ANOTHER "BARRAGE"

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

ANOTHER "BARRAGE"

MR. HOWLETT HECKLED

BERHAMPORE MEETING

i A determined fighting speech against r a group of organised obstructionists ; was delivered by Mr. D. P. Hewlett, . National candidate for Wellington South, at the Masonic Hall, Berham- " pore, last evening, when he expounded, ' in the face of great opposition, a num- . ber of the major features of the National Party's policy. The meeting : was the noisiest which Mr. Howlett : has yet faced in his campaign for the ! Wellington South seat. A number of ■ constables were present, but none of ! the troublesome members were ! ejected. ■ From the outset of his address to • the closing vote of thanks, Mr. How- '■ lett fought doggedly against the per- ■ sistent opposition, dealing severely i with the most disagreeable of his i hecklers, and threatening on occasions to have them put out. 1 When Mr. Howlett referred to the organised heckling which had characterised a number of election meetings ■'■ at Auckland there was a competition •of applause and dissent among the • audience. The fact that the Auckland - meeting held under the auspices of the > Friendly Road had resolved to approach Mr. Adam Hamilton for an ; assurance of broadcast privileges for • the Friendly Road after the election c proved, Mr. Howlett said, that the ■ people realised that the National Party would be the Government after Oc- : tober 15. . "JUSTICE AND FAIR PLAY." As the interjections continued, Mr. Howlett" turned on his loud-speaker, 1 which gave him a decided advantage ; over his hecklers. "There is plenty ; of justice and fairness in this country," he went on, "but it should not be necessary for me to say that if we want fair play and justice, let us dish out a little bit of it ourselves and give the other fellow a 'fair go.' Remember the pendulum of the clock. It might come back and hit you when you least expect it." The criticism of the Socialist Government had been most unfair. One had only to turn to the broadcast of Parliamentary debates. When members of the Opposition had been speaking there had been a shuffling of feet, coughing and sneezing, but when the Socialist speakers began to speak, the colds disappeared and there was no more sneezing or shuffling of feet. A voice: Speak the truth. Another voice: Talk about .your policy. Mr. Howlet: .Our policy is hurting you; that is the trouble with you. Discussing the social security proposals of the Labour Government, Mr. Howlett said this was the greatest piece of political propaganda ever put over. Holding up the Government's explanatory booklet which was recently circulated to householders,- he" said this booklet had been printed and circulated at the country's expense. "They worked the staff of the Government Printing Office overtime to get this out," he said, "and they put it through the Post Office free of postage—a direct charge on the taxpayers of this country." FRESH TAXATION. This legislation would inflict fresh taxation burdens on the country. (Howls of dissent, mingled with applause.) A voice: What about the old age pensioners? What about the widows? "Oh, yes," Mr. Howlett went on, "they will all be taxed. The tax of Is in the £ must be paid upon all incomes, no matter who receives them. A voice: The old age pensioners don't have to pay it. Mr. Howlett: Yes they do; and the soldiers, too. They will all pay. The National Party, on the other hand, would give the people a free and complete health service to those who needed it and could not afford to pay for it—and it would not increase the wage tax to do it. The National Party would abolish the unemployment tax on women and would reduce taxation. The party would provide free maternity service, assist people to own their own homes, and grant loans for the purchase of furniture. A reference to. Mr. Adam Hamilton as "that wonderful statesman" drew forth a storm of applause, mingled with dissent. Mr. Howlett quoted what Mr. Hamilton had said upon the National Party's attitude towards religious issues, particularly in connection with the vicious pamphlet which the candidate said had been circulated throughout New Zealand. "Tell us something about Joe Savage," requested an interjector. : "Yes," replied the candidate. "Joe Savage is trying to teach Christian principles under Marxism,' which is impossible." ; As the interjector became more and more persistent, Mr. Howlett stopped ; in his address and turned to a group 'at the back of the hall. "Remember, " the pendulum," he said. "You fcl- " lows who don't want to give me a ; fair go would be the first to squeal ' if you did not get a fair hearing." At this stage a section of the audi- ■ ence gave three cheers for Mr. Savage, '■ which were quickly countered by vociferous cheers for Mr. Hamilton. Mr. Howlett proceeded amid a constant barrage to elucidate the main • planks in the National Party's plat- !• form, and at the conclusion of his ad- > dress was accorded a vote of thanks • for his fighting speech. > Mr. J. Maisey presided.