"CHANGED HIS TUNE"

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

"CHANGED HIS TUNE"

MR. MAZENGARB

MR. COMBS'S CRITICISM

Many counters to statements made by the National Party, and particularly by his opponent for the Wellington *

Suburbs seat, Mr. O. C. Mazengarb, were launched by Mr. H. E. Combs, the Labour candidate, in his address to a largely-attended meeting at the Ngaio Town Hall last evening. The candidate was greeted with "For He's ■ a Jolly Good Fellow," and prolonged applause met the final motion of confidence.

The first lance tilted by Mr. Combs at the National Party was the interpretation of "national usefulness" as applied to public works. The Labour Government, he said, had made safe many of the dangerous crossings/by the construction of ramps, and converted second-grade highways to firsts grade highways, and. third-grade to second, and public buildings, houses* and works were going along like clockV work. Those operations did not stand up to the test of "national usefulness* in pounds, shillings, and pence, but they were a legacy for the coming generations. . . " •'., - '

- "Mr. Mazengarb has changed' His. tune in the last three years," said Mr. - Combs, "and he won't sing any tune at all after Election Day. Threeyear* ago he was a candidate for Wellington : East. He issued a manifesto, and: he, asked the electors to Vote for him . because he supported new enterprises . and using loan capital for productive.; public works; but today they are going into retreat until bad times "come aloi*g for public works. We can't exhaust public works in New Zealand —the surface has not really.been scratched .yet." -■ LOOKING FORWARD. Mr. Combs said Mr.' Mazengarb had declared that it was quite wrong for Mr. Nash—and he seemed to have a particular set against Mr. Nash—to _ have the right to tell the Reserve Bank what it should do in certain financial circumstances. What should be done was - settled in Cabinet and conveyed to Mr. Nash, and whoever his successor might be ——.- (Chorus: "He's not:, going to have, any;") ' Mr. Combs: I'm looking forward thirty years. , "Whatever happens in the future the. Minister of Finance must convey- te>. the Reserve Bank what is best in the - circumstances. The housing < scheme, and marketing scheme are handled, through credits at the Reserve. Bank. Whereas before trading banks charged 4& per cent, on produce from New Zea-, land to the London market, the Reserve Bank is charging only 1£ per cent,, a saving of 3J per cent, to the.farmer.** Mr. Mazengarb warned farmers that they had no control over their products, continued Mr. Combs. Did they ever have any control when, produce was bought by speculators? The only control the farmer had was in milking the cows and driving down to th« factory—after that he lost control. Before the opening of a season, the directors of dairy factories met speculators and drove the hardest bargain they could; now the prices were fixed, and if they were too low there was a bonus coming to the farmer from the pool at the end of the year. Quoting from Webster's Dictionary, Mr. Combs said the . meaning of "Nationalist" was. "one who favours nationalisation- of industries," and; "Freedom"- was "a matter of particular pTiivilegK.""-The Nationalists should; look .."up, 'Webster's * and: change rtneir name, something at which they were; good. In his experience they, had bee\i Tories, then they switched tp Conservatives, then Reformers, Coalition, and now Nationalists; but all the time they had been reactionary. The difference between - the .... Freedom League . and the National Party-.was very, minute, and Mr. Hamilton had given his blessing to the "Tell' New. Zealand:' campaign. ■■■■■.- ■■:.■■'. The motion of confidence in Mr. Combs and the Labour Party -was. moved by Mr. R. Donaldson and seconded by Mr. J. Bly. The chairman was Mr. E. Foster. -.:.-•.