THE GENERAL ELECTION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2312, 20 November 1914, Page 6

THE GENERAL ELECTION

CAMPAIGN POINTS. . NEWS NOTES AND ADDRESSES AND PRESS COMMENTS. The Wardlsts wish to fasten a Tory label on the Covernment, but IT IS NOT DIFFICULT FOR THE ELECTORS TO SEE WHICH , PARTY IS REALLY TORY.'IN-ITS INSTINCTS. The Ward Party maintained Tory institutions, and acted on Tory principles tor many years until Reform Government arrived to substitute democratio rule. Survey,the Wardist record and you will find that they need quite a number of Tory labels for their personal decorationsToryism means autocratic rule and political patronage, and if the Wardists had their way the Public Service would still be under the autocratio rule of Ministers, with all.the accompanying evils of political influence and jobbery. I < . ■. The Wardists maintained the Legisaltlve Council on a Tory basis by instituting a system of short-term appointments so that members of the • Second Chamber were the subservient slaves of the Ministry. The Wardists are responsible for maintaining the autocratio and vicious system of Parliamentary grants and doles In aid of country ! development works, which the Reform Covernment is pledged to make an end of. Toryism means the perpetuation of class-distinctions, and sir Joseph Ward is' the only politician in New Zealand who bears an hereditary title. • i . Toryism means autocratic power irrespective of the popular will or political principles, and the Wardists, who profess to be a party of moderate views, are now seekjng to regain power by an alliance with Red-Fed. extremists. , Toryism means stagnation, and the Wardists allowed thousands of settlers to languish for years in the back-blocks without the roads and communications which would have enabled them to work their holdings to advantage and build up the prosperity of the Dominion. Apply the test of facts and you will find that tho Wardists are steeped in Toryism, and practised Its principles, when, they "had the chance, as far as they dared. Some liberal measures were passed during thefr term, but they could not have been withheld by any Government. They were due to the driving force of public opinion to which the present Covernment Is'giving free play in reforming the laws and institutions of the country.

' I have heard it said that he is the belabour man in the Upper House. Whether he is or not I cannot say. He certainly moved in a whole-hearted way to get relief for the little plumber and fainter." —Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh, referring to the assistance, given by the' Hon. H. D. Bell to pass an amendment to the, Contractors' Liens and Wageß Protection Act, to afford relief to the small sub-contractor!

The Social-Democrats in Timaru who support. Sir Joseph Ward (says a Press Association telegram) have decided to seek another candidate than Mri Craigie, who, it'' is understood, comes out as an Independent. ~

"During the years ended March 31, 1913, and March 31, 1914, the Ma6sey Government acquired, 193,1G0 acres of land for closer settlement purposes at a total cost to the State of £988,752, an additional area of 75,000 acres or Native land {being also acquired during 1913-14, the expenditure being £170,149. During the two final years ot the Ward Government'- only 58,846 acres -were acquired for closer settlement. Facts are stubborn things,' and can't be overcome by all the sophistries of the Opposition."—Mr. R. A. Wright, Reform candidate for the Suburbs at Tawa Flat last evening. \ ■ Mr. Russell (says' the Christchurch "Press" Tevealed to his audienco his strong grasp of i principle. Why doe's he favour proportional ■ representation ? Because he believes in it? No. Not at all, but "because general opinion seeins to- be 'in favour of. it." . He is a leaseholder, but he voted for the freehold, "be«»uso lie saw it was impossible io retain the leasehold." One thinks of the other "pious editor" :— ' It ain't by principles nor men ■. My precedent course is,steadied: I ' I >cent which pays the best and then 1 Go into it bald-headed. Judging from the atldress which lie delivered before a. largely attended meeting at' Tenraka and the reception given mm, Mr. C. E. Kerr (Reform) is going to prove an unusually strong candidate for the" Temuka seat.—Timaru "Herald." : Mr.- Massey had done more for the workers. than, any Government during the -past 20 years—he had not repealed one Act,; and the speaker could name 12 or 14 that had been added by Mr. Massey for the benefit of the worker.—Mr. G. W. Venables, Reform candidate for Napier. . When the Opposition next feel tempted to invent some figures and accuse the Government (which has only strengthened l the law against land aggregation) of encouraging aggregation, they ought to ask Sir J. : G. Ward to help them to explain the reply he made to a question in the "House of Representatives on September 11., He said:, .''The Government dealt with the question of undue aggregation of freehold lands in the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1907, when it provided that no Crown land thereafter sold should be held in areas exceeding 5000 acres, calculated in the same manner as Crown selections. This legislation is still, in force, being Part XIII of the Land Act, 1908, - and .each, district land registrar is given powers thereunder to enable him >to prevent undue aggregation of such lands." If that was good enough for "Liberals" then, it'ought, to he good enough' now.—Christchurch "Press." , •;

, The time has come for .the electors of Grey Lynn to bo licking Mr. Payne's boots, and the annoying tiling about it '.is that they are not doing so. MrPayne was. unfortunate enough -to become unpopular during the short 6ession of 1912 over a question of the breaking of pledges. He had advocated "tlio power of recall of representatives," but when, he was confronted with demands for his own resignation at meetings in tho Tivoli Theatre on March 15, and ill the Richmond Hall on March 18, ho defied the challenge. . "I do not grovel or crawl to you to lot me show what I am; I demand it," lie declared. "If you gave mo a petition signed by the 9000 electors of Grey Lynn asking rae to resign, I should defy it. Jf three years go by with me as a politician, you will lick my boots for tho benefits I have: conferred upon you." Tho throe years have gone, and Mr. Payne is waiting.—"New Zealand Herald."

Mr. G. M. Thomson, M.P., sayfi that lie is not a betting man, but if he was inclined to bet ho would say that the present Government would go in with a larger majority than it had now.

The good, kind, "Liberal" friends and "authors" of tho defence system who wo helping the system so manfully by dwelling on "the danger of creating a military caste," appear to bo beginning, locally at any rate, to feel a little uneasy at being caught with Red Fed. rhctoric in €lieir {possession, an the police pbrose goes. The local organ of the Opposition had many columns to

spare for Sir J. G. Ward's Wi'nfel speech, but it discreetly excised his reference to "the military caste."— Christchurch "Press."

On July 31, 1913, the "Lyttelton Times" said: "The Liberals supported Mr. Webb because they knew that ninetenths 'of his' policy was their own." About v a week ago the same, organ of the Wardist Party said that it was "unfair and improper to persistently endeavour to fasten Red Fedism on/to Sir Joseph Ward and his party."

Mr. C. E. Jverr, the young Reform candidate for Temuka,' has received many compliments about his recent address'at Temuka. One of the latest is from the Prime Minister, who de-' scribe's the .address as excellent, and predicts that Mr. Kerr will make his mark, in politics.

''Wfiof, had the present Government done for the-worker?" said Mr. J. P. Luke at' Brooklyn last evening. "Nothing!" shouted a voice from the back; of the hall. "Oh, yes, it has," retorted Mr. Luke, "just listen—the railway men's salaries have been raised by £120,000 a year; the police salaries by £18,000$ the Post and Telegraph salaries by £42,000, and the rest of the Civil Service, by £48,000 a year, i aon't ftiink that any. man knowing this "ould accuse the Government of any lack oT consideration for the working man."

It is understood that Parliament will be formally dissolved to-day. This does riot necessarily mean that the writs for tlie general elections will bo isf-ued 1 to-day, but the dissolution of Parliament usually] immediately precedes the, issue of the writs authorising the election 'of a new Parliament. It would _ not' be surprising if the writs were issued to-morrow, and if the general election, is not held on Wednesday, December 16, it will be within a few days of that date.

"I don't, know whether Mr. Luke is aware of it," said a member of the Bootmakers' Union executive at Mr. J. P. Luke's meeting at Brooklyn last evening,_ "that Mr. Fisher's Footwear Act, , which was to.have come into force on July 1, has been suspended' until January/,l;riext._ .What I would like to kliow is--Would Mr. Luke support a Bill making it compulsory for every manufacturer to brand the goods he turns out , with his own name, and all imported Koota to be stamped with their place of origin and the quality of tho material employed?" Mr. Luke said that he would have to answer that question in hisfown way, In his own business he*'knew it would be unwise to do so, as owing to the declared preference for tho finished article from abroad, some people would sell nothing if the goods were, branded with their names. What was wanted was a movement to induce the public to have confidence in local manufactures. If the manufacturers were convinced that it would be to. their own and the public's advantage to brand all boots, he would heartily support such a Bill.

After some of the recent references by Opposition members to the Huntly Btrike, electors will not be surprised . to read the following from ' the Christchurch "Press""Nothing can be more characteristic of the methods of certain members of the Opposition than the manner in which they are trying to make political capital out. of the Huntly .disaster. Without a shadow of justification, they are trying to create In the mindß of the publio the idea that ill some way the Ministry; are responsible for the deatli6 of the unfortunate miners ;who perished in tho accident. ' As usual, they will not fight in the open. 'If . they are . asked whether they mean to imply that the Ministry were guilty of manslaughter, they shuffle and equivocate. Whether for fear of legal consequences or not, We cannot say, but they will not put their charge in plain words. At the same time, by tho dastardly use of innuendo, they pursue the same mean tactics of trying to poison the _ public mind by suggesting charges which they dare not moke in an open and straightforward way." .

"A little tiling like the following is not calculated to induce the thoughtful elector —there are thoughtful electors in every constituency—to entrust Dr. Thacker with liifi confidence:—A member of his audience tho other evening: 'Please explain the Nelson system.' The candidate: 'Go and get your head read.' —Christchurch "Sun" 011 the Liberal candidate for Christcliurcli East.

The Prime Minister, in his Temuka speech, showed how" the Government was encouraging industries, referring particularly to the iron and steel and the gitm industries, and said that tliey were anxious at all times to help the industries, thus ensuring plenty of employment, and consequent prosperity, Tim Govcrnm'siit hud considered JJ« workers also ffi Dassuie the Rcizula-

tion of the Price of Foods Acts, and the Moratorium Bill. They had also assisted the workers by.making it possible for thorn to get homes on very easy terms. They had lowered the pension age for women from 65 to 60 years. They had altered tho widows' pensions also by paying in proportion to tho number of children. Another little amendment which Sir Joseph Ward had apparently forgotten was in respect to women whose husbands were confined in mental hospitals. Such women could now receivo assistance, the same as though they were widows. (Applause.)

From the West Coast, once a stronghold of tho predecessors of tho prosent Opposition Party, comes the following: "If the Opposition Party's prospects at the coming general election are no better in other p.hrts of the Dominion than they appear to .bo in Wellington, it is a sorry outlook that confronts the Wardist following."

Sir William Hall-Jones is a Liberal, and so, we believe, are the majority of iiio electors of the Dominion. They cannot forge;, that the decline of tho fortunes of Liberalism was practically contemporaneous with the advent , of Sir Joseph Ward to the charge of its affairs. —This candid admission .is credited to the Duiiedin "Star," an Opposition journal.

The Labour Disputes Investigation Act, 1913, which had been introduced by the Massey Government, provided for a secret ballot of union members to be taken, and fourteen days' notice to be given before a strike took place, the right of every man to work without molestation, the prevention of intimidation, and the worker's right to freedom of expression of his opinions.—Mr. \Y. Noswortny, JI.P. ' -

Speaking of the war at Brooklyn last evening, Mr. J. P. Luke said the people of the Dominion should sink all differences of a. political character and break down all barriers in considering the all-important question of defence, 'l'bat all the trouble woul-1 be centred in tho North Sea had proved to bo a fallacy, as witness the great disasters which had occurred south of the Lino. New Zealand, a country with a big seaboard, should be given a full measure of protection,- and-might do worse than emulate tile policy of Australia. Tho work of the Sydney in destroying tho Emden made that clear. (Applause.) It was Australia we had to thank for clearing the Indian sea trade routes, as every vessel which used the Suez Canal had been menaced with destruction by the German raider. We should adopt a cruiser system—one that would pass automatically under the control of the Imperial authorities in times of danger and distress. • (Applause.)

My advice to the workers'of the Culler at the present stage of tho game is, . refuse absolutely to nave anything to do with anv aspirant for Parliamentary honours in the name of Labour or Social Democrat. —A correspondent, "Sofiialist," in the Westport "News." "The. point of practical 'nterest for. electors is that in some eight or nine constituencies throughout the Dominion tHo supporters of the Opposition are expected by the leaders of that i>arty to record their votes, in favour of candidates who aro standing in what is called the Labour interest and are the nominees alike of the .'Red Feds.' and of the less extreme section of the workers."—'"Otago Daily Times."

Mr. C. K. Wilson, M.P., held, meetings on Wednesday at Okoke and Pukearuhe in tho daytime, and the isettlere turned out. in big numbers and gave him a capital hearing. At night he journeyed to Tdkorangi and addressed a very large meeting, and at the conclusion a unanimous vote of thanks was carried and confidence in tho Massey Government; It is stated that there is a distinct feeling right through the district of the growing popularity of the Governmeni and its members.

It was quit© in the natural course of. events that Mr. Isitt should make the Huntly disaster the staple subject_ of liis speech to the doctors of -Christchurch North. The honourable gentleman kne-y .nothing of politics when ho went into the House, and he has taken no trouble to apply himself to the serious study of public questions since .he las been a member of the Legislature. Ho is, however, a past-master in ( the art of misrepresentation and invective. He, therefore, regarded it as an agreeable change from' floundering about in finance, about which he confesses ho knows 1 nothing, to turn to the Huntly disaster, which lie evidently looked upon as a very suitable theme on' which to display his peculiar talente.—Christ-' oliurch "Press."

Interjections did not pay at Mr. D. Buick's Palmerston North meeting. At one; stage the Reform candidate was saying that he took up land when it was standing bush and had transformed it into a farm which he was proud of. A-voice: "Are men ,or sheep?" Air. Buick: "If you were a sheep I would not have you on the farm.- I always like something that is well bred." (Laughter.)

from • the Prime Minister's Temuka speech.

Mr. Wilford had objected to the amount of Mr: Garlick's salary, but as a matter of fact the £600 referred to wa? put oil the Estimates by the Mackenzie Government for a physical drill instructor before Mr. Lloyd Garlick was ever thought of.—Mr. G. Pcarce, M.i'., at Hawera.

The Opposition cry about the rolls finds a certain Socialist candidate holding aioof from the -chorus. Mr. H. Hunter, Social Democratic candidate for Cliristchiirch East, stated at one of his meetings that ho had no fault whatever to • find with the 1 system of compiling and purging the. electoral roll's. It was grossly unfair to criticise the method adopted. 'Jhe only proper course was being adopted. '

Sir Joseph Ward skimmed very lightly at Winton over the suggestion that, if by any chance tho Government 'was iu a minority ii'. the new House of Representatives, the party which ho himself leads would • hold office upon the torms submitted by a "Red Fed." group of members. He treated the idea as a joke 1 . ... As a matter of fact, the olcctors in this portion of the Dominion are provided with an illustration of the fact that the Opposition Party officially accepts and endorses, as on its own behalf, tho candidature of extreme Socialists who made no secret of their sympathy with the "Red" Federation in its most daring adventure. Under the arrangement that has been devised to avoid the splitting of votes against a. member of tho Reform Party, the Opposition expects its adherents in a constituency in Dunedin City to support a fca'ndidate who, if he be not personal'; a "Red Fed.," was an active supporter last year of the strike which was '-.n----ducted by that organisation with unfortunate consequences to a considerable section of' the - working classes, "nd, therefore, 'to the shopkeepers and trading community—a strike, moreover, which was marked by features novel to tho Dominion and discreditable to those responsible for them.—"Otago - Daily Times."

The point the public should study, however, is this : It is all very well for the Liberals to make a political asset of the Social-Democrats' hatred of the Reform Government, hut suppose the combination is successful? After tho pints are drained and the cheers die away, the Social-Democrats become the dominating factor in the. situation. If they can put Sir Joseph Ward in, they can also put him out unless he does their bidding.—Christchurch "Sun."

On the question of land settlement. Sir Joseph Ward said that care woula be taken 'to provide access by means of roads and railways to tho backblocks. Well, if there was one thing the late Government neglected to do it was to road the backblocks, especially 111 tho North Island. The. late i Government suld isolated blocks of land up and down .the country, miles away from railways, leaving the people to find their way in ami out. Some of those people had been ten or twenty years on their holdings, and were barred from suitable communication with the outside world for several months in the year.—Mr. G. M. '.Thomson, M.P., in Dimedin.

Oppositionists allege that the Government has not kept its pledges, but this is an assertion without foundation, in fact {luring its term of office it lias given effect to all but two of its pledges, nnd these two will be given effect to no soon as possible. (Applause,!—Eitract,

Aggregation of land under Sir Joseph Ward went on very rapidly, tile increase in large estates for 1906-11 being 27 for estates of from 10,000 to 20,000 acres; 118 in 5000 to 10,000 acre blocks, and 1283 of ail increase in blocks of from 1000 to 5000 acres. Yet, in the face of this,' Sir Joseph Ward published his 1911 election manifesto without any suggestion of an increase ill the graduated tax. Tho increase was made by : the present Government, and had resulted ill very rapid subdivision.—Mr. D. Jones, Reform candidate for Kaiapoi.

It was justly claimed by the Reform Government that its Education Act bad brought the greatest reforms'since tho national system was instituted, and tlio good work which had already beon dene would be continued till the smooth co-ordination of the primary, secondary, and university departments was complete.—Mr. Nosworthy, M.P., at Aslinurton.

Tho industry and taxation of tlie pakeha had gut a million, pounds into the pockets of the Maoris of the East Coast alone. The Europeans had toiled and been taxed to increase the vaiuo of these Native lands, while the Native owners sat down and looked at thera. Tho whole Native land legislation of tlie Liberal regime had been framed to create a Native landlord] - }'. —Mr. De Lautour, Reform candidate for Gisborne.

With reference to the Public Service the Commissionors had saved £47,000 in tlie first year, and in their last report they said they could 6liow savings totalling £67,000 without impairing or decreasing the efficiency of the Service, and without retrenching. In 1909 Sir Joseph Ward •retrenched in the Civil Service and discharged 1041 Civil Ser-: vants, whose salaries ! totalled £258,700 125., and in addition to this, a number of casual labourers were dismissed. The outstanding feature of.- that retrenchment scheme was that it had to be borne mainly by the, small-salaried Civil Servants,' in comparison, with the retrenchment scheme of the Atkinson Government, which Btarted by cutting down their own salaries.—Mr. Nosworthy, M.P., at Ashburton.

Tito Socialist's, as represented by Mr. J. AV. Munro and Mr. W. D. Mason, and tho members of the less extreme section of tlie Labour Party, as represented by Mr. Andrew Walker, who are entirely opposed to the alienation of the Crown lauds'of the Dominion, will hardly feel grateful to .Dr. M'Nab for having claimed, as he did at Hastings, that it is to the, Ward Government, and not the 'Reform' Government, that the credit is due for having passed legislation conferring on the holders of lease 6 ill perpetuity the option" of acquiring' the freehold of the lands held by them. —"Otago Daily Times." ' •

When the Second Ballot Aci was first tried, it had been very widely criticised' in the House by candidates, yet the Reform Party was criticised for having done away with it. •< It opened the way to intrigue, was a huge 'expense, and did nobody any good; yet the party was blamed for doing away with it. What happened eveii now? Did they notice any candidate iji his statement of policy advocate a. return to the second ballot? He could not find any.—Mr. F. W. Lang, M.l'., at Mt. Roskill.

Tho forlorn hope of Sir Joseph "Ward was clearly stated by Mr. J. A. Young, ALP., at Hamilton. . Mr. Young told his audience that at' this election they had three sections of the community seeking support—tho Government; the Opposition, and the extreme section of' Socialists . ani Syndicalists, holding theories'of a very extreme character. Sir ' Joseph Ward had only ono chance, viz., association with the extreme section of the community who- had ; no'respect for Sir Joseph Ward or anybody else,' but who would get the best they cculd out of him and then drop hiin.

. 'Amongst the Government's legislation ■which had been carried out were many items particularly in. favour of the workers of the Dominion. ; The weekly day of rest to waiters and cooks,'which had previously been asked for, had now become law. Another piece of labour legislation was tho provision of a secret ballot to prevent intimidation and to avoid the occurrence jof. unnecessary strikes. This had been carried 'out ■much to the dislike of class agitators. The Shearers', and Agricultural-Labour-ers Act was also a good measure, as it tended to make tho conditions of tho ■men both healthier and happier. Thf Government had granted increased pay and more liberal conditions to the troops who had gono to the front, and, if they were in Government employ, they were to have their superannuation contributions paid for -them during their absence. The Government had provided for. pensions for women at the age of 60, instead of 65 years of ago/ and other liberal pension amendments had also .been made. The granting of military pensions-was only a just recognition on the part of the nation to our aged pioneer soldiers. Other splendid measures provided and passed by the Government wero allowances to every child under the ago-'of 14 years whose mother was a widow, and. provision for the defence at law of poor men.—Mr. M. J-. Miller, Reform candidate for Lyttelton,

Dealing with questions of taxation at Hawera, Mr. G. V'. Pearco reminded his audience of the extraordinary statement made by Sir Joseph Ward at Winton that the Reform Party had increased the taxation by 10s. 3d; per head.. Sir Joseph Ward subsequently stated that this was 'incorrect,' and that he had made the mistake through counting in one of the years in which ho was in office. The Year Bool: showed the actual figures. They would find there that for the two years prior to the Reform Party coming into office the taxation had increased by 18s. 4d. per head; under tho Reform Government, for tho first year, it increased by 3s. 4d. per head. And they must recognieo that as a country progressed ■ its taxation per head must increase, because with tho increase of exports and imports tho amount of Customs duties increased and go the amount of taxation per head must be larger. So, too, when the valuo of land increased even although the tax may be only a penn;? in the £, it must produce more taxation and consequently the amount per capita must go up. tho only taxation increased by the Reform Party was the graduated land tax, amounting to something like £45,000 to £50,000 a year, and the graduated incomes above £2000 a year. AH-hough the Reform Party had been' twitted with being tho representatives of. land monopolists, lie would remind his audience that the Liberal Party, 'not-with-standing that tlicy were in office for 120 vears, had not increased the graduated land tax as the Reform Party hod dona.