POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1922, Page 7

POLITICAL.

THE WAITOMO SEAT. MR. J. ROLLESTON’S CAMPAIGN. Mr. J. Rolleston, the official Reform candidate for the Waitomo electorate, met the settlers of Uruti in the Uruu Hall on Saturday night. The function took the form of a social evening, euchre being indulged in for the first hour, followed by an address by the candidate. After supper, dancing continued till a late hour. Despite torrential rain, which had been falling practically all day, about forty were present, including a fair sprinkling of ladies. Mr. A. J. Smith presided. Mr, Rolleston thanked the for braving the elements, and explained that owing to misunderstanding about the advertisements, and consequent clashing of dates with the euchre party, his address would naturally be short. Explaining his position, Mr. Rolleston said he was the official Reform candidate for Waitomo. His length of residence in, and his knowledge of, the King Country, and particularly the backblocks, fitted him ably to represent that electorate. His views and the course of his actions would be governed by what he honestly believed and felt was in the best interests of electors.

The Dominion, and particularly the farming community, had been experiencing very trying times. They were pledged to stand by the Old Country and were in duty bound to adhere to their obligations. The natural outlet for New Zealand produce was the English market, and he hoped it would continue to remain so. On a wool clip of .175,000,000 lb, the drop of lOd per lb had meant a loss to the sheep farmer of £7,250,000, while the drop of 2'/ 2 d per lb on 360,000,000 lb of beef had cost £3,750,000. Therefore the total loss to meat and wool 'growers had been in the vicinity of £11,000,000. Under such difficulties, he thought farmers were to be congratulated on the splendid manner in which they had carried on during the last two seasons. TAXATION AND INTEREST. Mr. Rolleston considered that taxation if not relieved would mean the death of industry in this country. The high rate of taxation was responsible for much of the discontent and difficulty, and to that also was due the high rates of interest. Nobody could afford to pay 0 l / 2 per cent, for temporary accommodation. There were two forms of taxation, one direct taxation such as land and income tax. and the other indirect taxation, such as Custom duties. Tn the former instance (land and income tax), the revenue was contributed by men in possession of land, or in receipt of an income of £3OO or more. Tn the 1905 administration of the late Mr. Seddon, Customs duty, to which the poor man contributed in the same degree as the rich, provided £2.728,000. and land and income tax £606.706. Tn 1911, Sir Joseph Ward’s administration, the Customs produced £3,145.927, and the land and income tax £1,035,000. Tinder the present Massey Government. Custom receipts totalled £5,185,000 and land and income tax produced £7,027,000. To put it more clearly, under the Ward administration in 1911. men, women and children in the colony contributed by means of Customs the sum of £3 is per head, and land and income tax £1 per head. Mn. Massey had increased these amounts to £4 6s from Customs, and the land and. income tax, which he reminded his hearers, was paid only by mean of substance, to £6 12s per head. In previous administration Customs, termed the poor man’s tax, produced more than the land and income tax. The position, under the present Reform administration, was now completely reversed. Mr. Massey had realised the gravity of the steps he had taken to reduce taxation, as any reduction meant less income. But industries had better opportunities for expansion, and farmers more money to work their land.

He advocated the bringing in of all waste and unproductive land, and a progressive roading policy. In the King Country they had seen too much of men having to vacate their holdings, and he would oppose putting the cost of new roads upon the sections concerned. The community as a whole should bear the cost of roading new settlements. In this connection, he was of the opinion that the O.R.P. was the best form of land tenure, for men with limited capital could then have the opportunity of ultimately acquiring the freehold of their homes. Bush and swamp lands were offered free of rent for three years, but he considered all land to be opened ii’v should bp al<so rent free, provided ' • necessary improvements were ifected. SPECULATING TN LAND. Post and telegraph communications were essential for the progress of backblocks settlements. He had no quarrel with men possessing large holdings if they were being worked on productive lines, and improvement- were being made, but he was strenuously opposed to speculators in land, who, he stated, had held up settlement in the King Country for many years. All holders of Crown lands should be given a chance of obtaining the freehold. Under the Labor Party’s policy, a man taking up land in the backblocks would be restricted to one buyer, the State, at the price of improvements only. Conversely, the State would have to purchase whenever a man wished to dispose of his holdings. Let the Labor Party’s prospective Minister for Lands visit the backblocks and see for himself how ridiculous such a policy would be. Mr. Rolleston favored a more vigorous immigration policy, to be restricted to fanners, artisans and men with capital. Other Dominions were following a much more progressive immigration policy, and unless New Zealand got busy, the cream of the immigrants would be taken up. Forty-five per cent, of the Dominion’s population was to be found in towns. For so small a country this was a serious matter and the solution lay in farmer immigrants. Economies, together with increased production, were becoming more and more necessary. The effort to eliminate waste was more' of an individual matter; but. he considered the Government were to be congratulated upon the economies they were studying. More, however, remained to he accomplished in this direction. Economies could be effected in two ways—by spending less, and by spending wisely, MARKETING OUR PRODUCE. In this connection he thought the costs of marketing the Dominion’- produce were too great. The pooling proposals wnnLl undonbtedl V affect

penses at this end to an advantage, but he would not venture to forecast their influence at Home. As a means of increasing production, he would favor the adoption of a more sympathetic attitude in regard to the testing of dairy cows by Government officers. This important matter should be more widely practiced, and greater interest should be shown by the Dairy Division. Turning to the treatment of returned soldiers, Mr. Rolleston remarked that it could safely be said that New Zealand had done more for its returned men than any other country. A definite promise had been made that land would be purchased and homes built, and he was pleased to know that the Massey Government had kept faith with the soldiers. A sum of £21,000,000 had been expended on land purchases, of which he contended only a very small portion had been bad transactions. Soldiers, in common with other men on the land, were having a bad time, but they knew they were receiving better treatment, from the Government than would be possible at the hands of other financial institutions. Moreover, a commission was now inquiring into matters pertaining to soldier settlements.

ELECTION ISSUES. Mr. Rolleston then went on to explain the policies of the three parties in the House to-day. Extreme Labor stood for confiscation and obstruction and would before long ruin the credit of the country should they ever be entrusted with its administration. The initial letters (P.LT.L.P.) of the Political United Labor Party made rather an unfortunate name, but he considered the title most appropriate. Mr. Wilford made a hobby of trying to attract to his following any undecided politicians. His party was trying to trade upon the reputations of past leaders, who were in power over ten years ago. The Reform Party in 1912 pledged themselves to re-form a large number of Liberal practices, and he contended that Mr. Massey had completed, as nearly as possible, all he had undertaken to do. He had been faced with many problems of a grave nature, and the statesmanlike manner in which he had dealt with them was all to his credit. No one was better able to administer the affairs of thia country. He combined a policy of caution with progressiveness and development, fearing and favoring no man. Asked what his attitude, if elected, would be towards the Dairy Pool Bill, Mr. Rolleston said that as the Bill concerned dairy farmers more than anyone else, it should be left to them to be considered in detail. If his constituents after mature consideration so desired, he would support the Bill, but otherwise he would not do so. Mr. Smith then moved a vote of| thanks for the candidate’s speech under trying conditions, and a vote of confidence in him as representing the Reform Party. The motion was carried with cheers and acclamation, followed by “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” A committee is being formed at Uruti to further the interests of Mr. ( Rolleston. (By Wire—Own Correspondent.) PioPio, Nov. 11. Mr. Rolleston. Reform candidate, held a well-attended and successful meeting at Mahoenui, Mr. E. Moore acting as chairman. STRATFORD SEAT. MR. MASTERS AT HUIROA. (Contributed.) The schoolroom at ITuiroa was comfortably filled on Friday evening to hear Mr. Masters. Mr. T. Murray (Kota settlement) presided, and eulogised the excellent work done on behalf of the Soldiers during Mr. blasters’ term of office. Mr. Masters dealt with Mr. Hine’s challenge at Ngaere to show where ho, would economise in public expenditure. The speaker set out where he would effect the saving of millions as follows: (1) Stop waste generally. (2) Stop loss on the railways of £1,021,156 per annum. (3) Cut out the loss by economical management in the Post and Telegraph Department, which occurred last year, of £148,069. (4) Cease paying the cement combine 39s per ton for cement more than English cement can be purchased in New Zealand for at the present time. (5) Cut out such payments as are made to Sir Duncan Elliott of £30,000 per annum for commission. (6) He would not build a school at Palmerston North, as the Government had done, costing £52,000, for 750 children, while backblocks settlers were compelled to pay rent for their schools out o-f their own pocket. (7) He would see that the gross extravagance of the High Commissioner’s office cut out and save the £14,000 per annum that it is costing more than in 1916. (8) He would abolish Public Service Commissioners and save £15,000 per annum. (9) Stoy) waste in Tourist Department where we lost last year £41,000, and £170,000 during the last. 6 years. (10) Would refuse to spend £860,000 which the Reform Party has approved of for a new railway station at Palmerston North. (11) Would not purchase, as has been done under Reform administration, useless land to lie idle involving the Dominion in a capital expenditure of hundreds of thousands and an annual charge in interest of scores of thousands. At the conclusion of the speech, Mr. J. H. Stove moved a resolution of thanks to Mr. Masters, and confidence in him as a member for the district. The motion was unanimously carried.

TARANAKI SEAT. MR. BELLRINGER’S CAMPAIGN. (Contributed.) Mr. C. E. Bellringer, Government candidate. held a very successful series of meetings in the country during last week. Meetings were held at Hurford Road. Korn, Albert Road and Carrington Road. The attendances everywhere have been large, showing that great interest is being aroused. Votes of thanks and confidence have been carried unanimously at every meeting, with the exception of Carrington Road. At this meeting Mr. Thomas proposed and Mr. Chant seconded a motion of thanks and confidence in Mr. Bellringer and continued confidence in the Government. To this Mr. Blance moved and amendment of no-confidence in the Government. The amendment was defeated by an overwhelming majority and the motion carried with acclamation. The attendance at this meeting was over sixty, including some twenty ladies. It is said to be the largest political meeting ever held at Carrington Road. t PATEA ELECTOR ATE. MR. CORRIGAN’S CANDIDATURE. Mr. J. B. Corrigan, the Liberal-Labor candidate for tho PiUen electorate, will nddrpss the electors in the Tawfoiti hall

this evening, at the Hawera racecourse to-morrow evening, and at Mokoia on Thursday. THE EGMONT SEAT. LIBERAL-LABOR CANDIDATE. (Contributed.) Mr. Astbury addressed between sixty and seventy electors at Otakeho on Wednesday evening, Mr. T. Eaves occupying the chair. The candidate delivered his usual address, and at the conclusion a number of questions were asked and answered. A motion to the effect that a vote of thanks and confidence be given Mr. Astbury met with an amendment that it be a vote of thanks only. Only three voted for the amendment, and the chairman declared the original motion carried almost unanimously. At Piha.ma. on Thursday evening. Mr. Astbury addressed another good audience. Mr. Harrop being in the chair. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously. The candidate asked supporters to remain behind for organisation purposes, and the whole audience, with the exception of one, remained. To meet the convenience of the electors at Tirimoana, Mr. Astbury has now been informed by the returning officer that a booth has been granted for lirimoana, and will be situated at the factory. WILL DIE IN HARNESS. MR. MASSEY’S AMBITION. “I ask you in your own interests to give the Government a working majority,” said Mr. Massev at Eketahuna on Saturday after he had mentioned the possibilities of a LiberalLabor combination against the Reform Minis+rv. “T am not asking that for myself.' T have had ten most strenuous years at the head of affairs of th s country, and 1 have had all the honors that the country can give me. That does not mean that 1 am looking forward to retirement. T am not going to retire. T expect to die in harness. But T am telling yon in your own interests yon should 'sop that n competent, stable, and experienced Government is in office during the next year or two. (Applause).