MR W. RADCLIFFE AT PIGEON BAY.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14837, 1 December 1913, Page 9

MR W. RADCLIFFE AT PIGEON BAY.

On Friday nifrht Mr TV. Radcliffe, the Liberal candidate for the Lyttelton electorate, spoke nt tho schoolroom, Pigeon Bay. Mr John Pet_gr.w presided, and thero was a large attendance of. electors. Before proceeding with his- address, Mr Radcliffe made feeling reference to the death of the late member for the district, Mr G. Laurenson, and on the motion' of the chairman a vote" of sympathy was passed to the widow and family. The speaker, who was accorded,a respectful .and aii attentive hearing, dealt with the political questions of the day, and at the close of his speech received a hearty vote of thanfo; .

The Social Democratic candidate. Mr MeCombs, will speak at the "Woolston Oddfellows* Hall at 8 this evening. On Tuesday he will speak at the Cashmere Hills (8 p.m.), Peek's Store (8.30 p.m.), and Opawa (9.10 p.m.), and on Wednesday at Heathcote* (8 p.m.), Redcliffs (8.45 p.m.), and Sumner (9.15 p.m.). Messrs Speirs, "Voyce, Sullivan, and Mills will.also speak at these meetings. On Thursday and Friday Mr MeCombs will visit Little Akaroa, Pigeons Bay, Le Bon .Bay, and Okain . Bay. A grand rally is to bo held on Saturday night m. Victoria square. On Monday night (before the!election), Mr MeCombs will speak at Governor's Bay and Lyttelton. A meeting will be held at the Methodist schoolroom, Opawa, at 8 p.m. to-morrow,-for the-, purpose of forming committees to further Mr Miller's candidature. Ladies are specially invited. '.■'•"■;

TO THE EDITOR OF "THB _RBSB." S_-,-*-T_o editor of the ■'Lyttelton Times," alter libelling mc in : a gross and unwarrantable manner, reiu-euto-tmy *to puoiisn tne ©aclosed letter or __p_i_a_on irom mc. 1 trust you wi_ pu___ii tue same, in oraer t_at> tno public may Know* the lacts ana, jnciaenuuiy, _ie tacwcs oi tne Liueiai .-___.' .■_'-__" journal in _u._c._t_: _tree_—lours, en?., . DAVID JO_ii_3fEuciosuje.J . To the Editor, \_yi-__ion Times," • __ir __cuui en. N Sir, —In your U_ue bi Monday last you accuse, mc or using _M.io_.w_ig word- at a meeting 01 tno Women. Itctorm League_—"oiuce getting into oince the present _i__si_y nau discovered things about bir Joseph Ward that tuey did not tike to repeat." Tnat statement is a damaging one, and no respectable journal would dream of publishing i. without taking steps to verify it. What steps did you takoP Thero ■were no reporters present. It was called for members only, some days before Mr-Laurenson _ death (of wh.cn 1 suppose you will now allege we had prior information;. *'ou rang up Miss Trent, the secretary, after the meeting, and she informed you there was nothing for publication, and your reporter replied that you secured a report irom a woman who was present. Apparently the man in the street or any other back street methods are quite good enough for you as long as you can make political capital out of it, and pursue your, persistent line of misrepresentation towards myself and the Reform Party. That has charact- ristd your paper, which is now looked upon as the Christchurch edition of the 1 -AL_.ri_.nd Worker." ■ ' The statement you allege I made about Sir Joseph Ward is absolutely false, as shown in my telegram to the Prime Minister. Of course, a respectable journal would have apologised to nic for such a gross and unwarranted another class of journal ■would not; you pursued the latter course.

With reference to enrolment, I took the ordinary eommonsense course. An election was.ai hand, and mv duty was to see that the enrolment was proceeded with.Just as the Liberals did in the Grey election; their organiser was on ™- c ground as fast as steamer and coach could take him. and before Sir -T.l. Gmi S-*s was bttrfed they were »__T __-_i ■_*% P- ons remarks about the Liberals losin- three days because ______^___--_-*** r_anr-__on's funeral __. __ „&** a journal that has <w__ N __&_""_. - decency to refrain from libelUng tj 6 jj * tf h0 & a ___«.%_??•• opportunities, and' for the. issue that had. elap^l^-^e^me

death, to anyone who was sufficiently interested to get tbeir names on the roll. Wo, like other parties, had many names shut out. —Yours, etc, DATED JONES. November 28th. to thb Ennxra or "the phbss." Sir, —It behoves every elector in the Lyttelton electorate to weigh carefully Mr J. MeCombs _ utterance last evening, when he is reported to have said: He was delighted at the honour that had been done him in being chosen. It j was not winning the Lyttelton seat. jlt meant victory for the "Federation of [Labour."

After m;ch a statement Mr MoComb. _ position is defined. He is standing ... the interest of those wli. desir. i evolutionary Socialism, and organised disorder instead of democratic, constitutional government. Let all who can honestly support such a candidate do so. But I entreat all who do not honestly endorse the mad and wickpt waste of such an anarchistic programme—a programme which might appeal to Mexicans, but surely never does nor can appeal to us New Zealanders with our British traditions and our common-sense. I beg all in this electorate who, liko myself, stand for law and order, for freedom and progress, to support our only candidate, Mr M. J. 31iller. Remember Sir Joseph Ward's and his party's attitude in the House towards the present Government in its determination to maintain tho right of any and all to work, and to enforce the law of tho land in the preservation of peace and order. Remember this, and the same party's attitude towards the Waihi Arbitration unionists and also tho Grey election. I say, sir, that not one of us can veto honestly for any but the Reform Government candidate, Mr 3liller. Every vote cast against Mr Miller and in favour of any of the other candidates is cast in favour of tho Federation of Labour.

There is only one party in this country at present with sufficient bgckbono and honesty to administer the law, and that is the party of Mr Massey. Sir Joseph Ward's sham Liberal Party is tied hand and foot to tho Federation of Labour. If any other than Mr Miller wins the Lyttelton seat, it will be a victory for the Federation of Labour. 1 will maintain, sir, against anyone that this is so; facts aro indisputable. We who are Britishers and who desiro clean government by constitutional dom_ciacy can do.only ono thing in this election, and that is to voto for MiMiller, and for no other.'—Yours, etc., NO QUIBBLING.

TO THE EDITOB OF "THE PRESS." Sir, —Tbo attitude taken up by a number of persons at Mr Miller's election meeting at Woolston on Friday night was a despicable one, and made one blush for tho old adage of British fair play. It was rumoured round the district that a prearranged plan was in force to prevent the speaker from obtaining a hearing. As a worker lam distinctly against such tactics, which only rebound against their own cause. Mr Miller iR a candidate who, if elected, would be an acquisition for any district to havo for their member —no faddist, but a man of stern love for law nnd order, just in his dealings, and a lovor of truth. Mr Miller gained many supporters on Friday night, who are diametrically opposed to disorder and everything that brings the law of the land in disrepute. This election is being fought out on the principle of law and order versus disorder ana lawlessness. I urgo with all my might ailj those electors who desire this _air landto be saved from tho hands of the destroyers, to throw their support and influence on the side of Mr Malcolm Miller, who will worthily uphold their confidence. This fight is not a party struggle between Government and Opposition, o." «houtd not be—the position is too serious—but between law and order and anarchism. This, ought surely make right-minded people think. —Yours, etc., ■ . .WOOLSTON ELECTOBr.-