THE GENERAL ELECTION

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15100, 22 November 1922, Page 8

THE GENERAL ELECTION

THE WAIKATO SEAT,

MR. DENT AT CAMBRIDGE.

;'!i A POLICY OF PROGRESS.

Settlement in the backblocks.

Mr. A.f G. Dent, of Kawhia, who is contesting the Waikato seat, in the Reform interests, opened his campaign [jjt Cambridge on Monday evening beTjjre an audience of about 350 people, At'hioh included a good sprinkling of ladies. The candidate was given an .attentive hearing, his remarks being frequently applauded. I!!! The Mayor (Mr. S. Lewis), occuIpied the chair and introduced the candidate, explaining his commercial training and .his long and successful association with public and semi-pub-lip bodies in the Waikato over a period of fourteen years.

ii!i The candidate said that it was a iproud moment to have the honour and •privilege to address a representative .'faceting of the Cambridge residents. Tie felt certain of a fair arid impartial bearing. Two Reform Candidates.

ji|; The candidate explained that he was ■faking the platform in the Reform interests and referred to the presence of two candidates in the field. He was, not the official candidate. Mr. Dent read to the audience the correspondence he had in his possession in regard To the electorate, in which an amicable meeting was suggested by the ! Prime Minister to. decide who should represent the party. The speaker telegraphed his agreement with the conference as suggested, as also did Mr: Wells, but Mr. Johnson refused •fo accept the tribunal. The Prime : Minister later communicated with Mr. IKVells and the speaker and asked them ■ ito* withdraw which Mr. Wells had 'agreed to. He had submitted the matter to his supporters who came to the .pbnclusion that he should go on as ■'they and lie had. not had a fair deal, •' !be' alleged, at the hands of Mr. Johnson and his supporters. He was out ■ ..for a fair deal but had not had it and .jlhut justified his appearance I before .•them he maintained. (Applause), lie would leave it to his audience to ■Judge the position with two Reform (.candidates in the field. (Applause.) v-;! Progressive Land Policy. • Mr. Dent explained that he was not Ta polished politician so that any imperfections on his part would be overlooked he trusted. If elected he would always advocate a policy of progress. One of his chief planks was ■ ifa regard to the land settlement of the 'country, On which the prosperity of 'the towns and cities depended. The “one channel that could give relief to taxation was by an increase of their ■primary products. The country was ■•not. doing all that it might in regard ■'to the settlement of its virgin country, ‘and the Government should foster a '■progressive and businesslike lands settlement policy to the utmost. The ■ backblocks settlers had a lot to contend with' in the matter of roads. He was not casting any. reflection on the . Massey Government which had done • I remarkably well for the backblocks '•settler. The Government was retarded "owing to the shortage of money. If ."■the financiaj position of the country H’-were normal the backblocks settler Would get better treatment from the ’ Government than from any. i)other (applause). It behoved whateyer. Government . was in power to make its policy for the settlement of t he land as attractive as possible so that the best type of manhood and —womanhood would be drawn to settle j*there. (Applause). In the matter tlof rentals, each class of land should '5 be treated on its merits with the object I of attracting the bonafide settlers. The settlers were the backbone of this Dominion, and the maximum •j; encouragement should be. pxtended to T them in their great work of bringing jgthe present unproductive areas of £land t.o productivity. Adequate road£;ing was another important matter alto land settlement which the GoT vernment should promote to the utkfmost and, if returned, it would be his f aim to promote this result whenever (Applause.)

J Immigration Policy. 2 The taxpayer of the Dominion, the £ candidate said, was overburdened and 2 every effort should be made to reduce “ the load in this respect.’ \ A vigorous :>■ immigration policy was advocated *jwhen times became normal and money ■« “was what a young country like New % Zealand required. £ Dairy Pool Bill.

A burning question to the dairyfarmer was • the bill dealing with the control of dairy produce which had been shelved untli the new Parliament met.. -He was satisfied that the dairyfarmer required some control for his produce but the Bill should be reviewed from every aspect by those concerned before any definite step was decided on. Personally he thought a special committee representing dairying, banking, commercial and other essential interests should be set up and sent to. England to make very thorough investigation,in regard to the handling and the disposal of their dairy produce. He was in favour of any movement that gave the farmer the best return for his labour and would give it his- whole-hearted support.

The . candidate advocated a college being established at Ruakura for boys between 14 y'ears and 17 years and, if returned to Parliament,- he would do everything possible to promote that aim.

» *• The Public Service. £ There had been a lot of talk in re--2 gard to the public service and its re- * trenchment scheme. Any Govern- £ ment that introduced the latter was X. naturally looked on with disfavour. He p Paid a tribute to the loyalty and honj esty of the public service of New Zea--2 l an d and he was in favour of rates » commensurate with the importance of Xthc work performed, aiming at efficiZ ency all ( the time.

Ail clean, healthy sport had his support, because it accomplished the' building up of a clean, healthy man. In closing his remarks the candidate reiterated that, if returned, he would do his utmost to worthily represent them in Parliament. He resumed his seat amid applause. Question Time.

The prohibition question the candidate said was in the hands of the electors to decide. The question was hardly a fair one to ask a politician and he regretted that it was an issue at the same time as the general election. . Personally he was a total abstainer. ' -»* ■

He would not vote for a Labour Government in this country. Stable Government was essential in the crisis , which the country was still passing through and he maintained that the Massey Government was the only one .which could bring them successfully through, In answer to a query on the point the candidate said he was not in favour of the CiVil Service linking up with wtbe Alliance of- Labour.

— ’-Sh& : candidate, .was not in favour of

a reduction in the pay of the Civil Service to give relief on land and income tax to farmers. It would, not be fair to provide the relief by that means.

A voice: Your Reform Government did that. (Laughter.)

“Would you be in favour of licensing the bookmaker?” was another question. The candidate replied that he was not an authority on racing matters but it seemed reasonable'that they should be licensed as they permitted the totalisatof. Under strict and proper supervision he thought that sanction should be afforded to the bookmaker to operate. Dealing with another question as to his opinion on extra permits going to racing clubs, the candidate thought that when the Government set up a commission of impartial and competent men it was almost a fallacy not to give effect to their findings. He thought that one section had just as much a legitimate right to this privilege as another. - ‘ ■ The candidate believed in the State affording whatever assistance lay in its power to facilitate the placing of the country’s products on the world’s markets.

At this stage a voice from the back of the hall laid a wager at odds of ten to four that the candidate would not get into Parliament. The chairman: You have a queer sense of humour. Another member of the audience rose and commented that the candidate had referred to “butter pools, shipping pools, and God knows how many other pools so.what of a Labour pool?” adding that a man would be put in gaol for even suggesting such a thing. (Laughter).

' A vote of thanks and confidence was accorded the candidate amid prolonged applause. ’. In returning thanks Mr. Dent said that if elected it would be his aim ,to always give of his .best service to 'the electorate and to the country, exercising commonsense and good judgment on all matters as they came forward, He thanked them all-for the patient hearing given to him. (Applause). A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting.

WELLINGTON CONTEST.

MR DOOLEY TAKES A HAND

WELLINGTON, Tuesday.

An unusual feature in connection with the local election campaign was the appearance last evening of Mr Dooley, late Premier of New South Wales, at one -of the Labour candidate’s meetings. He addressed the meeting 'and explained that Labour’s defeat in New South Wales was due to a division in the Labour ranks on sectarian issues.

NEW PARTY DISTINCTION.

“SEDDON LIBERAL” AT THAMES,

THAMES, Monday.

Mr A. J. Whiteside is contesting the Thames seat as a “Seddon Liberal.” The official Opposition candidate is Mr W: A. Allan.

1 LEADER OF OPPOSITION.

TOUR OF SOUTH ISLAND,

(By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Monday.

• The Leader of the Opposition, Mr T. M. Wilford, left for Christchurch to-night. Mr Wilford has received numerous requests to address meetings at' different centres, in the South, and as far as possible he will comply with these. He has had a very busy week-end in Wellington.

Mr Wilford stated to-day that reports which were coming to hand from various electorates were more than satisfactory as far as his party was concerned.