WISE EXPENDITURE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 502, 3 November 1928, Page 10

WISE EXPENDITURE

MR. DICKSON DEFENDS REFORM HIGHWAYS AND EDUCATION Confining himself largely to a defence of the Government’s policy in regard to expenditure, Mr. J. S. Dickson, official Reform candidate for Parnell, addressed 150 electors at the Kohimarama Theatre last evening. Mr. A. T. Pycroft presided. Nearly £3,000,000 had been spent on public works and main highways, but the candidate urged that the latter scheme had relieved the rates on settlers and was providing roads for men who had been put on the land by the old Liberal Party. “Yet now,” declared Mr. Dickson, “the United Party, which claims to be descended from the Liberal Party, blames Reform for its policy in regard to highways expenditure.”

According to Mr. Dickson only 63 of the 5,284 settlers who had been placed on the land under the Soldier Settlement Scheme, had left their holdings. During the Government’s term of office the educational grant had been increased from £1,330,000 in 1912 to £ 3,756,000 this year. The Public Trust Office was progressing very satisfactorily. This year, when the office had handled over £ 6,000.000, was the best ever experienced. The department had given every satisfaction. Agriculture |ia benefited to the extent of a grant of £9,500 toward herdtesting. A subsidy of id a pound had been granted to assist the export of pork, and Government assistance had brought the export of apples up to over 1,003,000 cases last year. The Reform Government was declared by Mr. Dickson to have done its best to alleviate unemployment and the country’s immunity from labour troubles was largely due to the Prime Minister’s encouragement of a conciliatory spirit between employer and employees. A vote of thanks and confidence was accorded the candidate.