THE ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2256, 16 September 1914, Page 7

THE ELECTIONS.

NO ANNOUNCEMENT YET . LEADERS TO CONFER DESIRE FOR UNANIMITY Tho anxiously-awaited 'announcement of tho Primo. Minister as to whether the elections would be held as usual this year, or postponed for a year, was to have been made in tho House of Representatives last night, but the announcement actually matlo by Mr. Massoy did not satisfy the prevailing anxiety and curiosity. He announced, in e/fect, that he proposes to discuss tho matter with tho Leader of tho Opposition. "I need hardly say," said Mr. Massey, "that this matter had been given very serious, consideration by myself and my colleagues, and by tho members of the party who support us on this side of the House. We have considered it at ono or two meetings, and we have agreed that whatever may be done—whether we go on with the elections'at the ordinary date or postpone them —the leaders of the House should bo in agreement thereupon, and that the House itself should be practically unanimous with regard thereto. I thoroughly agree 'with this decision. I propose that the Leador of the Opposition should be taken into conference, and, along with myself, and, if necessary, ono or two prominent members from either side of the House. I hope wo shall bo able to arrive at a conclusion that will be satisfactory not only from a constitutional, but also from a democratic, point of view. Wo are not trying to take any advantage. We simply want to do what is right and proper from tho point of view of members of tho House and tho country as a whole, and the point of view of tho Empire. I propose to ask tho Leader of the Opposition to meet mo to-morrow morning if that will be convenient to him." Party Strife. Sir Joseph Ward (Awarua) said ho .would bo quite willing to meet the Prime Minister as suggested, and endeavour to come to an amicable arrangement on the- question. He was interested in the matter only from one aspect—that of the desirability of avoiding party strife'in this country at the prosent juncture. Mr. Russell, Mr. Wilford, and others: It is going on now. Mr. Massey (with emphasis): It is. Sir Joseph Wa.rd: I am afraid it is. Mr. M-assey ;'And so am I. In fact, I know it is. It is not a matter of being afraid. Mr. Russell: :What about Temuka? Mr. Massey: What about the camp at Christcluiirch the other day? Sir Joseph Ward said ho had not varied in. one detail the instructions ho had given at tho outbreak of the warthat all campaign work by tho organisers of the party should cease. Mr. Massey: Are the instructions being carried out P.' Sir Joseph Ward said that so far as the activities of the organisers and the distribution of party literature were concerned, the instructions were being carried out. Mr.'T. W. Rhodes: Your responsible organisers held two meetings in my district. Mr.. Massey said he was very glad tho Leader of- the Opposition had fallen in. with his suggestion. Since he had .'made the announcement in the House; some weeks'ago, tho party journal.had' not been published,, and the .organisers had dono no campaigning. A "Friend", of tho Government. Of course he knew very well that the right hou. gentleman was advised by -his party mouthpiece in Wellington — Mr. Hanan: Leave party alone. Mr. Massey: "It is not being leftalone by .honourable members on that side of the House. ' I want to avoid party every time. Let me tell you this: I understand the game that in being played, not by all honourable members on that side of tho House, but by quite a number of them." He went on to explain what had occurred at Temuka. After the death of Colonel Hayhurst, who was to have been the Reform candidate for Temuka, the selection of a candidate in his stead waf. suggested to him. Ho (Mr. Massey! advised his supporters in the district that there was no need.for haste, and that the selection had better bo deferred for the present. However, the people of the district thought otherwise, and convened a meeting, at which it was subsequentlv decided that Colonel Haylnirst's son should be their candidate. • To this meeting the Reform organiser was invited, and he attended, but without his (Mr. Massey's) knowledge. It was quite true that no.organising work was being done by thagents of tho Reform Party. And since he had made his announcement his request ' that party fightiug should be avoided had been' observed by every newspaper on-the Government side. The newspaper supporting tho Government in Wellington had not contained a single reference to party politics. On the other hand, the paper supporting the Opposition had published scurrilous paragraphs morning' after morning, misrepresenting on the Treasury Benches, and misrepresenting every action of their supporters if it was possible to do it. "Talk about playing the game," ho said. "That is not playing the game. I should like to say, about that paper, however, that it is the very best friend the Reform Party has.in JS'ow Zealand at the present moment. There is no paper that has made so many friends for the Reform Party as that paper in Wellington. ,1 want to see it go on. And I would say this to the honourable gentlemen opposite, that if it is in financial difficulties at any time I shall be very pleased to contribute towards its assistance." Canvassing at a Gamp. Reforring to the instance, already mentioned, of canvassing at itho camp at Cbristchurch, Mr. Massey said: "I have been informed on the best possible authority that there, wero two individuals —gentlemen whoso, names are well luiown to members opposite—who wero doing their best in the camp at Christchurch to influence votes against the Government. The statement has been made to mo on the very best authority, and I am sadly afraid it is correct.'-' He continued that ho would bo very glad to discuss the question of postponing the elections with the Leader of tho Opposition. He hoped that before oleotion time camo along tho' war would have reached such a stage that the end would bo in sight. Ho hoped and believed that by December next wo'should bo able to say with confidence that tho war would end in the near future. About Advertisements. Mr. A. M. Myers (Auckland East) said that ho accepted tho Primo Minister's assurances that he personally knew nothing of any electioneering which might be going on. But these incidents showed the need for having tho date of the elections fixed at once. In an Auckland newspaper an advertisement had appeared calling a meeting in connection with tho candidature of Mr. C. J. Parr for an Auckland seat. J-Jc repeated that he accepted Air. Massoy's assurances that he was quite unaware of any electioneering. /Mr. Massey remarked that Sir Joseph Ward had made some observation in tho House to the elfect that he would have to advise his party to go on with their arrangements for tho elections.

Sir Joseph Ward said that Mr. Massey would not find any such statement of his in "Hansard" or in tho Press. He had said that in the absence of a definite statemont from the Government as to tho date of the elections, he was bound to assume that thoy would be held as usual. Sir Welter Buchanan (Wairarapa): And to take steps accordingly. Sir Joseph Ward: Yes, and to take steps accordingly. Sir Walter Buchanan said that he had cancelled seven meetings which had been arranged for him in his electorate. Organisation had been dropped by him until matters should become settled again, and he had taken no steps in the sphere of electioneering. He then wont on to refer to an advertisement in tho "Mataura Ensign" of August 25, which ran: "A meeting of tho Liberal Party will be held in M'Gregor's Hall on Wednesday next, 2Gth instant, at 3.30 p.m. Business: To consider matters pertaining to the forthcoming election." *Mr. G. W. Russoll (Avon): Who has signed it? Sir Walter Buchanan: There is no signature. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Hutt): One of your people put that in, I think. (Laughter.) Sir Walter Buchanan said that he understood that this advertisement 'was not the only ono, and he added that it was difficult to understand why these notices should appear if the Leader of the Opposition had advised his people to suspend organisation. ** Sir Joseph Ward considered this observation contained an inference against him which was not warranted. He said that he knew nothing of the matter just raised, but that "ho did not profess to bo able to control the aspirations of candidates for seats on the Opposition benches.