POLITICAL.

Hokitika Guardian, 15 October 1925, Page 1

POLITICAL.

BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSN., COPYRIGHT.

NELSON. Oct. 14. Ah- (). Wilkinson announces himself a candidate for the Motueka seat in the interests ot the Country Party. TAKAKA, Oct. 14. Air Alark Fagan, the Labour candidate for the Motueka seat, addressed a largely-attended meeting of the cul zens of Takaka last evening. Air Morris. the Chairman of the Takaka Town Board, presided. The candidate dealt with the land policy of tlie Labour Party, and ho quoted figures to show that thousands of pounds could lie saved for the farmers if a State Land Transfer Department was in operation. Mr Fagan also dealt with the large remissions of the income tax granted to the big squatters by ihe Government. and he claimed, also. that, the aggregation of large estates was still going on apace, and this, apparently, with” the full consent of the Reform Party. Mr Fagan also referred to many local district matters that are urgently requiring attention, and which he would light strcnuoiifily if returned. Many questions were asked, and all were satisfactorily answered. The candidate was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks by the meeting. CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 14. \V. E. Lcadley, Secretary of the Returned Soldiers’ Association will contest Hie Avon .seat, as a Reform candidate. ASHBURTON, Oct. 14. Owing to the indifferent, health of his wife, Mr J. H. Harle, official Labour candidate for Ashburton, lias decided to retire from the contest. T 1 Al ARE, Oct. 13. Air F. .T. Rolieston, Reform candidate for Timaru, opened his campaign to-night before a. large and appreciative audience. He said that the present position was unique in the magnitude of problems which had folio faced and the fact that three- parties were seeking election. He advocated the return to the two-party system, and expressed the hope that after the election, there would he u fusion between Reform and the National Parties. Ho had always favoured fusion. The policies of the two main parties in the main essentials were identical. There were four vacancies in the Cabinet now, and Mr Coates should lie given the opportunity to till these anil bring down legislation outlined in his manifesto. Air Rolieston detailed the humanitarian legislation proposed by Mr Coates, and said that this would have ids hearty support. He dealt with the Labour Party's proposals to show that in the main they were impracticable. To acquire all the land of the Dominion. ns that party proposed would cost 567 millions. Labour complained of the increase in national debt, yet proposed by this one step to more than double it. Moreover, if the country was on a verge of bankruptcy, as Labour said, he was at a loss to think where the millions involved in that Parly',, programme were to conic from. Air Rolieston advocated more individuality and less party. A vote of thanks was enthusiastically carried.

THE BUTLER- ELECTORATE. .WESTPORT, October 11. Air ('. S. Ilcilby, Hie Reform candidate for Duller, 'oiitiutles to have enthusiastic meetings. Yesterday he addressed tile electors of the milling districts of Stockton. Millertim and Granite. which nre the Labour strongholds of the northern part ol the electorate, and lie was accorded a most enthusiastic reception at each place by very large and attentive audiences, who Iroqueutly a]ildatided his remarks. Air Beilin- ably defended tin- Government's policy and pointed out the pitfalls and snares of Ihe Labour Party's programme. Air Roil liv is held in the highest, esteem by the whole of the mining coinitiunit.y and the miners of Stockton requested him to alter his itinerary so that they would all he enabled to attend his meetings. Those who approached Mr lleilby on this inatlei stated that if ii were impossible folium to comply with their request, they would lose half a shift’s work lo hear him. speak. The position is becoming inure hopeful every day. the candidate leaving good impressions ever vaclie re he ..peaks

MR HOLLAND AT DUNEDIN. DUNEDIN. Oct. RL Ai the Town Hall. South Dunedin, this evening. Mr 11. E. Holland. Leader oi the Labour Party, addressed a large and enthusiastic meeting. Referring to Air Coates' statements concerning housing conditions. Mr Holland said that under the present Government: regime a shortage of over 23.000 dwelling houses had been created. with 165.000 persons packed into overcrowded houses and tenements. One per-mi in every seven was living under conditions described hv the Government Statistician as the worst, distinct iv dangerous. and at- the host unfavourable to the maintenance ol a proper standard of health and decency.

was accorded a hearty vote of thanks and confidence. CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 14. Mr E. ,T. Howard, Labour candidate lor Christchurch South, opened sns campaign to-night, when he addressed a crowded meeting, and lie received a vote of thanks and confidence. His speech was mainly a criticism of the Reform administration, and an exposition of Labour aims.

MR. AIcLEOD'S PROTEST. ' CHRISTCHURCH, Ocfc. 13

Hon. A. D. McLeod, .Minister of Lands, ill the course of a week’s tour in Canterbury and Otago, addressed a large audience at Kaiapoi last night. in tile support ot the candidature ol Air AY. Brock. The Minister spoke on the lines ol li is previous address hut rcterred paiticularly to a statement appearing in a Christchurch newspaper to the cited that he was the owner of 35,000 acres and was one of the men behind the Reform Party's newspaper propagation. “As always follows alter tHo iailuu* of any movement,” said Air McLeod, ••the 'failure of fusion negotiations necessitated the finding of a scapegoat and I have good reasons to believe that, 1 have been selected by oui .National friends for special attention. I have in mv possession an extraordinary document which has no doubt been sent to all National candidates, and which refers lo me as tho fusion wrecker of the Reform Party, lfc do not mind that, but 1 do object to our opponents, cither newspapers. or individuals, making personal attacks upon me which arc ahsulutcl.v untruthful. 1 am referred to as one of the squattocrni-y of tho Reform Party. owning 35,006 acres. Tho tact is that the total area of land that I am posessed of is 1598 acres, all hill country. A]v wife possesses JO 1 )!) acres, and tnat is tho sum total of our land. A newspaper that stoops to a personal attack of that nature in an endeavour to associate me with the so-called squ.iltoeracy adopts the' standard of ihe

gutter press. Continuing, the Al mister stated in. IL he noticed that the National candidate for Wellington North was adopting similar tactics. He had known Mr McGrath for twenty years, and ho was astonished to find that, lie would stoop to sucli methods for political purposes. Due of the ideals of the National Party was to keep Labour form the T rea.surv benches, hut Air .McGrath's candidature in Wellington North made it more than possible that l lie seal would go to La hour, after being held by Reform for twenty years. AH' McGrath ] la d been told definitely before his name was mentioned politically, that if lie stood! for Wellington Central in whatever capacity, he would have the support of Reform behind him. He preferred to jeopardise the safety ol the AVellington North seat, despite the fact that the Reform Party was standin" out of such electorates, as AN atom,duo, Westland, ami Dunedin South Air AlcLeod was accorded a vote of thanks, the mover speaking in high terms of the government.

Air Holland then proceeded to refer to Air Coates’s comparative statement of income taxation levied in New Zealand and different countries of the Empire. He said that when the Government were trying to justify the last income tax reduction the Hon A. D. AlcLeod- then declared that New Zealand was tin- most heavily taxed eount.rv in the world. They now had Alt' Coates quoting figures previously quoted hv Labour members and for the same purpose to prove that the wealthy tax-payer of New Zealand was in an infinitely better position than the taxjmyer in any other part <>f the Empire Air Coates’s own figures demonstrated that there was no need for the latest tax reduction which gave relict to the extent of £150.000 in all. Of this amount more than £tb .1)00 would go lo benefit 28 taxpayers, including companies. firms and persons. The balance of less than £87.W0 would be divided between about 36.000 other taxpayers, ft was another case of gifts to the wealthy. DUNEDTN. Get. 13. Air A. Ashworth. Labour candidate for Wakatipu addressed a large audience at Ophir on Monday evening.. He spoke on the Labour policy. specially with reference to land. State medical service and shipping. TTe condemned land speculation and the rise in Customs duties, affirming the incidence of taxation operated unfairly against the labouring classes. Ho was accorded a vote of thanks. Afr Ritchie. Reform candidate for AA'akatipu addressed a meeting at Omakau oil Saturday night. He declare) himself in favour of a strong stable Government and if fusion c-ame about he was confident Afr Coates would lead a strong National Party. He strongly upheld the Government’s taxation, and