PLATFORM PARS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 81, 26 November 1931, Page 6

PLATFORM PARS

Keystone of the Arch. "The farmer is the keystone of the arch."— Mr. R. A. Wright, Coalition candidate for Wellington Suburbs seat) speaking at Ngaio. Humbugging and Wriggling.^ "A humbugging, wriggling document, full of high-sounding platitudes that mean nothing. — Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates' opinion of the Country Party's policy. New Era Promiged. "If we can possibly get the reins | of Government in this country we will institute a new era and will endeavour to lay the foundations of a new social edifice, which will really reflect the interests of 'the workers in this country." — Mr. T. Brindle, Labour candidate for Wellington Suburbs, at Brooklyn. Wages of Sin. A neat point was scored off an interjector by Dr. W. H. Horton, Coalition United candidate for Auckland East. "The only thing the present Government has not taxed is the wages of sin," called out a member 1 of the audience. "I don't know anything about that," returned the candidate, wtih. a smile. "The wages of sin is death. My patients are like true love— they never die." Farmer Statesman. "I take off my hat to our farmer statesman, Mr. G. W. Forbes," remarked Mr. G. S. Mackenzie, Liberal candidate for Waitaki, at his first \ meetinjg. , "His economy measures I have naturally meant unpopularity, ] but that does not count when the | welfare of the country is at stake. On j the other hand, any man who persists j in making party capital out of the sorrows and distress of the people deserves no consideration." "Give Me a Tomahawk."

Newcomers to politics are apt to fail to appreciate the fact that a lone voice usually cries fruitlessly in the Parliamentary wilderness. "I want you to send me up to Parliament, and to send me with a tomahawk, and I will clear off some of those dead branches," said Mr. C. Todd, Independent Reform candidate at Lawrence, when referring to "wasteful Government expenditure. War Debts Must Go. Cancellation of war debts is in- - evitable, according to Mr. R. A. Wright, the official Coalition candidate for Wellington Suburbs. Speaking at Ngaio Mr. Wright said he was convinced that one of the greatest drawbacks to a return to world prosperity was the burden of war debts, which, he believed, would sooner or later have to be wiped out. A Voice: "I wish they would wipe mine out." (Laughter.) In One Word. "If you want my policy, you can have it in one word — anti-Soeialism." — Mr. R. Darroch, Coalition candidate for Wellington Central, speaking at Adelaide Road. "American Marriage." "The Coalition is only an American marriage; it may be dissolved at will." — Mr. S. N. Ziman, Country Party candidate for Waikato. Restriction of Luxuries. "The time has come when' all luxuries will have to be restricted." — Dr. W. H. Horton, Coalition candidate for Auckland East. "Sour Grapes." "There is too much derision of members of Parliament. It is the old story of the sour grapes I suppose. They Can't reach the grapes themselves, so they are envious of those who can." — Mr. G. R. Sykes, Coalition candidate for Masterton. Impossible Policy. "If Labour were returned to-mor-row it could tax and scrape and do what it liked, but it could not carry out a single plank of its platform, because hard facts are against it." — Mr. Coates. Bachelors' Tax. A tax on bachelors to provide revenue for unemployed relief as an alternative to increasing the levy was suggested to Mr. R. A. Wright by a member of his audience at Mornington. It was held that there were many bachelors and young women xarning £5 a week who escaped income tax and who were able to live well on their incomes. "There's a lot m it," observed the candidate, "but It is dangerous to discriminate." Problem for Archangels. "I am amazed to find that so many xf our young people who have good aducations cannot see that the Go/ernment is not responsible for the xtate in which we find ourselves," remarked Mr. R. A. Wright, Coalition :andidate for Wellington Suburbs, in .'eply to an interjector at Mornington. "Can the Government be blamxd for the drop of £20,000,000 in one year in the value of our exports? I would not care if you had a Government of archangels in this country, you could not have avoided the situation." Settle the Settler. "It is better to settle the land than 'settle' the settler." — Mr G. C. Munns, Coalition candidate for Roskill, Auckland. Questionnaires Condemned. Like other aspirants for political honours, the Coalition candidate for Wellington East, Mr. T. Forsyth, has already received a number of questionnaires with requests that he should answer them, but at his meeting at Roseneath he intimated that he had no intention of doing so. "I am holding many meetings," he said, "and anyone who wants to ask me questions can question me then. I *will answer. questions at my meetings. I deny the right of organisations and varicfus bodies to question me." Honest and Workmanlike. "The Coalition Party has an honest and workmanlike programme to meet the position," said Mr. Will Appleton, official Coalition candidate for Wellington South, in his opening election address at Newtown. "The Coalition Government does not baulk the issue, but states quite candidly that heavy burdens have been laid on the people. At the same time it brings out the point that relief must be given at the earliest possible moment and that, in the meantime, economy must be practised aixd a sound policy must be practised and a sound . policy of . reconstruction brought into effect."