“Come Into the Open”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 505, 7 November 1928, Page 10

“Come Into the Open”

CHALLENGE TO UNITED MINISTER SHOWS FIGHT (From Our Own Corresponaent) OTAHUHU. To-day. The United Party candidate for Manukau. Mr. Kells Mason, was no*, spared by the Hon. J. A. Young, Reform candidate for Hamilton, and Minister of Health in the Coates Cabinet, who spoke at Otahuhu last evening and replied to Mr. Mason’s allegations of misapplied Government monies. Mr. Mason had said at Onehunga that the Government had failed to account for much of the money collected in petrol tax, and his suggestion was that the funds had been used for electioneering purposes. “Any man who would make such a statement is qualifying himself to come under my charge at Avondale or some other place,” Mr. Young declared. “No sane community would believe it, yet the statement has been repeated night after night by this candidate.” Mr. Young added that the Government had to account to the AuditorGeneral for every penny of expenditure in all State departments. The statement was untrue, and to suggest it was nonsense as well as being contemptible and ridiculous. “Let him come out into the open and prove his statement, or, if he is unable to do so, then let him hold his tongue.” Mr. Young invited. “It does no credit to any political party to discredit any other party in such a way. If the United Party is depending on false statements of this sort, then the sooner it is relegated to the limbo of forgotten things, the better for the country. “I trust the United Party will take steps at the earliest possible moment to dissociate itself from statements of this nature made by one of its own candidates.” THE REAL ISSUE The real issue at present was between the Reform and Labour Parties, Air. Young continued, and votes given to the United Party were votes wasted, as they have no ghostly chance of becoming the official Opposition With the Labour Party there was a distinct line of demarkation, with Reform on one hand and Labour on the other. The manifesto of the party just issued had no objective. Their chief plank, the socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange of wealth, simply meant the nationowning the basis of production, the land, which would be the destruction of all ownership of property. Mr. Young expressed it as his sincere opinion that if this was given effect to, it would mean ruination. Since 1925, Mr. Coates has made good. Voice: That’s not saying much for the Government. Mr. Young: It is saying a lot for the Government and Mr. Coates too. Mr. Coates has had to face many difficulties. The 1925 shipping strike was felt the world over, and on account of the small earning power of a huge proportion of the people of England. it. meant small prices for the produce of this country. Mr. Young dealt clearly with the country’s trade position and the land settlement question, defending the Gov-, ernment in its administration. Mr. A. W. Hall, Reform candidate for Hauraki, spoke briefly, stating that his only pledge was to the people of the electorate. A vote of thanks and confidence was accorded both speakers.