CANDIDATES' ADDRESSES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22511, 20 September 1938, Page 15

CANDIDATES' ADDRESSES

ALLEGIANCE TO

PARTY

CRITICISM BY AN INDEPENDENT

jfR A. S. LYONS'S OPENING SPEECH

«jly conception of Parliamentary refutation is that allegiance to the jnstituency should transcend allegijee to party ties."' said Mr A. S. Lyons [Leeston. when explaining to an Ashurton audience last night his reasons t standing as an Independent canidate for the Mid-Canterbury seat

Lyons held that the return for con-

nbutions to party funds was legislator, to benefit the particular class of ommunity subscribing. There was not ne interjection during his address jsting one hour and containing critical of the Government's policy. About

p Sectors attended the first address pren by the candidate. The Mayor of ijhburton (Dr. G. I. Miller) presided. Differences of political opinion were io reason why they should become disgrbed or annoyed, Mr Lyons said. political prejudices should be brushed ride and the choice of the most suit&t candidates made. The country had lien flooded with propaganda, including- a film on public works administrates. He knew of no other country there a Minister had toured the county, lecturing and showing a film, and It knew the people would not allow fteir money to be spent in that direction. The tactic was not fair at elects time. An article in "The Press" MM time ago gave a list of contriMtions to the Labour Party's camftjpi fund, unions heading the other caaMbuu'ons. He was sorry he did not «*£ a list of the National Party conHMitkms. That people should be appealed to for party funds was wrong m* need for independent standing in asßtics was great, and. for that reason, kt had decided to contest the seat as at independent

'■Ti it fair that people should have to subscribe to support a candidate Meting election? Would it not be bettor if every candidate came forward wMfaout party backing, and allowed the dectors to decide who should repre«nt them?" Mr Lyons praised the work of the Independents and said jarties could flourish only by the finndal support of their adherents and *• return was legislation benefiting the particular class who subscribed the party funds and supported the parties Mindly. Legislation Reviewed Some beneficial legislation had been placed by Labour on the Statute Book nd life was now more congenial for many; yet some of the legislation was inimical to the interests of the people udJfre country. Some of the Labour members were advanced Liberals; but the Socialistic element, headed by Mr J. A. Lee, was hopeful of being in charge of the Government in the near future. Although Mr Savage had said he was tired of taxation, Labour had borrowed £30,000,000 and taxation was increasing at the rate of £5,000,000 annually. The cost of living was also gomi'up and would increase further inconsequence of the social security fep&lation. Any benefits from it .and njgner pensions would be whittled away by the increased costs. Unfortunately for the Government, taxation Mo not increased in other countries; taxation was reduced by 25 per cent, to New South Wales and 6 per cent, in Victoria. •

.Taxation was so high that no more Would fce imposed, because both the - eountry and the ■ people would break •own under the burden.

'. X., "Foolish Expenditure" "I" have no hestitation in saying the Government's policy of public works has been reckless—there is no' other word to describe it," said Mr Lyons. A total of £40,000.000 had been spent m three years; a large amount was non-interest earning and the expense would be recurring. The people, had to pay in the end for the Government's foolish expenditure. New Zealand was list reaching the stage when the expenditure would "recoil on their beads," to use a term of the commission which investigated Newfoundland's administration. . Everybody was looking for the Government to provide everything; yet the Government could provide nothing without taking it from the people's pocket The warning given by the governor of the Reserve Bank to reduce public works in good times and to expand in times of depression was sound. The present State housing scheme was criticised by Mr Lyons, who said tenants - would have to vacate the houses on reaching the age of 60 through inability to pay the high rent He favoured a scheme under which the tenants ultimately became ttb owner. The Government had given little assistance to the erection of bouses by private enterprise. Fostering Secondary Industries *?We have to recognise that there is ao room for the expansion of the Primary products market," said Mr Lyons. "Henceforth, New Zealand must totter its worthwhile secondary industries if expansion is to follow. There must be some policy of immigration, as .the population is not sufficient to allow the secondary industries to develop. I think the country at present could " absorb skilled workers in the building, engineering, and electrical trades and also women tor domestic purposes, without displacing any labour. With population, Many of the country's worries would aisgppear." -tSSutary training on the lines of the PMe-war territorial force was advocated by Mr Lyons. Although some members of the Government were not .in favour of anything military, it was necessary that the country should nave a second line of defence in a time when the whole world was disturbed. Social Security The Social Security Bill was attacked on the grounds that it pro- . vided free medical service for those who could afford to pay. If membersnip of a friendly society were made compulsory for all in receipt of less than £4OO a year, adequate medical protection would be given at a frac- • tioa of the cost of the social security Proposals. The candidate criticised the Is in the £ taxation on manufacturing companies, which had been snuggling for years, although he thought that taxation of companies which returned big profits was reasonable.

• In these good times, private enterPriie should have been given more opportunity to use the surplus labour *pw employed on public works, said "JJf Lyons. Everyone would have 'ffj«nd his position in the .economic 'ffle. Business recession was now ■tteral in the world, and, when 'nance was not available for public *»ks, what would happen to the *•*»»* of unemployed? As a producJP£9 means of absorption, Mr Lyons -fwrocated afforestation schemes. *»*-•> vote off thanks was passed.

FINANCE FOR FARMERS

"BETTER OFF WITH

STATE"

OPINION OF MR T- H.

LANGFORD

The claim that the farmers of the Dominion would be far better off dealing with a State lending institution than with private concerns was made by Mr T. H. Langford, who opened his political campaign as Labour candidate for Riccarton at Springston South last evening. Mr Langford made an attack on the existing method of farm finance as one of the salient" points of an address, given to an audience of about * Jt He dealt Principally with some ot the major problems confronting the tarmer and was listened to attentively, with only a few interjections. "Our opponents are talking a jjreat deal about freedom and the possibility of losing it," Mr Langford said, "and warn you against the danger of loss of freedom through some sort of nationalisation. They even hint at the possibility of some individual coming along and taking your property or your home away—they even suggested that to the Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes. 1 don't think that any farmer can believe such utter nonsense. But 1 do believe this—if the Labour Government goes back the farmer will get far more freedom than he ever had before. And the only way to get that freedom is out of his returns from the land.

"A great deal of investigation has to be made into the control of farmers by the stock and station firms. I believe that a lot of these documents signed by the farmers for these firms are iniquitous. Many of them leave him no freedom or option in the disposal of his products. They permit of the compounding of interest and I am sure that a lot of the farmres of New Zealand do not know.how much they have paid in interest under these documents. I am satisfied, too, that the bulk of the farmers would be better off dealing with State lending" institutions than private institutions. It was a terrible thing that the last Government did when it handed over the State Advances Department to private people. Labour altered this, but I am not sure that even now the State Advances Corporation is doing everything possible. I am satisfied that the corporation could do a lot more by way of making available cheap money, not only for the farmer, but the worker. Labour's Task "Labour went into office making certain definite promises, and I do not think that they realised the extent of the job, or that the country could be in such a mess internally," Mr Langford .said. He "quoted the unemployment situation then and before the elections, and said that the condition §f many unemployed had been so bad bat men were forced to steal. He quoted specific cases. It struck him as astounding that business people and farmers' unions would support any argument against reasonable increases in wages. "They are out to cut them, but low wages is the very thing that puts them out of existence, and that made this country (when that policy was adopted in the depression) an enormous charitable aid institution. "How can a man be honest on £1 a week? - During the depression there were jre.cor.ds of considerable theft among* some staffs, but the people there ;wepe. hijng asked to live a week. '.Since - the basic wage was introduced "those thefts have stopped; and one firm, whose manager said that he had had 100 men dismissed for thefts, no longer used the Australian detective service it had called in." Mr Langford spoke of allegations by "the other side" about the loyalty of some' Labour members and criticism oi the Laobur defence plan. "But it is strange that I did not see any of these critics fighting in France or Egypt Many of them were then quite young enough to be there, had they been sufficiently interested, in the safety of their , country. - I saw men fighting there who had their sons in the trenches too. Those men, I m%y say, are in the ranks of Labour now; they realise lor whom they made the sacrifices and at what cost; I will say that the bulk of returned men are in the ranks of Labour now. lam a crippled returned man, and I know what happened to.our.soldiers. These critics of our loyalty wiped out the defence'system at a time when there was as much danger as now. "A Chaotic Industry" Mr Langford is District Transport Licensing Authority, and gave a good deal of his time to transport and the activities- of the , former Transport Boards. "Under the old regime there were 31 men doing the work as ties which now takes only the four or us." he said. "We are doing the job to-day and we are jusV a little more than the lowest paid of the former 31. We are satisfied, and I. think the public is too. But before we took over there was hopeless chaos. Eighty per cent, of the men in the industry were" bankrupt, arid if we had taken the law as it was written the bulk of them.would.not have received a licence. Mr Coates rdrafted the legislation and deserved credit for it, but did not deserve credit for the way the legislation was administered. Quoting Nelson as a "typical instance of the chaotic state in the industry, | Mr Langford said that in 192Sr there were 346 trucks registered in Nelson; in 1935 there were 1386. But production in tons and value of the area m 1925 was greater than in 1935. Yet every one of those additional trucks had to be paid for out of the production of the area, and production had not increased. "The compensated price is a mystery, but not the guaranteed price," Mr Langford said, when defending the Government's price policy. A voice: Yes, but hasn't the Government the right to lower the price at will? Mr Langford; I believe that may be read into the bill; but this Government has not proposed any reduction An interjector: They might do it after the elections. . "Not this Government; but the others if ygu return them," Mr Langford said. ' . , ' . Another interjector asked what the Government would do with the surplus in the Dairy Industry Account. Mr Langford: They will not put » into a ship and run away. Mr Langford said that the dairy farmers were enjoying improving conditions. The stabilisation of land values had been of enornlous advantage. His further efforts for the bettering of conditions of children—he mentioned his successful advocacy for better school buses—was promised by Mr Langford. "The kids will have a champion they did not have before, if I am elected." he said, "You'll, go in all, right," a voice assured him. , • ■■. \ • After defending the social security plan, Mr Langford was asked: "What about taking the Is in the £ off women?" The candidate..." said that women to-day did riot mind the tax, because they were being paid tlje *vages to meet it. He quoted the decision, of" the British Medical "Association in England to consider a national health service embracing four-fifths of the population. Mr Langford was given a hearty vote of thanks. There were no dissentients from the motion. Mr H. Hoskin I presided.

THE WAITAKI SEAT

GOVERNMENT CANDIDATE'S ADDRESS

BENEFITS CLAIMED FROM LABOUR'S LEGISLATION

[From Our Own Reporter.]

WAIMATE, September 19. • "The tendency is for people to think merely of the payments themselves, and not of the benefits, which are very real indeed, when they continually ask to be relieved of taxation," said Mr David Barnes, M.P. for Waitaki, in an address to electors at Waimate to-night. There was a large attendance, and the speaker received an attentive hearing. The Deputy-Mayor, Mr- W. G. Paul, presided. Mr Barnes mentioned education, health, family allowances, and pensions as a few of the benefits derived from taxation. It was necessary that the Government should get the money from somewhere to look after those people who could not look after themselves. Mr D. C. Kidd (the National candidate) had said that it was impossible to carry on under the present increased taxation. His reply to this statement was that if the Government's policy was so organised to increase the national income, it would be possible to increase revenue without increasing the incidence of taxation. The national income increased from £120,000,000 in March, 1936, to £ 165,000,000 in March, 1938. The increase was not entirely due to an increase in prices overseas; but just as much to a redistribution of the national income by increasing wages, salaries, and pensions, thereby increasing employment. The value of I exports for the year ending March, 1936, was £56,751,940, and £65,000,946 for Marc] 1938. The value of exports increased in that period by £8,256,006. . During the same period the lational income rose just" over £45,000,000. The result was that factories were speeded up, and better wages were paid. The revenue from income tax last year was £9,079,000, compared with £6,619,000 the previous year, without increasing the incidence of taxation.

"Mr Kidd said that Labour's promise about reducing the cost of living had not been kept. There is a great difference between the cost of living and standard of life," said Mr Barnes. Often low prices mean low quality, and inferior goods, and lead to dishonesty. I think it is a delusion that lower prices mean increased prosperity. Trade increase and a reduction of the number of unemployed coincide, to some extent, with an upward movment in prices. Low prices may mean a gain to a few, but this is a very slight compensation for the frightfulness of unemployment, the fear of bankruptcy, and the distress of the people generally." Wages and Uemployment

Commenting on the wage cuts, Mr | Barnes said that in February, 1931. there were 22,842 unemployed. On April 1 the first public service cut was made. On May 18 there were 39,353 unemployed. In June award wages were cut by the Arbitration Court. A n September 3." there were 54,590 unemployed. In April, 1932, came the second .public service cut. In Sepj tember there were 73,1650 unemployed. I In 1933 there were further cuts, and a reduction in award rates, and the lowest level of wages was reached in that year, so that the cuts in wages caused a decline in production, as well as a deflation in prices. In 1930-31 £32.000,000 was paid in wages, and £59,000,000 in 1932-33, a decrease . " £23,000,000, or 28 per cent. In the year ending November, 1935, wages paid amounted to. £67,000,000 and £95,000,000 in the following year, an ■increase of £28,000,000 or 42 per cent. The index figure for the cost of living was made up from the price for certain necessities, and not for the sum total of the standard of living. Retail prices had increased 12$ per cent., and wage rates had increased 23 per cent, since 1935. ■ ■■■ • "Mr Kidd says that wheat to a value of £BO,OOO to £IOO,OOO is purchased from Australia, with whom ne would drive a hard trade bargain for an outlet for potatoes from the Dominion. What does Mr Kidd mean?" asked Mr Barnes. "Would he sell an industry that Canterbury and the rest of New Zealand value so highly for the sake of the potato growers. We consider something should be done for the potato grower, but not at the expense of the wheatgrower. We are ready to institute a guaranteed price for the potato growers, or the meat producer, as soon as they give the Government some indication that they desire it. On the supplementary Estimates of December, 1937, a debate took place as to whether a further grant should be given for the development of the wheat industry. Mr Dickie (Patea) said wheatgrowers ought to be able to grow wheat at 5s a bushel, and if they could not they should be out of business. Mr Smith (New Plymouth) moved a reduction of the vote. Mr Broadfoot (Waitomo) spoke against the wheatgrower, and Mr Wilkinson (Egmont), who' ought to have been leader of the National Party, said that Dominion flour was bad. Mr Coates objected to helping the wheatgrower on the grounds of an increase in the price of bread. Where would wheatgrowers be to-day if it were not for. the protection given by the Government. Without it, New Zealand would have been swamped with Australia . wheat to the great detriment of the wheatgrowers of Canterbury and elsewhere. Mr S. G. Holland also challenged the wisdom of providing £150,000 for the wheat industry. Housing Policy "It has been said that if a National Government is elected, the people will be able to own their houses," said Mr Barnes: "We don't object to people owning their houses. We will advance money to those who want to build a house; but what about the person who is not in a position to build, nor even pay a deposit. The Government simply had to do something for those families who were not living in proper homes. Those who oppose the State housing scheme appear to give wholehearted support to private enterprise, to the jerry builder, and to the speculator. '♦ln our election promises we said we would look after the sick, give minimum wages, and a guaranteed price to the farmer, so that we could link these three together for the betterment of the whole community. That is what we mean by the introduction of the Social Security Bill. We can insure the people far better than the insurance companies, and give greater benefits. I think social security must have a humanitarian appeal to everybody. Social security is a moral and economic responsibility. The sick must have early and proper treatment/and mutual aid is the best solution. Social security benefits will give people more income, and help a great many to live happy lives. We have to provide for these people in any case, and we can do it better by the social security scheme than by relying on assistance from relatives or charitable aid institutions." As a solution of the farm labour, problem, Mr Barnes said that conditions should be made sufficiently attractive on "farms to draw labour from, every other walk of life. He attributed the loss on the railways to the increase in working expenses of more than £1,000,000 of .wage cuts, and the introduction of the 40-hour week. Up; to 1937 nearly £5,000,000 was spent on rolling stock to bring it up to date. Farmers were complaining that' theyi could not get trucks when they wanted; them, simply because during the de-, pression no trucks were built. This was the policy of the previous Government. The rolling stock could not be neglected indefinitely, and the Government had to make up for lost time. Votes of thanks to the speaker and confidence in the Government were carried by acclamation.

"FROM SLUMP TO PROSPERITY"

THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF LABOUR

MR H. E. DENTON CRITICISES NATIONAL GOVERNMENT

The methods adopted by the former National .Government to meet the conditions brought about by the depression were strongly criticised by Mr M. E. Denton, Labour candidate for Hurunui, in an address at Rangiora last evening. *Mr Denton contrasted the present prosperous condition of New Zealand and its people, under a Labour Government, with their condition under the former Government. He also strongly denied tl- the Labour Party planned to socialise the land. The Mayor of Rangiora (Mr C. W. Tyler) presided over an audience of more .than 300, which gave Mr Denton an attentive hearing. Mr Denton emphasised that he did not blame the National Government for causing the slump.* But the test of a government was the way it handled any problems it had to face. His opinion was „ that the slump had been handled by the National Government from the wrong angle. If the newspapers and Mr Algie were to be believed, New Zealanders were a highly-taxed nation. Yet in comparison with other natic :s it appeared to him that New Zealand did not have a high level of taxation. Certainly New Zealanders were paying more in taxes, but not more in proportion to earning or productive capacity. The value of production had been £120,900,000 in 1830, and had fallen to £83,600,000 in 1932. Under Labour, in 1937, it had risen to £136,100,000. Bearing this in mind, only one country was lower taxed than New Zealand, and that was Australia. Yet it appeared that Australia, outside the main centres, was neglected, with little roading and very little public works being undertaken in country districts. Decline and Rise of Wages

. It was interesting to see how various groups in the community had suffered in the slump and had benefited in the last three years. Actual wages paid in 1930-31 were £82,000,000. but they fell in 1932-33 to £59,000,000. By 1935 they were £65,700,000, and last year they were £98,600,000. In February, 1931. the National Government found that it had to deal with 22,842 unemployed in New Zealand. Its members discussed what should be done, and from their viewpoint thought they were doing right. On April 1 of that year came the first Public Service cut. By May 18 the unemployed total was 39,553. The lowering of the purchasing power of the community had a great deal to do with this. In June the award rates of pay were cut, and private enterprise followed the Government's example. That month the total went to 54,000. The next action came on April 1, 1932, when the second Public Service cut came into force, and by September 30 the unemployed total was 72,650,. and by September, 1933, it was 79.435. Yet these figures did not represent the full position, for these men had dependents who ; brought the total number of people affected to about 200,000. Mr Denton traced the endeavours of the National Government to meet the position, referring to single men's camps with their "coolie conditions,' to the No. 5A scheme, with men "chipping grass off the sides of the roads, making sure of a good crop next year," to the building subsidy. "The Southland freezing works paid 20 per cent.—they got a building subsidy," Mr Denton continued. "There was a firm of drapers and an insurance firm—they got a subsidy. That was public money which should have, been spent on roads and public works and not. put in the hands of private enter§rise. There was no reason why the outhland freezing works—the Hamilton brothers have a share in that — should have drawn anything in the way of subsidy from the Government.' Mr Denton then went on to trace the gradual reduction in the number of men on public works to 6733 in 1933. and compared this figure -with the 20,193 men employed by the department last year. ( Condition of the Farmer

The farmer also had been starved, good indices being the amounts of fertilisers sold, the area top-dressed, and the amount of locally-made agricultural machinery sold. Now the farmer had a guaranteed price, and was able to budget his expenditure. Although his machinery might be mortgaged _to.a firm,- the farmer knew he would be able to pay for it, and he had security of tenure.

The farmer was not promised a compensated price by Labour, Mr Denton continued. His audience knew, however, what a guaranteed price was. The guaranteed price had stopped false speculation in farm land, which was worth its production and no more. "As far as the compensated price goes, I know nothing," he added. "I know exacty the same as Mr Adam Hamilton does —and that is nothing." In February, 1937, Mr Hamilton had warned his audience "strongly against compensated prices," yet this year he said that he had for years acknowledged the justice of compensated prices. He should be called "Adam Facing Both Ways." A commission in 1935 found that 45 per cent, of the dairy farmers were insolvent. The help given them was raising the interest rate. Was Mr Hamilton going to do the same thing again? Was he going to cut down the value of land, and cut, down If arm wages? The National Government's action of cutting down old age pensions and thus saving £57,000 was unforgiveable. Mr Denton also criticised the drastic economies undertaken in the education service of the Dominion. Not Going to Socialise the' Land At this election the parrot cry of "Socialism" had been raised. But the Labour Government was not going to socialise the farms ■ and it was not going to bankrupt 45.6, of the dairy farmers. The Labour Party believed that the man" with an interest in the land—in his own land or State land —was the best man to have there. These men" would be given economic security. Before the last election it was suggested. that, the banks would not be safe if Labour was in power. !Yet in the last three years the numjber of depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank had increased by more than 100,000, and the amount of deposits by more than £13,700,000. This did not apply only to the Savings Bar'-. Over all banks the deposits had increased by more than £15,000,000, and the number of depositors by 138.000.

It was not true that Labour was going to socialise the orphanages, or interfere in the grocery trade, or take over the sale of petrol. One after another it was possible to break down these allegations brought against Labour, which was going to look after the whole of the community and not just one section of it. This was illustrated, among other things, by the National Health Insurance Scheme. Labour was not going to nationalise the lodges. "The National Government policy in the slump was a blank cheque," said Mr Denton in conclusion. "It filled the blank with tears, degradation, misery, poverty, arid starvation. It is now the same old party-asking you to give it another term, of office. The depression was not solely the responsibility of the National Government, but that Government's responsibility was to get out of it. And it came out last and came out worst." At the end of his address a motion o£ thank* to. Mr Denton was carried.

A REPLY TO MR ALGIE

Mr Macfarlane At St. Albans

CRITICISM OF NATIONAL

PARTY

"We have no hesitation in saying that the methods adopted by the National Party during the last six or nine months'have been the lowest that any party could use; they are the tactics of desperation." This statement was made by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr R. M. Macfarlane). who is the Labour Party's candidate for the Christchurch North seat, when he addressed a large meeting last night at St. Albans Park. Mr Macfarlane did not discuss his party's policy. The meeting, he explained, had been called to stimulate interest in campaigning and also to give him an opportunity to comment on recent statements in Christchurch by the organiser of the Auckland Freedom League (Mr R. M. Algie). Mr Macfarlane was introduced by Mr J. Roberts, president of the North Canterbury Labour Representation Committee. Mr Roberts said that recently Mr Algie had conducted a series of meetings in Christchurch in an endeavour to play on the prejudices of the' people and to militate against the work of the present Government. "The professor has been endeavouring to resurrect the old bogy of Socialism," said Mr Roberts. "New Zealand's political history is one of innovation and experiment. In 1869 the Public Trust Office was formed and in 1870 came the State Fire Insurance Office. New Zealand, in accordance with its tradition of experiment, was the first part of the British Empire to give women the right to vote, and it was the first part to establish the Arbitration Court. I

Private Enterprise

"All these various institutions have been denounced in the past by the newspapers as being socialistic. The old age pensions legislation received the same treatment as the Social Security Bill. To-day, just as they attacked the State Fire Office, they are trying to convince the people that private enterprise is being discouraged by the present Government. Last year a record number of factories was registered and a record number of people was employed in them. I mention this to show that never in the history of this country has private enterprise, as it is concerned with factories, had so many people registered or so many factories."

"It is not my object to give a policy speech," said Mr Macfarlane, in opening his address. "My object at this meeting is to deal with the gentleman referred to by Mr Roberts. I also propose to deal with the businessmen's group of the National Party which has been inserting advertisements in the papers from time to time. I say quite definitely that those people behindf the Freedom League represent the vested interests, and not the interests of the people of New Zealand. It seems to me that Professor Algie is a good investment for them to through the Country and go against the Government. And it seems that these people are not putting much reliance in the Hon. Adam Hamilton. Apparently they think he is not strong enough to carry the party to victory. There is quite obviously a weakness." The league for which Mr Algie was organiser masqueraded under the name of freedom, he declared. It existed to look after the interests of only a part of the country, and not the majority of the peonle., . • . ' ■ "The National Party is going through New Zealand pursuing certain tactics. Its representatives have called at people's homes and absolutely insisted on trying to And out the politics of these people, pestering the women behind the backs of their menfolk. I say that their methods are going to be reflected in the answer of the people of New Zealand at the elections." "Intimidation of Employees" Certain employers who were members of the National Party had adopted tactics of intimidation towards then* employees. Employees had been approached by their employers and asked to join the National Party. In some case's 2s 6d had been deducted from an employee's salary for membership of the party, and the ticket of membership left in the pay envelope. A form was now being circulated among employees asking them to state their political leanings—whether they supported the National Party or the Labour Party, or were doubtful. No employer had the right to ask to know the politics of his employees, in this or any country. Never before in the political history of New Zealand had such a document as that to which he referred been circulated. "Any right-thinking person would brand this as a method of intimidation," added Mr Macfarlane. 'The National Party says it wants a clean fight, but the National Party has dirty tactics down to a scientific art. Mr Macfarlane then dealt with what he termed the question of Socialism and the bogy of Socialism. At the last elections, he said, it had been necessary to find a bogy with which to attempt to frighten the people. Electors had been told that if they supported Labour the Post Office Savings Bank would be closed in two or three years; that currency would be inflated; that practically all industry would be closed down; that there would be unemployment throughout the country. The objective of the Labour Party to-day was the same as it was at the last elections. The party was not disguising its objective, which was the socialisation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange. The steps .towards that objective were contained in the party s platform. The objective of the National Party was the preservation of the present economic system and all its fallacies, and even Mr Algie did not profess that the present economic system was sound. Labour'and Religion Mr Macfarlane went on to express his resentment at an advertisement which, he said, had appeared in the "National News." This advertisement, he said, had stated that the Labour Party had deferred to Communism, and after trying to link up Socialism with Communism had deliberately attempted to infer that the members of the Labour Party were opposed to .religion. That was a scandalous statement, and the National Party, had subscribed to it in allowing it to be inserted in its publication. The advertisement was intended as a deliberate insult to the members of the Labour Party, and it had been inserted by the businessmen's group of the National Party. If the National Party thought that this type of propaganda was going to put It in office it had sadly mistaken the intelligence of the electors. The tactics of the National Party . were such that those responsible for them could properly be recommended to read the Sermon on the Mount. Religion and Christianity were of no use unless they found practical application in the everyday affairs of the world. This was the advice that could be given to the businessmen's group. The whole history of the Labour Party in its fight for freedom had been one of persecution and imprisonment, and the party would continue to fight

for the rights of the people. The old gang" in power before Labour had been elected had extended the life of Parliament without reference, to the electors; yet the Labour Party, which was said to be the enemy of freedom, had restored the three-years term. That, he considered, was a complete answer to Mr Algie and his supporters. The old Government had taken away the rights of civil servants, and had interfered with the rights of the Arbitration Court by sanctioning the 10 per cent, reduction in wages. On that occasion no protest had been heard from Mr Algie. Mr Algie had also criticised the Government for its handling of defence, but the-old Government had neglected defence. More money had been spent on defence by the Labour Government than by any other Government in New Zealand. It was absolutely wrong of Mr Algie to criticise the Labour Party for its handling of defence. Election Promise* Mr Algie had also spoken of the Labour; Party's "basket of promises." It -oaldreasily be provedr%e«i*f*r-that the Government had given effect to the 12 points of its policy on which it contested the last elections. .There had never been a promise to eliminate the sales tax in that policy, and as long as the prosperity of the Dominion was maintained it was better to live within the* people's income instead of borrowing. Mr Macfarlane said he offered no apologies for his references to the National Party and its tactics. These tactics, he said, had been absolutely unfair, and members of the Labour Party had had good cause to object to them. ... Mr Macfarlane was thanked for his address, and a motion was carried expressing the complete confidence of the meeting in him as the candidate for the district. [Extended Report Published by Arrangement.] LYTTELTON SEAT

MR W. B. BRAY TO STAND AS INDEPENDENT

There will be a three-cornered contest for the Lyttelton seat at the General Election, Mr W. B. Bray having announced his intention to stand as an Independent candidate. The other candidates are Mr T. H. McCombs (Labour) and Mr I. J. Wilson (National). Mr Bray resigned recently from the Woolston branch of the Labour Party. Mr Bray was born in the electorate, in Opawa, 50 years ago, and has lived in the electorate, on the Peninsula and at Cashmere, for more than half his life. He is a grandson of Mr W. B. Bray, AJW.I.C.E., who arrived at Lyttelton in January, 1851, and was the civil engineer for the Lyttelton tunnel. Mr Bray was .educated at Christ's College, and on leaving school he joined the staff of the Bank of Australasia in Christchurch. Later he entered the Government service as an inspector of apiaries. After three years he resigned to engage in the production of honey, and as one of the most successful producers m the South Island, he has always taken an active part in the commercial development of the industry. AVON ELECTORATE LABOUR SUPPORTERS MEET AT NEW BRIGHTON

A meeting of more than 100 friends and supporters of the Hon. D. G. Sullivan was held in New Brighton last evening to make arrangements for the advancement of his candidature in the Avon electorate. Mr M. W. Rhodes presided.. • The Mayor (Mr E. L. Smith), Messrs H. R. Macdonald, A. B. Grant, and;, T. Smith (organiser) spoke of the work of Mr Sullivan as member for the district, and Minister, and the policy of the Labour Government. They gave details of the plans for the election campaign. A strong committee was elected with Mr M. W. Rhodes chairman, Mrs R. J. Potter convener of the women's committee, and Mr A. B. Grant secretary.