MR. R. HOE

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 4 December 1914, Page 7

MR. R. HOE

THE OPPOSITION CANDIDATE As Mr Hoe does not speak in Helensville until next Monday, and our columns will be overcrowded with other election matter, we give below a digest of his speech delivered in Dargaville last week, as appearing in the " Times " :— After the preliminaries, Mr Hoe plunged into the Naval Question, and advocated the presence of one great Imperial Navy, under the direct and sole control, of the Admiralty, and ready at all times to meet any emergency. It was only a matter of time before the Germans would be put in their place, and by then the time would be ripe for furthering the aims cf one great international state with an end to the race for armature, and when merely a police duty navy would be required. So that out of the dreadful times we are going through good might evolve. The naval policy was left at that. According to the candidate, Mr Massey could not really have thought before the last election that he was going into power; otherwise he would not have made the wild statements he did. Mr Massey had said that if the conservatives " got into power they would put the Liberals out for all time. They would hunt )ut the pigeon holes. Probably, said Mr Hoe, Mr Fisher had been ishing for all he was worth, yet le had found nothing. If the aberals were again put in, it light be worth digging up the at-holes. With reference to loans, Mr toe's contention was that the verage loans during the respscve periods of holding office of le Liberals and the Reform arty, showed that the Massey .dministration had borrowed at higher average than had their recessors. Their rate of exenditure had also increased. te was not going to bring videnoe of " pickings " for the Reform supporters, but he beeved that a Reform organiser ad had " pickings " amounting o several hundred pounds. The Liberals had never engaged a man at £600 a year ; a nan who would have difficulty in )roving that he had not had to earn his business after his appointment. In regard to the abolition of the Second Ballot, Mi- Hoe admitted, that the provision may not have been perfect, but it would have been better than the first past the post principle. Government had deemed it right to bring down this move at the time of the strike, and although Sir Joseph Ward had given due notice that he would oppose it, when he did so the Government party had accused him of fomenting disturbance in the country. The Liberals were aledged to a system of grouping, retaining the correct country quoto, and, in fact, introducing proportional representation. Mr Massey, as Minister of Labour, instead of giving Labour -a square deal, had given many a square cell. The Premier had promised to father labour and foster local industries, yet, said Mr Hoe, as an instance, the Reform Party had ordered 20 railway .engines less than had the Liberals, and they had decided to import some. "What care did Mr Massey show over the lives of the men lost at Huntly ?" asked the speaker. "Absolutely nothing, and he did not even accept the report from one of his own inspectors." Mr Hoe next criticised the Government over its action in regard to Public Buildings. They had increased the annual amount in this direction from £95,000 to £220,000, and Mr Herries "now wanted commitments amounting to £1,500,000, Sir Joseph said their proposals were extravagant, and, if he were returned to power, he promised to cut those commitments down by half. " The object of Liberalism," said Mr Hoe, "is to reduce taxation on the worker, and put it on those best able to ' pay, and to care for tjie young and aged. He referred to the backblock nurses scheme, and advocated State nursing homes-. " The first care is fo.r. the mother,' and the second fqr the child," said Mr Hoe, referring to Sir Joseph Ward's proposal to give every | child at birth a credit of £5, as an encouragement to'thrift. Mr Hoe accused the Reform Government of making it easier for men to own land and not to ' live on it. " Occupation and use should be part of the right to own land," said Mr Hoe,' Without hesitation, Mr Hoc ; declared himself a U:> per cent i majority advocateMr Paul moved, a veto of j thanks and eouttdenoe in the! Hpeaker, and in'the leader of the | Liberal and Labour Federation. Many did not vote, but the motion was carried almost unanimously on thn <■! ' hf*iicU, • ' • ■ ■ ■■'.'■ ' rI