GENERAL ELECTIONS

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 85, 16 September 1938, Page 3

GENERAL ELECTIONS

MR HULTQUIST CONTINUES CAMPAIGN ; : ' ~ In continuation of liis campaign as the Government candidate for tlie Bay of Plenty, Mr Hultquist spoke at ie Teko on Tuesday evening to an audience of ninety-one Bay of Plenty and Tauranga electors, Mr T- Hun die by occupied the cliair, and in introducing tlie member, who was speaking at Te Teko for the first time, explained that a portion of Te Teko had, as a result of the change in tlie boundaries, now become part of the Bay of Plenty electorate. He congratulated Mr Hultquist on his work as membef for the district, and commended him to the audience as a representative deserving an overwhelming vote at the forthcoming election.. On rising to speak Mr Hultquist was greeted with prolonged applause, and was jyven an uninterrupted' hearing throughout his address. Referring to the great development that had taken place in New Zealand and in the Bay of Plenty in particular during the last three years of Labour rule, Mr Hultquist quoted figures to show that in the primary industry the advance was outstanding. In j&'331934 the total area‘of land in occupation in the Opotiki, Matakaoa, "NYaiapu, Waikoiiu, Uawa, Cook and ’iVliakatane counties, which comprise the Bay of Plenty electorate, was 2,178,545 acres. To-dav, said Mr Hultquist. there are 2,297.299 acres in occupatioii, an increase of over 121,000 acres. The increase in livestock during those same years has been phenomenal. J be number of horses has increased from 15,584 to 15,940. Cattle, including dairy cows, have increased from 407, 235 to 436,437; dairy cows in milk from 89,532 to 96,198; number of sheep shorn—from 2.175,647 to 2,219,716; pigs—from 40,295 to 48.640.

To such a substantial extent have tlie farmers’ incomes been increased, and stabilised at that increased point, that the farmers have added to their production tremendously, because they have been able to fertilise their land. The area of land top-dressed in New Zealand between the years 1930 and 1933 showed an increase of 430.000 acres. Since Labour took office there lias been an increase in the area tepdressed of 650,000 acres. 1,700 more milkihg“machine plants have 'been installed- since Labour has governed New Zealand, and 1,240 more agricultural tractors. These figures speak for themselves, said the candidate, and are irrefutable-

Pel erring to taxation Mr Hultquist declared that the increased amount received from all sources cf taxation was due to the increase in the national income. Although the rates have not been changed the national income has increased so tremendously that people who prevoiusly paid no income tax wen* to-day doing so. Actually the proportion of taxation to national income in New Zealand is almost die lowest in the world. In Australia. said Mr Hultquist. the proportion of taxation to national income is 18 per c('nt.. in New Zealand IS.'3 per cent., in Holland 18.6 per cent., in Sweden 18.9 per cent., in Finland 20.1 per cent., in Denmark 20.1 per- cent-, in Germany 23 per cent-, in America 23.4 per cent., in Norway 25.1 per cent., in Great Britain 25.2 per cent., in Franco 26.3 per cent., and in Italy 30 per cent. No wonder, said M'r Hultquist, that Anthony Eden, who is mentioned is a future prime minister of Great Britain. stated recently that taxation in New Zealand is so low as to cause a twinge of envy to ■ the over-burdened British taxpayer, -’-i* At the* cone liisicmefof Mr fliiil'| r hist’s address, he answered ii'Y- nulh-lier of questions, and the following resolution was carried with one dissentient- —'I hat this meeting of Tauranga an<l Bay of Plenty electors expresses its thanks to Mr Hultquist for his address, and its utmost- confidence in Mr Burnett and himself as the representative ol the Tauranga and Bay of Plenty electorates and in the Labour Government, oi which they are members, and furthermore, pledges those- present to work and vote Tor their return with a substantial majority at the forthcoming General Election.

ADDRESS AT TOATOa L All G'FiL Y - ATTBNI >E I> MEETING In continuation of liis election campaiijcn tour which opened on Monday evening last. M.r Hultquist addressed the largest meeting he has yet had at Toatoa, thirty-five electors being present in the school roenr on Wednesday

evening this week Mr H. S. 1). Adams,! a well-known farmer in the dis* trict, occupied the chair, and eulogised the member’s work during three strenuous years. In opening his remarks, Mr Hultquist expressed his wish that the campaign would be a clean one, and guaranteed that so far as lie personally was concerned it certainly would be. The issues on this occasion, said Mr, Hultquist, are too great for personal recriminations of any kind, and I do not propose to even mention my opponent’s name. He has his job to do, and I have mine as the present member for the district, seeking the renewed confidence of my constituents.'

-Mr Hultquist spoke on the same lines as reported in connection with his Whakatane ’Paper Mills and Te Teko meetings, and in addition referred to the question of overseas iilr debtedness, and stated that actually hot one penny piece bad been borrow-

ed overseas by tlij present Government, whereas our London indebtedness bad increased bv nearly £7‘3,000,000 iii the fourteen years prior,to tills Government taking office. Our

total indebtedness overseas to-day amounts to over £290,000,000, and since 1935 our'total net interest Iras amounted to £204,000,000, nearly as much as our total indebtedness, and the total debt still remains. Labour had, paid off some of our overseas indebtedness, during the last threeyears, and yet Nationalist Party members in the House advocate a resumption of overseas borrowing. This has happened as recently, as Tuesday night of this week, when Mr Kyle, member for Biccarton, was speaking on the Finance Act.

Referring ‘to interest rates generally, Mr Hultquist claimed that the Labour Government was responsible for keeping interest rates as low as they are in New Zealand. The rate of interest on 61.4 per cent, of the mortgages registered in New Zealand is under 4£ per cent., while ip New South Wales only 26 per cent, of the total mortgages registered have an rate as low. Only 3-2 per : cent, of the mortgages registered in New Zealand are over 6 per cent., whereas in New South Wales 8 per cent, of the total mortgages registered are as high as that , In other words, in New Zealand, sixty-one men out of every hundred can get a mortg-

age under 4$ per cent., while only twenty-six can do so in New South Wales. In New Zealand 79 per cent, of the mortgages are charged *5 per cent, interest and under, compared with 33 per cent, of the mortgages in New South Wales. Mr Hultquist was given an attentive hearing throughout his address and at the conclusion a hearty'vote of " thanks was carried unanimously,, and with applause. N After the meeting, Mr and Mrs Hultquist were the guests of the residents of Toa • Toa and surrounding district at a dance in the social ball. Dancing proceeded until after midnight, and concluded with those present joining hands and paying musical honours to the member and his wife. Mr and Mrs Hultquist returned to Opotiki where they stayed overnight, and last night Mr Hultquist spoke at Woodlands Hall.