OPPOSITION LEADER.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1929, Page 7

OPPOSITION LEADER.

A LIVELY MEETING

WELLINGTON, December 12,

Announcing a policy speech, Mi Coates, leader of the Opposition, addressed a crowded audience at Petom to-night. The Reform candidate, Mi Johnston, who subsequently marie a procovative anti-labour speecli, couk. not be heard a.bove the continuous din. but tlio Opposition leader received a good hearing, subject to steady interruption, which lie good-humouredly tolerated, as it never prevented him making his points. “I fee! rather bashful,” was Mi Coates’s introductory sentence.

“What for?” asked an mterjector. “The nine bob a day?” Mr Coates: If you stick to Reform you get eighteen bob a day. He said that the Reform. policy would improve the standard of living, and it was the only party which understood the meaning of rationalisation Though it knew the dangers and pitfalls of the position, it could promis' that its policy would mean a healthy, prosperous, industrious community. He prompty denied an interruption that Reform was well out. 011 tin contrary, he said, if the total vote polled at last election were considered, it was the strongest party in Parliament. As the United candidate hac' declared that he preferred to vote foi a Labour Government if his part} was defeated, the fight was obviously between Reform and two Labour candidates.

“You won’t nay a dividend,” suggested someone.

Mr Coates: We will pay a dividend if you take the proper course. The speaker proceeded to make hi: points against much good-humoured interruption, \in which a lady took r prominent part. She accused him o< criticising the Labour candidate behind his back. '

“I would be very glad to see him here,” said Mr Coates. “He would squash you if he was here,” declared the lady, amid laughter.

Mr Coates’s next point was thai prior to last election New Zealand’s credit never stood higher. “!Yes, but they found you out,” came from the audience. Mr Coates: The reason for tin change was that the people swallowed ' the seventy millions, boot, saddle and spurs, lock, stock and barrel. The\ were gullible. They thought the} would get something for nothing. Bui what did they get? A voice: They got rid of you. (Loud laughter.) Mr Coates suggested that the United Party assumed office quite unexpectedly, and Juid no sound policy. Foi instance, it proposed to extend the us* of New Zealand timbers by using drying kilns. It was wrong, and the Government should have joined with tile whole industry in making kilndried timbers available to all. The Reform Party was responsible for the initiation of an Industrial Conference to solve problems affecting capital and labour.

“Cannot we tackle the question of seeing how we can make the country prosperous??’ asked Mr Coates.

“To late! Too late!” roaretl an interrupter. Mr Coates: You will find the people will turn again to tile party which inaugurated the scheme of getting together. This is not going to .knock us back. We will come again.” “You will want monkey glands, was a loud comment in a chorus of dissent. Mr Coates claimed that there was absolutely nothing originaj in the United Party’s land policy. The only detailed scheme for effective settlement was presented at last election by his party,

,ut the electors would not listen. Reform put land .settlement first, and recognised the necessity of developing second ar y ind u s t-r ie s.

“Oh, wo know you too well,” shouted a critic.

“The last interjector, retorted Mr Coates, “does not know me at all, be cause he was not born in the country.” (Laughter and applause). Coming back to his point that labour and capital should get together, Mr Coates was reminded that he was out, hut he replied that he was not out of touch with matters of importance to the country’s welfare Labour and United, he wont on, were very sore with him. Did they want him to take the £100? A voice: You would want double.

Dir Coates: I can only conclude that you think I’m worth far more than £450. He stod consitently for meeting the position of the public, servants before members of Parliament got increases. Mr Coates predicted that this winter his hearers would be up against it, and that would continue so long as the Government endeavoured to borrow large sums of money, passing on the problem, and not getting down to essentials.

Finally tlu? leader of the Opposition summarised the policy of the Deform Party as follows:-—Prudent finance, land settlement, private enterprise as opposed to Socialism, Imperial trade, international peace and goodwill, equality of opportunity, payment of workers’ minimum wage the workers to participate in output as a result of their intelligence and industry, fostering of secondary industries, humanitarian legislation carefully designed not to undermine the best instincts of our people, housing, settlement under original and newer schemes, and, above all, loyalty to King and country. A vote of thanks to Mr Coates was moved, and was greeted with' 1 cheers from one section, and a counter demonstration from, Labour«