ON THE HUSTINGS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 54, 27 November 1919, Page 8

ON THE HUSTINGS

■ WELLINGTON EASTMR. L. M.KBNZIB BEGINS MEETING AT ORIENTAL BAY , Mr. L. M'Kenzie, who is standing as a Liberal candidate for Wellington East, opened his campaign in the Oriental Bay Kiosk last night. Mr. W. Wood was in tho chair. There nas an audience of about 150 people. Mr. M'Kenzio said that in offering himself as a' candidate he deemed it a privilege as well as a duty io do so. The time had come, in his opinion, when young mon who had any experience in public affairs should come forward to try to take part in shaping the country's future. Ho stood as an Independent Liberal,, but a supporter of Sir Joseph Ward, believing that Sir Joseph Ward was the greatest man in politics to-day,- although for the present a much misjudged man. Many blamed him for having joined tho National Government, but in the circumstances as they wero it was much to Sir Joseph Ward s cnflit that he should join the Government. The Liberal Ministers carried out their compact to the letter. _ The most important matter m general politics to-day was the land problem. Great financial responsibilities had been placed on this country, but neither of the leaders of tho two great parties in Parliament feared as to tho ability of tho country to meet its obligations. However, the first need, if tins was to be achieved, was increased production to be ensured by closer settlement, ihw had always been the Liberal policy and the Liberal Party, he thought, could be safely trusted lo carry it through still. There were "hundreds and thousands of people in New Zealand Etawing for land, and to give them land the Government should make available not only all unused Crown land, but wen partly used land held in large areas. 'J ho large estates should be burst up, and allotted to soldiers and others in quest of land. The present inflated values of land were a source of danger. It was wrong to place men on land at values which would mean disaster in the event of-the prices of our products falling. Ho believed that there were ten years of good times ahead for New Zealand, but tho Government ought not to buy at tho inflated values. The "unimproved values of land had increased by iM.MW.OOO during the war period, equivalent to an increased rental value, of .£2,100,000. All rural lands should bo revalued, and the taxation should he placed on the, shoulders of those best able to bear it. Imports bore moio than their share, of Customs duties/ because duties on all ' Roods were charged on the inflated war values of goods. Tho Customs duties should be readjusted, especially duties on all food commodities. Unless this wero done it would never bo possible to deal effectively with the cost of Jiving. In some references to education ho said tho pay of the schoolmasters was tar too low, iu view of the supreme importance to the community of the wort they had to do in' training the young. Salafies of teachers must be considerably increased to attract tho best young people into the profession. At present the junior teachers were not paid sufficient salary to provide for their necessities. Tho Government had been guilty of neglect in dealing with education. He had for some timo been I 'lSte of tho Wellington Technical Education Board, and his experience on this body had convinced him that these schools should be taken under tho direct control of the State, that they should bo made free, and that attendance at them shoud bo made compulsory. Nothing was more necessary than that _ boss shou-il bo kept under control , in the veais between the. timo of leaving We prinwv school and tho time of going to work as apprentices. Ho suggested that the time spent by a youth at a techmral school should'l* counted as part ot ilia term of apprenticeship. ; He thought it would be a wise policy for the State to own at leas.some, of tho coalmines of the country. The State owned the railways, but it did not own the fuel wherewith to operate them. Tho open mines should be taken over at a truo valuation, and now mines might be opened. From Ms own experience ho could say that great improvement in tho housing of miners was necessary. Also wo oiH't to use machinery in tho winning of coal instead of usiiiK the present primitive methods. Bavins' purchased the mines the State would be justified in pim-hasinit colliers to oarry tho coal from tho. coal ports. And because ftoStaj owned the railways in both islands.the State should own tho steamer ferry _servico connecting the railway termini of the two islands. Reverting to the coal trouble again ho raid that many people must have felt pity for the people who had waited in long queues day _ after day for the privilege of paying-in advnnvo for coal to be delivered days aiter"iiiiiand had lost by the war the control of tho money markets of the worm. Tho col ton trado was practically in American hands, and the Americans wero try.ihjf to capture the silk trade from _tho East. This state of affairs put the Empire at a disadvantage in overseas trade, and-in his opinion the country would benefit greatly by the development ot local industry. We should manufacture at least one-third of our own raw materials If America was to be allowed to capture all manufacture* the hmpife would be heavily penalised in trado. i Possibly it might Ira wise for us to manufacture' f.ll our products. . . A voice: How would you bring this about? State aid? Mr- M'Kenzie eaid that he would ho prepared to support Stats aid. He would bo prepared to agree, for instance, that profits ■ from an industry should not be. so heavily taxed ii they were returned to the industry to develop it further, as if 'hey were withdrawn from tho industry aiil used outsido of it. He dirt not pronoso to traverse the whole of Sir Joseph Ward's programme, but lie confessed freely that there were some things in it of which he did not approve. • Ilis first concern if returned would bo the welfare of the City pf Wellington. He niado this charge against the representatives of Wellington in Parliament: that they had been content to sit in Parliament, to make Parliament- tbyir club, to have a jolly good time, to talk a bit, and do nothing. In on» respect Wellington was al) a grave disadvantage becauso of its bad outlets—the roads over the Paskakariki Hill and tho Eimutakn Range. The Paekakariki Hill could be avoided by a deviation. This would open, to Wellington tho fertile lands beyond, and Miere would be no such lack of milk and other products as had bMii experienced in Wellington last winter. Ihis lack had been ttie worst difficulty ot the city milk enterprise, but tlie enterprise had proved to be a success, and very eoon the council would be able to sell to tho people tho beet butter.for abouii Is. 6d. or Is. Old. per lb. So also tne Rimutaka Hill was an obstaclo to Wellington. Ho spoke of the recent (trouble the City Council had met with through being denied the right to drive milk wagons over the Eimutaka. bridges. iNo lidtlo local body should have the right to clo-e roads against such traffic. Ho declared 'that the stale of this road was' duo to the apathy and laziness of those members who had represented Wellington in Parliament. He accused Wellington members also of having neglected to.nre.-w for the making of a now railway station in "Wellington. And he expressed his opinion that the To Aro line should not be closed down, for the- reason Mint it would one day bo necessary to serve- the industrial area that must spring up in Miramar. Mr. M'Kenzie, in a few words of conclusion, referred to his .record of eight years of wrviee on the City Council, for part of l>!|0 term a.; chairman of lilie Oullyin? Districts Committee. Mr. M'Kenzie was given !'. hearty round o! applause when he sat down.. Answering a question, he declar:d ■liiin v self in favour of Slnte-oivned .ships to carry oiir prodiiubt overseas. lie said lie would supyort Sir .I'soph Ward in a no-confidence motion, but ho would consider himself fire to support any measure, by whomever introduced, if he thought it' would be for the jjootl of the country.

"Replying lo anolilier question, Jf.r. M'Kenzie said that ho bjlioved much good had been dpne in tho settlement of tho country undor tho leasehold tenure,

but ho believed in every man owning his own home, He" thought more good could bo done in futuro in the settlement' of rural lands under tho leasehold tenure. A man ytko could buy land at present prices had enough money to live without land.

A vote of confidence was carried without dissent.