GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Otaki Mail, 29 November 1922, Page 2

GENERAL ELECTIONS.

MR McCLDRE AT OTAKI. There was a large attendance at the theatre on Monday night, to listen to Mr McClure’s address. His Worship the Mayor (Mr J. P. Brandon) occupied the chair, and in introducing the candidate said he had pleasure in doing so. Mr Field had already addresse electors on behalf of the Reform, now they had Mr McClure from the other side, then later would follow a candidate “who was neither one thing or the other, and who was neither flesh, fowl, or good red herring.” Mr McClure stated as the Liberal-Labour candidate for the Otaki Electorate he wished to state that he had always been a linn believer in Liberalism. When the Liberal Party came into power in JS9I the Dominion was in financial difficulties, wages were low and unemployment was rampant, but soon this was all altered, and a bankrupt country, front which people were flying, was transformed into a prosperous one with an ever-increasing population. This was brought about by the Liberal Party, whose sole aim was to legislate for the people as a whole and not for any one class. He submitted that the great mass of the people were indebted to the Liberal Party for the splendid work it did in promoting their interests and welfare. No Party has a finer re-

cord in the uomain oi progressive, hui inane and social legislation than the New Zealand Liberal Party. The great need at the present time, he contended, was cheap money to enable the people to develop enterprises and increase their primary products. A Butte bank would do this. For instance, he mentioned the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, which was guaranteed by tho state. This was established in 1912 with assets of £10,090, it now had assets of over £l-10,000,000 to-day. Tho State Bank was run in the interests of public, farmer, trader, and no private shareholders could receive dividends, consequently money could be lent at a cheaper rate than by the privatelyowned banks. At Masterton Mr Massey stated that the Government drew from the Bank of New Zealand hist year £580.000 in dividends and taxation, but quite forgot to mention that the dividends paid to the State and ail the shareholders were earned by tho Bank by charging high rates of interest to every trader, farmer, and business man. The ever recurring cry of the Massey Government was that they were the farmers' friend, lie said, without fear of contradiction that no Government has ever done less fur the farmers, Take shipping freights: Although tho shipping companion were exacting from the producers in 1921 £2,921,12’! more in freights on the same quantity of beef, mutton, lamb, cheese, inner, wool, hemp, presen ed meats, and sheepskinexported to tile United Kingdom than in 1911. the Massey Government did nothing to relieve the producers, although in. 1920 Mi Massey said he went to the country on a policy of protecting tin: interests of the producers and consumers. Again take railway freights: On our -State-owned railways on an 83-mile basis butter was paying ; 51- as against IDs pro war, and cheese 51s 5d as against IDs 8d pro war. This was a fair criterion of how the Mu-soy Party was a-lxting tho dairy furmeiat a lime when they were being taxed out of existence and their produce was not realising the cost of production. Biill the Massey Party earnestly aid that they had the interests of the {armors at heart. Jn August last Mr Massey .brought down the land tax bill to make the super tax- for every tax-pay-er in New Zealand 20 per cent, instead of DD 1/3 per cent.; the Liberal Party moved an amendment to exempt all properties of less than £20,000 unimprovinl value to be free from the super tax altogether, and only to pay the ordinary land tax, properties of over £20,000 to still pay the DD 1/3 per cent, super tax. This would mean that tho farmer whose land tax amounted to £IOO would only pay that amount in stead of £l2o, as decreed by the Mas sey Party. Since then the Massey Government had brought down the Land and Income Tax Amendment, which reduced the super tax to 10 per cent, on ail assessable properties irrespective of whether their value was £3OOO or half a million; this proved that the Massey Government was not the- small farmers’ friend. Up till the time the Land and Income Tax Amendment was passed the Massey Party had practically bankrupted the men on the land by their excessive taxation, imposed through waste and extravagance, and even now with the reduced taxation the money lent to farmers was taxed at a maximum graduated rate of 7ld in tho pound as against mosey lento local bodies where the maximum was 2s 6d m the pound. He went no to say that the Reform Party was doing nothing for the farmers except taxing them out or existence; any relief they

may have given had simply been earn out!age, as not only had the farmer to -pay direct taxation, but had been taxed upon everything they used or re on: red. The Massey Party was a Government of expediency and Eoyal Conajaissioni, ar.4 although numerically strong, was woefully weak ia administrative ability. One striking instance was that when Mr Massey went to England last, there was not one single member of hi* Cabinet be could entrust the -welfare oi New Zealand to, and he wag forced to appoint an Minister, although he was not a member of the Eouxe vi Representatives, AgaiUj although ike Cabinet comprised. 13 Ministers, as against cine in the Ward Ministry, they were of such mediocre ability that one Minister was compelled to administer Lands and Railways, two of the mow important portfolios. He thought Mr Massey must have weighed up his out leagues when he stated that with six secretaries he cos’-4 run New Zealand, but ha omiWM to *ay whgr« the tex-

niiiial station was. Touching on the Budget for 1922-23, delivered on August the 15th, Mr McClure said the estimated expenditure was £27,935,215, ' and the estimated revenue £26,250,000, leaving a deficit of £1,055,215. Six creeks later Mr Massey woke up to the fact that it was an economic impossibility for the people of this Dominion to provide the wherewithal for his profligate expenditure, and with the know- . ledge of the probability that he would I be called to account at the hustings, he reduced taxation by over £900,000. The Kcform Party was continually saying that the igcreased taxation was due to the war expenditure. This is incorrect, as on 31st March, 1914, the public

debt was £99,000,000, while on March :VPt, 1922, it was £219,054,000, an increase of £119,323,055. The total war expenditure on March 31st, 1922, was £81,000,000, which meant 'that the Reform Party, under the leadership of Mr Massey, added £37,000,000 to the public debt at a time it was imperative to practice the strictest economy and not expend money on non-productive works of uo urgency. When the Liberal Party came into j power in 1891 the public debt was £3S,-

900,000, when they went out of office in 1912 the public debt was £84,000,000, an increase of £45,000,000, incurred during their twenty-ono years of administration, notwithstanding their progressive Lands Policy and Public Works Policy. In contradiction to this the Massey Government, in their ten yews of office, have increased the public debt by £53,000,000, in addition to the £51,090,000 war expenditure. One of the eauses of the present ex-

cessive taxation was the huge losses that wete being made in connection with the State-owned business enterprises, such as the railways, hydro-elec-tric schemes, Slate coal and tourists, due principally to the incompetent administration of the present Government. Take Railways: The statement for this year made it clear that if interest at the rate of 3:] per cent, was allowed on the capital cost of £41,000,090, there was a loss on the year’s working of £1,026,000, despite the fact, that 586,127 less miles had been run, and that more passengers and goods had been carried than in the proceeding year. This meant that the taxpayers

of the Dominion had to find £2SII per day for each of the 365 days in the year, although both freights and passenger rates had been considerably increased. To show that the Massey Party was to blame, according to a statement made this session in the Upper House by Sir Edwin Mitchelson, the total deficiency for the preceding 26 years was £1,250,257. which includ-

ed interest on the capital -cost, and was only £24,257 more than the loss made last year, and yet the Government boasted of economy, thrift, and readjustment. With reference to the tourist resorts, since 1915 the expenditure has been £169,000 more than the receipts which was not to be wondered at, when the Government admitted that there has been an annual loss of £2OOO over the Hermitage at Mt. Cook, which although it cost £40,000, has been leased for five years at an annual rental of £2OO or i per cent, on the capital cost. Owing to the huge cost of the Railways to the taxpayers, which last year amounted to £1,026,000, it was imperative that a change in management should at once take place, and the Lib-eral-Labour Party considered that a Board, consisting of representatives of the Ministry, the Department, the public and the employees, should be appointed to advise on Railway matters,- including services, salaries, and wages. The Railways should be run to suit the requirements of the people, and not as at present the vagaries of tiie General Manager. Drastic re-or-ganisation of the whole' Railway system "as both necessary and imperative, last passenger trains run'at suitable hours were required .between the outlying towns and villages and tho main centres. This was especially necessary between Levin and Wellington, and bpper Hutt and Wellington, so as to allow the people living in those local-

ities to go to Wellington, transact their business and return home without loss Pt time. Owing to the frequency of fntal accidents it was imperative to make provision for the safety of the public at all level crossings, either by subways, overhead bridges, mechanical devices or gates. This work should be put in hand immediately; if this were done the whole of the dangerous level crossings would be rendered safe in a short time at a comparatively,low cost, and many valuable lives would be saviii. Such a system would also provide employment for dhose of our returned soldiers who were unable to undertake more strenuous work. (Applause). One item of the huge loss on railways "'as, owing to the want of foresight on 'he part uf the management in not establishing railway workshops sufficient to build the .whole of their rolling stock, thus necessitating the purchase of these from abroad, with the consequent lessening of employment for all fhe classes of labour employed in such work. Take the cost of the 45 engines already purchased, which amounted, he believed to some £190,000, to which had to be added a large proportion of the ‘urn of £40,000 paid to Sir Duncan Elliot % his services <£ Engineer inspector and adviser to tho New Zealand Government in the United Kingdom—work which could have been undertaken by one of the officers of the New Zealand Railway Department, at a. probable total cost of, say £IO,OOO. This year had been most disastrous for all those engaged in pastoral and dairying pursuits, and especially so to those that had purchased farms and stock within the three . preceding years, when prices for these were probably higher than at any time in the hi3torv of the Dominion. Unfortunately most of tho soldier settlors came under the latter category, with the result that they hard; been upablfc to meet their obligations. This was not to be Wondered at, a 3 if is a well-accepted fact, evsn when prices are normal, that

[ tho expenditure in developing a farn: was much, in excess of the revenue, and when the cost of all the fencing and building materials, as well as the cost of bushfelling and grassing, during the last- four years was taken into consideration, it could be realised what difficulties faced tho soldier settler.' The time had arrived When tho position must be

facer, and he advocated that in evorj case where i> had been found that the arrears of rent and interest had been caused through no fault of the soldier settler that the farm be re-valued and all arrears of rent and interest be remitted, as it could not be expected that toy man could do his best, if always oppressed by the ever recurring thought of his debts which hung as a mill stone around his neck. (Applause). If the

relief as recommended was given, and as so far as dairy farming was concern-1 ed, with the much-needed improvement' in tho herds effected, he felt sure that the soldier farmers would be one of the most valuable assets in the Dominion. More farms and farmers, improved flocks and herds, hard work and efficient management, with drastic economy in public administration and private life was the only way of restoring the Dominion to prosperity and reducing taxation. ISo far as dairy farming was concerned there was a crying need for the improvement of the herds, which could only be attained by testing, the

elimination of inferior cows, and tin use of purebred bulls. ■ If this won done the yield of butter-fat per covi should increase from the present aver age of 171b5., to at least 300 lbs. witliir the next live years. In 1921 the value 3t our primary products exported tc

the United Kingdom was £39,634,321, of which £20,597,982 was for dairy produce. Although the “Highway scheme” has beeu under tho consideration of the Government for the last two years, so far there has been no finality, although the Government must have recognised that it was quite impossible for the county councils and other rural local bodies, to maintain main roads, sufficient to withstand tho destructive wear and tear of through motor traffic out of the rates imposed upon tho land owners in the various counties. And still tho Massey Party maintain that “they are the farmers’ friend.” The Massey Party posed as the friend of the workers, but when the economic situation impelled the reduction of expenditure, the Massey Government took the line of least resistance and made a reduction in the wages of all State employees, as well ns dismissing many deserving men and women, and at a time when the cost of living did not warrant such a drastic step. High taxation hit the workers every time; it increased the cost of living, and it created unemployment. Money became dear, the result being that the cash derived from our primary products was absorbed in taxation and interest charges, leaving little, if any, for development work in the direction of increasing productively, which was the only real means they had of providing employment for our people and reducing taxation.

QUESTIONS. “Seeing there are such a large number oi women teachers, and half the pupils in the schools arc girls, arc you in favour of appointing women inspectors? —Yes. “In tho event of your being elected, and in the event of Prohibition being carried, will you be in favour of legislation being brought down that the Licensing Referendum shall be placed before the electors at the end of each electoral term of three years?”— \cs. “In the event of Gontinuanee being carried at this election, will you be in favour of granting a better security of tenure to licensees, i.e., the issue shall not be placed before the electors for say at least nine years?”—-Yes.

“What is the total cost of Kapiti Island, and what was the largest price given to either Native or European per acre?’’—The price paid per acre by the Government should not exceed £l. “What is the cost per annum for caretaker and staff to the public, to prevent the people from going ashore on their own property?"—Kapiti costs about £3OO.

Mr Ryder asked for a rough outline of a land transaction of 15,000 acres taken over at Taihape. Mr McClure answered that the land was taken, under section 3 of the Act, that the Board bought it at £l7 per acre, that it was good country, ana w good purchase. He considered the transaction a good proposition. Mr Ryder: Isn’t your son on it? Mr McClure: ' Yes, my son is on a portion and has every right to be seeing he has five years war record. (Applause). Mr Jensen: Are you in favpur of proportional representation 7—Yes. There being no more questions Mr O'Rourke moved a vote of thanks and confidence, which was seconded by Mr H. Heald and carried unanimously. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the chairman, Mr McClure will speak at Waikanae to-morrow night. Mr Harkness A'ill at Johnsonville the same evening.