THE" MASTERTON SEAT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 260, 30 July 1919, Page 8

THE" MASTERTON SEAT

' MR. MATHESON OPENS ELUIN . CAMPAIGN \ THE LAND AND LIQUOR LAWS PROBLEM OF CAPITAL AND LABOUR (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Masterton, July 29. • The first sfone in tho political fight for the Masterton seat was thrown to-night, when Mr. W. B. Matheson, of Eketab.una, addressed a meeting in tho Opera House. The Mayor (Mr. W. H. Jackson) was in the chair. Though the audience was uot a large one, it was attentive.' and followed with interest all ,Mr. Matheson had to say. In opening his address Mr; Matheson_ announced that his support would be' given to Sir Andrew Russell should that gentleman consent to lead a party. He justified himself in starting his campaign so early by the fact that it would bo difficult to claim his opinions as his own if Jie waited until after.tho return of the leaders.. Speaking on the question ~ land for soldiers, he said that

the Government's policy in buying piecemeal had raised the market value. The Government should have, estimated the area of land required, and then acquired options from large landowners. He ' understood that a proposal would bo launched in Parliament to take land for soldiers at pre-war prices, but a democracy, to succeed must bo scrupulously just. SncTi a proposition would penalise a class and undermine the democratic foundations. A democrat who claimed to share privileges must also share responsibilities.. If land were piven to a soldier at less than cost price, the community must share the difference. Whether the scheme were" possible could onlv be decided at the coming session, ■when Parliament would have before it the country's liabilities in regard to tho national debt, pensions, etc.—a very

heavy total. Dealing-'with the liquor question, the speaker said that though he disliked the idea of a thousand and one men dictating to another thousand what they Bhould eat and drink, and the idea of •paying four and a half million pounUi. to, men who had no legal claim to it, he had been prepared to accept all these things if the liquor traffic could have been done away with at the last poll., liquor did infinitely more harm than good, and in days to come would prove an immenso handicap to efficiency. , The problem. of Capital and Labour was ■a- 6erious one. Capital was to be blamed tor its profiteering and selfishness, -but.they must acknowledge that capital had been heavily risked and lost in tho settlement of New Zealand, and been Bpent in a way that had given the rank and file an opportunity of a start In life, And if one had sympathy with Capital, how much more so with Labour? What wonder that the latter degenerated to a red terror when tho luxury at wealth was thoughtlessly flaunted abroad. Tho man who suggested that Labour was being ground down in New Zealand was either ignorant or dishonest. The abject poverty that'was talked about so loudly was due partly to flaws in the community machine, but largely to the flaws in the characters of the men who had failed to learn that self-denial was the discipline necessary to ensure success. ; Such institutions as the National Provident Fund, superannuation and' pension schemes, which dealt with sums amounting to millions, were, he, olaimed, designed to help the man at .the bottom of the ladder. But they were up against the fact that the laws would not save them unless the spirit of the people was right, and they must look to education to achieve this end.

In regard to education, Mr. Matheson criticised tho existing conditions, and card that for the- sake of better education they must make the necessary monetary sacrifice, so that the best men and wo- .. men would have the work of- educating the children. Teachers should be recognised as the most important group of public servants in tie country. The Kimutaka railway deviation was, , in the opinion of Mr. Matheson, an urg- t ent necessity, as well as. a national work, as also were the hydro-electric'schemes which had been proposed in various parts of the country. A shipping and banking monopoly was with them, and they—had got to control it, failing a more reasonable way, by State ownership. They wanted to avoid militarism, but it was necessary to train the boys to take their part in: the upholding of law and .Trider.- There was no evidence to ' justify ,the four months' camps or the quadrupling of the permanent staff. The expenses.,"and taxation of the .Empire, and New, Zealand in particular, had grown/like'a-piece of patchwork. It was administered in a most unscientific manner,: and the;, fact that it was controlled by,, different. Departments was in itself ' a serious hindrance to efficiency. He Relieved in direct taxation in proportion to wealth. They must apply business methods and do away with a great deal of the secrecy of the past. After his address was concluded, Mr. Matheson was asked his opinion of Ihe coal shortage. He replied that undoubtedly there was something more behind the crisis than .was being shown the public. Should he be returned he would' hold his-seat as an Independent member, not favouring one side or the other, but voting with' either side should he think it in the country's interest. He would support the policy of Sir Andrew E-uesell as far as that policy was in agreement with'his views. Mr. C. E. Daniell proposedji vote of thanks, which was heartily responded to.