PRIME MINISTER’S TOUR

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 504, 6 November 1928, Page 13

PRIME MINISTER’S TOUR

STRATFORD MEETING UNITEDS’ CHIEF PRESENT Press Associatioti STRATFORD. To-day. The Prime Minister, the Right Hon. J. G. Coates, was well received at a crowded meeting at the Town Hall. He dealt with the criticism on leading political questions. In the past year, he said, the New Zealand workers lost £IO,OOO in wages as a result of strikes. In Queensland in the same time the workers lost about half a million. In this respect New Zealand stood head and shoulders above any country the Opposition cared to quote. The last three years had been a period of industrial peace, such as had not been enjoyed by the country for many years. In the past year the Government had made a saving of £ 90,000 in the government of the country. This was during a time of depression, showing that the Government had a full grasp of the situation. It was a fine example for the people generally. Mr. Coates proceeded to deal with the speech of Mr. Robert Masters, chairman of the United Party, at Invercargill. Mr. Masters was present in the hall, and Mr. Coates invited him on the stage. Mr. Masters was greeted with loud and prolonged applause as he went up to the stage. Mr. Coates dealt at considerable length with the railway improvement j account, saying the expenditure of money proposed was merely in the I direction of ensuring the railways giy- | ing full service. He quoted figures of 1 the proportions of revenue in various years from customs and income tax, and said he had quoted Mr. Masters’s figures. Mr. Masters claimed that his figures had not been quoted. Interjections were fairly frequent, but the meeting was good humoured.