THE GENERAL ELECTION

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22517, 27 September 1938, Page 19

THE GENERAL ELECTION

CAMPAIGN NOTES

What Did Gladstone Say? The burden of a complaint by a Christchurch South elector at Mr Gladstone Ward's meeting last night was that the National candidate could not tell him what Mr W. P. Endean, M.P., said in the House on the subject of the standard of living. "What did Endean say?" the man The chairman (Mr T. Milliken) said it was up to the questioner to tell what the member had said. "You cannot expect me to answer for Mr Endean," said Mr Ward. "Write and ask him yourself." "I am asking you what are the National Party's views on the standard of living?" the questioner continued. Mr Ward: I think it is perfectly all right, and not too high. The elector: But what did Endean say? "And what did Gladstone say in 1886?" asked Mr Ward. The packed hall enjoyed a hearty laugh. "The Job in Front" "Mr Hamilton, in his ambition to lead \he National Party back to power, is like the Irishman with the wheelbarrow," said the Hon. H. T. Armstrong (Minister for Employment) ' at his meeting at Eltham on Saturday night. "He has the job in front of him." Standard of Living "Do you consider that the standard of living in New Zealand to-day is too high?" asked a questioner at Mr Gladstone Ward's opening meeting in the Christchurch South electorate last night. "Certainly not," replied the National candidate. "Is that the opinion of the National Party?" persisted the questioner. "I am not the head of the National Party," was Mr Ward's reply, and when the question was repeated, he said he could not answer. The chairman (Mr T. Milliken), who is chairman of the Canterbury division of the ' party: I will answer the question. It is not too high. Company Taxation "It is a popular mistake that taxation on companies lessens the taxation on the individual," said Mr W. H. Hall, National Party candidate in an address at Timaru last night. "Companies deal in goods and services sold to the public. By so much as taxation on companies increases, by so much must the charge to the public for the goods and services be increased, and again the public (chiefly the worker) pays. The only difference is that, like customs duties, the worker does not see actually what he is paying." The Bed Flag Touching on Socialism when addressing an audience of 150 at Beckenham School ' last night, Mr Ken Armour, National Party candidate for Christchurch East, said that "The Red Flag" was still sung at some Labour meetings. "It is a pity," he said, "that some people can see only the red in the Union Jack, and not the white and blue." (Applause.) Reply to Mr Kyle "Mr Kyle, the member for Riccarton, said the other day that I had been. chased out of Australia," said the Hon. R. Semple, Minister for Public Works, at a meeting he addressed yesterday in the Riccarton electorate. "I want to tell Mr Kyle and his supporters that this is not true. It is true that I was born fa. to" exeWartge' personalities with me, he will get it all back with compound interest." Mr Semple said that when recently he went to Australia, he was entertained by the Federal Government and the Governor-General of the Commonwealth, and was entertained by the Legislatures and Governors of the states he visited. Hundreds of people had come to welcome the Australian who had left, home many years ago and become a Cabinet Minister. "Does this entertainment look as though I left anything discreditable behind me?" asked Mr Semple. "Borrow, Boom and Bust Policy" "The socialistic Government recognises the need for. taxation reduction," ;said Mr W. H. Hall, the National Party's candidate for the Timaru seat, last night. "It even promised before the last election to reduce it. But all we get from Dictators Savage and Nash is a statement that revision has been deferred for another year, while in fact we are given increased taxation. Is it not obvious from this that the Government knows that taxation can be reduced? It will not, however, reduce taxation because such action would hamper its 'Borrow, Boom, or Bust' policy. The workers were entitled to expect relief from pressing taxation during .the last three prosperous years, but they have seen nothing but increases. It is said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Apparently the road to Socialism is paved with broken promises." "Borrowed from Hitler" "I have made the discovery that Mr Hamilton has pinched 'his furniture scheme from Hitler," said the Minister for Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, when addressing a meeting at Riccarton yesterday. "However, he has not been quite as generous as Hitler." Mr Semple said the whole scheme was described in a book called "The House that Hitler Built." In Germany it appeared, young approved couples who wanted to marry received a grant of 1000 marks, which was exactly of the same value as £IOO in New, Zealand. They were given the money not in cash, but in certificates which they had to spend in the shops of small artisans. The loan was reduced as they had children, and when the fourth child was born the loan was cancelled. "But here is the difference," said Mr Semple. "In Germany twins count as two children. Mr Hamilton has not allowed for twins. In view of the European situation I hope that the Nationalists will refrain from stealing any more of Hitler's thunder." "Divergence of Opinion" __ "There is some divergence of opinion among the Nationalists on reducing wages," said the Hon. R. Semple, Minister for Public Works, at a' meeting in Riccarton yesterday.. "Mr Mazengarb says that a reduction of purchasing power must not happen again. Mr Coates admits that he went too far in wage-cutting, when he was in power, but he doesn't say how far he should have gone. Honest George Forbes says that if he was faced with another slump he -would cut wages again. But Mr Hamilton, when you ask him that question, wriggles like a wounded worm and says nothing." Payment For Unemployed "The present policy of paying more for unemployed relief work than ordinary productive work can pay offers no inducement to men to look for something worse than they have," said Mr W. H. Hall, Nationalist candidate for 'Timaru, speaking in the Scottish Hall, Timaru, last night. "No one blames the men; it is the system that is wrong. Quite definitely the Socialist does not intend ito continue the present electionwinning policy after this year; it cannot, in fact, do so if it wished. The Social' Security Act provides only for sustenance, it is quite definite tnat the policy followed by the present Government has robbed the primary producers of the labour required for our* export trade, and has driven the wives and children into the cowsheds intja the. gelds,"-

MR WEBB AT KAIKOURA ADDRESS TO WORKERS ON MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY [From Our Own Reporter.] KAIKOURA, September 26. Addressing one of the largest political meetings ever held at Kaikoura, the Minister for Mines (the Hon. P. C. Webb) was given a rousing reception by an audience of 400 at the Drill Hall to-night. There was cheering when the Minister entered the hall, and he had keen attention throughout the address. A motion of thanks to him and confidence in the Government was carried unanimously amid acclamation. A similar meeting, attended by approximately 200, was held earlier in the evening at Aniseed, on the mam Trunk railway, where the Minister was asked to convey to the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) the meeting's confidence in the Government. At Aniseed, Mr Webb made a reply to Mr R. A. Wright (member for Wellington Suburbs), who, the Minister said, according to a report, had referred to "the futility and wilful waste going on on the Main Trunk railway. g Thl Minister said that he ventured to say that many in the audience would live to see the day when the Main Trunk would not only pay expenses but be profitable Mr W. L. Barker (National candidate for Wellington East) had said that the Public Works camps were one step different from the concentration camos in Russia and Germany and Sffit would be better to the.country if the men were in legitimate industry." The "legitimate industry under the last Government for these men was relief work at 10s a week. Sow many men in the camps would not willingly pack other jobs when available but under the last Government that was out oi the Minister said that ner cent, less than the basic wage. Yet ho came to Kaikoura and asked the people to vote for a Nationalist candiThe'chairman of the Kaikoura meeting (Mr F. J. Monk, chairman of the Kaikoura County onening the meeting, that he onerea tKs and appreciation to the Minister and the Government for having honoured the pledge to complete the Main Trunk. Mr Monk said that he wis one who thought the line would pay and be quite a profitable propoSit The' Minister said that the Government had not gone overseas for one paltry penny. With organised economy it had lived within its own income. No other Government had brought about such wonderful changes without pawning the country right to the hilt. DEFENCES OF N.Z. "PUBLIC SHOULD KNOW THE TRUTH" A NATIONAL CANDIDATE'S VIEWS ■ • _ (MK99' ASSOCfiTIOK TEMSGKAM.) DUNEDIN, September 26. "It is time that the people should realise the facts about defence matters in New Zealand," said Mr A. S. Falconer, National candidate for Dunedin North, when opening his campaign to-night. "Mr W. J. Lyon, the member for Waitemata, is reported to have claimed that New Zealand to-day has as efficient a system of aerial defence as could be found anywhere in the British Empire. Admittedly the force has been expanded, and the standard of efficiency raised, but Mr Lyon's statement is so inaccurate as to be held up to ridicule by people with any knowledge of the subject." Mr Falconer then referred to the various fighting and bombing machines, none of which, he jgaid, was up-to-date. Mr Lyon had made comparisons between the defence measures in 1932-35 and 1935-38; but in the former period New Zealand was following Britain's policy of disarmament, and in the latter 'the reverse was the case. t Mr Falconer referred to the "window dressing" of the land forces, and submitted that much of the money could have been. put to much better use. "Camouflage should cease." he said. "The public should know the truth, and knowing it they will co-operate with the Government in power in an endeavour to ensure that our defences will be as adequate as our geographical situation, our population, and our finances will allow." The speaker was. accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. ISSUE AT ELECTIONS ADDRESS BY MR R. M. ALGIE AT OAMARU [THE PRESS Special Service.} OAMARU, September 26. The real issue to be decided at the; coming elections was Socialism against] non-Spcialism, according to a claim made in an address at the Opera House, Oamaru. this evening, by Mr R. M. Algie, organiser of the Auckland Provincial Freedom Association. The speaker contended that the Socialist state was the background against which the Labour Party set its legislation. Mr Algie was welcomed by the Mayor (Mr L. J. K. Familton), who presided. His address was along the lines of those previously given in other parts of the-country. The importance of the election issue was emphasised by Mr Algie, who said electors were .asked whether they wished to maintain a system of democratic government or change to a system of State Socialism. The Socialist ideals of members of the •Labour Party were shown in a quotation from their public addresses. Mr J. A. Lee's book "Socialism in New Zealand," was significant of the party's ideals. Mr Algie dealt with the Hon. F. Langstone's statement in Taumarunui that the Labour Government had not raised taxation, except the land tax. The Hon: W. Nash, in 1936. had said he wanted £1,000,000 more from income tax and had collected income tax on unemployment tax. "Was it not deplorable that a Minister of the Crown should make such a statement that taxation had not been increased," said Mr Algie. "The electors in Oamaru and in Taumarunui, too, know the statement was not correct." The Government had entered into i competition with private traders to an extent never before experienced in this country, said Mr restrictions were placed on businesses through Government interference. At the conclusion of the address Mr Algie was accorded, a .vote of thanks.