ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3357, 9 December 1919, Page 5

ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

MR MELDRUM AT THE TOWN _ . p HALL. . __._{a There was a good agendance at ‘the Town Han last night, when Mr VV. Meldrum, Liberal candidate for the‘ gangitikei seat, delivered his second; political address. M Mr J. R. Cunninghanie, - DeputyMayor, occupied the chair, and bespoke for‘Mr Meldrum a, fair hearing. -- Mr Meldrum, who was received with applause, said the political contest was gathering way and in about eight days the poll would be taken. He had dealt with the main platform of the Liberal Party in his former address, but on the present ,occasion he would touch on subjects which he had not dealt with before. ‘He would criticise “the. political platforms of the candidates» opposing him. As they knew, there‘ were three separate poliq,'Les: Mr Glenn, Reform; Mr Brady, Labour; and himself. He could not speak too highly of his opponents, who had put up !a. clean-and fair fight, and conducted the campaign in quite an exemplary manner. (Applaguse.) He reserved the right. to criticise their pl.a:tfornl, but What he intended to say would be in an impersonal manner. Before dealing with those planks, Mr Meldrum recapitulated what he had said in his previous address. _

HOUSING QUESTION. The speaker-‘said he would touch on various measures to be « dealt. with when the'Liberals were returned to power. The first. one would be ‘the question of workers’ houses, Mr Massey had brought in a ..very good, housing scheme, by which houses could be erected costing from £756 to £BSO to build. Sir‘.,Toseph Ward proposed with the moneys annually made available in the Post. Ofiiee Savings Bank, to erect as many houses in the Dominion as were necessary. Mr M-assey opposed this scheme, partly because it was proposed by ‘Sir Joseph Ward, and partly because he wanted the money for pub lic works." The moneys deposited in the Savings Bank were usually the savings of workers, and it was quite fitting that ‘this money should go to provide homes for workers. It was a. flair and equitable scheme. , TAXATION. , 'Mr Massey, in 1911, promised to reduce taxation, but had not done so; rather is was ‘increased. The Liberal Party proposed to increase the graduated Land Tax, to increase ‘the tax [on large incomes, and to increase the death duties on the large estates. This would place the burden on the right shoulders. IMMIGRATION. ‘ i The speaker was altogether against indiscriminate immigration. If some restriction wlasnot enforced the class of‘-unskilled men would come here and flood the labour marliet. The standard of living in New Zealand had been raised very high, and it should be seen to that it was not lowered by the wrong class of immigrants. Btitain wasthe only ground for immigration, but she could ill afford -to lose any of her best men. ’ AFFORESTATION. ‘ The time was coming when the Dominion would be very short. of timber, which would, in consequence, be very high in price. We were making little provision for restoring the forests, and he Was in favour of a vigorous scheme of re-afforestation, in planting the waste portions of the country. RAILVVAY SERVICE. He exondemned the unbusinesslike manner of railway construction, and advocated the completion of all lines when once taken in hand. The time had arrived when the railway work Shops should have up«to-date tools and equipment.

WAGES OF RAILWAYMEN_ Dealing with the question of Wages of employees in the service, Mr. Meldrum said an increase last; session had been" given to the higher grades, while a 3/ war bonus had been granted to the lower grades. This latter, taken in conjunction with the conditions regarding superannuation. wsa a diminunition, rather than an increase. The cost of living had affected all, and “the increase should have been given all round. _ THE‘ P. AND T. BONUS. The speaker said Sir Joseph Wzll'd_ had promised the bonus, __l’vhich Mr Massey admitted had been done, but not in a proper and ofiicial Way. Mr Massey should have been loyai to his colleague and paid out. THE ‘LABOUR PARTY. Everyone admits the advantages of unionism; but the ;Labour Par‘f-y should disassociate i’(Self'lfi-om the 1{,.;,,c;P1c5 of the I.W.W. ' A V 0109? What do you mean by ’1.W.W~.? ‘ " Ml‘ Meldrllm: I will tell you. read the principles of I.W.W, as set: outby Vincent Stgrohn, :1 well-known‘ authority, in which it was stated that: action should be taken without regard I to right or wrong, and advocating mili. tant. direct action, to the fullest. ex. tent.. Another authority, with a dc. cidedly German ‘name, was quoted, in _which were Aadvoc.a.ted strikes, sabofiitage, fiinal lockouts, etc. The Labour‘ ...:;.E'afiz smug g‘;§a.mgmg 3359.}: rpm

-these principles, when it would obtain the legitimate support of public opinion. (Appluuse.) RETURNED SOLDIERS. Returned soldiers had the firs"t claim for setit-lenient. on land or in business. They should see to it that not ‘.l single maimed or wounded soldier was in a worse position than if no war had ever occurred. . Their dependents should be in as good a position as before the war. If the ‘country erred it should be on the side of- generosity. BROKEN PROMISES. ' In 1911 the Reformerslmade 3/great number of promises, which lacked performance. - A Voice: So did ‘the Liberals. Mr Meldrum said Mr Massey promised a cessation of borrowing, saying the country was going to the dogs. How had he redeemed his promises? For the first two years there had been an increase of £2,000,000, and he proposed to borrow £12,500,000. That was the Way he redeemed his promises. Mr Massey blamed the Liberals for wasteful administration but the R-eformers found “themselves unable to keep within the Liberal Party’s bounds, the result being an increase of £1,500,000. THE LAND QUESTION. No steps had been taken‘ until a ‘year ago to deal with the limitation of private holdings and aggregation, and the Reforniers did not make use of the powers conferred 'on them by le.gislation.. with‘ regard to Native lands, Mr. Massey promised to make sustained efforts to settle these, but they were in ‘the same state as eight years ago. He had also failed to make use of the Land for ‘Settlement Act, which was lying neglected in the Statute Book. Mr Massey was supported by the "large landholders of the Dominion, and they were a drag onhim. and prevented him putting the laws into operation.

THE [OFFICIAL LABOUR PARTY. The acknowledged leaders of the Labour Party. were Messrs Holland and Fraser. The speaker read a motion by Mr Semple, re the I.VV.W., showing there wasa great similarity about their aims. Mr Fraser seconded the motion. He read the preamble of the 1.W.W.,_ which stated that employers and the Working closses had nothing in common. When a party came before the country they should formulate som_ething, not to destroy, but to improve it. CONCLUSION. _Mr Meldrum, in conclusion, said he had received many writffen questions, but he would "give no pledge except from the public platform, It was not rightifor anyuolie to co-me before the electors when he ‘wias pledged to something different; _ . ' QUESTIONS. Questioned as to Why.-he did not criticise ‘the Farmers’ Union as a political factor, wliile he criticised the Labour Party, the candidate said the Farmers’ Union was not standing as‘ a party———the Labour Party was. A wrangle took place at this stage among the audience, many speaking at once, and questions were inaudible. The candidate said he would not express an opinion on Mr Brady’s' platform, as he had not heard him. The electors could express their own opinion at the proper time. Asked why self-determination should nat be granted to Ireland, Mr Meldrum. said what We siay would have no effect; it would be only a futile expression of opinion.

The candidate ha°d no objection to free passes to children under seven years of age travelling ‘with their parents, provided it did not hamper the working of the railway. All child. ren attending schools should be allowed to travel free. ' The candidate was not in favour of half pay to P. and T. men who served ag specialists‘ overseas while other OffiC€l's not selected, but who served similar special duties received defence pay only. What was done by private employers should be done by public employers. In the next war would the candidate be in favour of the men being paid a living wage‘z?——Yes, enough to leave their dependents in comfortable circumstances. The candidate was in flavour of women retaining the powers conferred upon them by the Act of last session. A front bencher started to ask a question about the freehold, which developed into a speech. He was promptly counted out by the audience, amidst considerable uproar, land he resumed his ‘seat amidst applause. but he popped up again, and after addressing :the chair as Mr Chairman and Mr Speaker. vainly attempted to ‘speak, but was emphatically counted’ out. In an even division of the parties’, the candidalfie would vote with the Liberal Party every time.

In case of 9. Coalition Government of Liberals and Reform, what attitude would he take'3—lf =the piarty thought a coalition in the best in"rel-ests‘ of the country he would be inclined to follow them. Considerable uproar took place at this stage, and then cheers were called for Mr Brady. ‘ , , SOLDIERS’ QUESTIONS.‘ Mr Meldrum'said_lle had called a. meeting of returned soldiers to answer Questions put by the "Associa'fi4o-nz but

no one attended. He would answer them now. i No. I.—He would support the compulsory acquirement of land required to settle soldiers. No. 2.-—No; it was as most indefinite thing. To make the same rule appli-« cable to all was n‘o‘-'t fair. He was in favour of acquiring land to settle soldiers on at a fair valuation. No. 3.—.——~Hc was in favour of the land not required by the Urewera Natives being acrquii-ed f or csettlement under the Bush and Swamp Act. No. 4.--Yes, . No. s.—W!as difficult to answer. Each applioation should .be settled on its merits. ' No. 7.—-Yes, certainly. W No. 8.-Yes. No. 9.———Anzac Day had special reference to the doings of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps on the Peninsula. ‘There hail been bigger fights in .whieh New Zelalanders had been engaged, which had a more signal effect ix; winning the -war. A day should be selected applicable to wall, and that day should be made seared. If Anzac Day was selected, it should be after consultation with Australia. M:-‘T. Shute -moved that a hearty vote of thanks and confidence be accorded to 3/11‘ Meldrum, ' This was seconded by Mr Jas. Smith, who said Mr Meldruifi had“ struck the right note, and ll_e was sure he would represent the best interests of ‘the community. » On being put to the meeting the motion was carried without dessent. M7l‘ °Meldrum flianked the meeting for its patient hearing, and the Deputy-Ma’y‘o‘r for presiding.