CAMPAIGN NOTES

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22521, 1 October 1938, Page 15

CAMPAIGN NOTES

“On the Rails” “The, National. Government thought it was going to put the country ‘on the rails’ again by economy. They put the people on the rails all right—looking over the fence and watching the other fellow work,” said Mr T, Hr. Langford at Sockburn last night.

Expenditure By Mr Coates “How long can we go on meeting such heavy taxation on the people to provide all these public works?” said Mr H. S. S. Kyle, in his address at Tai Tapu last evening. “Mr Semple and other Labour people have criticised the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates for his public works spending. But all that money, or most of it, was spent on important electrical engineering projects. In the last Labour Budget two paragraphs are taken up in praise of hydro electrical undertakings. But is this money being spent in the same productive way? The Balloon _ Loop, was designed and built by engineers, which Mr Semple criticises so much, while Mr Coates was away in England. Mr Coates had no say whatever in its construction. And it was so constructed to avoid excessively heavy shunting.”

“Most Powerful Man” The rights of private enterprise were defended by Mr J. Hargest, M.P., National Party candidate for Awarua, in an election address at Invercargill. He charged the Labour Government with planning the socialisation of all industry, and claimed that socialisation- of production, one of the planks in the Labour platform, meant State ownership of all land. The most powerful man in New Zealand to-day was the president of the Federation of Labour, Mr A. McLagan Mr Hargest said. He, with Mr Roberts, controlled the Labour movement in this country; and Mr McLagan a very few years ago had been a Communist. He was more powerful than Mr Savage. Their aim was the socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange. . A great many people to-day thought the Labour Party was only a party with the interests of the workers at heart, but the National Party stood for the interests of the working class just as whole-heartedly. It did not represent a party, and that was the difference between the two parties.— Press Association.

“Unbridled Competition”

“Unbridled competition was never a sound basis on which to compute anything—particularly the price of land,” said Mr T. H. Langford at Sockburn last night. It was better to have stability and a reasonable living for everybody, he said. “No Pensions Cuts” “If the' National Party is returned as the Government what are you going to do about the Social Security Bill?” asked a questioner at Mr H. S. S. Kyle’s meeting at Tai Tapu last evening. “We are not going to put that scheme into operation,” said Mr Kyle. “Then that means you are going to cut pensions," queried the questioner. Mr Kyle: I have never favoured cutting pensions! I voted with Labour when it was done. We have stated definitely that we will leave pensions where they are to-day: that we will bring in a superannuation scheme for everybody and will not tax women and girls, and that we will provide a medical service for all, in co-operation with the doctors; and we will not socialise the doctors.”

Counted Out Amid hooting and counting out and cries of “Go away,” and “Good-bye,” Mr Gladstone Ward, National Party candidate for Christchurch South, left his platform at the corner of Durham and Bath streets last evening after attempting for 20 minutes to speak to an audience of about 150, practically ell of whom had come and stayed to jeer. “Where’s your policy?” several voices shouted to the candidate, “We won’t cut wages," the candidate said, and the crowd’s reply was a roar of derision. His mention of the National Party’s promise for the provision of loans for furniture to married couples was drowned in shouting and counting out, and much more that he attempted to say it was impossible to hear.

Later in the evening. Mr Ward addressed a large crowd at the corner of Colombo and Somerfield streets, where ho was given a good reception. After his speech, cheers were given.

Meeting Without a Chairman Mr W. B. Bray, Independent candidate for Lyttelton, adopted* the unusual procedure of speaking without a chairman at his meeting at the Woolston Methodist schoolroom last evening, when the audience—comprising 12 persons—made no move to elect a chairman in response to his appeal. After Mr Bray had waited a quarter of an hour after the scheduled time for starting the meeting, he again asked those present to elect a chairman, but eight members of the audience then walked out. ■ Mr Bray then said that he was not going to withdraw from the election campaign unless his terms were accepted by one or other of the parties, even • though his meetings were not well attended. Two of the remaining members of the audience said that there had been confusion about the place of meeting. In the next half hour the number of people in the hall grew to 14. At the end of his explanation of his reasons for continuing in the campaign, Mr Bray reversed the usual procedure and passed a one-man vote of thanks, to the audience for listening to him. Hanging on the wall of the Sunday school room was a large blue banner inscribed “Attendance banner.”

Parliament by Radio In criticism of the party caucus system last evening, Mr W. B. Bray, Independent ' candidate for Lyttelton, said that caucus meetings, which determined what happened in Parliament, should,' in the interests of the people, not be held in secret. If it was right to have reporters in Parliament, and to have the proceedings of the House broadcast, caucus proceedings should also be made public. A voice; It took the radio to get the reporters to tell us the truth. “The newspapers never suppressed the truth about Parliament,” said Mr Bray, “but it certainly took the radio to make the people realise what a childish lot they are up there, bickering about things that happened 30 years ago. Would you stand for the board of directors of a company you were a shareholder in behaving like that?”

Questions From Visitors

A definite declaration that questions would be answered only when they came from electors and not from outsiders was made by both the chairman, the Hon. Sir R, Heaton Rhodes and-the speaker, Mr H. S. S. Kyle, at a meeting at Tai Tapu last evening. A man, who said he was not an elector of Riccarton and wanted his privileges as a questioner defined, was told by Sir Heaton that M'r Kyle could not take his question. The man said he was a member of the Labour Party.

“I am doing this on the good old parliamentary principle," Mr Kyle retorted, when the questioner suggested that he was afraid of a question. Sir Heaton answered in the same strain, pointing out that only an elector had the right to question the candidate, who, after some further discussion, said that he was satisfied.

MR A. S. LYONS AT HORORATA

Mr A. S. Lyons, Independent candidate for Mid-Canterbury, -addressed electors at Hororata last night and was give an attentive hearing. Mr Oliver presided. A vote of thanks was accorded the speaker.

ENTHUSIASTIC HEARING FOR MR ALGIE

INTERRUPTIONS. BY SECTION AT WELLINGTON MEETING

(PKK3B AgSOCU.no* TCLSOBAK.) WELLINGTON. September 30. An appeal to the people of New Zealand to “preserve their democracy by voting Labour oiif of office on October 15” was made by Mr R. M. Algie, organiser- of the Auckland - Provincial Freedom Association, in an address under the auspices of the National Party in the Town Hall, Wellington, to-night. He contended that the real policy of the Labour Government was complete socialisation, and that that policy involved serious dangers to personal freedom and -prosperity. He supported his argument by an examination of portions of the legislation enacted during the last three years, and various statements made by Labour candidates and supporters during the present election campaign. An overwhelming majority of the audience, which completely filled the hall, enthusiastically applauded Mr Algie, but at times his address was interrupted by a noisy section at.the rear of the hall. The police were kept busy warning hecklers to behave themselves. Good-humoured replies by Mr Algie to interjectors effectively helped to silence opposition. For the. most part he was listened to attentively and there was frequent applause ax he made his points.

MR ALGIE AT OTAKI trass* association tslbobam.) OTAKI, September 30. Mr R, M. Algie, organiser' of the Auckland Provincial Freedom Association, last night addressed a meeting. He spoke chiefly in condemnation of the' Labour Party’s policy, and received a splendid hearing.

MR HOLLAND’S CAMPAIGN

Mr S. G. Holland, National candidate for Christchurch North, addressed three largely attended meetings last evening. The meetings were held at May’s road, Berwick street, and Gracefleld. avenue; at each meeting the candidate received an attentive hearing . and was heartily thanked for his address. Mr Holland will speak at St. Matthew’s Schoolroom, Colombo street north, this evening at 8 o’clock. .

MR T. H. M’COMBS AT DUVAUCHELLE

Mr T- H. McCombs, Labour candidate for Lyttelton, spoke of the Social Security -'scheme from the point of view of the farmer at Duvauchelle last evening. Mr F. Wills presided over an attendance of 50 electors. Several questions were answered by the speaker, who was given a vote of thanks and confidence.