THE MANAWATU SEAT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 60, 4 December 1919, Page 8

THE MANAWATU SEAT

ME. NEWMAN AT KAIRANGA. By Telesraph.—Rnfieial Correspondent, Palmerston North, December 3. Mr. E. Newman, the Government candidal for Manawatu, addressed the electors at Kairanga on Tuesday night, and received a warm welcome from those present. His speech followed the lines of past addresses, but ilia referred especially to tho laud settlement question and the imperative necessity of the immediate. devslopment of the hydroelectric scheme. He said ho proposed to visit the M'Kenzie and Buick soldier settlements next day. TII2 candidato received a good hearing, and at tho conclusion a vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously by acclamation.

ROSRILL MR. GTJNSON'S CANDIDATURE. By Tolceranh-Prpsi) A««icir.tinii. Auckland, December 3. Mr. J. H. Gunson, Mayor of Auckland. who is absent in America and is standing for tho Hoskill seat, has announced by cablegram that he is standing as a progressive independent candidate. He is not' committed to or under any obligation to any political party, but is in accord with tho pofiticnl programme issued by Mr. Massey, as being in agreement with the principles for which he stands.

THE PATEA SEAT Hawera, December 3At a meeting last evening, a branch of tho New Zealand Labour Party was formed in Hawera. Mr. P. O'Dea, solicitor, was elected president. It was unanimously decided that Mr. P. B. Pitzherbert, of New Plymouth, should stand for the Patea seat in the interests of the official Labour Party. Mr. Fitzherbert has consented to etamJ.

OROUA Feilding, December 3. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie, Minister of Lands, and sitting mom bar. has been nominated for iho Oroua 6eat, Mr. E. Tunniclilt is the official Labour candidate. There are no other aspirants. WESTLAND Hokitika, December 3. Mr Jame3 O'Brien. labour candidate for Wetland, addressed a well-attended meeting last evening. He received an orderly hearing. Mr. O'Brien outlined at length the Labour platform. A few questions were asked. Local representatives of tlio Labour I'artv moved a vote of thanks, which was carrica.

"Mud."

Tho .Labour Extremist Party says Messrs. Holland, Somple. and Fraser, are being opposed "because they aro incorruptible," and adds: "If they had sat on military servico boards collecting one guinea a day and expenses for sending men to fight for livo shiliugs a day they would have been 'patriots.' " This is the "Reds'" method of hurling mud at Moderato Labour, Mr. M, J. Mack and Mr. D. M'Laren, who sat on the military servico boards, are not candidates, and no doubt will treat this menn gibe with the contempt it deserves. • But seeing that the extremists raise tho matter of payment to Labour, men, i? s it not a fact that the Labour Party ha.? its own members now silting 011 repatriation boards and drawing one guinea a'sitting? Is it not a fact thai when the military servico boards were sol: "up the chief complaint the Labour Party had to mako was that they were net allowed to put their men on theso beards? It is .a false representation to say that tho military service boards sent men to tho front. The Act did the work of sending all me:i of military age, and the military service boards simply directed who should not bo sont. Sir. John Read, now standing for Wellington. North, and other Labour men appeared before the military service boards. Why did theso men go before the boards that sent men if they could not trust them? Again, why did they go before theso boards? They were not forced to do it. Nobody was under any compulsion to appeal. They went because they know that they would get justice, and now their party tries to throw mud at the men who gave them a fair, just, and impartial hearing.

The Wizard's Lost Opportunity. Sir Joseph Ward's political careor offers a marked contrast to that of Mr. Massey (observes tho Auckland "Herald"). He succeoded to the leadership of a .party which commanded an iipmenso majority in the House and the country, and ho had the mortification of soeing the majority dwindle at the first general election, and vanish at tho second, A strong statesman might have survived such a disaster and repaired the fortunes of his party, but Sir Joseph Ward wis not strong enough to faco the crisis. lie laid down the responsibilities both of office and leadersh ip, and though ho has since been honourably reinstated as head of the Liberal Party, his efforts to reinvigorate its j>olicy luivo been singularly ineffective. Tno verdict of tho constituencies must b? that Sir .Joseph Ward has done nothing in Opposition to justify the country reversing its judgment of 1011. when he was found wanting in constructive statesmanship and was driven from office because ho had allowed o'.:I age and infirmity to overtake (he Liberal Party, and because he stood in the way of urgently-neeilijd administrative reforms.

The East Taratahi electors were addressed by Mr. A. D. M'J.eod oil Tucsdav even int. special mention being made of" education and tho hydro-electric scheme At the conclusion of the meeting nil enthusiastic .vote of thanks was accorded the oondidato.