MR. LINK LATER AT FOXTON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3869, 10 November 1928, Page 3

MR. LINK LATER AT FOXTON.

VOTE OP CONTINUED CONFIDENCE. Despite the stormy weather there was an attendance of about 200 electors at the Royal theatre last evening to heai’. Mr. J. Linklater, the Reform candidate. Mr. Linklater was accorded a splendid hearing throughout. There were one or two mild interjections but the rumour that the candidate was to be subjected to a severe heckling by a “village pump orator” did not eventuate. The chair was occupied by Mr. J. K. Hornblow. In his opening remarks Mr. Linklater said he had always done what he could for all parts of the electorate and could honestly say he had done his best for Foxton. This was the third time he had come before them asking for their suffrages and he thanked the people of Foxton for their support in past years, which he assured them, he very much appreciated. He realised that this was the hardest fight ho had ever been in. His old friend, Mr. Small, was carrying the United Party’s banner, and he had no complaint against him because?, it was the right of every citizen to stand for Parliament if he wished It did not alter the fact, however, that the moderate opinion in the electorate was beixxg divided into three. When the United Party was formed it was claimed that quite a number of Reform members would go over to that Party, but nothing of the sort had happened. Some disgruntled Reform supporters had certainly done so, but no Reform Parliamentarian had joined them. MR. McMAiNAWAY’.S OPPOSITION. “So far as Mr. McManaway is concerned,” continued Mr. Linklater, “at last election he was one of my staunchest supporters and ■worked very hard for me in the northern district. Now that he is opposing me I ask why he is doing so. I have suggested that it is because of my attitude on THE INCENSING BILL. I don’t refer to last session, but to 1927, when this vexed question first came before the House.” Mr. Linklater explained that in 1927, while he voted against a bare majority clause, he had voted for the Bill as a whole which embodied the bare majority. Last session he voted for both the clause and the Bill, so that there was no inconsistency in his action. “There are only two lobbies and a man must vote in one or other,” said Mr. Linklater. “And whichever way you may vote you are at issue with fifty per cent, of the electors. I have voted for the bare majority because I feel that every man’s vote is of equal value (applause). The real issue is in the hands of the people themselves and not in the hands of the members of Parliament. That is the democratic way of settling it, and I am prepared to stand by what I have done '•(applause). BIBLE-IN-SCHOOLS. Dealing briefly with the Bible-in-Schools question, the candidate stated that he hadJalways voted for that Bill and eo'.M not see any reason against allowing the exercise inlsehools. He said Parliament was .opened by prayer and religious exercises in secondary schools were allowed. It seemed wrong to him that this privilege should be denied the primary schools. DAYLIGHT SAVING. “I have always been opposed to this measure” said the speaker, “because I consider that it is not in the best interests of the farmers of this country. A committee presented a x’eport to the House with a recommendation that the clocks be advanced one half houi\ This system is now in operation and appears to be a fair compromise. between the cities and the country. Personally I would like to see it extended to operate during the whole year because in winter time we find it dark by 5 p.m. and by having the clocks advanced in the winter time, an extra half hour of daylight would obtain.” ELECTION PROMISES. “As far as the election promises of the 1925 Government are concerned, I think that the electors who carefully study the facts and figures will realise that these promises have been kept and that the administration of the country’s affairs has been thoroughly safe yet vigorously progressive. Its record proves that it has worked consistently in the intei’ests of all the people and not for one section of it. It has set out a programme of work which was necessary for New Zealand’s advancement and has carried out that programme successfully. The Government has been tested through years of exceptional difficulty and now asks for a mandate from the people to carry out its self-reliant and liberal policy.” HELPING THE FARMER. The Government had done everything possible to help the farmers. It was not able to buy as much land for settlement as they would have liked during the last few years. During the war very high prices had been obtained for the Dominion’s produce and land values had .been tremendously inflated in price. A great many people had paid too much for their land, and when produce pi’ices went down, a great deal of the inflated value remained on the land in the shape of mortgages. Every effort had been made by the Government to find cheap money for the farmers who were in difficulties, and many thousands of them had been kept on the land by this policy. Money

had been lent to farmers from the State Advances Department up to £3,500 and by the Rural Credits Board up to £5,500 on farm security. The Board also advanced money on farm stock and improvements at a low rate of interest. This process had caused the Government to raise very large sums and critics had not been slow in condemning the Government for boiwowing in this way to keep the farmers on their holdings. If, in addition to raising large sums to keep settlers on their farms, the Government had raised money to buy more land, then-it might easil}’ have earned the condemnation of borrowing too much to-day. It was the Government’s intention to acquire and cut up lai’ge areas for closer settlement as soon as the time was opportune. This land would provide an opportunity for those in search of good land, and would be eagerly availed of by those in search of smaller holdings. LAND POLICY. The Government had made it easy for those wishing to take up bigger blocks of land. All they had to do was to seek out the land they wanted and pay 5 per cent, of the value down. If the Land Purchase Officer approved of it, the Government would finance the purchaser into it. Mr. Linklater also stressed what had been done for the soldier settlers by way of revaluation and other assistance. This was a problem that the Government had faced courageously and, as a result the soldier settlers’ position had been firmly established. As a result of the Government’s general policy 200,000 acres had been added to the occupied lands during the last five years. AGRICULTURE. The Department of Agineulture has been set up in order that the farmers should be advised in the proper conduct of the business. The old rule of thumb methods that had applied to farming would have to go and scientific methods were ra- . pidly taking their place. The only method that would renew the pastures and bring back the farms to full carrying capacity, was topdressing and he was pleased to say the farmers of New Zealand were gradually waking up to the fact of the great advantage of using it. This year the Government had granted a subsidy of £10,500 toward herd testing. The different associations in many parts of New Zealand were doing good work but he regretted to say only a percentage of the dairy farmers had so far taken advantage of this great aid to production. The subsidy towards export of pork of per lb. proved of great advantage to the pig breeders of this country. No less than 118,000 porkers and 27,500 baeoners had been killed for export which otherwise would have caused a glut on the local market. Some people thought that industries should not be subsidised. As a rule he agreed, but when an industry was in a 'bad wav for lack of reasonable export pi-ice he believed the principle to be quite sound. FINANCE. Mr. Linklater thought New Zealand was to be congratulated on the fact that it had come through the year of depression with a surplus of £IBO,OOO. In Mr. Downie Stewart the country had a very able Minister of Finance. The affairs of the Dominion were in a very satisfactory eandition, despite the fact that the critics were continually adversely criticising the Government. It could truly be said of the country that it was emerging from a depression to better and more settled times. The speaker quoted import and export figures to show a healthy state of affairs. He observed that it would be necessary to borrow for some years to come and it was pleasing to read what various financial jojirnals in the Old Country thought of our loan proposals. If the electors of New Zealand desired to see New Zealand progress then it was their duty to return to power a party that would secure not only the confidence of the people of this Dominion 'but also the people of the Old Country on whom they were dependent for finances. The Leader of the United Party had guaranteed that he could raise 70 millions in one year for the development of this Dominion. “I think that this is the finest tribute any man could pay to the wise administration of the Reform Party during the past few years,” stated the speaker. There were no more critical people in the world than money lenders and if they were prepared to lend this Dominion 70 million pounds so readily there seemed little need for alarm so far as the future was concei’ned. RAILWAYS. The railways were the life blood of commerce and business; it was impossible to do without them. For the last year or two they had been run at a loss, due to the competition of motor lorries, but it must be remembered that the Government had carried lime free of charge and fertilisers at a reduction of 40 per cent, on ordinary rates. Goods were carried on an average of 2.4 d per ton mile. If that price was raised to 3d the railways would make a handsome profit. The reason for the loss was that the railways were carrying the least payable goods while the lorries were taking the best paying lines. The railways were carrying freight very much cheaper than the motor lorries. The policy of the Government was to finish the uncompleted railways as soon as possible. In regard to the laying of a line .to Taupo, Mr. linklater said that

year after year, Mr. Ransom has advocated the settlement of the pumice land round Taupo. There are about a million aci’es of land there that the railways will open up. Mr. Linklater said he had seen the land himself and while he did not care for some of it, there was no doubt the line would amply pay for construction by throwing open the land for settlement and giving access to tremendous reserves of timber. A voice: Who ownes the land? Mr. Linklater said it was mostly crown land. ELECTRICITY. Mr. Linklater gave credit to the Government for pushing on the hydro-electric schemes; and said it was marvellous the way the people of Manawatu and Horowhenua had responded to it. They hoped to have Waikaremoana switched up to the Bunnythorpe station in about three months. There .was to question that electricity had been a boon throughout the country and he quoted the figures showing the demand for current beyond what was estimated by Boards. DEFENCE. Mr. Linklater said New Zealand was a good country which was worth while defending. New Zealand was dependent on the Navy and for this reason the vote of a million towards the Singapore dock was justified. If hostile aeroplanes came to New Zealand it would be by cruisers. The Government also realised the necessity for encouraging aviation and it was gratifying to find many young men coming forward to qualify for the air force. PUBLIC HEALTH. The Reform Government had done a great deal to safeguard the health of the people and he instanced the encouragement of the Plunket system, and the dental clinics for the children. The hospitals were the most democratic in the world, the inmates being only called to pay according to their ability. The hospital rate sometimes pressed heavily, but the Government contributed half of the cost. EDUCATION. As far as education was concerned, the efforts that had been made by the Government had been very great indeed. Many difficulties had been overcome and there were still many to be dealt with, but the Government, since it assumed office in 1912 up to the present time, had done everything possible for every branch of the educational system which was costing nearly four millions a year. That amount was increasing, but it must not be forgotten that the number of children was increasing. He was pleased to say that even to-day New Zealand ranked high in the countries of the world in its educational system. TROUBLE IN SAMOA.

Mr. Linklater said he had the privilege of visiting Samoa last year for health reasons. He met there a number of chiefs whom be had had the pleasure of shoAving over the Mangahao hydro Avhen they came to New Zealand to meet the Duke of York. These men had nothing but praise for Sir George Richardson’s administration, and the improvements he had made in regard to hospitals, schools, roads, and sanitation in the villages. Trouble bad been caused by those merchants who Avere making fortunes out of the Samoans by buying copra for £9 or £lO and selling it for £25 or £26, and German inflenc© Avas also at work. Mr. Holland on this occasion had ranged himself on the side of the exploitIN CONCLUSION

Mr. Linklater dealt Avith- some of Labour’s planks and local affairs. QUESTIONS.

There were only tAVO questions put to the candidate at the conclusion of his address. One Avas “did the candidate favour a scheme similar to that of Flock House for the instruction of young New Zealanders?” Mr. Linklater said he did and explained that Flock House \a as not a government scheme. The other question Avas, “is it a fact that machinery for the Dominion newspaper was imported into New Zealand free of duty?” This question Mi’. Linklater said he Avas unable to answer as he did not know the facts but one of the audience called out that the matter had been fully explained in the papers by Mr. Dunbar Sloane and others. No further questions being forthcoming the chairman asked someone to moA r e a A r ote of thanks to the speaker. Mr. B. G. GoAver moved and Mr. W, E. Bai'ber seconded “that this meeting thanks Mr. Linklater foi- his address and expresses appreciation of his past services and pledges a continuance of confidence in, him as member for the district.” The chairman asked for any amendment but there Avas none and the motion Avas put and carried unanimously. “For He’s a Jolly Good FelloAv” Avas then sung by members of the audience and the meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the chair.