SPLITTING VOTES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 490, 20 October 1928, Page 7

SPLITTING VOTES

REFORM IN RAGLAN MR. W. SEAVILL’S CAMPAIGN (Special to THE SUN) TE AWAMUTU. Friday. That the Country Party might split votes in some electorates was the opinion expressed by Mr. W. Seavill, Reform candidate for Raglan, who addressed a large audience here this evening. However, he hoped the ultimate suit would not be fatal to Reform. Personally, said Mr. Seavill, he agreed with the Country Party’s principal plan, free trade within the Empire. In opening his address Mr. Seavill said that his only pre-election pledge would be that he would vote for the Reform Party in the event of a noconfidence motion. He had not always approved of everything which the Reform Party had done, but his views generally coincided with those of the Coates Government. Mr. Seavill dealt at some length with tho Country Party and compared it with a religious sect which had broken away from the Church because of some

minor differences regarding doctrine. It would do much better if it stayed with the Reform Party. The candidate also dealt with Sir Joseph Ward’s loan proposals which he considered were most extravagant. Me stated that several of the United Party’s candidates were men who had failed to be nominated as Refrom candidates. MENACE OF SOCIALISM Although the Labour Party kept its extreme planks in the background at election time, there was no doubt the menace of Socialism still exsited. By Socialism he meant the State control of the means of production, distribution and exchange. The candidate had been greatly impressed with the enthusiastic interest each of the Cabinet Ministers took in the department he had to administer. Mr. Seavill did not think the average farmer should pay land tax as he considered it was taxing a man at the wrong end of his endeavours. Referring to the Government’s efforts to assist farmers, especially with regard to the Rural Credits Act, Mr. Seavill said that Mr. F. Colbeck, the Country Party candidate fqr Tauranga, had admitted that the Government had given the farmers all the banking legislation they had asked for.

Mr. Seavill said the Reform Government had done well in difficult circumstances and merited' a renewal of the electors’ confidence. Liberal supporters in the Raglan electorate had a far better chance of their wishes being given effect to if they supported the Reform Party than they had if they accepted the only other alternative open to them of voting for the Labour candidate.

He was opposed to prohibition and the bare-majority issue. The candidate was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.