MR. POTTER’S ORDEAL

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 489, 19 October 1928, Page 12

MR. POTTER’S ORDEAL

ROWDY MEETING HECKLERS ASSAIL REFORM CANDIDATE With hecklers to right of hire hecklers to left of him. and heck.’ lers in front of him. shouting and interjecting, Mr. V. H. Potter M.P., Reform candidate for Eden', had a hard row to hoe in the opening address of his campaign in the Empire Theatre. Dominion Road, last evening. Tho attendance practically filled th# building, and. although he bulk of Mr. Potter’s audience was friendly enough, a noisy but businesslike mi„. ority made the candidate’s position an arduous one. Throughout his address Mr. Potter was subjected to a never-ceasing bom. bardment of reproofs, denials, contradictions, cat-calls and shouted questions. At times the interjectors almost took charge of the meeting nr>i one man had to be called to order on several occasions. notwithstanding this. Mr. Totter carried his speech through and concluded by answering a large number of questions. A vote of thanks and confidence defeated an amendment of

no-confidence in the Reform Government, on a. show of hands. In introducing the speaker the chairman, Mr. E. H. Potter, Mayor of Mount Eden, explained that since the candidate last addressed electors a portion of Grey Lynn had been merged in Eden. Previously member for Roskill, ho was now contesting the Eden seat. He had served his district, for nine years. A Voice: Too long. FOUR PARTIES After declaring that he had stood and been returned each time—— A Voice: Not next time. . . . as a Reform candidate, Mr. Potter pointed out that there were four parties going before tho country. First came Reform A Voice: No, second. . . secondly. Labour; thirdly. United, and fourthly, the Country Party. He would deal, in the first place, with Labour’s platform. An uproar drowned the speaker’s voice, but gradually he made himself heard. “If you think that it is in your interests to support the Labour Party, you have very little interest in New Zealand,” he shouted. “Soup-kitchens, soup-kitchens!" shouted someone at the rear of hall. Reform bad been accused by United and Labour of colossal borrowing. It was true they had borrowed £5-0,000,000 A Voice: It’s the silly way you’re spent it. ... it was true that the debt appeared colossalA Voice (bitterly): Give a man £3,500. "Perhaps he is worth it,” returned Mr. Potter warmly. Take the case of the Cawthron Institute, he said. Australitfhad taken a valuable scientist from New Zealand, though he asked for £2,000 a year. Was New Zealand to lose her best men by not offering them a sufficiently large salary? The country could not afford to lose men for th© sake of a few hundreds of pounds. A ny of the speaker’s interrupters would go to a better-paid job if they got the chance. The trouble was some of them did not have other jobs to go to. Another uproar. BORROWING schemes Members of the Labour Party, proceeded Mr. Potter, had brought down Bills that would have committed the country to another £16,500,000. Sir Joseph Ward had come along, and, after saying that the country’s debt had increased by £50,000,000, he had proposed to raise another £70,000,000 inside 12 months Shouts of “You’re wrong!” and You’re right!” ... That was right. He had heaid tne statement and the newspapers bore him out. nonsense, said Mr. Potter, to think that one man could borrow at ? per cent, cheaper than the London market. Voice: Perhaps you get K cheaper for quantity. (Laughter.) At present New Zealand’s credit was sound. It should be kept so. . . . Again Mr. Potter’s voice was subrn? t r^ under a wave of dissent * • • If they put Harry Holland ! n the effect would be the same as in Queensland. Money would not be lGn t until a repudiation clause was forthcoming. . . Roar of “No!” “That’s enough’.* and “Steady, steady!” Yoice: Let’s have your policy. ‘Well,” said Mr. Potter, “let’s ana* . the public debt.” Still another prolonged uproaa Gries of “It’s colossal,” and laughter* NOISE AND HILARITY Despite considerable noise and hilarity Air. Potter went on to say that the war debt of £80,000,000 had been reduced by Mr. Downie Stewart by Per cent, in six years. Nearly half oi New Zealand’s debt was inside her own shores—a fortunate position. The debt was classed as a dead-weign debt. There was the productive dey which- included expenditure on ways and post and telegraph ana in non-productive debt such as the e penditure on schools and roads. . • • Voice: Don’t be silly. . ori » ... He had asked Mr. Sir Joseph Ward which they cut down—hydro-electricity, advances or schools —but tn - had not replied. They could noL*\ they knew that the Dominion , progressing and, in its advance, It to borrow rationally. The spea* had the greatest admiration to* -j s late Mr. Richard Seddon, and t o *, * e legislation, but Reform had ti - tt along and improved that out of all sight. If the old LJW? came up from the grave they not know their legislation.