THE HAURAKI SEAT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5349, 9 November 1928, Page 3

THE HAURAKI SEAT.

UNITED PARTY CANDIDATE. MR E. A.LLEN ON PLAINS. Mr E. Allan, tlie Unite<. Parly candidate for the Hauraki seqt, spoke; at Ngatea on Tuesday evening to an audience numbering a,bout 100. Mr. E. L. Walton presided. Mr Allan! said that he had previously been a supporter of Reform and of the late Mr Massey. He had given Mr Coates a fair run, but had found him wanting. He; ha.d not been approached by any large and influential deputation to contest the seat, but was a “self-starter.*’ He had reached that time of life when he could afford to give up' working for himself, and had decided to offer to serve the electors of Hauraki. If elected he would do his utmost .for the welfare of his constituenjts in particular and the country in general. THE WARD MILLIONS. You would want to know about the Ward millions, said Mr. Allan. Mr Coates had characterised them as “Borrow, boom, and bust." Sir Joseph Ward had recently returned from London, where he had learned that by borrowing a large sum he could get it for 4% per c ent. or perhaps 4% per cent. Sir Joseph had said he would borrow £70,000,000 in 10 years and relend £60,000,000 at 4% per cent plus 1 pqr. cent, sinking fund f° r years, and the candidate wanted to know if that was boom and bust. It had been done before and could be done again by Sir Joseph Wa.rd, who had proved a financial genjius. The Sta.te Advances Department had been instituted by Sir Joseph Ward. It was one of the finest pieces of legislation ever put on the Statute Book, but when it was the Opposition the Reform Party had styled it as “borrow, boom, and bust,” just as at present. Now the; Reform Government was carrying on! the scheme •and seeking kudos for its success. The business was quite sound. Over £40,000,000 had lent, tihe bad debts had been almost nil, and a. profit of £1,500,000 had been made. If Sir Joseph Ward was given) authority to raise his loan an era of prosperity would be ushered in. Sir Joseph proposed to devote the other £10,000.000 to completing the gaps in the main railway system. With these gaps cmpleted the railways would pay. Employment! would be created, and there would be no need for soup kitchens, doss-houses, and doles or relief works. Motors were serious competitors with the; railway, and the United payty would set up a committee to dievise a scheme of fair taxation and decide what amount motorists should pay for the upkeep of the roads. The candidate considered that hospital rates should not be a charge on land, but a charge on individuals. He was opposed to greater sums coming from the Consolidated Fund, as this would dry up sourc.es of Contributions. parliament. The cost of Giovernmen|t was increasing by leaps and bounds, and Mr T. K. Sidey, who was retiring from Parliament, had said that members were not paid nearly enough. But he . considered that the present members should not be paid one penny more, because they were not worth it. If members were given £lOOO or. £l2OO, as proposed by the Labour Party, professional politicians would appear and New Zealand would be ruled to its ' sorrow. The £450 now paid should not- be considered a salary, but a travelling allowance, He was of the opinion that 50 members of Parliament would be sufficient. Regarding the Legislative Council, Mr Allan said that the United Party would reduce the number to 20 1 . However had an original scheme. Four men from the, farmers, four from •, Labour, four from the businjegs section, four from the professions, and two nominated by the Government. These men would) do all the business necessary in a few wee)rs and could be paid £l'so a year. Thus efficiency and economy would be effected. STATE TRADING. With reference to State trading, he was against all monopolies. The State; was trading in numerous lines and was in competition with private individuals. Yet the State did not have to pay taxes, so the competition was unfair. However, he believed in tihio Sta,te dealing in some businesses. The; State Fire Insurance Department had done good work in keeping tjhe other insurance companies in line. Mr Allan vigorously Attacked the CjO.D. system. Over 29,000 parcels, valued at £97,000, came to New Zealand last yea.r under this system. These firms paid no rates and taxes, but the Government collected their accounts for t|hem. The United Party was against the C.O.D. system., DUTY ON FLOUR. Dealing with the duty on flour, the; candidate said that.thejre was a. duty of £5 10s a ton 4t present This duty was to keep Coates in power. The Hon. O. J. Hawken had said that if the duty was removed! the Reform Party would lose members from the South Island. The United Party would remove the duty on flour, as it believed in a free breakfast table. EDUCATION. Dealing with education, Mr Allan said that Sir James Parr had built beautiful schools and had then been sept to shine it London while we were left to foot the bills. The United Party advocated open-air. schools, consolidated schools, smaller classes, and decentralisation of control with mo r e power to committees. One of the problems of to-day was to deal with the boys and girls when! they left school, and some scheme for absorbing them was necessary. He would advocate adopting a, similar system to that of Flock House- for the boys of New Zealand, and dealt at length with the need for greater research in agriculture. QUESTIONS. Asked how he would, vote on a noconjidence motion, Mr Allan said that; he would not vote for any motion

which would place the; Labour Party on the Treasury benches.

Asked if he would vote to increase the number of hotel licenses, the candidate said he was against increasing the amount of drinking. He was in favour of the two issuer and a bare majority, and would like to see the whole matter swept out of the field of politics. He would give a straightout answer to any question at a public meeting, but was against the piinciple of giving written answers to questions by any allia,ncq or other organisation.

A motion according the candidate a vote of thanks and confidence was carried on the voices by prolonged acclamation.

At Maramarua, where a small meeting was addressed on Wednesday afternoon. Mr Allen was accorded an enthusiastic vote of thanks and copfid enjee.