MR. NASH AT PALMERSTON

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 53, 26 November 1919, Page 8

MR. NASH AT PALMERSTON

DEALS WITH WELFARE LEAGUE PLATFORM. By Telegraph—Special Correspondent. Palmerston North, November 25. At tho invitation of tho Welfare Leaguo Mr. J. A, Nash addressed a wellattended meeting at the Opera House, Palmerston North, to-night, and met with a good reception. Mr. J. Liudlater (president) occupied the chair, and tho said league had asked the candidates standing for the district to give their views on the league's platform, after which the league would decide who to support. Mr. Nash, who was well received, made tho position clear that he was not there to mako a political address, which ho would do later, but merely to give his viows on the platform of the Welfare League. At the oulsct he felt there was little ho could take exception to in tho proposals. Ho stood for the Reform i Party, as he believed it was doing its best for the people of the country. Dealing with the platform he quite agreed with tho health and housing proposals. During the late session' the Prime Minister ha°d brought forward a good Bill in the direction of providing a million and a half per annum for housing, but with the present cost of building he doubted if tho buildings could ho constructed for the .£750 »"d .£BSO allowed for wood and | brick. Although the local Borough Council was considering the proposal for a building scheme, ho thought tho time scarcely opportune to take the matter up. but thev would see- what could bo done in the 'matter. Provision had been made to prevent trafficking m tneso houses, and thev could not change hands without tho consent of tho board. Ho quito agreed with the plank as to tho health of children, as each child born was the greatest asset the Dominion could have He agreed with the setting up of a dental clinic at the hospital, but would go further and provide free medical treatment for children whose fathers were not earning more than M per week. The medical inspection of pupils in schools, was all right, but it must be followed lip by free medical treatment. In tho matter of the constitution of . hospital boards Mr. Nash expressed himself, in favour of one-half tho members being elected bv the people and iv- fair proportion of the balance should be appointed bv the local bodies which contributed the funds He was strongly in favour of tho present method of repatriating returned roldicrs. Tho settling of them on tho land had not gone on as fast as it should have done. A housing scheme should be devised for soldiers and should be administered by a separate board specially set un for the purpose. The amount provided under the Repatriation Act was rot sufficient for soldiers going on the land and should ba' raised considerably, and unless this were done the <••" <U»;-* would in manv cases never bo able to make tho properties their own. He had always been in favour of setting up advisory boards to act with the repatriation boards in the several districts, as these men would have tho necessary hnowledg" of local conditions. Ho, agreed. with th» league's exception to four Mm/sters sitting as a board, but this had l*eii brought about by the existence of the. National Government, and now Mr. Guthrie was practicallv administering tho (Vet by himself. He had always taken a keen 'interest in education, and said it was timo that all children had an op-, portunitv of free education from tho primary'school to the university. Tho timo liad arrived when the Education Department should bo -reorganised and brought! up to d.-de, as it was behind the times. Teachers throughout tho country were not receiving what, they were entitled to considering their responsibilities. Endeavours were baing made by the present Administration to increase the grants for schools, and not before it was time, for many buildings were out of date. Referring to liho industrial situation he said the main thing troubling the country to-day was want of industries. At present we wore shipping away raw material and reimporting finished articles, which should he manufactured here. The Government had promised a revision of the Customs, tariff, and this, with the introduction of hydro-electric power, should stimulate local industry and mako the Dominion more prosperous. Land aggregation had been going on in spile of statements fo the contrary, ne, was in favour of taking portions of land from all larec holders. leaving them sufflnionh to make a comfortable living on. New legislation, would bo* introduced allowing of the Government taking, over areas of this class, and he believed this would have the desjred effect. He would not be in favour of depriving the Natives of land but of lihn Government resuming all land-dying idle, l"a=infr the same ond paying rent to the Native owners. The Board of Trade had been a failure in tho past, berau-e there had been no prosecutions. The board had had a free hand, and should have made better use of it. Profiteering had been -rampant throughout the war, and tilicy x wore now' shutting the stabl" door when (no late. He agreed with tho loatnic- that railways and public works should be pushed on vigorously As to the proposal that 'a number of business men should ioin the Cabinet, ho thought that impossible, b.ut saw no reason why iho Cabinet should not seek the advice of business men who were experts in particular lines. Ho was strongly in favour of the Government taking control of all arterial roads, but at present it declined that responsibility. He was in favour of five-year Parlidnients. He was not in favour of the recall. When neonle sent men to Parliament they should be there for their proper term, and if thev sent the wrong men it was their own fault. He was in favour of an elective Upper House, which was ono of the planks of the Rpform Party, but when the .National Government was friimcd it decided to leave the matter in abevance until after the war. It would ■'come up again. Ho was in favour .of political rights' for Civil servants. Liimiirratioi'. was wanted, and he was in favour of paying the passages of white immigrants from the Old Country ana' sottlimr them on land, but not till all the soldiers had been dealt with. He was rmite in accord with the proposal for increased pensions.

Several nucstions- were answered, and the. candidate was accorded a hearty voto of Ihanks.

THE OAMARU SEAT" TJr TeleirrarTi—Prpfls A^ocUMon. Oamaru, November 25. Mr. J. A. M'Pherson, Liberal candidate for Oamaru, addressed an enthusiastic audience to-night, 'filve candidate said I bat the Liberal Party had done more for land settlement than the lieform Party, which had left an opening for aggregation in the amendments mado to the land laws.. Ho protested against tlie Reform policy of writing down lano values. The candidate criticised tho Government's lack of business sense in delaying further acceptance of toio Imperial meat commandeer, and also in not buying wheat more extensively in Australia. The Government should concentrate on the construction of one or d\vo important railway lines in the in teres ',-■ ot people and the development of the country. He was adverse to !iho increases to high-salaried railway officials. Tiho increases should have been granted to the lower-paid men. The candidate said ho believed in a State bank, nationalisation of tho ferry serviw, and more State mines. Ali'the conclusion a resolution of thanks and confidence and adherence to the Liberal views expounded by Mio candidate .wa.} carried uuanimously. .The iir;-ting pledged itsell to'do all in ita power to place him at the top of tiho poll. Cheers were given for the candidate. OHINEMChT . . Br Mewunh—Vrnrn Aiiooiatlon. Waihi, November 25. Mr. 11. Poland. Independent Liberal member for Ohincmuri, addressed a crowded meeting here last night, touching mi current political .mallei's, and advocating greater production jo meet the huge and rawing national debt, 1 lie was accorded a unanimous vole of' thanks and conlidence. NEW PLYMOUTH By Telecraiih—Sn"c!nl finrrennoriclcnt. New Plymouth, November 25. Mr. 0. 11. Iliiclceridge, the Reform candicfiit't; for New' Plymouth; opened his campaigr. at Okato to-day, when he addressed a large number of settlers. After dealing with general topics ho received a vote of thanks, In tho evening a large and enthusiastic/

mooting of Gupportors of tho Reform Party was held in. Now Plymouth and committees formed to organise tho whole electorate on behalf of tho candidate.

HON. D. H. GUTHRIE AT MANGAWEKA

SETTLEMENT OP SOLDIERS. 'By Telegraph— Special Correspondent. Mangawcka, November 25. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie, who is .visiting the new portion of tho Oroua electorate, had a very successful meeting at' Mangawcka last evening. :Ho dealt very largely with repatriation and soldier settlement. Deferring to a suggestion made in the House last session by Sir Joseph Ward that the sum of fourteen millions provided for advances to soldiers for land and homes should lie reduced to eeven millions, Mr. Guthrie explained that already half the amount had been authorised, and there were still four months of tho financial year to be provided for. The authorisations for the. month of October alone amounted to ,£I,3G-l,Oofl, and if Sir Joseph Ward's suggestion was given, effect to it would mean- that the Department would have to refuse further applications till next session. The suggestion was impossible. He considered that the demand for land by soldiers would docliiio after March and a greatly reduced amount would be required next financial year.

Dealing with the closer settlement policy, Mr. Guthrie stated that the Department had already received a large number of applications for sections of poorer lands under the scheme introduced last session, and no Time was being lost in preparing the necessary regulations.

Referring to New Zealand's share in the Nauru Island phosphates, Mr. Guthrie strongly endorsed Mr. Massey's action, and said that the cabled report of the statement by General Smuits that there would be. trouble if the South African Union did not get its share w'as h full and sufficient reply to all tho criticism as to tho bargain made. New Zealand had reached a stago where the use of phosphate manures was an absolute necessity. .

On the nnesfion of New Zealand's interest in Samoa, Mr. Guthrie favoured the arrangements made lioth from the viewpoints of home defence and revenue. The ouestion of indentured labour was somewhat of a iiogey, as this labour was employed merely to meet existing conditions. The Ciiinese employed received medical attention, were properly housed and fed. and worked under contract for two or three years, when they, wcro returned to their own country..

' The candidate regretted Hint during: the war education had necessarily been somewhat, neglected. ■ Last session's legislation had improved matters, but he looked for greatly increased provisions ,to make the salaries and conditions attractive to' highly qualified teachers. Mr. Guthrie was well received, and was accorded a/Unanimous vote of thanks and confidence.

CANDIDATES MEETINGS,

Mr. W. H. Field will address the electors at Tawa Flat to-night and in the Century Hall, Levin, to-morrow. Mr. L..M'Kenz:e will address tho_ electors of Wellington East at tho Oriental Bav Kiosk to-night. Mr. H. Oakley Browne will open his ttin.paign for the Wellington North seat, in tho Liberal interests, to-night at the Sydney Street Schoolroom, Lady supporter's of Mr. Browne are invited to meet the candidate and Mrs. Browne 1 at the main committee rooms, 10 Woodward 'Street, on Thursday at 3 p.m. To : morrow Mr. Dunbar Sloane will address the el-?clors nt Makara.

Tho Independent candidate for the Masterton sent, Mr. G. R. Sykes, will address the electors at Marima to-night, at Pnngaroa to-morrow, and at Rakanui on Friday- ,

Mr. D. K. Pritchard. tho official Labour candidate for tho Hutt seat, will address the electors in the hall, Wainui-o-mata, to-morrow. , Mr. -A. D. M'.l/eod, the Reform candidate for the Wairarapii seat,, "will address the electors at TCaitmm to-day, at Homestead, Brancepeth, to-morrow, and at K.r-waiwai on Friday. ' '

Mr. E. Newman, the Reforn) candidate for the Manawatu. sfat, will address the electors at 8 o'clock to-night in the Druids' Hall, Shannon, and in the Town Hall, Tnkoniarji, on Saturday, at 8 p.m. The Hon. D.' H. Guthrie will address the electors at Rata . to-night and'at Hunterville to-morrow.

Mr. R. A. Wright will address tho electors of Wndestown in the clubroom, Pitt Street, on Friday. Dr. Newman invites all his lady supporters to meet him at his committee rooms, i Cambridge Terrace, on Thursday at 3 p.m. to form a Indies' cornmil tec.

Mr. E. P. Rishworth, the Reform candidate for the. Hutt seat, will address the electoi-s of Trentham in tho Oddfellows' Hall to-night, and electors of Lower Hutt in the Town Hall to-morrow.

Mr. Fred Pirani, the Progressive Lib-, eral candidate, will address the electors of Wellington Central in the Alexandra Hall, Abel.Smith Street, to-morrow night. Ladies' meetings next week..

Mrs. Luke inviteß all ladies desirous of tho re-election of Mr. Luke to meot her in tho Kelburn Kiosk to-morrow at 3 p.m.

. A meeting of iMr. J. P. Luke's combined committees is called for to-night in No. 1. Committee Room. Town Hall. .

Mrs. R'riiwnrth invites nil ladies desirous of Mr. Eishworth's election to meot Tier at his committee rooms in Collett's Buildings, Petone, i\t 3 p.m. on Friday.