TAURANGA CAMPAIGN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 487, 17 October 1928, Page 9

TAURANGA CAMPAIGN

REFORM RECORD DETAILED MR. MACMILLAN’S FIRST SPEECH (Special to THE SUN) TE AROHA. To-day. "The United Party would be better described as a benighted party,’* a&ld Mr. C. E. Macmillan, M.P., official Reform candidate for Tauranga, when he opened his campaign at Te Aroha last evening. There was a large audience, the Mayor, Mr. R. Coulter, presiding. Speaking of the political situation, Mr. Macmillan said there were now four parties in the field, and the choice for the country lay between Reform and Labour. There was nothing in the United Party, and the Country Party consisted only of a few members of the Farmers’ Union. Commenting on the Labour Party, he said exception had been taken to a statement in a Labour paper regarding the right to strike. The Labour platform also gave every elector tho right to vote on loan proposals based on the security of ratepayers’ properties. This would soon have the effect of dissipating the owners’ equities, and would assist in socialisation. The speaker went on to say that the Government had introduced legislation of benefit to the primary producer. The Rural Advances Act and Rural Intermediate Credits Act enabled relief to be given to farmers requiring money on fixed mortgage or on chattel security. The petrol tax and the collection of heavy traffic fees had helped in the reduction of localbody rating. LICENSING BILL Mr. Macmillan, in explaining his attitude regarding the Licensing Bill, said he supported the third reading in 1927 because he felt that the majority of members of Parliament should be given a chance to express their views. The Bill came from the Legislative Council in practically the same form drafted by Mr. Coates, and it was apparent that the Houses could not reconcile their differences. When the Bill came before the House in the past session, several members, including himself, saw that it would be useless to send the Bill to the Upper House again. interest in educa- • tion was shown by the fact that the ‘ expenditure a head in 1921 was 21s 3d, ! but in 1927 it had increased to 52s Id. i fcstate assistance amounting to i £11,714,422 had been made since 1914, I to workers wishing to build homes.