THE CASE FOR LABOUR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2512, 30 November 1922, Page 2

THE CASE FOR LABOUR.

MR WHI BLEY'S ADDRESS

.Mr Wliihey, Labour candidate for Alnuawatu, who has traversed the greater pan of the electorate staled the case for Labour in the Town Hall on Tuesday night to an audience of upwards of three hundred people and received a splendid hearing. There were no interjections and the. candidate was frequently applauded. Mr M. I‘erreau occupied the chair and briefly introduced the speaker. The candidate explained the method of his selection as the Party’s representative and stated that he was pledged absolutely to the Party'.'- platform and nothing else. He refused to give written pledges but would answer any questions from the platform. He had the utmost respect for*Mr Massey as a gentleman. but was opposed to his polities. He was in complete agreement with Mr Massey on the point that the only opposition to the. Government was the Labour Party. The Liberal Party was a spent force and tried to exist on a dead past. The Labour Party were building on the foundations laid by Balia lieu and Scddon who if living to-day, would be behind the Labour Parly. The contest in this election would be fought out between the Torv and Labour candidates. The former represented vested interests and combines and the Labour Partv I lie worker, small farmer and useful people. The candidate then adversely criticised the war loans free of income tax, which had resulted in three-quarters of a million loss in itvciiui* which hail to be iiijkU l up l>y siti in custom* duties, cut in the civil service salaries, etc. .The Labour members were the only ones who opposed lliis remission to the fat man and were termed unpatriotic. When the pockets of the wealthy were touched their patriotism vanished. The Land and Incime Tax discount only relieved the prosperous, wealthy merchants, and banking institutions and placed heavier burdens on the shoulders of those least able to bear it. lie referred to the huge profits made by the Pukcmiro Coileries Ltd., Mosgiel Woollen mills, Bank of New Zealand and other banks, Westport Coal Co. and Insurance Companies. His party advocated reduced customs on the necessities of life and goods not manufactured in the country, instead of relieving taxation from those able to pay it. He referred to the imposition of the butter tax which Mr McCombs had opposed in the House and yet the Government said its heart bled for the farmer whose real friend was the Labour Party. He criticised a land deal by the Government in Rotorua where 1,000 acres had been offered to the Government for set-

fitment purposes at £B,OOO and turned down and which had been purchased privately for .£4,250 and had since been purchased by the Government for railway, purposes for £27,500. Mr Whibley then dealt at length with the planks of the Labour Party, which was a recapitulation of the utterances of Alessrs Holland and McCombs, previously delivered in Foxton. Proportional representation, Initiative and Referendum, abolition of the Upper House, State Banking, and insurance. removal of disabilities to women and their appointment as justices of the peace, Immigration, motherhood endowment, leasehold as against freehold tenure of land, abolition of land agents, free school books for children, free dental treatment by qualified dentists and oppo-ition to reduction of Educational grant. In conclusion, the candidate made a special appeal for the -upport of the electors at the poll and particularly the Liberal supporters. He had been a supporter of the Labour Party since it was formed in 1!H1. He would do his first for the interest of the country as a whole. He was not a parochial politician but knew the district thoroughly and its requirements. He made a special appeal for the -upport of all Literals as his party "etc building on the foundations laid by Ballanee and Seddon and were true to the Liberal principles. The candidate was accorded a hearty round of applause upon resuming his seat. In reply to questions, the candidate -aid he was in favour' of encouraging ail branches of legitimate -port but was opposed to granting the right to the Presidents of |fie Racing and Trotting conferences to decide totalisator permits. In reply to Air R. Bryant, the candidate said he was a leaseholder. Tfe favoured the State taking over the freehold at a reasonable valuation of the owners interest, plus improvements. Was not in Invour of disturbing the present owners or prevent the transferring of the land to the sous of owners. The land should ho held for occupation nnd use. He believed in State owne.r--hip and the leasehold. The method of assessing the value of the land he was not clear about but suggested arbitration. In reply to Mr Martin he said the Labour Party's laud policy was drawn up by those interested in farming. Afr Rod Ross was one of those but he had been objected to by another fanner who referred to Mr Rod Ross as a farmer of the farmer —a man who employed a sha re-milker. Air Afartin asked whether the was in favour of ’the parasite —the man who lived on the back of the share-milker, to which an answer was given on Ihe lines of occupancy and use. On the motion of Mr T. Chatley. seconded by Air J. Hannah, a vote of thanks and confidence was accorded to the candidate without dissent. The usual compliment to the chair terminated the meeting.