APPEAL TO YOUTH

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 82, 4 October 1938, Page 6

APPEAL TO YOUTH

& CHANGING WORLD

JmRS. GILMER'S CAMPAIGN

*When about half-way through her meeting in the Sydney Street schoolroom last night a number of men stknding at the back became rather li&isy with their interjections, Mrs. KpOx Gilmer, Liberal candidate for Wellington North, left no doubt in the minds of the audience that she is a woman of fighting spirit. She raised her strong voice and fought back with any amount of vigour and determination. One man at length was ushered out by a police constable, acting on his own initiative. Between 300 and 400 were present, and except for the small minority at the back the audience was distinctly favourable and gave Mrs. Gilmer a rousing reception. . , Mr. D. Daysh presided. At Mrs. Gilmer's suggestion, the gathering, at the beginning of the meeting, rose and sang the National Anthem. Mrs. Gilmer thanked the young people in the audience for their attendance. She said she had the greatest admiration for youth, who, she declared, must not be judged by the standard of the older days, because they were living in a different world entirely, and their outlook and their vision were entirely new to the older people. Naturally their viewpoint on politics must be quite a new one. She hoped the youth of Wellington North would support a progressive candidate who was not asking for their support because of any party, but because she would watch over the affairs and the destinies of the youth. (Applause.) Mrs. Gilmer said she had her own policy and she hoped and trusted that it was constructive and not destructive.- In everything she had ever' done it had been done in a spirit of helpfulness and constructiveness. (Applause.) NOT A MUZZLED PRESS. She was standing as a Liberal for reasons which she thought must be obvious. Liberalism to her stood, among other things, for the development of individuality. Liberalism in the political : life of this country was \ what the name of Booth was to the Salvation Army. (Applause.) It meant government by discussion and not by Orders Jn Council or a muzzled Press. New Zealand was never destined to become a servile State. State Socialism as we knew it was the arch enemy of industrial peace, . "We are either the children or the grandchildren of the pioneers who came out to this country arid carved a way for us and for our enjoyment and for our peace," she added amidst applause. Mrs. Gilmer referred to Mr. J. A. Lee's book "Socialism in New Zealand;" quoting from it extracts relating to the" forbears of the New Zealand people and also for the purpose, she said, of showing exactly what Socialism in New Zealand would mean. Definitely and emphatically she was not a Socialist. (Applause.) A-voice: Are you a Nationalist? Mrs. Gilmer: I am an individualist and a humanist. (Applause.) THE SOCIALIST ROAD. Mrs. Gilmer described the steps taken- along the road of Socialism in New t ,Zealand and declared that full powers were being taken to go the full journey without further recourse to Parliament. The people of this country owed nothing to Socialism. (Applause.) The New Zealander owed everything •to individual economic liberty. Today debt was being heaped up on the young people and it was unfair to them. Mrs. Gilmer said that she was definitely opposed to State interference with private enterprise. Mrs. Gilmer dealt with the rise in the cost of living, supporting her contentions by quoting 1935 and 1938 prices of commodities. The cost of living was mainly a question of taxes. Taxes constituted the greatest single contribution to the cost of living today. After Mrs. Gilmer had answered a number of questions a vote of thanks and confidence in her was passed by acclamation. Judge Gilfedder, who moved the resolution, said he did so as an old supporter of the Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon, Mrs. Gilmer's father.