PRIME MINISTER

Hokitika Guardian, 24 October 1928, Page 2

PRIME MINISTER

A TALK WITH SAWMILL MEN

OTA UTAH, Oct. 21

That the presentation in Ihe cm rise form of a two-hours’ speech ‘ ill-: Government's roc ml of tin* pa three years, together with an outi 11 of the work to /lie undertaken durii. the coming term ’of office, coustiliil a convincing claim for support of t! I Inform Party at tho pall's next.. 1110111.1 was again made evident on Saturda, night, alien the farmers and Limbo workers of the rural electorate < Wallace cheered Hie Prime Ministei Air Coates, to I,lie echo, alter tin had given him a unanimous mite n thanks and confidence.

This was the first, occasion durin. tlie present campaign that Air Conte ha-l addressed an audience in th coiinl ry, and he was listened to wit', very close attention while he brief! traversed the economic diffioulth which came in with the year, 1020 and told how the 'Government ha' given a load to the people in retiring to how their heads under the pres sure. The result was to ho seen i the fact that the greatest trouble were now behind. Last season ha< been a good one in the matter o both primary and secondary produ< tioii, and the season that was iur owning gave every promise of bein a better one. Aloney was 011 the flov again, and it could not be long he fore it reached every section of th community. As was to be expected in a distric whore timber milling is on:' of 0* important industries, tlie’ coi dilion that business loomed large in th minds of some members of tlie and ©nco, particularly in those of a nun her of workers who were standing sideep at the hack of the' hall.

“Now that is what T call a ver; sensible question,” said the Prinn Minister, when one of these men asked why tlie Customs tariff c-uild no' be increased so as to shut out tim her from overseas. “I will ask yoi this.” Air Coates continued: “Is i' fair and is it right to cover up in efficiency by raising the tariff? Ca' you say the timber industry. is realk efficient, and that the timber produced here will compare in quality, size and specification with the imported article ?”

Everybody else raises the tariff,’ the man called.

“A mill employing 1-10 hands closed down in this district last week,” another man interjected. The Prime Minister: Suppose we carry that argument on a little hit further, and say that every time there is a slackness in the sale of

our timber, we should increase the tariff—and don’t forget wo did in- ■ reuse the' duty last year.

A voice: Did the increase .put up he price to the consumer?

■steadied up importation. Air Coates *1 id that to suggest that we should

The Prime Minister: No, hut ft ;l nulfly increase I lie duty on timber until all imported timber was shut ml was to cany the argument he yond reason. What we had to do, and what tile millers had to do and ■ax’re going to do, avuis lo produce the i nher in the form and quality in vhieli it was required hv flie eotisum>r. (I realer strides had been made reently towards getting the timber mluslrv on to a stalde and eflichuil ‘ouling than had been made during

h>‘ previous twenty years. This declaration was doubted by k* of the men who called , “No,

The I’rime Minister: Look here, •on fellows, it is quite evident that vo'i have not the slightest, knowledge >f what- has ileeui going on, and that von do’ not read.

A voice: I work too hard. The Prime Minister-. Perhaps you work too hard. I have to. Tin- voice: But you get a big salary for .It. • t “And you fellows get most of it, i.lie I’rime Minist-er retorted. “It is very seldom that I leave home with a pound in my pockets, and find much of it there when I reach my office.’’ Kor the benefit of these men, the Prime Minister then gave a resume of the '.numerous conferences which had been held between those engaged in the timber and building industries and others interest, the result of their deliberations being included in a Bill which was circulated for public information on the night Parliament rose. That the men were impressed was shown by the manner in which they gathered around Air Coates at the close of the meeting and discussed. the various proposals. They went away in a cheerful frame of mind.