“DAYLIGHT AHEAD”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 489, 19 October 1928, Page 13

“DAYLIGHT AHEAD”

UNITEDS PROMISE BETTER THINGS AUCKLAND EAST CAMPAIGN With the United Party, led by Sir Joseph Ward, in the political field, Mr. J. B. Donald, the party nominee for the Auckland East seat, sees daylight ahead from out the clouds of depression and maladministration. “Trust the people, and let the people rule,” is the declared motto of his party, and in expounding this doctrine in his opening address at St. Andrew’s Hall last evening he strongly advocated a change of government, and promised a solution or many State problems if his party were returned to power. There were nearly 300 people present. Dr. Horton presided. The candidate was given a good hearing, but at question time he ran the gauntlet of a fire of merciless comments because of his political inexperience. Mr. Donald assured his audience that his candidature was not of his own seeking, but was accepted because he belieVed New Zealand was in that state which required men who were prepared to make sacrifices for their fellows, and who would give their time to the rectification of the various problems facing the Dominion. He warned them, too. that his platform would bo a trenchant criticism of what he chose to call “the Coates Party.” It had been declared that the political issue was a clear-cut one between two parties. Reform and Labour, but ho amended that, and asserted that there was only one party which had the interests of the people at heart—the United Party. He believed, moreover, that both the Coates Party and the Labour movement recognised that the United organisation was a political factor to bo reckoned with. This they would realise with significant force on November 14. The party stood for a free Parliament and freedom for the people. Its motto was “Trust the people, and let the people rule.”

FREEDOM CF VOTE Eternal vigilance, he said, was the price of liberty, and always would be. It was necessary, therefore, to be eternally vigilant in the protection of the people’s liberty, so that a free Parliament and a free people would be assured. # ' In elaborating the party motto, Mr. Donald said the slogan was one of the basic factors in democratic rule. The present administration had been elected on a catch vote, but he was confident that the people would not be caught again over the same 'question. In order that the will of the people should prevail, he favoured the second ballot at elections, a policy which was founded on the belief that thi3 would more adequately reflect the genuine desires of the New Zealand electors. "TWO MILLIONS LOST” One of the chief causes of unemployment in New Zealand, Mr. Donald went on, was the passage of the compulsory clauses of the Dairy Export Control Act, becauso by its very dogmatic tenor, it antagonised the people who mattered in England—the consumers—and a disaster unforeseen by the Government when introducing the legislation overtook the marketing of our butter. The people at Home refused to buy our produce, and this Dominion lost between £2,000,000 and £3,000,000 _ “In land development, the United Party wished to follow the example of Canada and Western Australia, where a great good had t~en accomplished by the exercise of a judicious selection of group farms. operated upon the lines as enunciated by Sir Joseph Ward. It had been proved that there was a great deal of unoccupied Crown lands available for settlement, and this, it was proposed to bring into profitable cultivation. In the Taupo district alone he understood there were 16 000.000 acres of this class of land. On 100 acres of this pumice soil, a man—when his farm was properly equipped —could make annually from £6OO to £BOO. A Voice: Is it fertile? Mr. Donald: It has to be brought into bearing. The- Voice: It would not feed a rabbit, i^o naid.. It j s the intention of the United Party to see that this land is made available for those who desire it. There are thousands of men who have to be assisted, but is it not far be'ter to place them on the land and pay them for improving it than to keep them in the city accepting charity? tariff and railways It was the intention f the Party to pay the men for improving the land, and when it was made a payable proposition. the value would be assessed and the occupiers Jdven the opportunity of purchase. It had been done in Western Australia and could be accomplished here. The Government could find the land if the people could be found to go on it. The trouble in many districts was that the farms wer© too isolated. , A Voice: Well, give us good roads ind wireless sets. Mr. Donald: The United Party intends to give you good roads. Mr Donald briefly upheld the railway policy of the United Barty. advocating the completion of the un finished main lines and leaving the branch line districts o oe covered by motor transport. Branch lines never would pay, and, recognising this, the party was prepared to concentrate on th Xo ma co n untry S ' could prosper with a high tariff, Mr. Donald declared, for rhis essentially meant a high cost of .?ving The United Party advocated protection, but not to the extent where it forced up the cost of living. Another factor in the high cost of firing was the high rate of company taxation, forcing up the prices of the C °Other y s S idffights upon the economic fflHs.-s.-pSM £.3 at future meetings with the partj Pl “onfidence of tlie the candidate was e.\pi_ - - lution, an amendment being 10-L