THE ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 45, 17 November 1919, Page 6

THE ELECTIONS

* MR. MASSEY AND THE COUNTRY'S FINANCES CAMPAIGN NOJES COMMENTS FROM VARIOUS ■ ; ; .' :; SOURCES • "Give us.a square deal. Bill," said an interrupter to Air. Massey at Papakurs on Saturday ni°ht. Mr. Mnssoy replied: ■"You and your friends lad it for all my '.. -time of office, and my opinion is that wo shall be ablo to givejou a square.deal : forf the nest six or-sovon years. (Applause.) lam coming back, and all tho -Bolsheviks, Sinn Eeiners, and I.W.W.'s can't keep me out." "What about coal?" said a worker in ■ Mr. Massey's. audience at Papakura on Saturday night; when Mr. Mssey was discussing tho cost of living, maintaining , that tno prices of locally-produced commodities were not unduly high in New Zealand. "What about coal?" said Mr. ■ Massey. "Coal is dear because of the •■■■ BOrslow policy of tho extremist} among tho miners. W© havo plenty of coal in this country if wo could .get it mined, but owing to the.go-slow policy we have .to get part of tho coal we require from ■ ';• other countries, and wa have to . pay through the nose for it, and the cost of living is affected accordingly." Sir James Allen has Totnrned to Wellington »|ftor a journey extending aB far south as Gore. Ho stated yesterday that -. ~ ho had found everywhere a feeling that ':';. tho excellent work done during the Res- , sion had improved the position of the .;■ ...Reform Government. The people realised .that in spit,e of the difficulties created , by. the withdrawal of tho Liberal Minis,.terg from tho National Government, the T Prime Minister had succeeded in putting ■ .through a very important programme of -legislation. The Bills nf the session re- . presented much hard thinking and hard ■ work in the Cabinet room as well as in Parliament, and they showed that the Government was in earnest in its desire •to proceed withHho tasks of reconstnic- ■ tion. Puhlio opinion ■ undoubtedly cn- : ' dorsed the effort that the Government had made.

■'■ "Coal has been the foundation of the British Empire, tho life-blood of tho 'British people," said Mr, Pritchard, Labour candidate for llut.t at the Labour 'rally last night.- He proceeded to tell 'the audience that, thore was no blacker wage in industrial histoTy than that dealing with the treatment of the miners, by tho coal-owning landlords. Ho gave a dramatic account-of n tragedy in a New Zealand mine, and of tho death by ' accident of twelve Chinamen in a South African mine. Ho did not reach the point of explaining why the New Zealand miners were cutting down tho supply of "life-blood" to their own country. — 0 ; -Mr. V. H. Potter, Government candidate for tho ..now electorate of Roskill, told his first meeting that he had served in two wars. -;■ He referred to his experience in civio affairs at Wailii, and to the fact that he had been a member of the executivo of tho Wnihi Miners' Union, which was a "6ane" union. At present he was a member of tho executive of tho Auckland Returned .Soldiers' 'Association. The Dominion, he said, must have constitutional rule, or else there was no protection for men or for women nnd children; (A voico: "You were behind the mob at Waihi.").' Mr. Potter: "Yes!''' and you were behind the women and children, in the prams, (Laughter.) 1- was opposed to the Federa. tion of Labour at Waihi. and I oppose it here—not on the'street corner. If the Federation of Labour had been led by moderate and sound men, it would have gained every seat at this election, because the mas? of tho peoplo aro fou the worker as iong as tho worker is rational." He 6trongly condemned the goslow method'.of striking, and said that the miners for'some timo had been sacrificing about jBI a week, which they could ihave been putting into a co-operative store if their, leaders had lot them. Mr. -Potter-added that ho-could see only two leaders in"- thei. country—Mr. Massey and Sir' Joseph Wafd, and he believed that ■Mr. Massey was,, the sounder man. (Applause.) Proceeding, he oeprecated Sir Joseph Ward's action in retiring from the Coalition Government at the time ho did, and what "tho candidate, termed his attempt to bribe the soldiers by an extra sixpence on the gratuity. Ho.similarly charScteriscd tho higher sums suggested by Mr. Poland and Mr.'Holland, and declared, with somo heat, that such bribes were an insult to men who had fought for. their country. (Applause.)

Speakit:-; in • Oamaru, Mr. E. P. Lee laid tha; tlio" National Government had been subjected-to criticism often on the part of men. who .had novor done anything for the country. It had made Mistakes, but,.most of them had arisen out of the novelty of the problems, which tho war created. The country had reason to be proud of tho part it had played in' tho war -under the National Government. He regretted that the National Cabinet had not completed its work and had not remained together 'until tho questions arising out of tho war had oil been Bolved. But tho Leader of tho Opposition, and with him ■ his Ministers, thought fit to leavo the National Cabinet' and this step was evidently anticipated, for with the resignation a studied policy was presented to tho people, which had not been prepared within a few days. In taking this step tho Opposition had gained a slight advantage in being ablo to .criticise, the Government,iand, as it were, go ono better. The Cabinet in his judgment should have finished its work. Mr. Lee said that the old. party system ought to bo dead. Tho members of the Reform Party in tho House had 'impressed upon Mr. Massey the desirability of constituting a strong combination irrespective of party to carry on tho affairs of tho country, and caucus carried the following'resolution:—"That in view of tho insidious spread of revolutionary nnd nnarchist doctrines, this party is of opinion that' the.-'more*responsible elements of the New Zealand Parliament should unite for the purpose of inculcating democratic principles and give effect to a policy which will meet the sentiments of patriotism and loyalty of Empire for which New Zealand has always been noted." But that suggestion -was turned down by .tho other side of the House. The National Party, added Mr. Lee, had been tho idea of the Reformers, but it had been rejected by fsir Joseph Ward's party,iand that rejection.had led to the fact that tho country was engaged again in tlio old party fight.

The Labour candidate for Auckland We9t toltl a meeting of electors that the Labour Party, if given a majority in Parliament, would have all land in the Dominion revalued. That valuation would stand on record as tho present holders' interests, nnd they would have tho right to transfer it to the State alone on that basis. Landholders would be allowed to own any values they created, but tho Stato would retain tho whole "community-created" valuo of the future.

"Tho.Liberal apologists appear to have completely recovered their IDU form, when they turned everything they could think of into a charge, against the Government, oven when what they thought of was something for which "n. Liberal Prime Minister was responsible," says tlio Clmstchurch "Press." "The 'New Zealand Times' has found n l>rand new one. 'If,' it warmly demands, ,apropos of nothing, 'if there is one reason above all others why the mothers and (sisters and sweethearts of the soldiers- should condemn the Government at the present moment, it is because of the want of sympathy displayed towards them at the time of their greatest trial. :: . .. The one thing the mothers and sisters and sweethearts will never, forget nor forgive wai their periodical experience of harsh jind callous officialdom when they endeavoured to post their monthly oareels of comforts to their loved ones at the front. Tf a parcel ''wis one' ounce ov?rweight, it had to bo hastily opened and some small thing taken 'out. Tf the packing was not to the satisfaction of somo officious 'clerk the parcel was rudely pushed across tho counter, nnd tho packing had to bo done afresh.' Therefore. Mr. Masscy must be ejected from office!'' Curiously enough, the Ptotmaster-General fn the National Cab-

inot during the war period was tho Liberal leader. Sir Joseph Ward. "Are there any overwhelming reasons why the parties which, under an arrangement, that preserved to each ita political identity and that was manifestly artificial and unsatisfactory, united for tho purpose of concentrating tho efforts of tho Dominion upon the, discharge of its task during the war, should now be thrown into opposition to each other? (asks tho "Otago Daily Times") ? If there aro not. the recognition of tho continued need of co-operation in tho advancement of tho interests of tho Dominion along settled and constilu. tional lines should be sufficient to_ convince tho public, of the desirability of tho existence of a . National i Party which should give effect to the national policy. The reality of that need is emphasised by tho presence in tho community of a party which proved itself during tho war to be an anti-national party and which is dominated by men whoso declared opinions havo shown them to bo dangerous extremists. And an obvious risk that is incurred through the renewal of a conflict, interrupted four years ago by tho compelling demand for a truce and necessarily softened by the chastening influences of tho period ot abstention from controversy, is that this anti-national party may acquire a strength in Parliament that would bo disproportionate to its strength in tht, country."

"Mr. Massey is doubtless prepared for demonstrations, of hostility and noisy obstruction at his meetings, for his condemnation of Bolshevism nnd I.W-W.-ism lias been particularly emphatic and outspoken," says the v "Southland Times. - ' "In Dunediii the same disorderly element attempted to break up tho meeting of Mr. Black; who is opposing Mr. J. T. Paul, the official head of tho Labour Party in New Zealand. Mr. Black has been associated with unionism' in Auckland and stands as a Labour candidate, but ho regards men of the Somple-Hol-land type as enemies of Labour as well as enemies of their country, and ho opposes Mr! Paul because Mr. Paul refuses to renounce Messrs. Holland and Semnle and their teachings.. .At Mr. Black's meeting there was an organised attempt to prevent him from speaking— an illustration of the employment 'of •'direst action" by whioh Messrs. Semplo and Holland set such store. These hap. penings surely leave the people of 'New Zealand in no doubt as to the character of the men who, for the time being, have got control of Labonr's political machine, nnd who hope at the forthcoming poll to win a sufficient number of seats, not to capture the Government benches, but to prevent either of the other parties from holding office without buying Labour's support at Labour's price."

"Sir Joseph Ward's objection to tho use to which the Government proposes to put tho accumulated credit balances of the war years does not, under cold examination, come to very much," says the "Otago Daily Times." "Theso balances aro, as Mr. Massey remarked at Waiuku, tho result of tho heavy war taxation that was imposed. _ Our own view, frequently expressed, is that it would have been a sound policy on tho part of tho Government to raise even more than it did by taxation, when money was -plentiful and when it could easily be collected during the war years, and apply the proceeds' to the payment of war expenses. Certainly, however, expenditure on objects connected with the. war is tie appropriate destination of the accumulated balances of the war taxation."

The following questions are,being sent out to every political candidate, at tho forthcoming general, elections by the New Zealand Educational Institute,, tho Federated School Committees Association of New Zealand, and the New Zealand Education Boards Association:—(l) Will you undertake to use your vote aud Influence to maintain tho integrity of tho free, secular, and compulsory system of national education?. (2) With a view to improving tho civic and industrial efficiency of the nation, will you support ouch oxtension of the school age and totch provision for compulsory . continuation classes as are necessary to 6ccure tho physical, mental, and moral well-being of the youth of the Dominion? (3). Will you support such -expenditure as is necessary to provide a sufficient staff of weiltrnlned teachers, and such school sites, buildings, and surroundings as will fulfil modern requirements? (4) Will you uso your vote and influence' to prevent- the undermining of the -national system by tW giving of privileges at the public expense to pupils or teachers of private schools? (5) Will you support the proposal to supply all school requisites' free? Mr. A. D. M'Leod, the Reform candidate for thn Wairarapa seat, is being well received throughout tho. electorate (says our Wairarapa correspondent).- At Kahoutara last week over a hundred peoplo assembled in tho schoolhouse, and .the candidate received a warm reception. The chairman, Mr. W. E. Bidwill, complimented tho candidate upon the address given," and stated that -the nttendanca demonstrated tho keen interest Kahoutara residents were talcing in tho cum. paign. On the motion of Mr. Roy Barton, seconded by.Mr. W. Sutherland, thd candidate' was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his address.

Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., told a Labour audience last night that the New Zealand workers wero all "slaves." "All of us who live by wages can live oniy by selling ourselves as industrial slaves," he said;. "We may leavo one taskmaster, but we caiinot get away from the class of taskmasters who own tho land, tho factories, and the workshops of this country. ... In Now Zealand we are just in the same position as far as the mass of the workers aro concerned as the peoplo of England were in one hundred years ago." A few people applauded, but the mass of tho audience probably was trying to reconcile this fanciful picture with tho actual facts of industrial conditions in 'New' Zealand. They were endeavouring, perhaps, to picture tho coalminers and the waterside workers, for example, as tho downtrodden "slaves" of the "master-class." HUTT SEAT MR.. RISHWORTH AT WAINUT. Iri spite of the very heavy rain which fell at Wainui-o-mata on Saturday night about forty people attended the hall to hear Mr. E. P. Rishworth (Reform candidate) speak. Mr. James Wood occupied tho chair, and in introducing tho candidate pointed out tho work he had done in the district as Mayor and member of tho Education Board. Mr. Rishworth, ho snid, had won tho respect of those he had lived amongst. A- round of applause greeted tho speaker when be rose. The address was on similar lines to previous speeches. Dealing with tho land question, Mr. Rishworth advocated the holding of land in reasonable' areas, 60 that it might bo worked. Ho pointed out that although they had to stand the test of tho war, public services had been carried on with remarkable success. Figures just mado public showed that the railways showed a profit) on tho year's working—an in-stance.-of efficient management and a matter for congratulation. The Govern-' ment were doing everything to givo soldiers an opportunity of going on the land, and they were trying to givo thi'in the best deal the country possibly enuld. Ho specially stressed the folly of nationalising farms and pointed out that any action which would tend to reduce production would shorten food supplies and would bs one of the greatest causes of unrest and dissatisfaction. He made a special effort to show the difference between the extremists and the moderate workers, and thought that everything should be done to remove the causes of discontent among that class. 'It was necessary to have men in power who were not affected with lust for office and whom spoils could not buv. A big bid was being mado by the talk of spending in somo electorates. Sir Joseph Ward Was quoted as having asked ,£5,000,000 to establish fisheries at Stewart Island and rapid' communication with that place, lie saw no reason why statements should be made that a "newchum" wn<s putting un. but thought that somo new brooms would bo elected which would do some clenn sweeping, nnd would try to make tho country better as a whole.

He was accorded a. hearty voto of thanks, and was asked to visit tha district agaui so that many who had been prevented by tho weather from attending that night might have an opportunity of hearing hig views.