DUNEDIN CENTRAL SEAT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2365, 22 January 1915, Page 7

DUNEDIN CENTRAL SEAT

SPEECH BY MR. J. W. MUNRO. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Dunedln, January 21. Sir. J. W. Munro addressed a laxee meeting of electors of the Dunedm Contra! district to-night. He met with a very cordial reception, and speaking of victory having been snatched from him, said it would have the effect of arousing all the forces of labour and democracy to activity. As to his being described as a "Red Fed.," when he received a definition of the title he would be prepared to meet the statement. He emphatically denied thpjfc he had ever said that if he had his way he would pull down the Union Jack and hoist the Red Fed. flag of' Socialism. He warned those present to be on their guard against the statement that he was an atheist. His politics were taken from the, Bible which was rather a peculiar attitude for an atheist to take up. He contended that, the Government supported vested interests and was prepared to stand, by the forces that were exploiting the people. The war had not increased the productive cost of wheat or sugar or meat, but the people who controlled the markets haa seen their ohance and raised prices, knowing they had a Government in power who would protect them. Parliament had handed over' the power to tho Government to protect the people in a crisis, but the Government had not the backbone to carry out that ■power. The Government was weak and there were people who were taking toll fiom the people to their heart's content. The only way to check such a thing was to oust the Government from office.

Mr. Munro made a severe onslaught on the Press of New Zealand, particu--larly the Dunedin papers, which he blamed for not having been true to tbeir principles they stood for at, the recent Dunedin Central election, when he alleged that the will of the major? ity of the eleotors had been defeated. It was absurd to say that if a ohange of Government were made in this little country at present the Germans might consider - it a sign of weakness in the Empire. Regarding the wheat orops the farmers did not realise that it was not they who got the exploited increase in the price of ■wheat. It was the men who "farmed" the farmers that the speaker's party was out against. The Labour Party was the farmers' friend.For years the people of New Zealand had paid a duty on wheat and flour to protect the farmer, and the latter wanted to take advantage of the people at the present time. Ho revived the Huntly strike and said Mr. Massey had not punished those who were responsible for the disaster. Labour men were prepared a/t the present time to stand by the Liberals in order to secure a stable Government. He recognised that during the war they could not look for- much advanced legislation. The workers had accepted the suspension of the Arbitration Act and the farmers should also make a sacrifice instead of exploiting the people. In Dunedin Central the people would have an opportunity of ■ vindicating their electoral rights that had been usurped by a legal technicality. Indeed, in the speaker's estimation, the Government had power to rectify that technicality. If Clause 237 of the Legislature Act did not give the Government power through Order-in-Council to rectify that matter, then he did not know why it was there. It might be said that the speaker could not expect his political opponents to give him the seat if they could help it, but did not his opponents claim to be "sports" and square-dealers? Had the speaker been in Mr. Massey's place he would have taken the responsibility of acting o.i Clause 237 and then the people would have acclaimed him an honourable politician in time to come.

He thought that after the war the country would .pass through a serious financial crisis and the only people who had the platform that would avert it were those of the Labour Party. In that time the people would be olamourin« for the Labour Party platform to save them from vested interests.

In reply to questions Mr. Munro said he was not in favour of a referendum on the Bible-in-Schools question, but was ill favour of the bare majority on tlio licensing issuo. After a number of question had been answered the following motion was carried: —"This meeting extends its sincere sympathy to Mr. Munro in being, deprived of his .position as member for the constituency, and pledges itself to do its utmost to secure his return for the second time."