REFORM’S SUCCESS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 486, 16 October 1928, Page 7

REFORM’S SUCCESS

PARTY POLICY REVIEWED MR. A. M. SAMUEL’S ADDRESS (From Our Own Correspondent J HIKCTAIA, To-day. j "It is a fact that more than two- \ thirds of the public expenditure has J been used by the Government for j social services, in such a sane manner : that the Labour Party has been compietely unable to suggest why the j expenditure should be curtailed on. sucli j services as afforestation, hydroelectricity, education, and o_thers.” Thus Mr. A. M. Samuel, M.P., candidate" for Thames, opened his first address, delivered at Ilikutaia la st evening. He was well received. und a vote of thanks and confidence followed his speech. Referring to the problems of the Government, he said lie a promise from the Minister in charge of pensions to investigate injustices under the present system caused by broken domicile and lack of reciprociyt between England and New Zealand. Mr. E. McGregor, the United Party’s candidate, stated that Mr. Coates had challenged his followers in the House to make the licensing issue a party matter. A sufficient answer to this incorrect statement lay in the fact that til© president of the New Zealand Alliance was actually contesting a seat in the Reform interests at the forthcoming elections. Dealing with, the roading policy, Mr. Samuel said the Main Highways Board, between 1924 and 1928, had assisted in the construction of 717 miles of metal, bituminous, and concrete roads, and over four miles of bridges, at a total expenditure of nearly £3,250,000. It was estimated that the board would spend betwene £BOO,OOO and £900,000 on the maintenance of primary and subsidiary main highways this year, and a similar amount on construction. The net expenditure by the Government on construction and maintenance of roads and bridges other than main highways, between 1924 and 1928, amounted to £2,698,280. During the past 16 years the Public Works Department had expended £16,855,558 in developing the country. Enormous advances had been made under the Reform Government’s educational system. In 1912 the expenditure under this heading amounted to £1,133,000, and in 1927 it was £3,765,300. The Labour Party’s land policy *;ould be summarised as follows: Public ownershp of land; State farms to produce the people’s foodstuffs; national control of produce, and union Control of national industries. “Those who value personal freedom will know how to judge this policy,” concluded Mr. Samuel.