LABOUR CANDIDATE AT SHANNON.

Shannon News, 9 November 1928, Page 3

LABOUR CANDIDATE AT SHANNON.

RECEIVES A SPLENDID RECEPTION.

Mr J. .H. Taylor, the official Labour , candidate for Manawatu spoke on Tuesday evening at the Maori land Iheatie, Shannon, to an attendance estimated at 300. . . Mr A. Coates presided, and m introducing the candidate, stated -thruhe had had the pleasure three years ago of introducing Mr Roberts, who was an excellent candidate, and like Mr Taylor was a farmer, and made |lus living off the land. This time the -Lab-our-Party’s candidate for Manawatu was a s man from their own district, nt having resided for> twenty years on his farm on the main road near Levin. Wherever Mr Taylor had spoken hd had been given an excellent, healing, and he trusted the same would be accorded him during his address at- bhnnMr Taylor, who was received with loud applause,’ said that he had been speaking at different places for about three weeks, he had had no trouble athis meetings, but had had a splendid reception wherever he > had spoken. At last election Mr Roberts, he saiu, was chosen to carry the Labour bar. ner and he had left the ground clean and it was up to him to do the same. “You are here this evening as judges of the Government whose election to office three years ago you endorsed by a huge majority. You are to judge on the economic facts of the last three years as to whether the Government is guilty or whether you endorse their action.” REFORM PROMISES:. When Mr Coates and Co. took veins how did they get the votes'? They put forward three very serious promises to chtch the votes. They knew the requirements, „but took good care, not to give them.’"' They knew that the small farmer was in a difficulty as to placing his sons on the land, so Coates and Co. said they would put roads to the large blocks of land and if the owners refused to sell them . on private treaty they would take it by force of the law already existing. Had he done it? Mr Coates’s ,Government also promised a national insurance scheme to cover unemployment and sickness. They had failed in those three very serious promises. People knew the poverty there had been in the country during the last three years. INTEREST RATES. In December after Mr Coates’ return, it was announced that he had raised the rate of interest by Ij per cent' in the Advances to Workers Department. .This meant that it encouraged private institutions,' and that it mortgages were renewed during the past three years, the Government woulu take the 20‘per cent, equity of the farm ers and give it as a* present to. the .moneylending institutions for the time being. It gave leave to those organisations to bleed the producers to 'the extent of three millions sterling a year This was wickedly done so as to practically make the Advances Office not have the effect it should have had to check the private money-lending 'institutions. The average rate of interest of the whole of the Government loans was £4 6s Sd, and the Government- had made a profit of l:i millions on that, making the rate of interest to the State £4 2s 9d. The State could have gone on lending at 44 per cent. .There was no reason for making a jump of lj; per cent in the interestrate and thus bringing about frightful poverty in this land. What had happened in connection with the Post Offices In .1920 Al; Coates was Postmaster-General, and the Labour members thought he was going to fairly just man, because he brought down a Bill asking for permission to pay interest on deposits up £SOOO. When he got into power, however, a letter appeared, signed by the Welfare League, the mouthpiece of the money-len’ding institutions, criticising the Post Office for Competing unfairly against the private banks; Next came a speech from the chairman of the Associated Banks, on the same lines. The move that followed that \va3 a Bill brought in by Mr Nosworthy, who had become PostmasterGeneral, asking for permission to convert the interest back again. Mr ' Downie Stewart took charge of the Bill, and then Labour got him in a corner, and if ever a, man was driven into a stockyard and cornered, it was Mr Stewart on that occasion. The Labour members accused him of playing the producers into the hands of the private money-lending institutions. At last he. held his hands out and said, “If you tie my hands, then you must'take the responsibility” as much as to say that he was going to light the banks, without saving the words. The Labour men surrendered the position; but what, happened? in eight •'months the Government had driven* over three millions out of the Post Office into the private banks, and the latter had made an extra profit of £125,000. T;he Bank of New Zealand paid in profits and bonus 17 per cent. DAIRY CONTROL. Mr Taylor next referred to the attitude of the Prime Minister in regard to the Dairy Control Board. Mr "Grounds was the chairman'at the time, and that Board, after inquiring into the charges in connection with shipping, insurances, and what it was costing the producers to place the butter in England, got to. work and secured large reductions in insurance and freight. The Home merchants had been. making, .from l-}d to 9d per lb before the butter reached the consumer, an*# there had been times when Tooley Street,.with no extra service at all, had been able to scoop in millions. Just at the '"time when the struggle was taking place and a strong Prime Minister was needed, - the merchants started their boycott. Both

tlie Prime Minister and Mr Grounds were in London at tls time, and the Board had been complaining about the Government nominee, Mr Patterson, not “playing the game.” They asked for his removal because he was not working in with the Board to make it a success; but the Government refused this. Privately he got- m touch with six Tooley Street men and arranged that Mr Coates should meet them. He never even asked Mr Grounds, but he met these men—and what happened, “lie'rave Tooley Street the bottle <p milk irnd the farmers of New Zealand the dummy to suck,” said Mr Taylor. (Applause). “And when the farmers o-rowlcd because there was no milk nr the dummy, the Press found the jam to put on now and again.” (Laughter). It would be noticed how, step by step, Mr Coates ami the Government had played the producers into the hands of vested interests. “THE BEST FREEHOLD.”

“Labour has the best freehold in the world,” Mr Taylor continued. “There has not been a fanner during my campaign who has been able to stand up to me and disprove my statements.” He referred to a conference held in Levin by the Farmers’ Union just after the Raglan election, and the discussion as to why the farmers had voted the Labour man in. Speakers at. ihe conference expressed the opinion that there was not'the slightest doubt that the Government was no good to the fanner—that it .was a friend of the money-lending institutions. Some of them" said that Labour had some jolly fine fellows; but one gentleman said he hoped that no one present would vote for Labour, but would vote for Reform, because, if Labour got into power It would confiscate the land. Mr Taylor asked if it had ever struck that speaker that the wealthy were confiscating the deposits and the hard toil of the poor for those who had money. Was it not heart-breaking to see what had happened on farms during the last six years? There were men and women with broken hearts, some of whom had become cripples. SAFEGUARDING LAND VALUES. Explaining Labour’s land policy, the candidate stated that/the Party intended to lease land to a farmer _ for Ins lifetime and.for generations after him for all time, at 5 per cent,, reducible to 4] per cent, as long as, he was paving the interest punctually. The only condition they made was that they objected to the occupier asking such an unreasonable price as to make a financial slave of the man who followed him. The real farmer did not want to sell; he was not a gambler. If an occupier did want to sell, he would be paid for all the improvements he had done on the place and which would be valued every three or four years by the State. The Administration had to encourage in him the idea that his farm was his bank. What was. the freehold of- a block of land? If anybody went from the town to where the speaker lived, he would pass through the laud of the late J. R. McDonald’s estate. Nineteen years ago the land on the right hand side of the road was cut up and sold by auction under the freehold, or gambling, policy. Four or five vears afterwards, the Chamber o Commerce —to which lie.gave credit for the prosperity of Levin: —urged, '.the Government to buy the land on the other side, which was on a leasehold tenure. When the first, slump came, half the occupiers on the freehold side lost theii places or had to make arrangements to get out. On the other side not one of the holders was so affected. The only tiling wrong with the lease he was .occupying was that- he was able to make it freehold. The Labour Party was going to put a stop to that. It would see, also, that the farmers had money at 4J per cent., so that they •ould develop the land, and not lie tied by second mortgages at 6,8, and 9 nor cent, ‘ A .LESSON IN SPECULATION. Li 1912 the New Zealand capital value vvas 315 millions, and the mortgages amounted to 884 millions. Last year 'die capital value was £618,250,000, and .he mortgages were £302,666,000. Whereas in former years the mortgages _represented 28 per cent, of the capital value, iu 1927 they had reached nearly 30 per cent. Would people say that New Zealand to-day was over-valued or mder-valued? He thought that most r’armcrs, or anyone else knowing anything about values, would agree that it was over-valued. If that was the Hate of things, then it was near bank.uptev. The farmers had for years men praying that they would have good markets. When these were realised, ■hey sold the London market at so much per acre, on the boom. As soon as there was a drop in the prices of produce, they found that they had sold [he men’s -wages; they had also sold the deposits of the small farmers. The business men found that they 'had sold the purchasing power of their customers. Those three factors had had to go under together. Anybody who read r-nd studied what was taking place today, when he saw a firm like the Investors’ Company getting behind Siberia, would know that it was not going to throw millions there for nothing. When it guaranteed the producers there 75 per cent, on all the butter, what was going to happen in five years' time? In his opinion, England would get all the butter it required at Ifper lb. Theie would then be a crash in the industry. FLAXMILLING HOLD-UP. The candidate made some references to the crisis'in the flax-milling industry. He said that when the high royalties were offered the flaxmiiiers had guaranteed to pay. Now they say they cannot make the industry pay and they want to reduce the men’s wages. This meant cutting a slice from the bread of the women and children to make the industry pay, for the sake of a system that had allowed a gamble. If Mr Coates, on his visit to the district, did the right thing, lie would say to the flaxmill owners, “You knew what the standard of living was, and l am not going to allow you to rob those men and the women and children de-

pending on. them.” If the nulls were not running after that, then t-ho St.d v. should take them over; that was the Mr Taylor weut on to say that 8 per cent, of the farmers were owning per cent, of the capital value of New Zealand, and 92 per cent, were owning 33 per cent. While one estate oj. 50,000 acres was disappearing the other land-owners had increased their holdings, on the average, by 3000 acres each. The Party intended to burst, up these places We are going to increase that graduated land tax, we are going to put on the income tax, and then, it they ivon’t sell at a reasonable price after we have tried to come to terms, we will have a Board appointed, on which the farmers will have representation. That Board will sav what the price should be, and if they still don t agree there will be another Board, presided over by a judge, and its decis ion will be filial. The Coates Govern»ent. had not settled one on the land, they had .settled them off. Under the Labour Party’s system a man would have a lease as long as he lived and his family after him. The rate of interest would be 5 per cent reducible to 44 per cent. He will be entitled to* all improvements mad». STATE BANK. During the war the State had to come to-the assistance of the Banks; thus allowing a note issue of se.vcn millions of the people’s money io be* blown up in- gunpowder. The Labour Government would have a State Bank, with the solo right of note issue; also an agricultural bank, so as to be in touch with the small farmers. He knew the position, as a farmer himself; he had visited Wellington and discussed these matters, and while he had been milling his cows he had been thinking. He knew that two of the teats of the cow the mortgagees would have, and that when difficulties arose, such as would arise in the end, they would grab another teat. (Applause).- Moreover, he knew that the teat that was left sometimes went dry. The position was serious, and the more lie had been thinking it over the more he realised the great policy that was laid down by Labour. From the time that the cows were dry in the autumn until they came in in the spring, the farmers lacked the means of exchange. I-Ie had personally had to experience it, but the business people of this district had been very reafeonqble with him, because they knew that he was honestly always trying to do what was right. A * time arrived when the farmer'was faced with the position that he could not place his sons on the land, although they had stood by him through the hard times. It either meant that there had to be a cutting-down of expenditure in the home, or that the sons were driven into the labour ranks. Under the system proposed by the Labour Party, a farmer who- wished to spend £IOO on permanent improvements would have a visit from a valuer, and if the report by that officer was that the improvements were going' to be an asset to the place and to this country, them the Administration would ask the farmer how much of the work he was going to do himself. If lie replied “20 per cent.” the Labour Government would sav, “Go on with the job, and we will make progressive payments un-, til it is finished. We don’t want to drive your sons on to the labour market, but to go on improving the land for further production.” (Applause). *' THE STATE FARM. Referring to the Massey College being established at Palmerston North, Mr Taylor stated this farm had already cost New Zealand £200,000. Air Seddon had approved of it being at Levin, also. Air Alassey, but Mr Coates, who said he did not know which way to turn for money, had approved of its removal to Palmeo'ston North. With Air Nash “pushing like billy-ho” and our member pushing, but forgetting to drop the brake, they got if to Palmerston North, but. it would not cross the bridge and'was dropped this side. At this point a persistent interjector was asked by the chairman to sit down and keep quiet. He replied that he would not. But on being informed that lie would be put out if he continued his interruptions,' he said, he would not interrupt anv more. SHANNON -FOXTON BRIDGE.

Dealing with the -above bridge which was washed away four years ago, the speaker stated that the ex-Mayor had informed him that the engineers had reported that the bridge was unsafe. The Shannon. Borough Council had wanted the Counties interested to attend to it. The question of cost arose. The Prime Minister, wljo was the only man who could say what each interested party should contribute, would have nothing to do with it. It was his duty to attend to the matter. The bridge went and thousands of pounds had been lost. RETURNED SOLDI ERS. The speaker said ho was a member of the executive of Dairy Farmers’ Union when the war was on. Some of the Ministers, when addressing the troops prior to then, leaving for the front, had promised them land on theii' return and assured them they would get it. Was that promise kept? Locally, a beautiful property was offered the Government at £35 per acre, but they would not purchase it, but. bought a property at The Heights at £l7 per acre and like other places, some of which would not grow scrub, the soldiers were starved off. Only those who had money of their own or parents to assist them were able to carry on. Later there was a revaluation, but it came too late, as the sellers of the properties had got away with the money. The soldiers had sold their souls for five millions to the squatters of New Zealand. MATERNAL AID. Another object which, the Party had in view was the helping of expectant mothers, by providing free nursing homes and free medical services. If Labour got the reins, they would have this in the first six months. . OLD AGE PENSIONS. Air Taylor stated that Old Age peu-

sior.s had'been increased by fid in illation to the' purchasing power of XI, which was only 5d at the old prices. Old age pensioners had a right to bo tak'en care of. Tfhe Labour Pr<rtv wanted 25s per week so that anyone was able to look after a pensioner and they were determined to bring it about. EDUCATION DEFORMS. Several reforms were necessary with our education system. The classes me too big, some teachers having 00 to 70 pupils in la class to instruct and ue was of opinion that 35 was any amomu for a teacher tc give attention to. Teachers had no say regarding appointments made by grading and had no redress. They should have the right: to have their own organisation to sec that they can get justice. The Labour Party’ was mined that proner free " education should lie provided. The child of the poorest parents, if he had the ability, must be aide to go right through the University to the top of the tree. ■CAUSES OF UNEMPLCYM IA l. ? Three reasons why unemployment wai prevalent- were put forward by -Mr Taylor, as being land gambling, the importing of migrants when there was nothing for them to do, and the absence of a policy for settling the land. The candidate, concluded his address with a description of how the Labour movement had grown both m New Zealand pud the Old Co An try', and he thereafter answered a number of Cjues VOTE OF THANK'S AND CONFIDENCE. 'Mr C. Grey moved a vote of thanks to Mr Taylor and of confidence in him and in the movement he represented. This was seconded by Mr R. Do" 1H ‘ b and carried by acclamation. l\lr Taylor returned thanks and after a vote of thanks had been passed to- Mr Coates for presiding, the meeting terminated with cheers for the candidate, a section of the audience singing ‘‘For He’s a dolly Good bellow. ’ ’