POLITICAL ADDRESS.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 488, 9 December 1919, Page 2

POLITICAL ADDRESS.

Mr Piggott At Pukekohe

Mr E. Piggott, official Labour candidate for Franklin, dolivored an address in the Premier Hall, Pukekohe, last Light, the Major (Mr C. K, Lawrie) presiding. There was a good attendance The Mayor, in asking tor a fair hearing, hoped that Mr Piggott would be better treated than Mr Massey was at Christchurch, the incident there being a disgrace to the Dominion.

Mr Piggott started off by stating that probably the farmers of this electorate were wondering why he a farmer, had come out in the Labour interests. But both of these sections were interdependent. His heart's desire was to see every man and woman receive the full fruits of their labours. Competition was a ruinous thing, forcing people to live under wretched conditions. Competitions and been changed into rings and trusts. The Labour Party did not stand for strikes or any sort of direct action The fact of his standing as a candidate was proof that the Labour Party pinned its hope to political action. Exploiters had trampled down the workers iu order to put yet another shilling in their gilt-lined pockets. His party condemned the go-slow policy, but the miners were not the only ones to blame. He would not work in the death traps the miners work in for the flat rate of a £1 per day, nor for The Labour Party stood for Christianity and humanity, and the others for self-interest only. Mr Massey's old promises had proved empty ones. He had not stopped the operations of the Meat Trust, or reduced shipping freights. Speaking on land tenure, he said that farmers as a body, favoured freehold, but unrestricted freehold was the greatest curse of the country. It advanced the land to such a high price that the real farmers were slaves to vested interests The native land tenure was obsolete. The titles should be individualised, the lands sold, and the money put aside to keepthe Maoris from pauperism He favoured closer settlement, and in respect to this the policy of the Government was reactionary. He had visited farmers in Franklin who had to ride up to their horses' girths in mud to get in and out from their homes. The roads and railways should go in first. This was all the more desirable because the country wanted to attract immigrants. Dealing with soldier settlement, the candidate said the policy hitherto was wrong, inasmuch as returned men did not enjoy the same priviliges as the civilians The former could not sell his land within a period of nine years of taking it up. The soldier was allowed only ten days' grace in which to make his payments, but the civilian t&ree months. By means of fi State bank the returned soldiers could be given an equality with the civilians.

There was an influx of the "Asiatic Dagos," a menaco to the country. If the Government were sincere thoy would not permit the existence of starving families

Under the economic conditions existing a State bsnk was required to reduce the two hundred millions of National debt It had been successful in Australia. But a State bank would not be a success under present politicians The Minister for Finance went to London and came back with £95 in the £IOO, a shoitage of £50,000 in one million We could issue paper money and be far better off. The banks let out money at 6 per cent, 5 per cent interest and 1 per cent sinking fund. Therefore the 5 per cent interest went into the bankers' pockets. With the State bank, 4 per cent would go into the Consolidated Fund and 1 per cent Sinking Fund—(Murmurings.) The candidate referred to the Australian State Line of Ships, and contrasted the policy with New Zealand'*, which latter country had paid five millions for chartering ships but did not now own a stick. He went on to discourse on the lines of his recent manifesto advertised in the Times. Nationalisation of the mines was advocated. The miners were " underground farmers." But he did not want the State to take over the Taupiri mine, which was a death trap. The speaker had studied human nature and economics for some years, and he was convinced that State ownership was the solution of labour troubles in the mines. Mr Massey had threatened to use force against the miners. A man who took that attitude was not fit to govern. Nationalisation of the medical services was next advanced. It would be quite easy to train a physically lit manhood for military services Doctors should visit the backblocks schools, many of which were inadequate buildings. If good houses were wonted the Labour Party should be put in power. He believed in free, secular and compulsory education, teachers with a '"big brain," and well paid. Mr Massey did not reduce the cost of living, which was a tricky subject to deal with. If the cost of living was brought down with a bump land values would fall and farmers would Huffor accordingly. We should cut out the great shipping octopus and big merchant, but not the small storekeeper in the country districts. The subuiban area should be increased to include the " grand city of Pukekohe," and thus enable people to settle whore laud was cheaper than in the city The candidate said Mr Massey intended to let the big companies secure the phosphates of Naurua Island, which meant good-bye to cheaper manures. The Labour Tarty would stop the exportation of timber. A great Australian company had monopolised our kauri timber.

Touching on riparian navigation the Government should develop all the navigable wators. It was an injustice that wealth had not been conscripted for the war just as flesh and blood was. —(Sectional applause.) It should have been commandeered at 6 per cent. A vote of thanks was moved and seconded. There was no amendment and the motion was carried by acclamation, the audience dispersing in good humour. (Continued on Friday).