WELLINGTON EAST

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 62, 6 December 1919, Page 12

WELLINGTON EAST

DR. NEWMAN AT MARANUI." Dr. A. K. Newman, Reform candidate for Wellington East, addressed an audience of'his electors in the Maraiitii Methodist Schoolroom last evening. Mr. F. 11. Morgan was in the chair." Dr.'Newman spoke very much on tho lines of his previous addresses, devoting a good deal of attention to education. He advocated a uniform set of sclipol Ix'oks, a State dental service for school children, and reform of the. university curriculum to cut out useless studies like Latin and Greek. Discussing the housing problem, he urged that the Government should pies.i on .with the work of building houses, but he said also that (he Government was in fact pushing on, the work of housebuilding in accordance with promises made. , His opinion and flic opinion of the. Government was that houses could be standardised and built much moro cheaply than at present. Not all the high cost of living was due to profiteering, but no doubt - there had been profiteering: • To deal with this evil tlie Hoard of Trade had been strengthened. The law was drastic, but. nothing but a drastic law would be effective, and after all the law would not, affect the honest trader. Jvarlv in the New Year th'e Board of Trade would he able to get lo work under the new law, and he hoped that the result.would ly.>. a marked reduction in the cost of living. Probably the Government would next session have to Like in hand the distribution of coal and food. Perhaps the Slat; would havo to acquire colliers, or would have to organise tin- r i>ii! (ii- - fribino» nl cnl. Among the things: that. the. Government could do in regard to fond was to cheapen the supply of fish. 1-nsl session tho Government brc-iighl down and Parliament had passed an Act to assist the lishing industry.' There, should be an active health cv'usade. Good .had been done in the pisi in combating consump-, tion. and in the (uture w> should give similar attention to cancer. He said thiit next Parliament would have to ieview the luxation policy lo make the incidence of taxation more fair. Turticuiarly should the Customs tariff be revis.nl to make the burden lighter for the poorer people, the remitted (axes being made, up by the imposition of heavier taxes oh. luxuries. ■;. - -v'.i r ..;..;: i'; . A vote of thanks was accorded.Ao^r 1 . Newman for his address.

MR. L. M'KEXZIE AT K.IX3IRNIE. Mr. L. -M'Kenzi?, liberal candidate for. Wellington East, addrossvd a.meeting of his supporters in the Kilbiniie Sebcolrooni last evening. Mi. A". G. Wallace presided over an attendance of 20 elccioru. in lii.s address Mr. M.'lCenzie dwelt on the land question. The national debt had increased, vei.y largely,- and was going to be a big biirdeh on the country unless increased production were encouraged and fostered. .In o:<ler to accomplish 1 this the large estates would have ■to bo broken up. In any scheme oi Bi'ttlemcnt the Government's first duty would be.to place reiiirned foldieis on tiie land, particularly those whose health h.ul-suffered through their service.- The necessity for affo:diug a -fillip to the industries of the Dominion was also enlarged upon by the candidate. Continuing, tho candidate advocated the prosecution of a mure .vigorous reading policy, and more extensive railway construction. "Even if Hie. railways do not pay," he. explained, "they are a •. el. .'l.i;.,uung on the national system of education, Mr. M'K.en/.ie sa.il tlmt one of its drawbacks was the pour sala-.y ollVred. The best brains of the country were noli attwctrjl to the teaching service. . A-point .next emphasised was that from 1!IJ3 to 1918 there had been an increase of J.'.JB,(KKl,ooo..in the unimproved value of land in the Dominion.' The. land tax (estimated) Oliii yiiir would: be- vf.l.MO.Cot).. At 5 per cent, the • forty-eight million increase in land values during the war period n.-ant an incicased rental of JtJ.-IOIMKW a year that the landowners were able to- levy upon tho people of Xew Zealand-enough in 'short, to pay buck to the.landlords tho -whole of lii'eir land tax -and leave.them a "nice little war bonus of .KCO.OOO a year." At the conclusion of his address -Mr. M'Kenzie was. neeurded it vote of thanks and contidence.