THE GENERAL ELECTION

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22521, 1 October 1938, Page 15

THE GENERAL ELECTION

CONDITIONS FOR WITHDRAWAL

Mr W. B. Bray Defines Position

OBJECTION TO LETTER

FROM ELECTOR

Conditions under which he would withdraw from the election campaign were stated by Mr W. B. Bray. Independent candidate for Lyttelton, in an address at the Woolston Methodist Schoolroom last evening. Mr Bray claimed that there was an organised attempt by both parties to prevent electors attending his meeting, and he emphasised that he would not withdraw unless one or other of the parties agreed to incorporate in its policy certain points he laid down. There were five electors in. the hall at the time, and there was no chairman. Mr Bray said that ho had been accused of standing so that he might “pick up money by pulling out,” and by supporters of both parties of being in the pay of the other. He had not received one shilling or the promise of anything from anybody. He was paying all the expenses of his campaign out of his own pocket. If he did withdraw from the campaign, supposing one or other of the parties consented to the conditions he laid down, he would ask nothing in compensation. . Mr Bray said that he had received a letter from a supporter of one of the parties which showed what he was up against.

Terms of Letter The letter was as follows:—

I hope you will pardon the liberty I have taken of writing to you, but there are such vital interests at stake that I consider it my duty to do so. In my opinion, it is most unfortunate that you have decided to split the votes in the Lyttelton electorate. You must realise that there is no possible chance of your winning the seat, because the real issue is “Private enterprise 'and democracy” as against “State ownership and dictatorship.” All other issues will be lost sight of until the election is over. _ If your sympathies are still with Labour, then you are doing the right thing in splitting the vote, because in a straight-out contest in your electorate between Labour and Nationalists, I believe that if the Nationalist candidate was successful, it would be by a handful of votes only. Now, in my opinion, you will secure 200 or 300 votes, and this will let the Labour candidate in.

If you have any' sympathy at all for the National Party’s policy, which really boils down to saving New Zealand from the clutches of a dictatorship, then you should not split-the votes. Bight to Stand “I call that an insulting letter, and one that is totally uncalled for on the part of any elector," said Mr Bray. “He says I am doing wrong if I keep the Nationalists out. I have a perfect right to stand for this electorate, and to say what I want; because I believe that what I want is what everybody else wants—freedom in security.” He had had the same treatment at his meeting at Cashmere on Thursday night as he was receiving at Woolston with an almost empty hall. _ There was an organisation on both sides to prevent him reaching the electors. The people of Woolston who were not at the meeting did not dare to attend for fear of losing their jobs, and the businessmen of Cashmere stayed away because they were afraid of losing business. It was a travesty. “The conditions under which I will withdraw are that either party shall consent to including in its policy a reduction of taxation brought about by the abolition of the sales tax and the social service tax, without any reduction of services of any kind, or any reduction of income, or any increase in taxation. Not only must the leader of any party that wishes me to withdraw'agree to this, but every one of the candidates must do so, because they can go into a caucus afterwards and defeat any promise they have made.”

MR SEMPLE AND THE WAR

VEHEMENT REPLY TO INTERJECTOR

WILLINGNESS TO “SLING A RIFLE” (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) INVERCARGILL, September 30. The attitude of the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) to war was sharply defined by him in an address at Tuatapere. An interjector asked why he had not gone to the last war, and the Minister replied: "If war comes I’ll say, ‘Come’—l won’t say ‘Go.’ And I’ll sling a rifle quicker than the cur who asked me that question! Although I’m over military age I’ll have a pop myself.” When the interjector asked the question it did not seem to be approved by the audience, but Mr Semple was prompt with his reply. “I’m tired of that common question,” he said. “It has not been mentioned to me for years, but notes have been sent round trying to make it appear that I and a few others of the present Cabinet who got into grips with the wartime Government are not fit to be in charge of the country in the event of hostilities. ‘Why. didn’t you go to the war?’ some cur yells, with his head well down. I’ll tell you. I wasn’t called up. I had five children and my turn didn’t come.” (Applause.) Mr Semple said that at the time of the war he was spokesman for the miners and was deputed to denounce the Government for allowing, “ruthless profiteering to go on in the country while New Zealand’s young manhood was bleeding to death on the .field of battle.” All kinds of profiteering and robbing had been going on in the country. He protested, and because he protested he was described as bringing the Government of the day into ridicule and contempt. That had been his intention. He wouldn’t have been entitled to be called a man if he had not. He could have “shut up,” but he did not, and was imprisoned; but he would do it again.

PRICE OF BREAD

AN INCREASE NOT CONTEMPLATED

DENIAL BY MR SULLIVAN “My attention has been drawn to a statement in the ‘Otago Daily Times’ on September 29, made by Mr W. J. Mead, Nationalist candidate for Dunedin Central, in which he says that the Labour Government has entered into an agreement with the Master Bakers’ Association bv which the price of bread is going to be increased, one of the terms being that the decision shall not be disclosed until after the election,” said the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Minister for Industries arid Commerce, in a statement to “The Press” yesterday. “This is a false and malicious attack on the Government, and an irresponsible statement absolutely without foundation,” he said. “The Government has not considered any suggested increase in the price of bread and the assertion that there is an understanding between the Government and bakers that an increase , has been granted or will be granted after the election is the very worst type of propaganda, which unfortunately has been a feature of the Nationalist campaign tactics during the present election. “The statement is incorrect,” repeated Mr Sullivan, “and the Government is not contemplating any advance in the present price of bread.”

ALLEGED ARRANGEMENT BY GOVERNMENT

CHALLENGE BY NATIONAL CANDIDATE

>RES3 ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.)

DUNEDIN, September 30.

A challenge was issued to the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) by Mr W. J. Meade, National candidate for Dunedin Central, in an address to-night, to give an assurance that the price of bread would not be further increased. "The Prime Minister has denied that an arrangement exists between the Master Bakers’ Association and the Government whereby the price is to be increased,” said Mr Meade. “He was careful not to deny that the price of bread would' be increased, thus evading the real question in which the public is interested. “I challenge him to give this assurance, since he must know, that practically every bakery business is, on account of the recent award affecting the industry, being run to-day at a loss; and that unless the price of bread /is increased the smaller bakeries, at least, cannot carry on. The information on which my previous statement was based was received by me from a reliable source within the trade. My sole purpose in bringing the matter forward is to show that the cost of living is still rising and that the Government is not only aware of it, but is a party to the placing of additional burdens on the man who has to provide this very necessary commodity for the family.”

MR C. MORGAN WILLIAMS’S CAMPAIGN

Mr C. Morgan Williams, M.P., Labour candidate for Kaiapoi, addressed a well-attended meeting at Ouruhia last evening. Mr R. McMillan presided. After his remarks, Mr Williams was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. About 120 electors met at Belfast to hear Mr Williams speak later in the evening. Mr D. Bruce presided. The candidate was thanked on the motion of Messrs A. Erickson and E. Rudkin, confidence in him also being expressed by the meeting.

MR T. H. LANGFORD’S MEETINGS

There was a very large attendance in the Riccarton Town Hall on Wednesday evening, when Mr T. H. Langford, 'Labour candidate for the electorate, gave an address. About 700 persons were accommodated in the hall, and others listened outside. Mr Langford’s remarks were eirthusiastically received, and a motion of thanks and confidence was carried almost unanimously on a show of hands.

More than 40 electors attended Mr Langford’s meeting at Irwell on : Thursday night. Mr H. Brooks presided, and after the address Mr S. McLaughlin moved a vote of thanks, expressing appreciation of the absence of personalities in the speech. The motion was carried with applause. Mr Langford addressed a meeting of electors in the Sockburn -Sunday school last night. Mr J. Keen presided, and there was a fair attendance. A vote of confidence in Mr Langford and the Government was carried by .acclamation.