MR LINKLATER QUESTIONED.

Shannon News, 28 November 1922, Page 3

MR LINKLATER QUESTIONED.

THE DEVIATIONS. At the conclusion of his meeting at Shannon on. Thursday, Mr Linklater, the Reform candidate, was asked what he considered a fair wage to-day. The speaker said it depended what kind of work a man did.

Mr Sinclair: Are you in favour of first-past-the-post or proportional representation P Mr Linklater said he favoured first past the post. Very few people knew whai proportional representation would mean. Under that system it would be necessary to have a much larger electoral district; a candidate would need a long purse to cover it, and a stranger would never become known.

Mr Quarrie: Are you aware that the Medical Association are unable to obtain the subsidy this year from the Government to enable them to have a doctor for the men employed at Mangahao? Can you tell us why the subsidy has been refused?

The candidate said h 4 did not know why it had been stopped, but assured the meeting that if returned he would do his best to,,see it was paid.

Asked what his ideas were on the liquor question, Mr Linklater stated it was a matter that did not enter intq politics at all. It. was one in the hands of the people. In the event of another war, would you favour a referendum.?

He did not think a matter of that kind should go to the people. It should be left in the hands of those representing them. Are you in favour of a referendum on the liquor question?—Yes. •If in favour of one, why not the other?

“Rather a conundrum. Hard to answer.”

Mr Randall: Re a referendum in the event of war, you say it should be left to those representing the people. During the last war did not Mr Massey and members of his Cabinet. tell the country that the European war was to end all wars. TTo you believe they honestly thought they were telling the truth ?

Mr Linklater: Yes, they honestly thought they were telling the truth. A questioner asked which he was in favour of, the deviation through Levin or Shannon to Foxton. Mr Linklater: Through Levin.

Before you decided to stand for Parliament were you not opposed to the Levin deviation?—When I gave evidence before .the Commission I was then representing the jfcairanga County. *

MR LINKLATER AT FOXTON. Mr J. Linklater, Reform candidate for Manawatu, addressed the electors at Foxton last week. There was an attendance of betweeh 300 and 400 present. The Mayor (Mr J. Crystail) presided. During the address Mr E. G. Martin, of the Labour Party, kept up a running fire of interjections, which, if they served no other purpose, had the effect of strengthening the support of the candidate (says the Herald). Mr W. Adams (Liberal) was in merry mood, and persisted in making remarks of a more or less irreiuvent nature, whioh at times sent the audience into fits of laughter. The candidate, however, took the interruptions in good part and left a good im-

pressioa. Questions were then invited and Mr Martin asked if the candidate was m favour of the Levin-Marton railway. Mr Linklater replied in the affirmative.

Mr Martin: Why were you hostile to it' before the Commission? Mr Linklater: Dead men and fools are the only ones who do not change their minds. (Applause.) Ladies and gentlemen, I am in favour of the Le-vm-Marton railway. Mr Martin: You said Mr Ross was a member of the Labour Party. That

is not true. Mr Linklater: It is useless for Mr Martin to try and repudiate Mr Ross, who was a leader of the Labour Par ty and conducted a Socialistic school in Palmerston. Mr Adams created a diversion by an imitation of Mr Massey’s statement on land for settlement, and yet the Government paid large sums of money for soldier settlements. • Mr Linklater said they thought too much of the soldiers to ask them to take up such land. Mr Oscar Jacobsen asked if the candidate was in favour of reducing wages at Mangahao and increasing the cost of living to the men. Mr Linklater said he could not, agree to any hardships being inflicted on the men.

Mr Martin said if the country was so prosperous why was it necessary to have soup kitchens? Mr Linklater: I didn’t know we had soup kitchens, but whatever the prosperity some men would take advantage of soup kitchens. Mr Oscar Jacobsen moved a vote of no confidence, which larkprl a sec-

onder. Mr 13. Gower moved a vote of thanks and confidence in the candidate and the Reform Government, seconded by Mr W. E-. Barber. Mr Adams moved an amendment that a vote of thanks be accorded the candidate. Mr Oscar Jacobsen urged the chairmen to accept his amendment. The chairman then put Mr Adams’ amendment, which met with little response, the motion being carried almost unanimously and with a round of applause intermingled with a hoot.