A MIXED RECEPTION

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 113, 10 February 1928, Page 11

A MIXED RECEPTION

MR. FORBES IN AUCKLAND

POLICY NOT DISCLOSED BY Telegraph —Press association. Auckland, February 9. Declining to answer questions and promising to give the policy of tlie United Political Partv when the next general election campaign opens, Mr. G. W. Forbes, Leader of the Nationalist Party and present political head of the new party, spoke at the 1 own Hall last night, dealing with the alleged political sins of the present Administration and suggesting reasons for a change. The audience filled the greater part of the lower portion of the Town Hall, and it was evident from the reception which was accorded references to the Labour Party that the majority were adherents of “the cause,” a fact on which Mr. Forbes commented. Mr. Forbes said there were signs of disintegration of the Reform Party, with which there was dissatisfaction throughout the country. Unemployment was the test of the Government’s efficiency, and he said that in 1890, when the Liberals had come into power, thev had met a similar situation by palliative measures which had become unnecessary when a vigorous land settlement policy had been inaugurated, There was need to-day of more vigour in settling the land, and he. criticised the Minister of Lands for his lack of energy in this respect. He accused the Government of extravagance in borrowing, and asked how could the last Budget be termed an economy Budget when it forecasted a fall in revenue and an increase in expenditure ? The needs of the country to-day were a vigorous land settlement policy, fostering, without spoon-feeding, worth while secondary industry, careful control by Parliament of the national expenditure, a more equitable system of election by preferential voting, and a legislative rest.

Many members of the audience were calling on Mr. Forbes to answer questions, and to state his new policy, while at the same time others were calling out eulogies of the Labour Party, when the Mayor declared carried, on the voices, a resolution of thanks to the speaker, the motion also proclaiming that the speech revealed an urgent need for a change, and that the meeting welcomed the new movement as a basis for united political action commendable to and in the interests of the community. The motion was moved and seconded from the bodv of the hall.