REFORM CAMPAIGN.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 260, 1 November 1928, Page 4

REFORM CAMPAIGN.

MR. HOCKLY AT PUTARURU Definite Answers Given. Despite the inclement weather there was an attendance of .close on 150 electors in the Putaruru Hall on Monday night, when Mr. F. F. Hockly, the official Reform Party candidate, gave an account of his stewardship during the past three years. The address was very solid in nature, and on the whole the candidate received a very attentive hearing, though there was no applause of any kind until question time. In introducing the candidate, Mr. Griffiths, chairman of the Putaruru Town Board, stated it appeared to be almost a waste of time and words to do so, for to most people Mr. Hockly seemed to be not only frank by nature, but Frank by name. An Honoured Position. In opening, Mr. Hockly stated he would never forget the great support he had received in Putaruru at the last election when he secured 260 votes out of 420.

Regarding the past, Mr. Hockly said he held the highest position in the House, next to that of the Speaker, namely, chairman of committees, \#iich was at the selection of the House, and not of the Government alone.

Regarding the campaign, Mr. Hockly wanted nothing but a clean, straight fight, and no bitterness, no hitting below the belt, and no personalities. He knew his opponents personally, and valued them highly, though their politics were all wrong. (Laughter). But he took exception to Mr. S. H. Judd’s (Country Party) first advertisement calling on electors to “ come and hear clean politics.” No doubt that was due to inexperience, but the speaker’s and his other opponent’s politics were just as clean as Mr. Judd’s. A Longer Life. Speaking of the cost of triennial elections, some £BO,OOO, Mr. Hockly favoured quintennial terms. This election had been put on as early as possible in order not to interfere with the Christmas trade. Personally, he enjoyed a political content, but the money could be better spent on roads, bridges, railways and phone services and in other directions. He would support a proposal for fiveyearly elections. No Party Slave.

Mr. Hockly made it clear that he absolutely and definitely refused to have his hands tied; he was going to Parliament as a representation, and not a delegate, or not at all. He would, however, always support the present Government upon a noconfidence motion, or submit himself for re-election. A Way They Have Much had been made of the statement of Mr. John Massey, Reform candidate for Franklin, who had taken an 1 independent attitude, except that he would support the Government on a no-confidence motion. But all Reformers took just that attitude. Before a Government measure was brought before the House it was submirted to a caucus of the party, and altered and amended until it was acceptable to the party, and therefore it was a foregone conclusion that the measure would be supported by the party when it came forward as a bill before the House. He would never vote against his convictions, rather would he resign, his position and go out of politics altogether. Mr. Hockly: I can’t hear that rumbling at the back; if I could I would reply to it. As the police intervened, Mr. Hockly added: “ Don’t go out; I don’t want you to leave.”

The interjector: I’m Roberts, I am. Don’t forget your promise, Hockly. Mr. Hockly: I’m afraid I don’t recall it. Anyway, don’t go out. The opportunist was then given another chance, and Mr. Hockly dealt with finance. The Supreme Test.

The test of any government was its administration of finances. Today New Zealand credit .abroad was as high as that of any country in the world, and the British Government itself could not raise money on better terms. The investing public in England had rushed New Zealand debentures, and our loans had been floated on a very satisfactory basis. Last year we had borrowed £5,000,000, the borrowing had been reduced every year, from £11,000,000 in 1925-26, to £7,500,000, then £5,500,000, and this year £5,000,000. We paid £12,500,000 in interest every year; of which the taxpayer paid £5,750,000. Nothing was so timid or so easily frightened as finance, yet when New Zealand had asked for £5,000,000, the sum of £35,000,000 had been offered.

They could not get a better answer than that as to the stability of the Government.

If there was one member of the Government the public had confidence in it was Mr. Stewart, and it was his policy to taper off borrowing. In regard to Sir Joseph Ward’s scheme, how could they tell what the cost of money would be in ten years’ time. Public Works. The Rotorua-Taupo line w r as a very important departure, and in no wayinterfered with the T.T.T. Company’s line, which served a different area. The Government had been charged with having no land policy, but there was very little first-class land ‘ieft but in the huge Taupo basin there was a vast area of second-class land, eminently suitable for farming, whichthe Government intended to settle. It would add a new province to New Zealand and could not be opened up without a railway. There were also the man-made and indigenous forests to be considered, but he intended to watch that all timber near the T.T.T. line should be earmarked for that line.

A voice: You’ll have to get them a new engine. (Laughter). Mr. Hockly: Well, I don’t think that’s beyond us. (Laughter). Continuing, the speaker stated he understood the Government was taking up a block of 10,000 acres to break in, and that those engaged breaking it in would be encouraged to take it up.

As long as a railway would serve producing country it should be built, but a commission should be set up to define the areas suitable for farming and afforestation/ respectively; he favoured settlement every time where it was practicable. Important Scheme. The time had now come when we could take a forward move again in land settlement. Some 80 per cent of the people who owned land in the Auckland province had more than they could work, and would be better off if they could divest themselves of some of it. The Hon. McLeod had a scheme to give effect to such subdivisions. He would buy suitable land, road it, take off the mortgage, and give local men a chance to own it. The local men would know how to work local land, and the scheme would be successful beyond anything else that had been tried. The Hon. A. D. McLeod was a practical farmer, and understood backblock settlement thoroughly.' He believed in assisting settlers who had difficulty in carrying on, rather than trying to bring in unpayable country. He had been told that thousands had been driven off their farms, but that was an exaggeration. During the past three years only 1.5 per cent of Crown tenants had gone off, and some of them to take up different tenures. Failures were mostly due to some men taking up land without enough capital; others lacked grit; others again had not the necessary practical knowledge. Soldier Settlement. Touching on soldier settlement, Mr. Hockly gave the following interesting figures: Total value involved, £26,875,000; total concessions, £5,165,000; private debts and mortgages, £162,365; reduction obtained, £122,909; percentage of reduction, 75.

Those assisted to erect houses totalled 4459, those assisted to purchase 7565, those trained in new occupations, 7538, and those assisted into business 26,902. The total was 84,632. L X: Farmers and PiriaftCe. "

He held strongly 1 that farmers should be provided with ample finance. In this direction the Government had done its best, and since 1914 had lent £22,000,000; up to date the Advances Department had lent the farmers £34,000,000. A commission had been sent abroad to examine other systems, and they came back' with a report that there was nothing in the world to better our State Advances Department. They recommended an extension, in the form of the Rural Credits scheme. The Government had given full effect to the report. Mr. Poison, in 1926, had declared that the State Advances De-

partment amounted to an agricultural bank; such a bank was never intended to be a bank of issue. Applications under the Rural Credits were dealt with right up to date, and the scheme would grow like a snowball. Borrowers could get money for 33i years on two-thirds security. In time the scheme would be availed of right throughout the Dominion. Expenses were reduced to a minimum. Up to £IOO could be got for manures, etc., by merely giving a satisfactory promissory note. The Country Party Castigated. The Government had done everything possible to finance the farmer, and the attitude of the Country Party thereto was the height of ingratitude. There was a good deal of criti -ism on the Advances to Workers for

houses, but the small percentage of failures was a proof of its success. JChe Country Party and the Labour party were crying out for cheaper fcaoney, • but there was no cheaper tnoney to be got anywhere than what [the Government was supplying. If ithe Government had to pay 51 per •jcent for money, was it fair to the test of the Dominion to lend it at 4fS Jier cent, and mulct the general taxpayer for the remainder. £ Assisting Production.

It was a cardinal plank in the Gov■femment’s policy to help in securing higher quality of butter and cheese, *md in assisting all branches of agriculture. It was necessary to adopt Up to date methods, and with that Subject the Massey Agricultural College had been set up, and the Reeehrch Department was in touch with Sail sources of leading information in. world. The aim of the Government was to make the farmer efficient. Every possible line of re--1 ■search was being investigated-—in 'twheat, wool, frozen meat, selecting *the best type in every case. * And

yet the Country Party was not satis“fied. One of the party had said that any Government would be better than the present Government, despite its great and varied record. Customs Tariffs. r The Country Party was far too late with their nostrum of a ten per cent reduction in the tariff over ten years. There was millions of money fitVested in this country in secondary industries, and they had to compete iwith overseas conditions of low-paid labour. He'was not in favour of reducing the standard of living in this country by leaving it entirely exposed to unfair competition from overseas. The abolition of customs duties would cause a revolution. Any industry using raw materials got such in free. Me did not stand for a high protection tariff, but for a reasonable one. Very few things that farmers re-

quired especially were taxed. Fenc- ; ing wire was free, as were other "things, but many* did not seem to be aware of the fact. He hoped to see Tthe industries in such an efficient state, so that they would ultimately he able to meet all competition. If the proposal had been introduced 20 to 25 years ago it might have been reasonable, but to abandon the secondary industries now ■would be treachery. {' Conclusion. ! 1 In conclusion, Mr. Hockly stated they couldn’t spend too much on edu-I cation, and they had reduced classes 1 so that now there were only three classes in the Dominion with over 60 pupils. Great efforts were being made to improve the health of the country, and he strongly advocated the concentration-of children crip-, pled with infantile paralysis at Rotorua. He stood for the Singapore hase and the principle of free education from the primary schools to the university. After representing them ifor nine years he left the issue to them with confidence. (Applause). Hearty and prolonged applause greeted the conclusion of Mr. Hockey’s address. I' • . ii' L.'i * Questions. I At the conclusion of his address Mr. L. M. Nicklin referred to the adxpfctisement which had appeared which mentioned “ clean politics.” This was not a personal reference, hut purely a party one the Country Party believing that every party should be made to state where it got its funds from. Mr. Hockly: Well, I think that is .a very weak explanation. (Applauhe). Mr. Nicklin: Well, your party also •dragged the flag into politics last election. Mr. Hockly: We stand for the flag. Why don’t you get behind it ? Mr. Nicklin (heatedly): I beg your pardon, but I served ii years at the ]9bnt. Mr. Hockly: Well, why don’t you get behind the flag now? The chairman then intervened, and Mr. S. C. Snell asked what the Reform Party had done for the timber industry. Mr. Hockly replied that he was looked upon as the outstanding champion of the industry in the House. ’The Government had set up a comto advise on the classification •of timber, which had been adopted by the millers. Figures showing the importance of the industry were then quoted. Mr. Snell: That’s good; but it’s not answering the question. I wanted to know what the Government had done. Mr. Hockly: The Government has "doubled the duty and instructed all departments to use local timber where possible. Mr. Nicklin read extracts from certain speeches and asked why the maximum amount allowed in the post «Ece had been reduced to £2OOO. Hockly replied that it was to protgßt the man with small savings. (Applause). Mr. F. C. Barnett then commenced' to move a vote of thanks, when ■

the chairman suggested there were .'still more questions. Mr. Nicklin: If they want to close the meeting down they can do so. In reply to other questions, Mr. Hockly stated that the user of the roads should pay, and that if farmers had a claim for a rebate they should get it within 12 months. He fayoured Bible reading in schools with reservations, and would support a two-issue ballot paper on the licensing question providing the poll was extended to six years. He did not believe in a bare majority vote and held that the three-fifths majority had proved more satisfactory under local option. He thought the State control issue would receive great support at this poll. Mr. Snell: You haven’t made it clear now.

Mr. Hockly: I’ll support a twoissue paper if the polls are extended to six years, and I don’t believe* in the bare majority vote. Amongst other replies, Mr. Hockly stated he favoured wiring bets to racecourses and the publication of dividends. On the motion of Messrs. F. C. Barnett and R. T. Smith, Mr. Hockly was then accorded a unai imous vote of thanks and confidence NGARUA MEETING.

i There was a satisfactory attend- [ ance at Mr. Hockly’s Ngarua meeting, the speaker being accorded a most attentive hearing. A number of questions were answered to the evident approval of the meeting, and a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence was carried. AT WAHAROA. At Waharoa there was also a good attendance, Mr. Seagar Mason presiding. The audience listened with close attention throughout to a spirited address much on the lines of that delivered at Matamata. Questions were satisfactcri’v answered, and a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence was accorded on the motion of Messrs. D. R. Gunn and J. Blythe.