THE RAGLAN ELECTION

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1927, Page 4

THE RAGLAN ELECTION

■ 1 MR COATES UNDER FIRE. AUCKLAND. Sept. 27. The I’rime Minister, the Right Hon. j. (;. Coates, had a mixed, hut. not unfriendly reception last night when he opened his Campaign in support of the official Reform candidate lor the Raglan seat. The Ngaruawhia hall was packed and Air Coates's address was interrupted frequently, and at the end he was called upon to answer a large number of questions. .Mr Coates began to explain that he had only decided to come to Raglan to assist Air AVaring after he had learned that Mr Holland was coining up to support the LaWir candidate. This statement was greeted with several loud guffaws. There were, said AD Coates, only two issues in this byelection. A voice: Yes, nine bob a day for single men and twelve hob a day for married ones. (Laughter). The Labour candidate had said that the issue of the election was not that of Labour’s policy, hut whether the electors were satisfied with the present administration and the heavy burden of debt weighing upon it. He went on to say that the depression which the country was passing through was pul down to had administration. A voice: Correct. Air Coates: My friend says correct. He might have some questions to a.sk later on. A chorus of voices: You’ll get ’em all right. (Laughter). .Mr Coates: AVe are all unanimous upon tho fact that the depression was due to something outside the country. A voice: You are. (Laughter). To sav that the Government had done nothing to ease unemployment would he incorrect, said Air Coates. The Government had done a lot, and during the past four months had expended something like £200.000 to alleviate the situation. The Government could not, however, pay the standard rate of wage to every man unemployed. The country could not afford it. A voice: The Government is responsible for bringing in ten thousand immigrants a year. Air Coates: There are no immigrants coming into this country.

Tiic interrupter: Dili you not sav you wore bound to admit toil thousand immigrants annually ? .Mr Coates: Ten thousand immigrants did not runic in last year, and no more will lie admitted until the position has been reviewed and until we know that tile country ran satisfactorily absorb them. It was not Government taxation that was bearing so heavily on farmers to-day as local taxation. Some of the settlors in the districL to which be (the speaker) belonged were paying as much as £1 per acre in rates, and even with that wore unable to maintain the roads properly. Since June, 11)24, the number of motorcars had more than doubled, and the cost of load maintenance had gone up sharply in that period. The Highways Hoard spent at the rate of £0 per motor vehicle on the maintenance of main highways, while all it collected was £.l per vehicle. Asked whether there would he any legislation for repeal of the Dairy Control Act. Mr Coates replied that there would he no such legislation. “Is it correct, that the first piece of legislation passed when you came into power was to reduce land tax on the big squatters of Hawke’s Bay by £1.250,000 in return for their expenditure of £200,000 to pul you where you are to-day ?” he asked. Mi' Coates: I know niv friend is only joking. The qustionr (indignantly): I am not joking. The Prime Minister said it was perfectly ridiculous to say the Government had received £200,000 from anybody. The Government did not have more than £IO,OOO towards party funds. Mr Edwards: Ts the Prime Minister aware that the present official Deform candidate is definitely opposed to the Control Board and all it means? Dir Contes: T was unaware of it. Mr Edwards: Well. I am making you aware of it now. (Laughter). “Does the Prime Minister think the Arbitration Act, a perfect farce, as the Reform candidate declares it is?” was another question. Mr Coates said he thought the Arbitration Act had been a very useful measure. “Is liot the fact of the Government closing the gates to immigrants an ad- ■ mission of failure of its immigration scheme, and such being the ease, is it not the duty of the Government to provide for persons it has brought out who are willing to give a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay and cannot get it?” was the final question. Mr Coates said the Government took no such responsibility. A motion of confidence and an amendment of no confidence wore mov-

The Chairman declared the motion carried without calling for a negative vote.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.) HFXTLY, Sept. 28. Messrs Holland, Savage, Jordan. Fraser, Xa.sh, and Lee-Martin have been addressing meetings in every part, of the ltaglan electorate, and have been meeting with excellent receptions.

On Monday night, notwithstanding heavy rain, about four hundred men were present- at Mr Holland’s meeting at Waiukn. He bad an excellent hearing and there was plenty of enthusiasm. Last night Mr Holland addressed six hundred people at Ngarnawahia, speaking for two hours and he was applauded at every stage, Many

questions were asked, and the answers given were applauded. Owing to the injury to his leg, Mr Holland had to speak sitting: To-night, Mr Holland is speaking at Huntly. Mr Savage at Itaglan and Teukti, Mr Fraser at Xgarusiwaliia and Glenai'ton. Hr Jordan at Tvoromntua, Mr Lee-Martin at. Taupiri. and Mr Nash at Ngariiawahia. Looks as if Mr Lee-Martin will win the election. Mr Holland will leave for Wellington after his meeting to-nighi.