GOVERNMENT IN TOILS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 958, 29 April 1930, Page 7

GOVERNMENT IN TOILS

3VAVE OF OPTIMISM | RECEDES TO PESSIMISM IUR. SAMUEL’S HARD WORDS f- —— t "The United Party came into power on a wave of optimism of its own creation, but it was not ilong before the wave receded, leaving a long, sandy stretch of pessimism in its wake.” f Thus, Mr. A. M. Samuel, M.P. for Thames, in a trenchant attack on the United Administration, addressing a Crowded house in the Remuera Library last evening. He spoke in support of the Reform candidate for the J’arnell seat, Mr. W. P. Endean. ‘‘lt must be obvious to the most Casual student of economics that the time has arrived for a stocktaking,” declared Mr. Samuel. ‘‘The situation, the parties and their politics, jnust be weighed up critically and ■without sentiment, by the electors, to decide which is the best party to govern the country. In this the electors must be guarded by tfieir beads and not by their hearts.” The opinion expressed by the United candidate that unless he was elected for Parnell a General Election would result, was not shared by Mr. Samuel, who considered the result of the by-election would have no hearing on the future life of Parliament. He entirely discounted tlie idea of a General Election occurring in the near future, because the Labour Party had definitely asserted it would ■not vote out the Government to place Reform in office. On the other hand it was hardly likely Reform would vote to put the Socialistic programme M the Labour Party into force. “If jEt. Coates moves a no-confidence mot Jpn it will be supported by the Re£rm Party, and approved by Labour,” i declared. “ON WASHING DAY” r Strong comment was made by Mr. Samuel to the visit of the Hon. G. W. Sorbes to North Auckland during the taxnpaign. in which, he said, Mr. Coates would not be able to participate for the next week. “You would think a Minister of the Crown jwouUl be considerate enough not to j&sit the district at such a time, for be knows that by going and staying siore a week the Leader of the Opposition is in courtesy bound not to have. It is like going to a friend's Kouse on washing day and staying breakfast, dinner and tea,” added fir. Samuel, amid laughter. | A SORRY SPECTACLE f fThe activities of the United Party Esters in the campaign were asid by the speaker, who declared if any more Ministers adopted same tactics as had the Hon. W. r eitch, the Reform candidate had ing to fear. He described the ster of Transport as having made rry spectacle In charging Reform causing the Prime Minister’s illby its stonewall in the House ton the Land Taxation Bill. “It was perfectly miserable attempt to attack our party to gain sympathy, declared Mr. Samuel amid applause and laughter. Mr. Samuel felt sure the Prime Minister, on reading Mr. jyeitch’s statements, would be astounded and ashamed of his colleague. They admired Sir Joseph as gallant gentleman, statesman and Imperialist, and the speaker was confident the Prime Minister would not be proud of Mr. Veitch's having made unfounded and ridiculous statements, flf Mr. Veiteh is any sort of an lion(Durable gentleman he will apologise for what he has said and done.” Mr. Samuel went on to refer to a letter published in The Sun from Mr. [Walter Gray, of Rotorua, who had pevealed some of the statements then jnade by Mr. Veiteh against Sir Joseph [Ward. He also compared Mr. Veitch’s,, attack on the State Advances Department made in 1027 with the praise the Minister had ladled out to this department recently. k LAND SETTLEMENT f frhe United Party's excuse for failing to undertake land settlement, that the Land Settlement Bill had been placed on the Statute Book only last session was ridiculed by Mr. Samuel. He declared there were sufficient measures in force for the Government to settle every acre. The Government, however, had started buying highlyimproved estates, giving money to the man who already had ample. The only way to bring about prosperity, |jT Mr. Samuel's opinion, was by developing idle lands. There was provision to place men on the land free of Interest, and in this respect the United party could have at least kept one pt its promises, but he claimed it was hot sincere in its pledges. If a million or two was lost in settling these lands, the money would be well spent instead of wasting it on unprofitable Jelief works. The pride with which the Hon. G. ft/. Forbes had acclaimed the surplus Of £150,000 for the past financial year 'Was discussed by Mr. Samuel. In 1928-29, the actual revenue was *£23,600,000 and in 1929 - 30 '£25,300,000, a difference of £1,850,000. .The Reform Party, eight months in Office, showed a deficit of £400,000. With £1,850,000 less revenue. The United Party, had it carried on the game form of Government, should |iave had a surplus of £1,500,000 “A pyrotechnic display that ended fn a shower of sparks and ashes,” was Sf*- Samuel's description of the y£70,000,000 loan scheme. Reference was made by Mr. Samuel $0 the calumnious campaign of misirepresentation of the most pitiful hature levelled against the Rt. Hon. G. Coates at the last general election. The Reform leader's personal .character had been assailed in a whispering campaign that developed into a poison-gas factory, he said. Every member of the party stood behind Mr. .Coates and each would declare there Vas no more moral and sober man in the House. He considered that a man who blamed the Government for unemployment was a fool, but he did credit the Government for its unstatesmanlike handling of the situation, by Undertaking relief works of an uuhecessary and uneconomic nature. He described the measures as hurried expedients of the United Government to keep pace with the Labour Party’s gemands. i»»