THE ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1919, Page 5

THE ELECTIONS.

SIR JOSEPH WARD, SPEECH AT WINTON. COUNTRY'S STRONG FINANCIAL POSITION. i By Telegraph.—Press Association. 1 Winton, Last Night. 1 Sir Joseph Ward opened the campaign 1 in his constituency to-night. He was ■ heartily welcomed on arirval at Winton, and entertained by the borough council at a dinner. The Winton band played him to the hall, where a very large audience gave him a very cordiai reception. After introduction by the Mayor, Sir Joseph Ward referred to the fact that thirty-three years had elapsed. since he first stood before a Winton aiidience, and he was .proud of the fact that his friends ill Awarun stood by him through good repute and ill repute all that time. NO MERGING WITH "REFORM." Passing from local questions to general politics, Sir Joseph Ward said it was absolutely contrary to fact that he and the Liberal members had joined the Reform Party. He never was a member of the Reform Party. After peace was signed, as leader of the Liberal Party he, with his colleagues, left in accordance with the agreement. He would have been a traitor to the Liberals had he stayed in. THE FINANCIAL POSITION. He had carried out his duties as Minister for Finance through the most difficult period of the war. He had raised £43,701,000 in New Zealand at 4% per cent., the cost of raising this being at the unprecedented low rate of one and a i half per cent. For purposes of safety he lmd renewed short dated loans falling due in New Zealand for a period of 25 years. He had paid off £1,950,000 "treasury bills. In addition to which he had arranged for the extension of all short dated war loans that had been obtained in England for long periods, and provided accumulated net surpluses for the period he was in office of £15,240,000, and although there had been an increase in expenditure, including interest, sinking funds, war pensions, and, under annual appropriations, of £3,553,311 rturin? the last year, they had all been provided for, and the net surplus at the end of the year was £3,(179,000. He had the satisfaction of knowing that financially New Zealand occupied the strongest position in proportion to its population of any country that had taken part in the war. WHERE THE PARTIES CLASHED. He proposed that the whole surplus should be invested as a sinking fund for the repayment of war loans, and that the war expenditure should all be paid off in 83 years. His successor was adopting a different course by using the accumulated surplus for immediate payments. He considered that most unsatisfactory. He held that the Government was forcing too much expenditure. Within a year the total amount asked for under all headings amounted to the enon&ous sum of £00,203,000, or £20,000,000 more than a year during the war. The result was that votes for railways, roads, bridges and hydroelectric developments were most, inadequately provided for. He held that where it was proposed to put increased settlers, including soldiers, on land it was their bounden duty to have railways and road facilities made ahead. A STATE BANK. He urged the establishment of State banks, from which they should get, within a comparatively short period, a revenue of at least £500,000 a year, and a careful estimate of the revenue from hydro electric forces would amount to £600,000. For these reasons he urged that the two -should be provided without unavoidable delay. NATIONALISATION OF COAL MINES. He urged that the best of the coal mines should lie nationalised. The conditions of the men, both as to housing, sanitation and superannuation should be put upon a proper basis with a view of helping (o reduce the price of coal. He was in favor of some State colleries being provided to help to carry on this work at the lowest price possible. He could not understand anyone supporting the "go slow" policy. It was hurting the wage-earners, traders, business people, and the best interests of the Dominion, WORKERS' HOMES. He held the view strongly that one million r< year for four years should be expended to provide workers' homes, and that these could be provided for a rental of 10/0 per week for a five-roomed house. He would provide .n sinking fund of a half per cent for Bfi years, which would repay the whole cost of the. loan in that period. There was no reason why half the balance of Post Office Saving's Bank "deposits should not he used for this purpose. LAND SETTLEMENT. He was in favor of increasing land settlement for soldiers and civilians. All Crown and native lands which had been acquired by the Government should be made available for settlement, and small farms from individual farmers should not be purchased, as it brought the land into immediate competition with soldiers for fresh land. HELPING RETURNED SOLDIERS. Tie was sincerely in favor of helping returned soldiers and dependents in every way. He would sooner err on the side' of liberality and proper treatment I,han for the sake of a million or two leave them in a discontented position, He opopsed hastening the discharge of soldiers who were not wholly lit to reenter into civil employment. The pooner a soldier was physically fit. to en- | tor civilian activity the better for him, hut in reading of recent matters he was exceedingly sorry to see that there was cause for the complaint made that men had been discharged while still unfit for ordinary work. AGAINST MILITARISM. He was opposed to any attempt to build up a large military force in this country, because it wasn't necessary. The cadet system gave an excellent , foundation for discipline, and the territorial system in operation before the war should be continued. He opposed men being called upon to serve four months at a time. It was not necessary, and it would be most injurious to farmers and business people. The complete demobilisation of Expeditionary Forces should be carried into effect Ktihout delay.

' COST OF LIVING. The cost of living had been felt by every section of the community, and to help to mept what was a great pinch for a large number of people, a highei; basis of pay was not only essential but unavoidable. UNITY OF THE EMPIRE. He was a strong supporter of anything that would make for the unity of the position of the British Empire. He opposed any local navy scheme and was glad to find Lord Jollicoe did not encourage such a system, but advocated one linked up with the British Navy. He supported the removal of restrictions upon trade from New Zealand. We were an exporting country, and we wanted trade with the world. Commercial representatives to help trade both to and from New Zealand should be appointed in some of the important countries. He supported preferential trade within the Empire, and was against giving facilities for enemy trade with countries that had been our enemies. SUPPORT FOR PROGRESSIVE MEASURES. lie supported financial assistance to local industries, aerial services for postal work. A hundred thousand a year could bo provided, with good advantage to the people. To restore and provide educational buildings three millions could be expended for three years. More experimental farms should be provided, and the dairying industry should be given all the assistance possible. The ferry services between the twoislands should be State-owned. All freezing works throughout the country should be controlled permanently by State licenses, and no outside corporation should be allowed trr build or control freezing works within the Dominion. Motor lorries should be provided for transporting purposes for settlers and others where railways did not extend. Chassis should be imported and bodies built in this country, The system of conducting elections should be altered to prevent a minority ruling. Prospecting for new gold and coal mines should be encouraged and assisted financially. The same with oil-boring. The price of imported oil should be controlled to prevent unfair prices being charged. The further reform! of old age pensions and the pensions of widows and orphans was necessary, and the National Provident Fund should be extended to make it more universal. A readjustment. on "improved terms for widows under the superannuation system was necessary. Aggregation of land should not be allowed to continue. Land was being sold to the country for soldiers' settlement at a price _that was, in his opinion, without justification. He solicited the co-operation of the moderate and progressive people o'f all classes to promote the well-being of the country, and leave It in every respect better than it was to-day. UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THANKS. A vote of thanks snrf confidence in Sir Joseph Ward, and an expression of appreciation of the long and valuable services lie had Tendered to the Dominion and to the Empire, was moved ■by Dr. Gow, and seconded by Mr. C. D. Moore, and carried by acclamation and with unanimity. Sir Joseph Ward made an appropriate and humorous response, and the meeting closed with hearty cheers for Sir Joseph Ward and Lady Ward. THE WAIPAWA SEAT. Hastings, Last Night.

Mr. A. E. Jul!, a Waipawa candidate, at a well attended meeting at Havelock North, supported educational reform so that the greatest amount of thorough .education should be given to every intelligent pupil. On7v the State could safely compete with shipping combines. Only by acquiring land areas could soldier settlement »c completed in a reasonable time. In regard to profiteering, the books of big commercial firms should be overhauled and if they showed unfair profits, those profits should be disgorged. He urged the completion of the East Coast Railway and the Waikaremoana hydro-electric scheme, and he advocated increased and better, road construction.

THE CLUTHA SEAT. Dunedin, Last Night. Mr. John Christie, a member of the Clutha County Council, announces his candidature for the Cflutha seat in the Independent-Liberal-Labor interests. WELLINGTON CENTRAL S^AT. I Wellington, Last Night. Mr, P. Fraser, Labor candidate for Wellington Central, addressed the electors to-night. He said he believed the coal trouble was nearing a settlement. The Labor Party believed there could be 110 real settlement of the trouble short of the nationalisation of the mines State medical services was one of the most important proposals before the people. Doctors should be working for social service and not profit. He hoped the people would be roused to abolish the Legislative Council. A vote of thanks and confidence was declared carried unanimously. . MR. HAWKEN AT OPUNAKE.