GENERAL ELECTION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 11, 8 October 1919, Page 8

GENERAL ELECTION

THE HUTT SEAT

ADDRESS BY MR. W. T. COTTON

There was a fair attendance of electors in the Lower Hutt Town Hall last evening to listen to the opening address delivered by Mr. W. T. Cotton, Moderate Labour candidate for the Hutt electorate. Mr. K. P. Rishworth was in the chair. The candidato spoke for an hour, and was subjected to considerable heckling throughout his address by a section of the audience.

At the outet Mr. Cotton dealt with thtf subject .of profiteering. The time had come, ho said, when Labour had got to have a share in the products of their industry. Touching on the Prime .Minister and* the Leader of the Opposition, he criticised them "for allegedly not having taken' Steps to stop profiteering. Mr. Cotton also the "go-slow' policy on tno part of somo of the " workers, and then went on to urge tho greater development of hydroelectriciby, which, ho considered,' would usher in an era of cheaper living for the workers. In this connection ho indicted tho Government for not prosecuting tho Mangahao schemo with greater crergy. A voice: Givo us your platform. Mr. Cotton then handled a variety of subjects in rapid succession. Ho was in favour of State doctors and State maternity homes. The Customs tariff was next .•: 'ill: with, the candidato considering .....;t it should be revised. The policy of me Government in raising Joans free 1 of incomo tax was condemned by the speaker, who, passing on, spoke m favour of State-owned shipping, with special reference to the Wellington-Lyttelton ferry service. The present Government or the Opposition Party would not interfere with the Union Company, on account of vested interests. . A voice: Nor would moderate Labour either. (Laughter.) Amid laughter, Mr. Cotton announced himself in favour of women having tho privilege of being elected to Parliament. V voice: Why not? You are going there yourself. .(Laughter.) The necessity of : a "steeper graduated land tax in order to prevent laud aggregation and tho expenditure of more money on education were also urged by tho candidate. Coming to the Legislative Council, which he referred to t.s an old man'B home for political rejects, Mr. Lofton said that this institution sura d lie elected by the people. As to tho burning question of prohibition the speaker said that the majority present that night were aware that he was not a pronibibAttlnterjector (referring to the copious draughts of water -the candidate had imbibed at short intervals): But you are to-night!' (Loud laughter.) The candidato went on to say that ho did not favour State control. Ho figured the cafo system of dispensing W 01. To his mind there was 'no more m a man going into a hotel for a glass of beer and a biscuit, than a woman going into a tea shop for tea and cakes. A voice: You arc supporting vested inof coping 'with the housin" problem tho candidate consider«l the Government should have given nrivate enterprise a lead, particularly withrrfeW to concrete building conruction. Tho candidato said ho was against the extremists in the Labour Parlv In the imposition of a wheel tax on motor-cars, motor lorries, and '-horses and carts," the candidato saw a solution of the present roading difficult}. A voice: What about old Tom F —a wheelbarrow? (Uproarious laughter. Concluding, the candidato said that he was in favour of a Young New ZealßAt of his address Mr. Cotton answered a number of questions, many of them of a facetious nature.

CANDIDATES ANNOUNCED. By Telegraph-Press .■ saoolatlon. Te Kuiti. October 7. It was announced this afternoon that Mr. James Wall, farmer, would stand in tho Government interests for the \\aitomo seat, at the coming-general elecDannevirke, Ootober 7. A representative meeting of supporters of tho Reform Party Inst evening unanimously selected Mr. A. M'Nicol, managing editor of the Dannevirko Evenin" News," as Government candidate at tho ensuing general election, subject to tho selection being approved by tho party's'supportexs in other parts of .the electorate. Mr. M'Nicol has consented to nomination. .