POLITICAL ADDRESS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 October 1925, Page 4

POLITICAL ADDRESS

Ml! SEDDON AT HOKITIKA

.Mr T. K. V. Seddon addressed the (■lectors at the Princess Theatre last evening tiie hall being well tilled. The candidate was well received, and tbronghout fils address he was constantly applauded. A small section were interject ing. Imt the speaker had

a good hold of the meeting 1 lirotiglmut, and he constantly scored. The feeling of the mention was excellent. The Mayor '..Mr (I. A Perry) presided and shortly alter s o'clock took lhe chair, ami there was a round of applause. .Mr Perry in opening the meeting said .Mr .Seddon in the course of his political campaign was preseo! to address them, lie need not introduce him hut would ask Mr Hcddon to place his views before them. .Mr Hcddon said he wanted lirst to publicly express Ins regret that his opponent Mr O'llrieu had been laid aside tliroueh indisposition, and lie wished him a vefv speedy recovery. Mr Sod(lo;i referring to the last, election said that then there were four candidates in the field, and during that campaign they had a visit from Mr .Massey, who since lias passed away. Though he had been opposed to Mr Massey politically he had hene a personal friend. Mr Massey to-day has been followed !>v Mr Coates as Prime Minister, and in- was also a personal friend. The latter alien lie lirst entered Parliament had s;it on the same side of the House

as the speaker, as a member of the l.ibcral Party, now named the .National I’artv. -and Ted by Mr Forbes, lie itjd not intend that night to touch on the whole political platform. that would take too lore/, hut lie would take tltc opportunity of dealing with the leading planks of the National Party.

The National Party favours the maintenance of sound iinance by limit-

ing the borrowin'; policy ol the country within reasonable lines. In six years the National Debt had increased hv ’dll millions, and the national debt at present was of very substantial proportions. over -d-s millions. About -tb per cent of tin’ national debt was invested. and interest hearing. I hat sum is uni a dead loss. Ihe private wealth of the country was 010 millions. The rate of borrowing was too high and it should he carefully watched. They also said a portion ol H'eir loans should he borrowed in this country and he was {dad to liml the latest loan was being raised in the Dominion, and he thought the people would he found subscribing freely to it and thereby showing their approval ol the course ■being followed. His party were strongIv in favor of a stricter control of tin* expenditure of the linance of the country. There had been a roierenee to this in the last session, where the report of the Auditor-General had been questioned and Ins position had been discussed in the House, lie tell this officer should have been hacked up by |he (lovernmen! anil that he should he given as free a hand as possible in the carrying out ol his duties.

Another matter requiring attention was ti e revision of the incidence ol taxation. The Taxation ( ommisson had made a number of suggcstoiis which had so far not been acted on. It would remain for the next Parliament to see that due consideration was given to these recommendations, in regard to farmers hanks, the National Party urged the establishment of agricultural hanks, lie laid given his support when lie had lasi spoken here, and the whole party supported it. The (lovrrnnvn! had sule-sl cppcil the iicsitinu h>- setting no a commissi if enquiry. The members ol that commission were being soul to all parts of the world to enquire into the position of agricultural hanks in other parts of the world. They found that where these banks bail been inaugurated they bad done well. Ibe termer.' were complaining "I the high rate ot interest charged lor loam- and it uas

considered that tee inauguration nl those banks weald tend to .substantially reduce the charge for interest. A mere libera! rousidera li. m el ih’ funds of lhe Slate Advance- Department '.YU - re .iii roc I. Ile had no complaint to make on the way the Ac t had been carried old . hut better prut mini! -hnuld he made so that the requirement . under the a. 1 would receive mare prompt attention. I here was not

sufji.-iciit money available lor the many tails t'cir loans ii! mi the .State Advan-

<es Depa ft iiit'iit. There were thousands of auroiicaiions received that had l ; wait for over a year iielore the requests of tie farmers tonld lie reached in their turn. This was not right. tin.l s'•<»!■!<l 1.0 remedied. The question nl land settlement "as next dealt with The land lor sett lenient scheme brought down hy Sir John McKenzie was .-till o!i the Statute liook. and it mile required the provisions to he put into ie oration, and tiion there would not he th" aggregation ul hie estates. Mr Ca ry Korbes, the present leader

o| the National Party was a strong lieiiever in that lau. lie was ..lie who had reason to ha. I!.- had made appl’eaiion and was sin i essl’id in the hallol. n lien the Cheviot estate was siih divided. and was now a sunie.slnl tanner 111 that nourishing sett lenient, that: was e\,ih'ed under the Liberals Land

Settlement Act. In regard to education the .National Party strongly uphold the eonl imianee of flee, secular education, as at present in In fee. They also favoured a free nieitieal examination of all school pupils. V. itli free school luniks. Furtlior they were in accord with the system of a free dental service that had been inaugurated and a further extension of this system was supported. This question of denial service had been referred to hy one of his audience at a recent nicotine at Hell Hill, which was one of Uie must isolated places in the electorate. who hint advocated that C e denial nurses should on into the haekhluel;-. lirst. and he (.Mr Seddoat LcartiK approved nl this suggestion.

Another commission had reported on the question of education and the report had recently been received. This reported in favour of children hoi try forced through the primary schools before they were twelve. The report also recommended iiinor high schools, inci cased work in technical schools and raising the test in the matriculation examinations. Those matters required

careful consideration, as it was felt that by stutfinn Up tim course toe much a great. danger might creep in that would perhaps do much injury.

In regard to defence it was considered that every possible effort should lie made to keen the expenditure down as low as possible in keeping with safety. In regard to Public Works Expenditure the hist statement had brought down a very vigorous programme which would absorb a very large amount of money. Mr Coates proposed to spend over two millions this year on new railways and there was not much of this to ho spent on the Coast. The only railway they required in this district was the extension of the railway line below Ross, ami that was not mentioned. It was the duty of every representative to get the fullest information possible on how this expenditure was to ho expended. and each item should he carefully scrutinised, even if the particular member’s district were not actually affected. It was a matter for regret that there was no provision for the extension of the railway to South Westland. The onus was not only on the Minister proposing the expenditure but

members themselves should delve closely into the proposed expenditure so that the best possible value should be obtained.

Dealing with the question of hydroelectricity where there was over a million to lie spent this year, he felt that every care should he taken. Tn the North Island the whole of the schemes were going to lie linked tip. In the South Islam! they had the T-ake Coleridge scheme, hut 11 1 is hud proved to have been too small, and large extensions were being carried out. So far as the West Coast was concerned there wer.- no Government proposals suggested at present, but there was a need for the installation of a stable supply, which would assist materially in adding to Hie progress of the district. Experts who had visited the Toarolm river site had reported that there was sttflicient power for the whole of the A\ est Coast, lint so far no proposal to utilise it had reached concrete form. Mr Coates had said that- the Government was going to spend a million u year, and if tliis were so then the West Coast should get a share of that expendil are.

The need for the .supply ot clump fer-tiii-er depots in till districts to distribute the Nauru phosphates to the farmers at the lowest possible cost. On tfic West Coast they felt that tho working of the state farm at Waimangtl should b‘ carried out in such a wav so that tiie best possible results should lie made available for the information of the farmers of the district. T’nfmOrnately Hie promises made had not boon carried out and the faun was not proving the utility that had been expected. A promise had been made to him by Mr Nnsworthy to have a couple of pure-bred herds at tiie State farm, but tliis proposal bad not been carried out. and so the farm was not proving as useful as it might have done. fn connection with the .superannuation schemes in lor.e it was urged by the National Party that the scheme can be amended and improved, whereby Hi the (loath of the pensioner, his widow should receive a continuance of that superannuation. This was one o( the proposals which they favored whereby the provisions of the scheme could lie improved and made of more value. There was a shortage of lioii-.es il . New Zealand and they realised that one of the reasons was ill" high cost ol building, which wa> due to many causes including the increased cost of timber and foment. Every endeavour should be made to reduce the present cost. This year an wont the freight on railage of limber on the railways, and accordingly it)) went the price of timber. The freight a Heeled coast coal as against Australian by 7s per ton. As regards timber the imported article was coming in in vast quantities. It bad been urged that a greater tax bo put on imported timber, but Mr Massey bad refused the request, ('apt. Ellis had stated in his last report that the forc-ts planted would he millnhlc in sixty years. When in the House he had urged the planting of exotic trees on the West Coast, and that had been done on the Doss road, and he had urged the making of a nursery: and this had boon done at Woodstock, where thousands of young trees were now being raised. Tin- question of p m.-inns was next referred to. It was pointed out that last year the pensions paid out cost over £1 ,007,ins).

lie next referred to Lite Soldiers' Settlement. Scheme, which was in the hand- ot the Government. Some mistake-- had been made, two and a half millions of money had been lost on the holdings, and there were some more losses that would have to lie faced. (,biota lion., Irom various Boards on Soldier Seitlemenls acre p'a'l on the subject (I these lands, showing that main- losses laid to he faied. The whole scheme wanted revising, and

needed being carefully looked into. Dealing "iili tbc question of fusion. .Mr Seddon said after the last election • A voice Von got the order of flic

■Mr Seddon Yes. but be had never represented this district in Parliament without a inability of {lie people behind him. and that was than the present member could say. He (Mi Hcddon) did not have to get Mr

lan down In-re to light his campaign, and to diein.ie to the j eople who they -Imnlil vote for. Continuing on the subject of fusion Mr Feddon said that there were three parties at present, and It was demonstrated that neither at present had a majority of the elector.- behind them. Ii was liiiiiiil that the present Government were not favorable to an alteration in the electoral system, and though the Liberal Party had made n proposal for the proportional representation system this had not met with luvor. It was fell llml "hero the Reform and National tint-ties have so little difference in their platforms, that it was only right and proper to join forces and tomhtue to light the common enemy, extreme Labor. The altitude taken up by the Liberal Party in the fusion represent a tin ns were referred to at some length. The personnel of the Reform Party to-day did not contain one who v.us in the House when the Old Age Pensions Act was passed. The Liberal Party expressed itself in favor of fusion, to leave the question ■of tlm Cabinet to the Prime Minister and that consideration he given to the question ut candidates for the eleeti. it. fit .fitly .Mr Willord had stilted I . lore the Mouse the final offer of the Li'.eral- for i'u-iou. The Liberals recognised that it wti- better to have one eouthined -table parly in the interests of the country. A reference "its made to the position of nll'air- in Knghmd at the present time.

A voice ■ What about the ZinoviofF letter ?

Mr Sv'ddcin— Tam coming to that. At this stage there were a considerable number of interjections from the rear of the Imll.

Mr fo’dilnn proceeded to refer to llir position of polities a I he,mo at the time of tin' last general election, when there was ,-t feeling of distrust of the Labor party. In reference to the Zinovieff letterA video— It was a myth. Mr Set hlnn That r, us your opinion. Personally he "as prepared to accept the statement if Mr Austen Chamberlain. which had not been contradicted, that he had convincing proof of the niithoiitirty of the letter, as against the denial of his questioner at the hack of the hall. It was significant that ii England there was a great fear of the Communist and Socialist element run! the result was that the Baldwin Government were returned with a substantial majority. Before concluding he wished to refer to a personal attack that had appeared in that morning's “Argus." and to the contents he gave an emphatic denial. No greater lie had been published. This referred to the election of Air P. C. Webb. No celebration had taken place in his house in honor of Mr Webb's success. A voice—You knew Mr Webb's sentiments. Air y'eddon—A’es. That was in 1013. That was before the war. He wished to emphatically declare that there never had been any gloating over Air Afichel's defeat and no celebration took place. He was only too pleased to see it in print so as to he able to give the statement the emphatic denial it deserves. Continuing ATr Sodden said he Had been pleased to he present that evening and put before them the planks of j

of tit National Party. He had no personal feeling against Mr O’Brien, win always fought hard hut fairly, and lie (Mr Hcddon) lmd no cause to complain. The issue at the fuming election was clear cut. On tiie one hand they had official Labor, at present posing not as Deci, but as pink. He asked what had tiie k-abor Party done itt connection with the scamen'.s strike. Five millions lmd boon lost: to tbc primary producors by that action. Air Coates had taken tho rigid and proper stand. At Invercargill they had a labor candidate opposing Sir Joseph Ward. They knew bis (Mr Hickey’s) sentiments expressed in tlx' words “To hell with agreements." 'Hie issue for the electors to decide was on the one hand the official Labor Party, and on tile other those who stand for the nations’ interests first, wtio should get together to bind tile lannis of Empire its strong as possible, rite party who pul country first and foremost every time. Tie asked them to show they had no time in. any person who lias any revolutionary tendencies. Tho National Party aims hv constitutional action, in making

New Zealand the brightest part in tlio British Empire, tho place which it alwavs has the right to l.c. (Applause). QUESTIONS.

Mr .1. McQniikin —Why did he not reply to tho original statement referred to in tiie “Argus." before last election. All' Hcddon replied that the statement had only boon circulated the night before the election, so that lie could not reply to it publicly. He spoke to the person whom lie thought, was responsible, and stated ii the matter was again circulated lie would answer it publicly. .Mr Friend - Who was the writer, a Labourite or a Deformer? Air Hcddon replied that he had not asked him. and lie was not going to tell the questioner who be v.i.„.' Air A. Sumner In the event of Mr Forbes moving a no-confidence mo- ; t ion against the Deform Government . how would lie, vote ? Mr Seddon replied that- in view of tin- fusion proposals, it was so remote . that it was not possible for it to lot!'- j pen. lie would support fusion lirst, ! then stick to his parly. If tiie mo- , lion were moved by the Labor Party j he a oltld turn it down. ] Mr C. Friend—Would Air Sodden j name one portion of the Labor Party's , programme tliat was revolutionary or j socialistic:-' ■

Air Heddioi replied at some length, but tiie questioner was not satisfied, and proceeded to speak at length till tho audience called “question." The Mayor said the questioner was getting beyond bounds. Air K. \V. Hoonim referring to hydroelectric power stated that in view of tiie useless expenditure going on in Greynmilth. the Government should send an expert down and have it squashed. In reply to “question." lie asked would Mr Hcddon support I lii.s suggestion ? In I lie i -outre ( ,f asking tiie question, he spoke at .some length until the assemblage /as crashed into laughter by Mr G. Vi’illctts interjecting “Have a little hook printed'*

Mr Hcddon replied Hint the hydroelectric scheme at Greymotilli was reported on by an eminent engineer. (Mr Bulls) v.-Jio advised a steam plant, to tie erected first, to be supplemented by a iivdrn-elcettie scheme later. Mr Erie ml In the event of acute land aggregation at no distant date and the Labor parly moving a no(l'ldiili'ino vote on it. how would lie vote ? Mr Seddon replied that when the National Party got into power they would enforce tin- Lands for Settlement ,\i t. and that "mild make it impossible for there to be aggregation in the future. In reply In a question put by Mr Willetts (inaudible) Air Seddon premised in look into the mailer and give a reply later. Mr IL'cnau asked if the candidate "as prepared to prohibit of ('Din-'sc and oilier Asiat b - ? Mr Seddon replied Holt be was hi favor ot Hie present rest ric’t ions and poll tax oil Chin -e.

Alt' Willetts asked why a person receiving a war |cn-inn .should m,( aiso receive the full benefit of [lie old ago p. ns I, m . Mr Sedihnt duid he saw no reason why the present system should he tillered, ill 'NED AND CONb > DIN f K The Ret. John Perkins moved that the meeting express thanks; and confidence in Air Sediion. He took this stand as a very strong Reformer. The present lime "as a serious otic and they wanted "ell tried representatives, niini who stand for constitutional government and law and order. Air C. Willetts seconded tile motion, because Air Seddon was a true Britisher and ccnst.it utionali't. one who would uphold our old conning and keep it free. The motion wa~ put and carried nn;i n imcttsl v.

.Mr Ncddoij returned thank-g lie desired to thank Rev Perkins for moving the motion, which .'.as unexpected. as Air Pilkington had com." en to the stage to do so. 11., ditl tn.i think he. as Mr Perkins had staled, had hit Reform rather hard. lie had simply placed before them the intentions of the National Party, lie thanked thorn for the excellent hearing given, and assured his questioner* that lie had no animosity, though he had answered iln-ir questions ns the questioners deserved. He moved a hearty vote of thank' t,i the Mayor anil this was carried heartily by acclamation, an cx<elI"ti l meet iug eniicludi ng.