ELECTION EXCITEMENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 846, 14 December 1929, Page 7

ELECTION EXCITEMENT

NOISY MEETING AT PETONE MR. COATES’S FIGHTING SPEECH Special to TUB SUN WELLINGTON, Friday. Noisy interruption by a section ef the audience marked the Rt. Hon. J. G- Coates's address, in the Empire Theatre, Petone, in support of the Reform candidate for the Hutt seat, Mr. H. F. Johnston. Twenty minutes, ot stamping and yelling drowned the remarks by Mr. Johnston, who arrived about 9.30 Shouting his words, he refused to be silenced, and spoke for about 30 minutes. When a vote of thanks and confidence was put there was another outburst ot shouting and cheering, and the motion was declared carried. "Reform is out,” shouted a voice above the applause which greeted Mr. Coates's opening remarks. “Reform is not out at all,” retorted Mr. Coates. The Voice: It ought to be. Mr. Coates: That is open to argument. (Applause.) I am not so sure that the people of New Zealand don’t realise that Reform ought to be in. >f you consider the interests of the country as a whole. (Tumultuous applause.) Mr. Coates went on to say that the fight was essentially between Labour und Reform. A Voice: I don't think you will pay • dividend. tDisseut.) “You will get a dividend if you take the proper course.” returned Mr. Coates, who said he refused to believe that any party could assume office without the support of the working class. The Reform Party stood for nil classes, including the workers. (Loud applause.) An analysis of the voting at last General Flection showed that not half the workers voted for the Labour Party. (Applause.) The ®cre use of the name “Labour” did "ot give the Labour Party any right to claim to represent Labour. There were tw-o alternatives before the People of the Hutt. They had the Reform candidate on one hand and Labour on the other. A Voice: Rot. ONLY TWO CANDIDATES Mr. Coates: “It is not rot. Is it nol * fact that the United Party candidate has stated he will vote for Labour i! fie thought it would prevent Reform coming back? You really have twe Labour candidates ” A Voice: That's true. (Applause.) "BOOTS AND SPURS” The Reform Party, continued Mr Coates, had left the country in a state

of which any Government might well be proud. (Applause.) The hysterical female voice: That is not what they thought last election. Mr. Coates: Not what who thought? Another Voice: The people. Mr. Coates: “The people swallowed the seventy millions, boots, spurs, ‘ lock, stock and barrel.” There was no short-cut to prosperity. The first step toward a solution of industrial and other problems was the National Industrial Conference. Was it not possible for employers and employees to get together with the idea of making New Zealand a more prosperous country? “Can’t we do that?” asked Mr. Coates. A Voice: Too late. Too late. (Laughter.) “WILL COME AGAIN” “No, it is not too late.” thundered Mr. Coates. “You will find the people l will yet turn to the men who initiated | the scheme of*get together. We will take what comes to us whatever it may be, but that is not going to knock us back. We will come again.” Mr. Coates had to pause for several seconds until the applause which greeted his statement had died down. The only way to raise the standard of living was to increase the production of wealth. Today the farmer was lip against costs, and they were heavy costs. What was wanted was a reduction in costs. DESERVING OF THANKS “I want now to refer to Mr. Harold Johnston.” continued Mr. Coates. “Mr. Johnston deserves the thanks not only of this electorate put of the whole of New Zealand for again bringing before the public the fact that it is possible to do many things if we only get together.” (Applause.) “What about the civil servants?” asked an hysterical female voice when Mr. Coates was about to continue his ispeech. "1 am not going to talk about the civil servants tonight,” said Mr. | Coates. “I notice the Labour and ! United Parties are very sore with me i on that point ” “Quite right, too,” interjected another female voice. Mr. Coates: Did you want me to take the £100? Is that it? I can only conclude that you think l am worth more than £450 a year. I am going to stand by the promise I made to the civil servants. I don't care if ! every man, woman and child in New Zealand is against me. I am going to stick to what I consider was an obligation even if l go out of Parliament in five minutes. ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE The entrv of Mr. Johnston at this stage was the signal for a remarkable demonstration. In his concluding | remarks Mr. Coates said that the policy pf the Reform Party was prudent finance, laud settlement, private enterprise, as opposed

to Socialism, Imperial trade, international peace and goodwill, national defence, equality of opportunity, co-operation between Capital and Labour, payment of minimum wage to workers, fostering of secondary industries, humanitariau legislation, advances to settlers and workers, housing settlement, insurance against sickness, and disablement, and loyalty to the King and to the Empire. “I have to thank you very sincerely for the very sportsmanlike and sportswomanlike reception you have ! given me this evening,” concluded Mr. Coates. “I have enjoyed every minute and I am sure you have, too.” -- ■■ ■ 1 =