CENERAL ELECTIONS

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 92, 3 October 1938, Page 3

CENERAL ELECTIONS

CHALLENGE BY CANDIDATE ACCEPTED BY FARMER QUESTION OF SALES TAX A LIVELY ; M EETING Occasional interjections by a number of National Party supporters present at the Waerenga-Ti-hika. school on Thursday evening, when Mr Hultquist addressed residents pi’ that district, enlivened the proceedings considerably, and added interest to the most largely attended meeting the candidate has ever addressed at that school. Approximately 80 persons were present, of whom at least 80 per cent, were obviously .sympathetic to the candidate and the Government. Mr Millan occupied the chair, and in introducing tlm member complimented him on the hard work lie had done during the three years he has represented the Bay of Plenty. In the absence of a. platform Mr Hultquist stood on a chair to address tin 1 audience, and in opening his remarks referred briefly to the success which had attended his campaign during the past three weeks. At the outset, interjections from the few National supporters who came from far and near, enlivened the hut by quick retort the member scored best on nearly every occasion. Speaking along the lines reported at his Malta raka meeting, Air Hultquist addressed the meeting lor nearly tw () hours, and at the conclusion offered to answer questions. During his address Air Hultquist was asked to deal with tlio Sales Tax, and in reply, showed that the people’s purchasing power had boon restored to such an extent that tliev were paying the Sales r !ax and not noticing it, in contrast to the time when their wages and incomes were lower. “It must lie remembered,” said the candidate, “that the income from the Sales 'Pax is being expended in a worth-while manner, and if the tax were removed the Budget wouici have to proyide. for that income to lie obtained from some other source.” “As a matter of fact,” the member continued, “many items are exempt from Sales Tax anyway, and the farming section of the community pays less

Sales Tax than any other, ns so many of the commodities the farmers purchase are exempt.”. Holding up a,sev-„ ou-pnge closely typed list of exemptions Mr Hultquist proceeded to •quoth some of them, but lie, was imihedia'fely challenged by Air AV: O. Hlnter, whq] declared that lie, Mr Pilmer, paid Sales Tax on a .number of lines Air Hultquist had mentioned. Mr Hultguist replied by challenging Air L*iliner, and declared that lie, Air Hultquist, was prepared to donate £25 to charity if Air Pilmer could show him any of the items mentioned that were subject to Sales Tax. Air Pilmer accepted Air Hultquist’s challenge on the basis that if the items mentioned in the list were subject, to Sales Tax, he, Air Pilmer, would donate £lO to charity—Mr Hultquist on the other hand to donate £lo' if any ol; the items mentioned were subject to Sales Tax, and it was arranged that the manager of the Loan and Mercantile' Agency in Gisborne should he the judge, and the question was to he decided on the following day, Friday.

In answer to another question asked by Air Campbell on behalf of the maizegrowers present at the meeting as to what Air Hultquist had done in the interests of the maizegrowers during his term as member, Mr Hultquist dealt lengthily with the negotiations for a fixed price for maize, and outlined the fixing of the present year’s price-. Air Hultquist. informed the audience that he had asked for 5s 3d per bushel to bo paid this year, hut had not succeeded. He had, however, succeeded in getting tile Government to pay 5s instead of 4s 9d which was offered .ill the . first place. Before Air Hultquist could reply to further intcrjectioivs oil the subject from maizegrowers present, Air G. IV. Armstrong stepped forward and asked permission to make a statement. Air Armstrong said that he desired to say publicly that Air Hultquist had been a worthy representative of the maizegrowers and at all times had taken up the cudgels on their behalf, and represented them faithfully and well, and that lie was sure, he would continue to do so. This statement was appreciated* by the audience who applauded, and no further questions were asked on the subject of maize.

Air AV. C. Pilmer then asked a question as to what assistance had been given to the. Cook and AVaikohu Conn-

ty ratepayers, whose rates had been . increased on the flat lands ns a result 'of the abolition of the riding system of keeping accounts. In answer Mr Hultquist said that he would quote froTiT’ the statement supplied htfn by the Hon. W.; Nash, wliich showed* that since ljst, January, I&3G to 30th. June, 1938, £043,421) had been, spent by the Public: Works Department on the maintenance of roads, construction oi roads, highways, lands improvement, railway construction, aerodromes, public buildings, and road subsidies. iii‘ the Cook County, and £1.31,430 in'the Waikoliu County on six of the above items. Employment promotion expenditure midor Scheme 5, Scheme 13, farm schemes, building schemes, and public works schemes in the Cook CoUiity amounted to £120,578, and in tlie YVaikohu County the sum, of £lO,003 had been spent in the same manner. The total amount spent by the Government in the two counties, Cook and Waikoliu, during the period above referred to, on lands and survey, hospital board subsidies, forestry department, native department, employment promotion and public works amounted to 1 £804,912 in the case of the Cook County, and £130,894 in the Case of the Waikoliu county. At the. conclusion of his address a hearty vote of thanks to the member was carneil, the meeting finishing at 11 p.m. in the afternoon Mr Hultquist also addressed a large attended meeting of lady electors at Ormond, and on Coday afternoon he addressed a meeting of ladies at Waipiro Day, where Mrs Nurse presided over a gathering ol 20. Mir Hultquist spoke at Te Puia on Friday evening, and returned to Gisborne early on’ Saturday morning to keep, an appointment to speak at Kanakanaia at 10.30 a.m.

MR SULLIVAN’S CAMPAIGN VISIT TO WAI API' HOSPITAL Special Correspondent. TE ARAItOA, Tuesday. Despite the fact that he was working tinder high pressure in a race against time Mr W- Sullivan, National Candidate lor the Bay of Plenty Electorate, took the opportunity at To Puia of visiting the W ainpu Hospital, over which he and Mrs Sullivan were conducted by Mr A. IS. Williams.

•Chatting cheerily with patients, Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan spent about lialf-an-hour going round the ivards, and judging by the way in which the laces of inmates lit up lit their approach, they left. a .^ very definite’jathiospheie of gocdfellowship behind them.. Prior to their visit they enjoyed afternoon tea provided by Mrs Harris at; To l*uia Hotel, and as the demands of their schedule had deprived them at, luncheon the refreshments were welcomed.

Mr Sullivan addressed an audience of between 2d and 30 in the afternoon before visiting the hospital, Mr A. 11. 'Williams taking the chair,- As Mayor of 'Wbakatane for 13 year’s, ‘‘prior to his retirement to enter politics, Mr Williams said that the candidate’s sound judgment had “pulled the town out of the mud”. He thyught he would be just as capable of pulling New Zealand out of the mire. Although Mr. Sullivan covered a lot of new ground, there was not one single interjection, although some pertinent questions were asked later. Saying a dictatorship had been established Mr Sullivan stated that by a licensing system ' the' “Socialist Government even now has the power to license a. man right out of business.” The time bad cpmc'.for the worker to hang on to’Svhat'lie-'owned and refuse to lie down under a socialistic dictat-

orship. “Socialism,” lie said, “involves the complete transfer ox all major industries \o tne Suite." xle uetanea tins statement, paying it was a ninuanieiitai plume m the present government's platform, through whieli tney qso.ught.. the eventual control oi every industry- ; “Xiie gospel these extremists are preaching,” lie continued, "is that there is no room in this country for the .employer. If they do not intend to take over every industry, why did they take, under various. Acts, full power to do so? , Mr Lee, Mr Semple, Mr Armstrong and other Ministers have repeatedly stated the Government’s avowed policy is socialism. The best definition of “socialism” Iliave heard yet is that of Sir John Simon, who described it as “a sort cf mental measles; a retrograde step.” All I can say is that I hope the country does not get another dose of mental measles.”

Mr Sullivan, said that the slightest recession in overseas prices would very probably cause the social security scheme’s collapse. If social services were built up on their prosent basis by a sound expansion of industry and land settlement, they would last for ever. The company tax of Is in the £ would be charged back on the people as consumers. It was not well thought-out legislation. The net was being pretty widely spread ‘when

the youtli of the country, 16 years of age, would have to register, pay a os levy and Is in tlie £ on wages. VV lien elected the National Party would throw ■ out the social security legislation, substituting a health programme aimed at prevention of disease, in' conjunction with provision of expert assistance for those unable to aliord it. A man of 18 to 25 could, get from lodges to-day for the sum of £4 3s per annum as many benefits as the. Government scheme offered.

Professional men, including engineers, were getting positions in Australia, South 1 Africa and elsewhere, as they felt that their future in New Zealand would not "be a bright one if the Socialists managed to get a new lease of life* A fear complex was abroad at the possibility of the Socialist Party being returned to power. Twelve million pounds worth of capital had already flown from the country. “That is not the .-ovt of thing one would look lor in a land like this,” said Mr Sullivan. “With the depletion of our overseas credits to the 1934 level warnings were issued by the banks that the country would l have to ‘watch its step.' There were only two alternatives; either the egcliange rate would automatically rise, or New Zealand would default in its overseas obligations and commitments.”

Severely criticising the guaranteed price, Mr Sullivan said the Government had “put one across the dairy farmers.” Many of them might nave voted for Labour in.JiJtfo, bub’ they realised to-day that the guaranteed price promise was a myth. As regards the country quota, Mr Savage had said that the Government had not considered- the question, tie warped nis hearers that it extreme trades unionism sought alteration in the country quota, a socialist, government might not have much say m the matter. ' \ . Mr Sullivan dealt briefly with ‘State tenancy cr the useuold of land, but he ’ condemned trades unionism on a compulsory basis. This had developed, he said, under heads /iff departments and communists. Compulsory, subcriptions to the Labour Party fighting funds, the Labour newspaper “The Standard,” the unions themselves and the unions’ distress funds all came in for caustic criticism.

The National Party’s programme as already published was explained,by Mr Sullivan, and lie drew a hundred minute address to a close by recalling that the present Government Party hadi opposed political broadcasting. He refuted the suggestion that the Socialist Party had grown out of the old Liberal Party led by. “l)ick” Seddon. They had consistently opposed that party from 1905 on. Conversely, tlie National Party ranks included sons of many of Mr Seddon’s colleagues, standing at this election. At the close of the address Mr R. W. Wilson proved a persistent questioner. ' *

“Mr Savage and . Mr Fraser have both said from the public platform that.the Labour Party is not going to socialise the land,” lie said. “Is the Candidate going to the polls saying they are liars?” .Mr Sullivan: “They have said one thing and Mr Langstone says another . They said they were going to abolish unemployment; they said they were going to reduce the exchange and do away with tlie sales tax. There are also other things they said they were going to do but did not.”

A question regarding Mr Goodfellow brought the reply that the Dairy Board had. been “doing the job” before the Government took control-

Persisting, Mr Wilson asked if 51 r Coates would control the National Party. Emphatically Mr Sullivan reiterated that the Party was ail entirely new one, comprising new men.' They would not submit to dictation from a few. “It is direct misrepresentation if anyone is saving that the National Party would follow dictation from Mr Coates,” concluded the candidate.

Mr J. Clows and Mr F. W. J. Fox, both prominent in the tanning world, moved a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Sullivan and the National Party. Applause greeted the motion and not one dissenting voice was heard.

EARLY ELECTION POSSIBILITY OF WAR An opinion that an early election was decided upon by the Government * partly because or tlie European situation was advanced by rur A. b. JfcLultquist, ALP., Labour candidate ter the nay or Plenty seat, when replying to a question at a meeting in tne Aiaka- j raka Hall last week. 'me question was put by Air C. ; Cooper, wlio asked tne candidate if ho tiiougut tlie pmusiimeut of the four eoloneis was justniedAlr Hultquist said that the Government was spending £3,UOb,UUv) in tiefence in New Zealand this year, compared with £I,Cv)J,OOO three years ago. K. t. ca mb rill had said himself that so far as the punishment was concerned, the colonels iiad made their statement with the lull knowledge that they were .breaking military tradition, and accepted the punishment. The four colonels knew what they were doing. They had thought of retiring first; and that might have been the best thing to do. . -j

The candidate knew there were i § . many things in regard to defence which the ordinary member of Parlia- . meat was not told, but he did not think that in the event of a war breaking out-a- single man could get from this country to England, for war today was entirely different from what it was 21) years ago. The whole defence plan framed in complete accordance with -ami in co-operation with the British Government. There was not a tiling which the British ■ Government had asked which New Zealand had' refused t 0 do. ' It was bis opinion that one of th.Cr rensons for ,an early election was European situation, and not because, 1 what the National Party * said, tlisyt. the Labour Government had something [ to hide. The Government did not ' wish the election to be dragging on if V-' there was a war. (Applause).