GENERAL ELECTIONS

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 91, 30 September 1938, Page 4

GENERAL ELECTIONS

MR. HULTQUIST’S CAMPAIGN ENTHUSIASTIC RUATORIA RECEPTION In continuation of liis election caniS y paign Mr Hultquist addressed meetings at / Tikji Tiki, and Huatoi ia on Monday, and at To KLaraka on Tuesday afternoon. At Tiki Tiki Mr Hultquist met friends and supporters only in Coat’s Hall at 2.30 p.m., 10 electors being present, and Mr 11. T. Cole occupied the cliair. Mr Hultquist addressed those present briefly on matters associated with the organisation of the party in the l electorate, and made preliminary arrangements hi connection with the public address ho is giving at Tiki Tiki at 2.30 p.m. on the 6tli- October. After visiting a number of the . residents and business-

people Mr Hultquist left for Ruatoria, where on Monday evening he addressed'the largest political meeting he has ever held in that township. Unprecedented enthusiasm’ dominated the meeting 'throughout, Mr Hultquist’s address being punctuated frequently with applause. Mr G. R. A. Whiting, the Party’s Coast organiser presided over the gathering of, upwards of 200 electors, and in opening the meeting made eulogistic reference to Mr Hultquist’s record of service in public and semi-public life. “When one reads,” said Mr Whiting,, “through the list of public and semi-public positions which Mr Hultquist has occupied, one is amazed that he has been able t 6 pack so much into only a few, years, as he if still a comparatively y<Jung man.” Mr Whiting also remarked ' that throughout his organisation tours of the Coast, he, Mr Whiting, everywhere came into contact with people who enthusiastically acclaimed the hard.work the member had put in on behalf of his constituents, and remarked that many of them, although not supporters of the Labour Party

were nevertheless going to record their votes for the ; present member, in appreciation of liis faithfulness in every respect to the electors of the Bay of Plenty. in addition'to the tact that a large party vote would be recorded, Mr Whiting believed that Mr Hultquist would poll a big personal vote as well. On rising to address the meeting Mr Hultquist .was greeted with prolonged applause, and lie outlined the Goveuinent’s record of achieycment for the next hour and a half. , His speech) which was delivered in a. breezy fashion) held the attention of the audience from beginning to end without interruption,, and at the conclusion a number of questions were answered in a. satisfactory manner to those present.. Mr M.‘ O’Sullivan, a well-known farmer of the district, moved a hearty vote of thanks and confidence in the Government and in Mr Hultquist. This was seconded by another farmer and carried unanimously. After "the meeting all presont were the guests of the ladies of the district at supper which was handed round, and great credit was due to tlioso who arranged this part of the proceedings, their efforts being undoubtedly appreciated.

Mr Hultquist and liis party remained overnight at Ruatoria, and left on Tuesday morning for Gisborne and To Ivaraka. Mr Hultquist addressed a gathering of 30 ladies at To Kanaka, in the afternoon, on legislation of special interest to woinen-folk, and Mrs F. A. Scragg occupied the chair. At the conclusion no questions were asked, and' a vote of thanks and confidence in the candidate was carried uilanionnisly.

MR HULTQUIST AT MATAWAI

A packed house greeted Mr Hultquist .when he delivered his first public address in the election campaign at Matawai on Tuesday evening, Mr IC. 31. Baird, a well-known farmer in

he district occupied the chair, and

in introducing the speaker stated that he had to thank the Labour Government for the fact that ho was still in occupation of liis farm. Ho desired Mr Hultquist also, on behalf of the Government, to accept his thanks for the guaranteed' price and marketing procedure which meant so much to the dairy farmers of this dominion. Mr Baird also paid a tribute to the services which the member had rendered to

the district siiice 193-5, and bespoke foy lum ,a patient hearing from those present- On rising to speak Mr Hultquist received tui ovation, and at the conclusion of a one and three-quarter hour address answered" a number of questions in regard to- the guaranteed price, the questioner being the secretary of the National Party in the district, Mr H. Davenport,' who desired to know how the Government arrived at certain figures which the Prime* Minister recently quoted in regard to farmers’ incomes. “These ' figures,” said Mr Davenport, “indicated that the farmers’ incomes had been increased from 1935, when the average farmer’s income was £2 per week, to £5 15s per week in 1936.” In reply Mr Hultquist stated that the ■ figures quoted by Mr Savage were taken from the returns submitted: by fanners with* properties of valuation less than £3-, 000 (unimproved value) and comprised' mainly dairy farmers. “It is unlikely,” • said Mr Hultquist, “that farmers would show in their returns for employment promotion tax. purposes a higher income than they actually received. These returns show, that the average income of the farmer of the type just mentioned was £lO2. in 1935, or £2 per week, £lB2 in 1936, -or £3 10s per week, £295 in 1937, or £5 15s per week, so in answer to the questioner, I desire to point out that the increase was not to £5 15s per week in the first year as the questioner lino stated, but to £5 15s by 1937. This was net- income, after paying rent, interest and working expenses,

and 1 desire to reiterate that they were the figures supplied by the farmers themselves cn the Employment Promotion Tax returns, and represented an increase of 62 per cent, fiver 1936, or 289 per cent, over 1935”. The secretary of the National Party then argued that production had fallen considerably during the life of the present Government, but in answer to the same questioner Mr Hultquist quoted from the annual report and

balance sheet of the Kia Ora Dairy Company, to show that any reduction which had taken place was due not to the Government, but’to factors outside the Government’s control- The extract from the report quoted by Mr Hultquist was as follows: The year’s

manufacture amounted to 1,544 tons, being 245 tons loss’ than the previous year, thus showing a decrease of 13.83

per cent. The reduction in output was caused mainly by seasonal conditions, the- autumn production being greatly retarded' by the floods round about

Mauutukc and Muriwai. In addition, said Mr Hultquist, when wool prices rose to a higher point than they had

previously boon, some dairy, tanners turned over to sheep tanning in wholo

or in part, and in tact' many of them who did so suffered severe'; Joss, through

acini eczema. .Furthermore a num-

ber oi; sheep farmers during the slump years started to run a lew- cows as well, £|heroas wliou, higher wool prices became the order of tlie day they concentrated on wool growing.

, in answer to another question coni&rning farm labour shortage Air Uultquist- quoted from a circular which was issued as a supplement fo the Auckland Farmers’ Union periodical, on

Toth. September, 1929. “So great was the farm labour shortage then,” said tlie candidate, “that the supplementary circular asked the 1 armors to state the size and situation of their farms, class of fanning carried out, age o.l; lad they, desired, particulars of accommodation etc. The farm labour problem is not one which is peculiar to I\cw Zealand, and it is unfair

to lay any blame on the present Government. because the problem exists.” The member quoted further lroiu the “Napier Daily Mail” ot recent date,

to show that the farm labour problem is causing tlie British Government great concern, and from an article by a. former governor-general of New Zealand. Lord Bledisloe, who re 1 erred to the farm labour shortage as one of the greatest problems Great Britain lias to face up to. At the conclusion of bis address a hearty vote of thanks and confidence in the Government was moved by Mr J. Smith, and seconded by Airs It. Pritchard, and carried with only two dissentient voices. Mr Hldtquist returned to Gisborne on "Wednesday morning.