The Liberal Policy.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 November 1922, Page 1

The Liberal Policy.

MR WILFORD’S ADDRESS. [BY TELEGRAPH PER PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Oet. 31. Mr T. Wilford, Leader of the Liberal Opposition, addressed bis constituency at Petone to-night. It was 1 a crowded meeting in the- Empire Theatre. He, enunciated the Lib-eral-Labour party’s election policy and platform. Mr J. W. MeEwan (Mayor of Petone) presided. The candidate was Warmly applauded on rising to speak, and was accorded an appreciative and attentive hearing. Mr Wilford began by describing Mr Massey’s manifesto as ‘‘a death-bed confession of neglect.” He went on then to outline the Liberal-Labour Party’s platform, under 15 headings. They were as follows: — A declaration for a united Empire, and for constitutional methods.

Economy in public finance. The establishment of a State Bank. Electoral reform. Industrial reform, including the giving to the workers of a voice in industry on the lines of* the Whitley Councils.

An extension of the operations of the State Advances Department. Encouragement to secondary industries.

The maintenance and improvement of the arbitration syystem. S]>ccinl tribunals for the settlement of disputes in the public service.

Tll education no further centralisation, with, special consideration for the bnckblocks.

Tlio teaching of fewer subjects, and the supply of school books at cost price.

The residing and settlement of all Crown land on the optional tenure.

Drastic provision against land agreegation.

The promotion of closer settlement. A more vigorous settlement of Native lands. The revaluation of soldiers’ land. Tlie reduction of interest in the cases of hardships. The Defence expenditure to he kept down to tho lowest limit consistent with national snfotv.

Shipping legislation to enable the Government and the producers to establish their own line. The vigorous prosecution of roads, railways, hydro-electric and other reproductive. works. The drastic organisation of the whole railway system, with a reduction of fares and freights. The appointment of a Railway Board,

A comprehensive housing scheme

The encouragement of the co-opera-tive marketing of the Dominion’s products.

The re-organisation of the experimental farm system. An immediate judicial inquiry into tho trusts or associations which control hanking, petrol, tobacco, woollens etc., with adequate- punishment for pilfering. Special consideration for persons with families, invalids, pensioners, and generally the promotion of humanitarian legislation which had always marked the groat traditions of the Liberal ’Party.

”Mr AYilford then dealt more at large with each plan of the platform, and went on to say that Parliament was to-day affected by a double weakness. Feebleness was inherent in tlie unwieldy, flabby, majority, and futility inherent in the small opposition. He hopes this general election would remedy these serious disadvantages to this country. Any delay meant political paralysis. All the Reform kites had come to earth during the past year. The Reform policy was not. based on principle, had iiad no definite ibid in view, except Iho retention of power. The

Reform promises of 1921 had been ignored and broken, though, as Sir AAL Herries, had aptly said, “they did the trick.” The Government refused to be pinned to a definite policy by legislation. No political zig-zaggers ever were more adroit. The Reform Party 'relied on mechanical majorities for registering their decrees. Their marionette majority of lamblike docility was ivonderful, if not pathetic. “The electors in December,” he said, “will put the axe to the root of the Reform tree. That party has been too long in office.” Reform was careless of criticism, and was intoxicated by its power, He hoped the general taxpayer would seize this opportunity to obtain a change of Government. The Liberal-Labour party, he said, representing the AYilford-Veiteh combination, had made wonderful strides in tho last six months. The type of their candidates was a source of gratification. Richard John Saddon drove the piles and erected the structure upon which had been built prosperity and progress of the Dominion. He had planted the Liberal tree too secure for it to collapse. Though Reform hat plucked some of its fruit, and sometimes grafted things to the tree, the solid basis of the tree itself was derived from tho wisdom and foresight of the old party/' To-djiy Reform adopted as a foster parent the Liberal measures it had attempted to strangle at their birth. Though they dared not repeal them, they had administered them without sympathy, and they would naturally come to their real parents. Ho believed, said Air AVilford, in conclusion, that evolution, slow but sure, and no revolution, was the quickest Jroad to prosperity. Evolution would succeed in helping the people along the path which eventually would promote tho growth of the national good. . Air Wilford resumed his seat amidst applause. On the motion of Air J. Kerr, a vote of thanks and confidence in Air AVilford ; confidence in the policy he had put forward, and- of good wishes for the Liberal-Labour Party’s success, was carried by acclamation.