MORE HECKLING

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 503, 5 November 1928, Page 6

MORE HECKLING

PRIME MINISTER AT NEW PLYMOUTH CONFIDENCE EXPRESSED Press Association NEW PLYMOUTH, To-day. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, addressed an audience of about 3,000 people on Saturday evening, and had a successful meeting. There was considerable heckling and counting out at times; but this was confined to one section. At the conclusion, confidence in his administration was expressed. Replying to a statement by a United candidate, that Mr. W. Goodfellow and Mr. H. H. Sterling were so strong that they could dictate to the Government, and that Mr. Sterling’s salary was free of income tax, Mr. Coates said the railways manager certainly had to pay income tax. Tie denied that the Government had made a seven years’ contract with Mr. Sterling, at the end of which time he would receive full superannuation, as with other railways servants, Mr. Sterling would have to complete 40 years’ service before he would receive the maximum superannuation. As he had now only 26 years’ service, he had about 14 years to go. In reply to a statement that Mr. Coates, when Postmaster-General, had given Mr. Goodfellow the sole rights of broadcasting in New Zealand, the Prime Minister said that '«#£ien the contract was signed, he was not Post-master-General, nor was he in New Zealand. Tie would stake his reputation that Mr. Sterling would be a success. Mr. Coates had a cordial reception at Waitara to-day, and to-night he is spending on Mount Egmont. He will visit Inglewood and Stratford tomorrow.