Mr Hamilton spoke at Pahia Mr L. Garden was in the chair, and on the motion of Mr R. Wilson the speaker was accorded a vote of thanks. At Papatotara Mr L. McKenzi e was chairman. Mr Hamilton, was accorded a' vote of thanks and confidence. In the afternoon he delivered an address to the electors of Birchwood nnd on the motion of Mr G. Edie was accorded a vote of thanks.

LEAGUE AND DISARMAMENT

Lord Lloyd, speaking at th € dinner of the Worshipful Company of Glovers at Clothworkei's Hall, London, criticised the effect of disarmament on the League of Nations, For the first time for years, he said, Britain was brought face to face with the stem realities of a. grave and perilous situation. This was obviously and inevitably the result of the policy of every party since four or five years after the war. No one party should be blamed more than another for the situation in which Britain now found herself Directly the disarma. ment policy ruled, League ideals were doomed. Th e Government was making heroic attempts to save the League. He wished that the same efforts had been made to save the British Empire, hecause the League could not exist without it. British forces should be greatly increased and .strengthened. Hie still believed in the enormous capacity of the British, but they had no right to expect men to go down to the se a in obsolete ships and up \ n the air in obsolete machines