THE WRONG AUDIENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 231, 29 September 1928, Page 8

THE WRONG AUDIENCE.

Twice recently owing to alterations of electoral boundaries Parliamentary candidates have delivered addresses meant for their own constituents m an adjoining electorate, and we are told that they addressed the wrong audience. But why wrong? If the aim of a candidate is solely to gam votes for himself in his own electorate, then of course, the exposition of his views to any audience not qualified to-give him votes is a waste °V lme - e B l u . t lf the uim is to-expound the general policy °f Jus party, presuming, that is to say, that it has policy capable of lucid exposition then there is no reason why anyone able to do this should be limited by artificial boundaries. The trouble with most speakers is that they address their speeches to people who are already m sympathy with their views, A Reform candidate calls a meeting' of his supporters and expounds to then* those mysteries. of Reform legislation which are apt to puzzle the uninitiated. But he is talking to the initiated, and thev may be supposed to be in full sympathy with his contentions that Reform alone can save the country from the sinister influence of (Communism and Socialism. In a similar manner the Labour candidate addresses those who regard themselves as wage slaves and the capitalist as the one enemy of their class. Prohibition orators very largely confine their oratorical efforts to further convmcing people who are already convinced. Mr. Jacobs in one of his stories speaks of the vicar Avho delivered a discourse against beer to children Vw want it and women who couldn't «et it. Clergy of Anglo-Catholic views address meetnigs of the English Church Union, while those of Protestant inclinations give fervid exhortations to gatherings of the Evangelical Alliance. Why cannot these speakers change places? ,A representative of the "trade" might be asked to address a temperance union, and the prohibition speaker might be invitfcd to expound his views before a gathering of the licensed victuallers' association. The art of oratory is the ability to persuade it is easy enough to persuade people already convinced, Tmt true oratory would be if a Labour candidate persuaded the electors of Remuera to vote for Socialism, and if a prohibition speaker induced a gathering of brewers to strike out both the top lines. We really address the "wron<r audience when we address those only who are already in full sympathy with our manner of thinking. —W.M.