ELECTORAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4898, 2 November 1925, Page 2

ELECTORAL.

THE THAMES, SEAT. MR. WILLY’S CANDIDATURE. ■ The Nationalist candidate for the Thames seat, Mr W. El G. Willy, of Turua, has been addressing the electors of the Plains portion of the electorate during the last fortnight. Mr Willy is a clear, concise, and forceful speaker, with a good platform manner. He commenced at Kopuarahi, where .there was an extra large attendance, and was given an attentive hearing, and many questions were asked. At Orongo practically every settler was present at the meeting, and the speaker was given a good hearing, many of his statements being applauded. The meeting insisted on a vote of thanks and confidence in the candidate. At Turua there was also a very large meeting, and Mr Willy was given an attentive hearing. He was subjected to a rapid fire of questions from a gicup of Reform supporters, but when he turned the question to IPs own advantage he was accorded much applause. A vote of thanks was carried.

Explaining his policy, and 'that of the Nationalist party, Mr Willy said that there should be one tsrong, progressive party. He traced the fusion negotiations, and contended that Mr Coates had not played .the game because after six weeks of negotiation he had said that fusion could not take place until after r.he election. The Prime Minister should have seated this at the beginning. The Natoinalist party stood for one strong progressive party comprising the best interests of the Reform and Liberal parties. It-was prepared to amalgamate at any time. He was only bound to the Nationalist party on one point—to vote with it on a motion of confidence or no-confidence. Except for this he was not bound in any way. The Nationalist party was out for the good of the country, and would vote as it thought best tor the good of New Zealand. The Nationalists did not support the policy of the Labour party, but no one could say that everything brought forward by the Labourites would be a curse to the country.

Mr Willy said that he favoured the Legislative Council being elected. The alternative . was its abolition. The Reform party nine years ago had passed an Act making the Upper House elective, but was, afraid to bring the Act into force. METHOD OF VOTING. He believed that there should be a different method of electing members of the House of Representatives. The first-past-the-post system was unfair, as it permitted' a member to be elected by a minority of the electors. The preferential voting system was better. Proportional representation might be advisable for the four centres, but it wbuTfi not do for the country districts. Thirteen years ago the Government, had said that.it would have some al-’ teration made, but so far it had not done so. PUBLIC HEALTH. Increased efforts should be made to. maintain a higher standard of public health, and the Health Department should be given wider powers if necessary. EDUCATION. The policy of free, compulsory, and secular education should not be altered. He did not favour servants of the State teaching religious subjects in the schools, but was not opposed to the Nelson system, whereby ministers of religion could give instruction after school hours. There should be uniform school books throughout New Zealand, and the State printing office could print all the books and sell them at cost price. Teachers should be better paid, sa that the best class would be attracted to the profession. State assistance should be given to enable apt pupils to reach the universities. DEFENCE. His idea of defence was that the money voted could be better used in training airmen and sailors than in training territorials. It was better to be in a position to keep an enemy away from New Zealand than to be able to fight him when he had landed. PRISONS. The Prisons Board appeared to De too lax in its treatment of habitual criminals. It appeared that many prisoners, were being released too soon. Drunken motorists should be imprisoned without <he option of a tine. IUILWAYS. The policy of Mr Coates in connection with the construction of the main railway lines first should receive the support of everyone. He believed in the electrification of the metropolitan suburban dines, the speeding .up of trains, anil the local manufacture of locomotives and rolling stock. IWV AND TELEGRAPH. There was room tor improvement in the l\vst and Telegraph Deparimout. Officers should be allowed to retire alter 80 years’ service should they so desire, without having to get the special permission of the Minister. Postage rates had been reduced aild the department had not lost money. Ho thought that the time had come to reduce the telegram and telephone bureau rates, and favoured the backblock settlers getting telephones on easier terms, and also cheaper cable rates.

LAND MATTERS. The tenure of the land, he said ’had nothing to do with the productivity. He favoured the optional system of freehold or lease hold, as desired. More Crown land should be opened up and given on easier terms. The vocational training of farmers on the State farms should be extended, and greater assistance should be given, by the State for research work in the dairying, fruit, and flax industries;. He supported export control boards. The Nationalist party stood for agricultural banks, and the Liberals had introduced a Bill into every session of the last Parliament. The State for-

estry operation should be greatly increased. ■ ' PUBLIC WORKS. It was hard to define the Public Works policy. As an illustration, the Waihou River improvement Scheme had been stated to cost £60,000. It had already cost £300,000, and would probably cost an equal amount to complete. The Lands Drainage Department was carrying on a policy of drift, and there should be a commis-. s>on of inquiry into its administration. Mr Willy favoured main highways being financed wholly by the State. Secondary industries should be fostered more, and the customs should, be utilised more for this purpose. He favoured the taxation of luxuries and. a reduction on the necessaries of life.. He believed in Empire preference, and would go further and erect a barrier, against those countries not in the League of Nations. QUESTIONS. In reply tp a question at Turua as to how he would vote on a no-confi-dence motion moved by the Labour party Mr Willy said that if the subject of .the division was considered to. be for the good of New Zealand it would be supported, no matter who brought it forward. He would not vote to put the Labour party on the Treasury benches. In reply to another question Mr. Willy said 'that he would’ vote on the liquor question as his conscience dictated, just as he hoped everyone else would do. He believed in a bare majority only, and the two issues only on the ballot paper.