THE HUTT SEAT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 44, 15 November 1919, Page 8

THE HUTT SEAT

MR. E. P. RISHWORTIi'S CAMPAIGN OPENING ADDRESS_AT EASTBOURNE The "Reform candidate for tho Ilutt scat (Mr. E. P. Pishworth) opened his campaign at Eastbourne Hall last night, where ho addressed a largo and appreciative audience. Tho chair 'was occupied by Mr. Mather (Mayor of Eastbourne). In opening, Mr. liishworth said he considered the name given to the natty he represented had been a happy choice, tho party being a progressive moderate Government, with a definite policy for the development and improvement of the country. The Hon. AV. Earnshaw had said in tho Legislative Council that the yearn in which the Tteform Government iiad held office showed a greater record in the service of tho real interests of Labour than any other five year.; in the history of New Zealand. It had also done all it could for the men who had made sacrifices to defend the country. He contended that the legislation of the session was beyond criticism, all the Bills having been on progressive lines. He could not recall a promise the Leader of tho Governjnent had not fulfilled.. This testimony of! the straightforward, progressive work of the Heform Party would be endorsed by all thinking men and women. Tho years ahead of us would call for n reconstruction nf ideas. Old valu»s would require lo 'bo adjusted. It would"be lor tho public good to have new blood in ils councils—men who loved their country and sought tho public nnd who wero not moth-eaten with selfish tion. It hnd been suggested in Ibis electorate, he said, that because they had been represented for 20 years by one man (with aspirations to leadership still •m----satisfied) that it was inconceivable that anvone should wish to unseat him. He couid assuTe them lhat ITiore was a very general desire for a change, and the opportunity was given to them now to elect a newchum who could not be accused of having any selfish aim in ashing for I heir votes. For five years all energies had been united to win the war, and that time had been a prosperous one for the country— one of remarkable production and high values. They must now realise that, to return to normal they must have a strom; Government, working out a clear policy of development, free from ''graft,' and of moderate views, untainted with extravagance and extremes. The return of the Reform Parly would ensure the continuance of progressive legislation.

He spoke of the causes (arising from thf 'great war) which 1'«<1 tended (n increase priws. He pointed out that .increases of duty on imports were passed on to the consumer?, and said the remedy would be a wise Government bent on bringing expenditure, witnin the revenue and reducing borrowing except, for redemption of short-dated loans. The.v could not. launch out on great development .schemes oil borrowed money just because thy war was ovei. The credit of the country depended on sound finance. , Nothing but work would produce foodstuffs aud clothes, dp a.-kod it Hie (.iovernnienL could control what was produced in tho country, and its spiling value. If. was useless to legislate to. prevent men buying in I hp cheapest, market, and sellill" in the dearest. It would mean limit of°pruduet.ioii. There were now in New Kouth AValeo GI7U less wheat favmero til an in 1915, because it did not. pay to grow wheat. ' He admitted that labour produced everything, but. asked if menial labour Ikkl not a share with manual labour. Dealing with the subdivision of land, he pointed out that large tracts of land all over I he country were finite unsuitable owing to their broken natur.-. lfe told of the ilillicullies experienced b,v come people wh:> had already settled on this kind of land. If was evident liiat. it could only be handled in large b'ocks. There were 11,000 farms in X"w Zealand whero no labour was employed. Their owners were notsquatters. Most of the stories alwuf wicked squatters worn lies, told to gull the people. The same remarks applied to aggregation. The figures would be interesting and would show whet In 1! aggregation was talcins place quicker, than subdivision. There had been 2} million acres of privalelyowned land subdivided during I he last 6even years exclusive of Maori or Gov-

einnpiit lands. That, n certain amount of aggregation did go on could not: l»o wondered at. He showed how some people hart lo live iii isolated areas. Finance. There was, said the candidate, too lunch borrowing. The, public had lost all ?ei)bO of the value of money. Ho l'eail a list of demands Hindu which amounted to ,£s2,ftlKl,(Kli). The Liberal Lender was a prodigal spender and always talked millions. Any fool could spend money, hul lo do il advantageously was another tiling. The Government had been blamed because New Zealand had not been in.iiln a. paradise, which was absurd. Railways, The programme out lined for the increase of our railway system was a reasonable one, but. it could not bo long beforo the present Rimutaka. lino would have to be done away with, and a deviation Ihrougli' country which would bo productive of revenuo and lessen heavy loss on haulage, substituted. The North Auckland railway was one that should receive every encouragement, and the present system of \tyrkiug these railways through Ihe Public Works Department should bo dispensed with as soon as possible after completion. Public works generally should if possible be made interest-bearing and self-.-upporting. For instance, the Haurnki swamp in tho Auckland district (about 100,080 acres in extent) had been partly drained at a cost of about cl's per acre and had be.en. sold again at prices ranging, as high as ,l;1G an acre. If that was carried out by public money tho profit accruing from the sales of such reclamation should bo earmarked as belonging to the Public Works Department. It would be a good thing if Ihe whole cost of finishing the work could be worked out for draining the balance of the land ill a term of years, the capital required to be raised by public debentures and any deficiency in interest to he found by the State. This would put a fine area of very productive 'soil "on the market for cultivation. Repatriation. He congratulated the Repatriation Department on the work it had done. Every help should be given the returned soldier to 'become expert in cultivation to produce a reasonable margin to cover his outlay. Ho would suggest that Government have a special advisory export or experts to nssift the soldiers to find the most profitable market for their produce, and for giving advice to those who required-it. T'h's would enMirt the best results from Ui& land they had taken up. Ho disapproved of the unfortunate position created by the desertion of the Liberal Party from the National Government at the time when there should have been an undivided purpose in giving the returned soldrers tho best recognition the country could afford. Cost of Living. Some people said the Government should .reduce the cost of livisig, but they did not say how it should be done. It was absurd when so many things wa used came from outside this country. Those who objected to profits objected to bringing money into the country and people "getting employment. Only an' expert could fix ;t fair selling price. He wanted to know how they could have lowprices when so much had been destroyed during the war. Education. A\ 7 o had a fine system of education, but boards should be given greater powers. The school buildings should bo made modern. Teachers' salaries and superannual ion should be on the same liasis as other branches of the service. No class shoujd exceed 33 scholars and relieving teachers should bo more liberally treated and encouraged to keep in touch with modern methods. The Public Service. He advocated political freedom of the Public Service. The Reform Government had-douc a good thing in establishing Civil Service Commissioners, and could still improve tho position. Tho Promotions Board was another step in tho direction of complete freedom. It would bo a bad thing if (he Liberal Parly wero returned to power to bring this Public Service under political control. He believed in giving good salaries and wages to the best men, and said that some of our ablest inen we'ro lost lo us 011 account of inadequate remuneration. The speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks and confidence for his address. LABOUR MEETINGS Mr. ,T. Head, '.lie Labour caiidioate for Wellington Norlb, addressing a meeting at midday ye.-lerday in Bunny Street, de-alt wi : h (he objective of the Labour Parly. He clnimeo' that it was in 'accordance with the idea of apportioning (he wealth of tho countrv on n different basis, (lie idea, of service h-ing the one- which underlay it. In the past it had often been rhoso who rendered least service In Ihr.- community who had reaped Ihe greatest ndvantap? from other people's labour. According to modern investigations it had been proven that labour power applied through modern machinery resulted in an enormous increase in the wealth produced, and yet there had been no corresp-mdimr improvement in the workers'' live-. The Labour Party desired to place the apportionment on a sound basis, so that those who rendered service should have the 'first right to wealth produced. ilr. Read Raid on the oiiestion of education that he desired to emphasise one aspect: of the party's platform—that dealing with free provision of school requisites to the children. Tfe strongly approved of the provision of free school books. IN VARIOUS ELECTORATES DANNEYIRKR By Telefrraph-Pre.se • ssoctatlon. Dannevirkc, November 14. Mr. B. B. Rosa, Liberal candidate for the Pahiatot seat, addressed a meeting of electors at Dannevirkc, and declared himself a. supporter of tho Liberal Party, reserving the right, as he aiways had done, to vote against it if its policy conflicted with tho pledges he had given to the people in his manifesto or from the public platform. He declared that: the Liberal Party was the people's party, dominated only by a desire to-do justice to all. Tho candidate advueated more provision for Ihe settlement, of soldiers, also the equalisation of land values where land has been acquired for soldier settlement. He adversely criticised Mr. Massey's land settlement policy, also I lie cessation of civilian settlement. Ho advocated State shipping and Stale accident insurance, and approved of Sir Joseph Ward's housing scheme. He also favoured bettor salaries and conditions for teachers, the roinslaioninit of tho Cadet system, leading up to Territorials, and urged economy and retrenchment in military matters. Tho candidate was accorded a vole of thanks. REFORM CANDIDATE FOR RICCARTON. Christchurr.il, November U. Mr. AY. R. Dnvereaux. of Papanui, will contest the Rieearlon seat in the interest of the Reform Party. BULLER. Westport, November It. Mr. D. 0. O'Brien opened the Bullcr election campaign at AVaimangaroa last night. He declared himself in support of "Sir Joseph Ward's Liberal Party. He dealt exhaustively with tile politics of the day. and got a good reception and a splendid vote. His opponent:, Mr. Holland. speaks at Westport next. Thursday. TIMARU. By Telegraph—Press Association. Timaru, November 1-1. Mr, F. .11. Buckley, a farmer in I'iie Fairlic district, ha.s announced his candidature fur the Tcniuka scat in the Liberal-Labour interest. llr. W. B. Matheson addre.sesd ;i meeting in tin) Dreyer's Rock School on Thursday evening. Tho schoolhouse was well filled fsa.y.s our Masleitou correspondent). and tho chair was occupied by 'Mr. .1. K. Perry. Tho speaker delivered an interesting add row oil the lines of other speeches. At the conclusion of the address, Mr. Matheson, in rer;:y to n question, said he. did not intend lo stand down, but would contest the seat agaiust all comers.