POLITICAL ADDRESS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 November 1922, Page 4

POLITICAL ADDRESS.

MR LYNCH AT HOKITIKA. AN EXCELLENT RECEPTION. Mr J. I). Lynch (West Coast Progressvc Canclidato), addressed the elec-, tors at the Westland Opera House last ; evening. There was a good attendance the hall being well (Pled. Mr G. A. Perry (Mayor) presided.

and in opening the meeting said Mr Lynch that evening would give Ins second spopich here on election matters.. He would ask for a fair and impartial hearing for the candidate. Mr J. D. Lynch (who was received with applause) thanked the Mayor lor his kind remarks and the audience ioi their reception. lie was definitely out

to contest the election and Ins nomination had been placed in the hands ot the Returning Officer. As a result ot his scamper round the district a coup c of weeks ago he had decided to oltei his services. Humours had gone round that ho was going to pull out. Imt they could rest assured he would go to the poll. He was the West ( oast candidate first, second, and all the time. The West Coast had been sadly trcatec during the hist fifteen years. lit claimed to know more about the Coast than anv of the other candidates cfteimg. 1 Hi's plaform was that of an n<iclndent "candidate. Only b» had beam I caused him to withdraw at the last I election. He had always been a sup- ' porter of the Massey party, and was "till. He claimed the right to put h s I Views before them. Since the days o . the late Richard Scddon they I'"'! not had a leader like Mr Massey ui New I Zealand, or out of it. Mho could sa> I if Mr Ma-ssey himself was going to ■ returned? Therefore he wished a’s an •Independent. Tf ah .* 1 • • ! were returned to power he would Jo»“ j llalK ls with him hut only as nn jnd ' nemlent. He claimed to lie as Übu. i and as true a democrat, as any candidate offering his services IU « trv to do good for everybody, legaid k 4 of person. He had always been asoeinted with Labour, lie mid been behind labor all tin, time. In Hu Dobson coal mine he had arranged U at the employees should receue _o cent, of the profits. Hint was ton lie set out- to contest velars boioit nt .m, anv election. That proposal was sU iiv force when the mine resumed which it would at an early date. Dealing with Dominion Finance insaid the finances were going hack. millions in the. last six months LUI New Zealand was the second highest ‘taxed in the Empire opportunities given to otlnis Mr Massev in his financial tumbles. Thev wanted to sec that the acts put. the statute hook were earned out. but many of them were not cairied out. In connection with tin Public Health Act if that was prop - ~. carried out the Dominion would In much better off. He had been visiting the Ohl Peoples’ Homes at Grey mo th and Ktimara. and had found they w in disgraceful conditions. >i< y '•> be;a endeavouring to break down t c harriers of officialdom without -s,.R jitr'iT* M.i’ift* ur-ed them to get behind tin ” i v „r% thnt proper attention scenes and u, ‘ il * 1 , r j in .: v, as -ivc.i. Th-y must see that M-ovcnients iuve made to make the conditio,is better for the »Morlun£cs contained m tim '•<* K " |^t'. in dii,g Hisill connection with the old p■ °P ' ; ■•moved Referring to hydro-elettue ; C lie urged that there was no tea- ! u *» schemit for the 'H-;t ' Toaroha had been urged time tut ,hemc was the best for the " Co nst That was me of the things he ; would do if elected. There was room , for considerable extension m • 1 1 | dustries. The could not hope to kit; , the people on the Coast unless the industries were extended. He had t k- - n leading movement- in the slat ting of the A rah lira and Kokataln dairy factories. j Referring to the Grey mouth Harhot Board. he said he had strongly opposed the carrying of the rating hill, | which made a rating an a. o! the w holt AV.'s. Coast. The Brunner railway endowment was mid to the Government tor £15.01 >O. U was a crying sli.tnu, and he had opposed it. He roferred to the collecting of the Hokitika Hu hoi Board rate, and asked who was aide to s-v the Grcv harbor rate would not be toiler ted? it was a wrong action, to plate such a rate on the community. There was nothing democratic m L ie personnel of the Harbor Board. Mr V-n-rv had recently been appointed b> the Government. He bad nothing to sav against Mr Perry, but he did say that the members of the Board should hi elected l.v the people. 1 ''ey uu a dredge at Greyimmt that cost £-KMHM> which was tied up at the vharl doing nothing, costing Cf a day m interest alone.

Referring to th- sawmiliing industry, he said they were suffering from a terrible slump. A great injustice was done some years ago by Sir I'ian-,-is Bell, and it was due to the restrictions he had made Hint, the present trouble was caused They wanted a man who would fight for them v. In n stub an ocasion arose. He paid a triImte to the i*o( iprocity proposals catrod through by Mr Dowme Stewart which had benefit ted the timber trade considerably, lie was strongly in l»v----our of a sink at'd accident fund for timber workers. I'luv were introducing this „ system with the Greymouth Borough Council for permanent employees. Referring to the soldier settlers’ present conditions, he maintained that they ,should face the position, and have their farms revalued and give the soldiers a fair deal. Dealing with experimental farms on the West Coast, there was nothing being done. It was a crying .shame to see the two farms in the Grey Valley and nothing done. They should have instructors to show the farmers how to carry out proper cropping. He was strongly in favor of the establishment of a State Bank. Looking at the huge success of the Commonwealth State Bank in Australia,, he thought it would go far to aicl the progress of the district d a State Bank were inaugurated in New Zealand. The great Public Trust Office had thousands of pounds ol West Coast money, hut there was nolle of it being lent out oil the West Coast. A similar condition applied in the Government T.ife Department. A start had been made toi inaugurate an agricultural hank in the- dying hours of last session, which if carried, would have Ids support. He favoured free, secular and compulsory education. It was 'the finest system in existence, and lie would do nothing to alter or impair il in any way. He would, also, not do anything to interfere with the efficiency of the teachers. Dealing with gold-mining lie congratulated the district on the assistance given to the Rimu mining venture. Gold mining had a hard smack during the war. He considered that the Government and. the banks had robbed the. gold producers during the embargo on the sale of goid during the war. He hoped they won 1 help those who locally were end -a cur ng to form a. prospecting associatin'). He

was against further immigrants being J brought in, until there w r as work and 1 houses for tliotn. He dealt with the . huge importations of coal by the Go-, vernment, following the miners’ go- j slow policy. It was t|tiite right to have imported coal, hut the Government went too far in their importation, thereby causing a. slump in the industry when it was necessary to give the miners a lesson, and they deserved it, but tin- lesson was carried on too long at a cost of several millions to the

country. Ms was strongly : n support of a strong defence policy, by the holding of a small navy ready and a few airships. They had to' he prepared and ready for any emergency. He did not think it was wise of Mr .Massey to offer to send away troops out of the country without referring the matter to Parliament. He was in favour of a State ferry service between Wellington and Lyttelton, ns part of the railway service. The railways were losing a huge sum of money. There was a want of business acumen in the nian.agement of the railways. They were paying higher railway rates for timber freightage on the West Coast than in anv other part of New Zealand, ffo was offering his services to the ! people and he was hoping to have | their support oil polling day. He asked whether he was good enough to net - as their representative', good enough t* 1 help the Coast along, good enough to I ),olp them and also himself to advance and prosper. He did not want a 1 sympathy vote, he wanted a practical vote. If they thought ’’Jimmy ■ Lync.i was worthy of support, and give their i V oto to him. lie had behind him a big ! wave of support, which was gaining wherever he went. He. was >" llls na ‘ ! live town that night' and he loved it. I He hoped that ns a result of his ap--1 peal they would support his caiidida- , turn. (Applause). I _ QUESTIONS.

Mr T. Wells asked for the candidate's views on prohibition. Mr Lynch replied that each person had the same right to vote on election day oil that subject and then expressed his views as previously published. Mr Gibbons asked if the candidate favoured the Widows’ Pension Act being amended, explaining a hardship on a recipient. Mr .Lynch said something was wrong with the law. the act not being properly administered. Mr Lawn asked if the candidate would support tlio renewal of tlio grant for teaching swimming to children, which had been cancelled last year. Mr Lynch said he was strongly ill favour, as swimming should form part of the school curriculum. VOTE OF THANKS'. -Mr 11. Lynch moved a very hourly vote of thanks to Mr Lynch for his able and instructive address. This was seconded by Mr A. CutIr.isli, and carried unanimously. Mr Lynch returned thanks for their hearty vole of thanks and hoped they would think n hit more of him and extend confidence on election day. He moved a hearty vote of thanks to the Mayor for presiding, which was i scried by acclamation and a successful meeting concluded.