“BROKEN PLEDGES”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 493, 24 October 1928, Page 10

“BROKEN PLEDGES”

MR. MUNNS TAKES REFORM TO TASK UNITEDS IN ROSKILL “The Coates Government has left behind it a trail 'of broken pledges,” was the assertion of Mr. G. C. Munns, United Party candidate for Roskill. when he opened his campaign at Mount Albert last evening. Mr. Munns gave a brief address and did not attempt to delve deeply into statistics. Rather, he confined himself to a round criticism of the Government’s handling of land development and to an outline of the United Party’s intentions. The appeal to the audience of over 300 from the chairman, Dr. R. M. Beattie, for a fair hearing was recognised, and there were no interjections. The meeting passed a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr. Munns, and pledged itself to support him. The motion was carried amid a minor chorus of “noes.” “As to the formation of the United Party,” Mr. Munns explained, “I consider the conference in Wellington which led to its origination to be unique in New Zealand political history. The only thing that hurt me was the deletion from the party policy of the intention to defeat the Motor Omnibus Act. “The backbone of the party truly represents the old Liberal spirit. The members are eager to carry on the great work of John Ballance, Richard John Seddon and Joseph Ward. There are still staunch old Liberals among us. "I am satisfied that, in spite of the appearance of the new party, there would have been a tremendous swing back to Liberalism this year. New Zealand is waking up to the fact that things are not as they should be in this country. “The man in business who makes over £3OO a year has to pay land and income taxes, but these big landowners escape income taxation. It is unfair. If our taxation on the -necessities of life has risen within recent vears. it is obvious who has to pay. I maintain that the Coates Government has kept its taxation promises to its rich ‘squatter’ friends, but the rest of us have to pay just the same.” LAND METHODS CRITICISED Mr. Munns had hard words for the Government regarding land development and the -necessary surveys. The Coates Government, he said, had failed utterly in its promise to investigate probable development of pumice lands. An expert had said that there were 8,000,000 acres, practically free from “bush-sickness” on the Tokoroa Block, near Taupo. which could be fertilised to a remarkable extent. Settlers on tho block had gone to the expense of sending samples of the soil to the Government, but, six month® later, had been informed that their samples had been relegated to the scrap-heap. “The Government declared that it was out to prevent land aggregation, but I do not know of any big estate being broken up,” continued Mr. Munns. “It is a crime for a man to get a grip on a, big area of first-class land. Development is hindered.” “People certainly want it—they are crying out for it,” he said. “The Reform Government simply will not cut up the land. It is letting the farmers walk off. From 1921 to 1926 nearly a thousand farmers left the land each year. With their dependants, there were about 10,000 who gave up primary production in five years. The old Liberal Government claimed to put 1,000 men on the land each year, and did it, People are walking off the land even faster now, and yet the Government says it is settling the land. Nearly 38,000 people have gone from this country to Australia than have entered New Zealand from across tho Tasman, in five years. Many were probably immigrants, on whom New Zealand spent money. Mr. Mufnns asserted that several Liberals had gone over to Reform through Government offers. A Voice: How about JimmjP Parr? Mr. Munns: Oh, we lost him properly. He went Home. Continuing, the candidate said that New Zealand should not be run by Reform or Labour in the interests of any particular classes. The old Liberals governed the country for every one, and the same policy was being followed by the United Party. Tho work of Mr. IT. IT. Stirling as a high-salaried general manager of railways was not questioned by the candidate, who said that the appointment by the method of Order-in-Coun-eil was the chief objection of the United Party. “Mr. Stilling is costing a lot of

money, but perhaps he’s worth it,” concluded the speaker. “CITY MONOPOLY” “Then there is that Motor-Omni bus Act,” he went on. “The Auckland City Council sent a deputation to Wellington, and, like a bolt from the blue, the suburbs found the buses taken away. That was done by Order-in-Council, too. Some suburbs have been seriously affected by legislating the buses off the roads. The Reform Government was backed by the Labour Party in that. A commission hatched a Transport Act egg. The hoard — with six city representatives and four suburban —is wrong. There should be fair representation, with an independent chairman. The city has an iniquitous monopoly—our buses have been legislated off our roads. “The Uniteds are pledged to get that Act repaled, or, at least, fair treatment for the suburbs. A Voice: Mr. Veitch did not say that. Mr. Munns: This is what I say. In reply to questions, the candidate said he favoured a two-issue bare majority in the licensing poll. The United Party would want a revision of the present system of military training. He was in favour of the abolition of Order-in-Council legislation, except in a time of national crisis. Mr. Munns told a questioner that the way the Upper House was packed was wrong, but it was merely a question of reform.