A DIRTY CAMPAIGN

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2358, 14 January 1915, Page 6

A DIRTY CAMPAIGN

PRIME MINISTER ON RECENT ELECTIONS

STRONG DENUNCIATION

Speaking at the dinner tendered Mr. A M. Samuel at Lower Hutt last evening, _ tho Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. P. Massey) made some interesting references to the political situation,, and to the recent general elections.

Mr. Massey said that he was . not anxious that there should be another general election shortly, but he was. BUre that there was a number of people who would welcome a chance to right mistakes they made on polling day. If another election came, ho would like to have it devoid of the side-issues which complicated the recent election. "If we could get it free from those complications, I would have no 'doubt of the result."

"The people of New Zealand," he oontinued, now realise the narrow escape they hare had of having the Parliament of this country dictated to and run by a party of half-a-dozen extremists." (Hear, hear.) Speaking of tho eleotion campaign, Mr. Massey said that he had reasons for not .wishing to enter upon another contest for some time to come, "it was the dirtiest campaign I have ever heard of," he declared emphatically. "I have never heard of anything like tho scandal indulged in." ' There had never in the history of New Zealand been a Government who, having regard to th© time at their disposal, had done so ■ much for the rank and file of the country as the present Government had. (Applause.) xet what was their reward? He knew, of course, that what the Government' had done had been appreciated by many of the right-thinking people. But take two things. The Government had made every effort possible to provide ships to carry our produce to its Markets, and had been very successful, and yet in the party journals of the Opposition could be seen violent attacks (got up. by party politicians) against the Government on this very subject. In. a sense, ho should not complain of this, because it had done the Government a great deal of good by providing an opportunity of making it quite plain to the public what a great service the Government'had really rendered. There was another thing. After war broke out it was discovered that there would be a wheat shortage in New Zealand, and tho Government at once set to work to remedy the position. First of all they stopped the exports. That was not sufficient, so they removed the duty on wheat and flour. It was found that still further measures were needed, and the Government made arrangements for the importation of wheat from Australia, Canada, and India.. This they would sell at less than cost price in order to keep down the price of bread to the rank and'file of this community. But, what had been suggested P* ■ Why, it had been suggested that the Ministry were making something out of tho transaction, though he knew that the sensible people of . the community did not believe that.

Mr. Massey went on to say that he would have been very glad if the Government had secured a few moro supporters. However, they had not got them. • .

A voice: You will get them I ' Mr. Masey: Possibly: I- hope so. However, we have a solid party—solid as. a stone wall—and if will stand through thick and thin by all the principles it stood by in - the past, (Loud applause.) ,