GENERAL ELECTION THE HUTT SEAT ADDRESS BY MR. E. P. RISHWORTH

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 35, 5 November 1919, Page 9

GENERAL ELECTION THE HUTT SEAT ADDRESS BY MR. E. P. RISHWORTH

A GOOD BEGINNING

A meeting of about 100 supporters of tho Reform Party was held in tho Lyceum Theatre, Lower Hutt, last night, for the purpose of arranging the campaign in furtherance of the candidature of Mr. E. P. Rishworth for the Hutt seat at the forthcoming general olection, Mr. E. P: Bunny, who presided, in introducing tho candidate, said, that Mr. Rishworth was a campaigner of experience, and besides being Mayor of the Borough for two years, ho also occupied a seat on tho Education Board.. Tho coming election was tho most important in the history of tho Dominion. Mr. Rishworth had come out on the side of law, onder, and good government. (Hear, 'hear.) Ho felt confident that when tho poll was decided Mr.. Rishworth would be at tho head of it. (Hear, hear.) The Labour candidate for the scat was representing tho extreme faction in Dominion politics, whilst the so-called Liberal was a. gentleman who had apparently not mado up his mind whether to come out on the Reform side, and did not liko to take the plunge on the other side. The only member the district wanted was ono who was bold cnongh to Bay that ho was a Reformer, They were often threatened by the term ''Reformer." The word did not mean what Mr. Hornsby'said it did—a "hard, crusty old Tory." It meant one who had the sympathies of Labour at heart as well as the sympathies of the rest of tho community, and who would see • that Labour got tho l«6t possible deal that the finances of the country could stand. Mr. Massey had made an honest- attempt to remedy many of the injustices, and to redress many of tho grievances that existed at the present time. (Hear, hear-.) 'The very severe anti-profiteering measuro was an evidence of his efforts in that direction. Mr. Bunny commended Mi'. Rishworth as one who, if elected, would work in the best interests of tho wholo of the Dominion. Mr. Rishworth said ho agreed with all that Mr. Bunny had said. He was a New Zealander, who was born in the Hutt district. Having a great belief in the destiny of New Zealand, he looked forward with confidence to its development. He had always felt very keen on tho beauty of the Dominion and on its quaintness and it had been iiis aim to touch the 'imagination of the children by tho greatness of tho heritage they possessed in these islands. With regaTd to politics he had no political failures or mistakes to explain away,' and he affirmed that lie had never changed his adherence to the partv in whose interests he was now standing" At the last election he had worked for tho sitting member simply because he was an old schoolmate and friend, and because he (Mr. Wilford) was a sick man. But, he had not worked in tho interests of Mr. Wilford's party at that time. Believing that tho. old party system had been weighed "in the balance and found wanting, he held that the strong men of the country should como together to formulate a policy (hat would bo in the best interests of tho Dominion. There was no reason why the selfish aims and ambitions that called mien to ono side or tho other in politics should not bo banished. Ho followed tho Reform Party because it believed in ono rule for the benefit of the country and in the sinking of all selfish aims, lie agreed with the sentiments oxpressed in Mr. Massey's modest manifesto regarding tho necessity for tho formation of a National Tart}'. It was his opinion that the country was heartily sick of the Wrangling iaud intrigue that led men to form themselves into separate parties. As far as the Leador of tho Reform Party was concerned, ;■ he was a man ■'/.; sterling worth and good record, to - ; 'hom anyono might be proud to look to as >a loader. (Hear, hear.) Under present conditions, it was not possible for a man to. stand as an Independent. That position on'y led to vote scram, ding by evenly-balanced parties in tho House. He would support all efforts for the development of the Dominion's natural resources. If tho country were to bo prosperous there must be nn increase in its products. Manufacturing must do greatly encouraged, particularly the woollen industry, and every effort should lie made to develop- tho secondary industries. There was need of a good land policy to proraoto the country's progress. Tho. Government was making an honest attempt to divide tho land, to drain swamp areas, and to give farmers an opportunity of bringing the back country Into full development. Better transit facilities were needed, but to do that all attempts at "wire-pulling" for local •needs must first bo abolished. There must be no moro mistakes liko that of tlii? Rimutaka incline, but tho Government would no doubt seo that proper ongineering methods wero adopted in tlia future. Ho did not believe in nationalising everything, but he considered the Dominion should own its own' ships, in order to ensure tho country's produc© Te&ohmg tho oversea markets on tho best terms possible. Ho was of tho opinion that tho country should possess a small fleet of its own for defence purposes. The fruit-growing industry should bo assisted to the utmost, and ho had noted with satisfaction tho Prhno Minister's promiso to put the fishing industry on a sound basis. The population of the country had to bo increased, and to that end he would go the length of subsidising tho medical profession in tho "back-blocks so that child lifo might have every chance of full development. The Health Department had dono fine work in the epidemic, but the Department could be vastly improved by reorganisation. Moro powors should be given to locefl bodies to carry out the inspection of premises.'- Dealing with education, Mr. Rishworth 6aid ho was a strong supporter of the free, secular, and compulsory system. He considered that scholars should be encouraged to attend secondary and technical schools, and h> favoured exempting such students from military training in order that physical training m'ght be substituted in it? staid. He rnipnortcd the dental and medical insnection of childTon in tho schools so that steps could no .taken to remedy their defect. That would bo tho real regeneration of child Info. They could not get the best out of. the education system unless they got the best, men and women to lake up teaching. At present tho teaching profession was not sufficiently encouraged, and tho most promising young men and womo" were -Iv>iw .-.ftr-fcted to take up work in. other Government Departments, where tho pay and superannuation wero letter. Those disabilities must bo removd. Tnneliiuir n n industrial matters, the candidate'said he called himself a worker, although ho was not a member of the Labour Party, and he felt sure that numbers of .workiV men m the Hutt Valley would vote tor him nt the election. He was out ngninsf those extremists who. j n touch with others in .other countries, were striving towards "Red Revolution." One cause of discontent at the present dnv was the housing question, but the working men were not the only sufferers in that respect. The Government had nro . posed a reasonable honsiii" scmc™ Thnro was plenty of praYcl in (ho Hutt'Vallev with which to build concrete houses, and he believed that in the course of'tim« a scheme would be dcvcloncd which would make for the establishment n? beautiful homes in the district, ne.kuew sornefhin? of mining, and sympathised with miners when Hit worked hard under bad rnndiHoui. Tint, so far as tho miners of New Zealand wore concerned, he said ui)he=it.'itin»lv that by (heir pre' pent tactics they did not realise the injury they were doing io Iheir fellow workers. "I am an nnt-and-out onnonent of the rieht to strike." continued Mr. Rishworth. "T do not think nny man should have the ri'/ht to knock off work unless he can keen himself. I do not think the country should keep a hit of neoplo who won't work. Tf won!" won't work they should not cat." (Hear, hear.) He tlmiitrht (lie labour onestion would be solved to a great extent by the Government's action in ■brinf'" l ? down nnti-prnfileering legislation. There was no doubt that somebody had been making a bigger margin of nroflt than was alto, getter fair, but by legislation they could

seo, that no mnn was exploiting his follows in tho soiling of tho secondary products. The question of taxation was ono that would ho faced in tho near future. Smuo 1909 there had boon an increase in direct taxation and a decrease in indirect taxation, and it was indirect taxation that affected tho workers. Wanes had increased steadily in the last lon years, and the spending power of the sovereign had not come down proportionately. 11b believed that Labour was getting a fair share, so far as wages were concerned. A good deal of "shoddy was being imported into the country, ami this should bo prohibited because of Hie bad effect it had on thesale ot, W Zealand manufactures. The Dominion * own industries should bo fostered, ami bv extending preference to goods produc. eil within the Empire and '''",''■ procitv to our lato allies, much could no Jlono 'in the way of preventing inforim goods from being .brought win the 1 • minion. Mr. Rishworth concluded b touching on the questions of nflorostaf on and town-planning. , Throughout coming contest, ho said, ho would Ke p clear of general personalities as far a> lie could reasonably do so. He would top his self-respect whether he won or lost I he. contest". (Applause.) . , At tho close of. Mr. Rishyorth s address a committee of about 40 members was formed to canvass the dishiet in his behalf. Mr. Bunny was eleclcd eharman of the committee, and Mr. H- luwin vice-chairman.

REFORM CANDIDATE FOR AUCKLAND WEST. Bj Taleirapl' Prow Association. Auckland, November 1. Mr C F Bennett, Reform candidate for Auckland West, opened !»« « un 3" to-night Ho delivered a spirited spcecli criticising tho members of tho National Cabinet, with the exception of Mr. Masscy and Sir James Allen, and said the time had come for young, energetic, men in the Cabinet to carry out ill. Massey's policy. Replying to an mterjector. 1» said that Mr Massey had Lcen taking tho hurdles for years, and it was time to give him a run on^ the flat for a change, with good Miners. The speaker denounced cxtremp Labour, and received.an excellent hearing.

THE PARNELL SEAT. Auckland November •!■. Mr T. Bloodworth, Labour candidate for Parnell, gave an address 10-night, and had a good reception. He defended the Labour Party, which he t said was not. revolutionary. Thoughtful speakers had stated that the government of the country had passed from the hanos of Parliament to the hands of Cabinet, and it was Labour's objective to restore tho government to tho. people.

CANDIDATE FOR PAT.BA. Hawera, November i. Mr W D Powdrcll announces that ho wil be a. candidate for the Patca scat in the Reform interests. Thero aro now three candidates-Mr. retiree (the present member), Mr. W. Morrison (Liberal), and Mr. Powdrcll.

LABOUR CANDIDATE FOR CHRISTCHURCH. , Christchurch, November i. Mr H. T. Armstrong, official Labour candidate for Christchurch North, opened his campaign to-night. He said ho doubted if tho Reform Party would put up candidates for all the Chi'istchurch seats, because that might mean splitting tho vote and letting Labour m. After many years' study he could see no difference between the Liberals and the he formers, except in nanio. He severely criticised the Government's legislation providing for the introduction of indentured Labour in Samoa, and inferred that it was a move of capitalists, who would, if allowed the power, bring the samo conditions to. bear in New Zealand, as thoso under which coloured labour worked as indentured labourers, but were practically slaves.