GENERAL ELECTION

Hokitika Guardian, 21 November 1931, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTION

HON. J. G. COATES. (By Telegraph—Per Frets Astoctation) AUCKLAND, Nov. 20. A crowded, but by no means a wholly sympathetic, audience packed, the Town Hall tonight to hear Mr Coates, while thousands listened outside to loud speakers. The cheers on Mr Coates’s entry wore mingled with a considerable amount of hooting from the back of the hall. An address of welcome on behalf of the Auckland Branch of the Reform League could not be heard for constant interjections. Mr' Coates quickly commanded a comparative quiet. A vote of thanks and confidence that Messrs Forbes and Coates would soon relieve the country, of its difficulties was carried with enthusiasm. Mr Coates .described the present crisis as the greatest the country had ever had to face. His statement that it was important for the people , of. New Zealand that New' Zealand should pay her way w T as loudly aplauded. A casual reference by the speaker to the Labour Party roused an instant uproar.

He touched on the problem of what to do for the 13,000 of the unemploycd who- are. not provided for every week. Mr Conte® said anything in the nature of a dole would undermine the moral fibre of the nation. If £SOO,UOO* was available, It would be possible to plane 20,00 cin productive employment, but that sum could not. he got. without causing increased hardship by .increased taxation. Ajlready '‘there was a gratifying response to schemes for getting men on the land whicH promised greatly to relieve the situstion in the near future. He made an appeal to employers to ration work as far as possible. Mr Holland had promised that every wage-earner would have his wage cut restored. Neither Mr Holland nor anybody else count do that. As soon as the country righted itself and the crisis was. pnat,, then only could they seriously promise to return to the old standard. Mr Coates reminded the hostile section of, his hearers that a Socialist Party in Australia made a ; 22 per cent;' cut, 1 and included, old age and widows’ pensions. He concluded -with : a strong appeal to face the position/ squarely! and place the country first.

H. E. HOLLAND AT TIMARU

TIMARU, November 20.

Hundreds were unable to be accommodated in the Scottish Hall, at Timaru, to-night. Mr H. E. Holland was given a wonderful reception, repeating his remarks of his previous meetings. The motion of confidence was carried unanimously, and it was followed by a. -prolonged! ovation-) fob Labour, Rev. Cylde Carr (Labour candidate) and Mr Holland. Timaru is the last meeting of Mr Holland’s South ligand tour. He lias not had one hostile Interjection, during the whole tour. He is leaving for the North Island to-morrow.

INVERCARGILL SEAT. INVERCARGILL, Nov. 20. ’ J. Hargest, Reform Coalition candidate for Invercargill, opened liis campaign here this evening, with an address to. a crowded meeting, at East Invercargill. He declared .that he stood unreservedly behind the Coalition Government, which he said, stood for sane government. He referred to the need for fostering local industry. He stated that there was no justification whatever* for Mr H. E. Holland's statement in his address here that the Government was out to smash the Arbitration Court awards. MR LYSNAR HECKLED. GISBORNE, Nov. 20. Mr W. D. Lysnar, Independent and Coalition candidate for .Gisb'-rne seat, opened his campaign this evening. For a considerable portion of the proceedings, he had a rowdy meeting, being continually heckled. The speaker as.serted his independence, saying he refused to he tied to any party. He said the Coalition tag had been offered him by Mr Forbes, hut he had turned it down, and he was assured by Mr Forbes that he (Mr Forbes) would not give the tag to anyone else but to him.

The speaker condemned the meat trusts and combines in his usual manner.. He threw much of the blame on the Reform Government. At the conclusion of the speech, c ßeel’s were given by demonstrators fiir Mr Coleman, the Labour candidate. and for Mr Holland. The meetir 5 concluded with a vote of thanks and confidence to Mr Lysnar. AUCKLAND CONTESTS. AUCKLAND, Nov. 20. A challenge to Mr J. A. C. A'lum, to prove that he has official endorsement’ as the Coalition candidate for Auckland West, was issued by Mr H. R. MtacKenzie, the United Party candidate, last evening. MacKenzie said: “Mr Allum has stated that he had received endorsement as the official) nominee, then Mr Coates said there was a mistake, then Mr Allum said he was the Coalition Reform candidate, now he says he is the Coalition candidate. If lie can prove that he has the offc'al endorsement of both Parties, I will withdraw. It he has not, let him withdraw, and we can have a fair go together."