TAURANGA SEAT.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 March 1923, Page 3

TAURANGA SEAT.

SIR J. WARD. OPENS. H IS OAAIPAIGN. [ BV TEI.MIIIAPIt —P3R PRESS ASSOCIATION] TaURANGA, March 15Sir Joseph Ward. Liberal candidate for Tatiranga by-election opened bis campaign in the Town Hall to-night, when he was greeted by a large and enthusiastic audience. The hall was crowded and additional seats requisitioned from other halls, failed to provide sufficient seating accommodation, and many people were compelled to stand.

As Sir Joseph and Lady Ward entered the. hall and proceeded on their wa v to the platform, they were greeted with tumultuous applause. The Mayor. Air B. Dive, presided, and in introducing the candidate, lie paid a tribute to lii.s services. as Postmaster-General and the Minister of Railways. He then presented Sir Joseph with a massive horse-shoe and in handing over the emblem. wished him good luck in the contest.

The candidate made a splendid impression in his opening remarks, and. at once placed himself on excellent terms of cordiality with his large audience. He demonstrated beyond the shadow of a doubt that he lias retained tlie oratical powers that have won for him his high reputation as a platform

Tt had been stated, lie said, that lie was a stranger lo the district, but lie exploded these assertions by demonstrating that he and his Liberal colleagues of the time had been actively associated with the development works on the Rangitikei and Haiiraki Plains and with public works and railways in the Tamanga district. He advocated a reduction in the heavy taxation, which, he said. was having a disastrous effect upon the people ol New Zealand at the present moment. Rel'ore the war, our debt was ,£99.7000,000; while at the end of this financial year, our indebtedness movement. Before the war. our debt was £219.051.CUD. Since the war ended, New Zealand's debt had increased liy £08,000,000 in addition to the .surpluses of £17.500.000. which lie had left as Aliui.stur of Finance in the National Cabinet. The debt of New Zealand wa s £175 its 10d for every man, woman, and child, and it was heavier in onlv one of the Australian States.

The financial policy would have to ■be changed. They should finish their milways and other work.- in live years, and should find tlm eionoy by issuing Government stock n ■ per ’■ 111 . He advocated a vi— ro" : . ! ml-!' r-

settleineut scheme, and Hie n'vck.’ta ting nt the construction of u . i-hr

Imiiics. also a suitable ninni .l et ion scheme, lie urged a vigorous loading policy and also the borrowing ol cheap money for the financing of the farmers The Liberals, lie said, had put cue hundred thousand men. women and children on the land in a peril d i f ten years. He did not favour a State Bank

| hut said that the Bank of New Zealand should be extended. He held that the ; Post and Telegraph Department should ■ not be n taxation machine. He maiiijtuined that the penny postage should jhe reintroduced. He reviewed many I beneficent measures introduced b.v l.ib- ! oral administration, and added that lie had received kind oilers of help in this contest from Air Wilford. Air Afasi tors and Air Voitch : but his snprori- ; ers preferred that he should conduct 1 his campaign single-handed, i Frequent, applause punctuated Sir ’ .Joseph's speech, and after ;>n : 1 •!■ 1-CS-j of an hour and three-quarters, he sal 1 down amidst prolonged acclamation.

j A few questions were asked. and ; were satisfactorily answered. I Mr J. (!. Green moved and Mr C. A. Ffillo. seconded a motion, according a vote of thanks and confidence, f The motion was carried with acclamation mid ringing cheers for the candidate. A very eiithosia-tie meeting closed with the singing of “Fer He is a .Toll Fellow”, three hearty cheers for Ladv Ward, ami the singing of the National Anthem. In 1 1 is Taitranga speech. Sir 1. Ward said that if he were in office l e-day he would put penny pestnire into nperai'rm within twenty-four hours, 1 eeai'se he considered it would b 0 of general bonetit and would increase the postal revenue. Speaking of the Tom ht Department. Sir Joseph said that tlm present mistaken policy should not he pursued. Resorts should bo made cheap enough to get. people, to us 1 thorn, instead of putting a rate on that -r peed people visiting them. SIR J. WARD'S CAMPAIGN. TV PUKK. March 19. Sir Joseph Ward visited l’apamoa todav addressed meetings of the settlers at both school houses, pelting good hearings. In the afternoon he briefly addiessed the children of I e Puke District High School. Then lie went to pie Public Works Depart moot quarry, tidir Teptike. where ho addressed a number of men and women alter knockchi' time. Tins evening. Sir Joseph addressed a crowded meeting at the Alliance HaH there, on similar linos to his meeting at Tauranga last- night. fu addition lie expressed the opinion that we should make n reasonable contribution towards such a navy as is necessary to maintain'the trade routes. When the time arrived a general reduction of armaments would he possible. The present difficulties eoufil not be adjusted until the trouble between Germany and France was righted. in which he believed France was right, and until the two hundred millions of people on the Continent, now out of the trade of the world, were in a position to once again trade. Tt was also necessary to have some system of world exchange to enable the producer in New Zealand to get full value for the products he sent to Europe. A hearty vote of thanks and confidence was carried with acclamation.