"THE GENERAL-ELECTION BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 62, 6 December 1919, Page 12

"THE GENERAL-ELECTION BATTLE

WARD'S FANTASTIC PROPOSALS

DISSECTED BY THE PRIME MINISTER

NEWS, NOTES, AND COMMENTS

Surpluses for the Soldiers. . Tho Liberal leader is stilt bewailing the decision of tho Reform Minister of Finance to devote to soldier settlement tho bulk of the accumulated surpluses. Ho seems to bo quite under the impression that ho has sufforcd a personal loss of i!l5,O00,O00.. _ Sir James Allen put tho. ■position;.quite clearly in the. House: ■What'/was the extra, taxation which produced, these surpluses,put on the peo.ple for?... In order that we might pay. -portion.of our war expenses. And heromay. I call attention to the'fact that, so far as I know, New Zealand is the only country in the world that has not used its revenue, or any- portion thereof, to pay its war expenses rear by year.: We havo allowed these surpluses to accumulate, and they have now accumulated to ; a little' over ,£15,000,000. Except for pensions, not one penny have we paid out of the Consolidated Fund during of the war period to meet our war'expenses. What havo the Americans met, what have the Australians met,-and what have the Canadians met 'put of i tho revenue so far as war expenditure is concerned? Now we are asked by the Leader of the Opposition to utilise these accumulated surpluses not for the purposes of tho war, but to put them along ■with- the sinking funds. Sir, I want to take good care that these Burpluses shall bo used for the purposes for •which.,the. taxpayers found them, and that they ahall not bo utilised for other, purposes by any Finance Minister who may, come, after me."

No Beg Pardons.

'■'The candidate says that he wants to

- see. a,better understanding between- emAployer and employee, yet when the em--:iplo'yces; endeavoured to gain their rights ;~in 1913, this is what ho gave them," eaid a man to the Hcform candidate for .< .Lyttelton, Mr. E. Macartney. The speaker ■''dramatically held up an Indian club, ■which.he proceeded to present to the :>.«u«lidalei'.Tho reference was, of course,

, ,to/the part Afr. Macartney took as a special constable in the 1913 strike. ''The article this voung man has handed me," said Mr." Macartney, amidst laughter and 'applause;''.'"is one that is used 'in the ■ ;;:ir '6ohools,.arid it serves a very useful p«r-' •—pose.'-"•The article wc used in the strike was a gorse-knife handle, a much handier weapon, with a longer roach. (Laughter.) If .any. of yon want to 'chink' me abuV tho strike, I may tell you that the reason the farmers went 1 to Lyttelton in 1913 was . to .uphold the law and order of the coun- '' try';'" (Applause and interjections.) As ,-.;. a matter ..of fact, the batons were never '"'.iisedl'.and'no one was better pleased than ; -r we were that there was no bloodshed. We ' knew that you .workers were, wrong, that . r you.were badly led, and that you were from Wellington."

Refreshing his Memory.. • . The suggestion that the Liberals are not being given credit for all tho work they, did in the National Government is reminiscent of Sir Joseph Ward's claims with Tegard to the Budget. Aftor retiring irom the National Government, the Liberal Leader resonted hotly a suggestion that he had left his Reform colleagues in a difficulty. He said that the ■.Budget-was in such..an advanced stage that he could have prepared it.for presentation to Parliament' "in half an hour." But when the actual Budget was placed before the House by Sir James Allen it contained tho following paragraph^-

"When the draft Budget was placed in my hands on September I Inst the estimated expenditure exceeded the estimated revenue by ,€934,000. with the supplementary estimates yet to come. : Heads of Departments were asked to meet me, and as a result of their loyal co-operation I am pleased

' to import that the estimated expenditure was reduced by approximately £400,000. " The great Liberal financier proceeded at once tq explain that he had rnt considered the draft Budget at all. He said: I received a draft copv of the Budget—the parts of the Budget which - are invariably sent to the Minister .More, those parts are finally passed —at Siji, and I knew the position perfectly well. . . . The position Is flat the draft Budget which I re- . ceived—which I still have, and of which 1 have made no use of anv sort or kind—had never been before .me in connection with the necessary ■overhauling of the expenditure in . Win draft, estimates as Minister of ■ • Finance.

■Sir Joseph Ward appeared to have forcotten all about his earlier boast.

Speeches, Like Chickens, Coirw Home, Etc,

It: is not often that a political enndi--date receives at tho close of aii nddresfl ; a.-polite Tot? of thanks, the mover and ■seconder of which take occasion in their remarks-to make the vote a biting reproof. This happened to Mr. J. M'Combs at Akaroa this week. He addressed a largely-attended meeting in the Odd: fellows' Hall, and the chair mis taken .by Mr.. A. E. Munro, Deputy-Mayor. At the close a vote of thanks was moved by Mr. George Armstrong, and seconded by the Rev. J. W. Hnyward. and was carried by acclamation. In speaking to tho motion, Mr. Haywnrd assured Mr. M'Combs. that the patriotic electors on the Peninsula did not view with favour the candidature of one who hnd been associated.with extreme Labour in its attitude: towards tho war. The Mayoof Akaroa (Mr. George Armstrong) occupied a seat in the audience at the meeting... He.hnd resolutely declined on patriotic .wounds to take the chair for Mr. M'Combs ns a dignified protest against the candidate's attitude towards the ivawhilst a member of the House.—Special correspondent.

■Unfair Tactics. ,' Speaking at Mnrtinm Mr. Wright referred to. the gross misrepresentation of the views of candidates. Somo peonle .either innocently or otherwise, were guilty of this unsportsmanlike conduct. It had been freely circulated in some parts of the suburbs that he hnd opposed Hie Women's, Parliamentary Rights Bill, which Rave women the right to fit in Parliament. This, said Mr. AYright, was nbsolutelv iinlriie. He had always voted in the House for the Bill. As a matter of fact, there was no division on the Bill last- session. It was uuroed to unanimously., and lie quoted from Hansard a portion of his speech wherein he stromrly supported the right of women to sit in Parliament'. Mr. Wri?ht urged electors not to believe the tales in circulation about candidates' views. 'Die proper course, .when in doubt, was to question a candidate at his meeting.

"The.Hawke's Bay Seat. 'Mr';.' Charles Henry Chapman was today hohYinnted W tho Howke's Bay seat "by th'b labour Pnrty.—Press Assn.

in Store for the Wairarapa,

'" Sir Joseph Ward hai arranged to pay a visit to iiie Wairarana. "The Liberal leader may find time during his visit to . Maryborough," says the ''Wairarapa' .Age," "to explain whv it was that lie .'sent an emissary to the Wairarapa to endeavour to find a candidate to contest 'the sent against. Mr. Hornsby. What had "J[r. Hornsbv done to deserve opposition from'the Liberal Party? What inducement if any, was held out to him to re-' 'turn to the fold? Has Sir Joseph-'se-cured from Air. Hornsby an umlertiiking. ;~th"ot he will, never again assert'his'-iii---"dependence? ; -'-' It is due -to; tho- electors. that these questions should .W-m\(Miiei bv .the Lcauer of the Opposition."

Will Bear Repetition. .. The Hon. A. 11. Myers is anions the ■Liberals who arc complaining that their .party, has been given, no credit for its work in the National Government, and th,at it has not been invited, to continue the association with'the Keformers. The fact is that three days alter the signing of- the armistice; the Keform Party in Parliament adopted the following resolution, which was at once made-'public: ... That in view of the insidious

spread of revolutionary and anarchistic doctrines, this party is of opinion -that' the more responsible. • elements, in the New Zealand. Par-, liament should unite for the purpose of inculcating sound democratic' principles, and giving effect to a policy which will stimulate'the-sentiments of patriotism and loyalty to the Eni- " pire for which New Zealand hasalways been noted. That was definite information. The reply of the Liberals, several months later, was this resolution: ' '' ' While loyally abiding by the exist- ■' ing compact between tho 'wo parties, I the' Liberal Party will-contest'--the next general election separate and apart from the Keform Party, and with 'a different progressive and raa-i-

cal policy. ' ' " . ■ The facts are perfectly clear. The Lib crals chose deliberately to 'continue party strife.

Blessed Word • "Nationalisation."

The Independent Reform candidate) for Masterton (Mr. W. B. Matheson) raid at Eketahunti that his reply'to. any-pro-posal for the national Nation of coal mines was "Don't!". The Slate had a most expensive way of carrying out any large work. They could not successfully' manage a few mines. What would happen if all the miners, were.Civil servants? The electors must remember that if a "duffer" was privately employed the employer could discharge-him; but if a. "duffer" got.into fihe Civil Service, the country had to feed "nd clothe him for the rest of his-life. There was no. way'of putting him-put. Nationalisation did not spell efficiency. •"

The Company They.Keep,

•' This is the way the'.Liberal organ;.in Invercargill explains, the willingness ofSir Joseph Ward's party to accept,tho support of Labour e.vtreinis.ts:.„. ;: :

The disloyalty of. those who were conscientious objectors, was- punished with disfranchisement,! and ; it -must be assumed that-.'if Messrs. Holland ' and Seiuple are sufficiently loyal to stand for Parliament, their support may be accepted to help along - a " worthy cauw without tho infection of so-called Bolshevism being carried into a pieviously clean! canto. • Well, people are judged, by the company they keep. . ■■

The Red Highwaymen. "Last week -the "Grey River Argus." one-of the daily, newspapers published in' Gievmouth, came under the-control- of the official Labour Party. Promptly the following notice appeared in' the windows of the local Labour, committee's rooms:'

! .Business Men!■•■..•,You .-MUST' advertise 'in the .workers' paper, .'if yoii'wish. to retain the workers''custom. . ,' • • ■-

Apparently Ills business men who do no,; choose to support a. newspaper given over to the propaganda of the Holland party aro to be subjected to the boycolt, if the extremists have their way. The "if" isa rather large one, for there are. definite inoicntions: on the We3t Coast of a revolt of .-moderate Labour opinion against the "Reds."

Whv "They" Don't Like America. • • "The Government of the United States is bu6v deporting revolutionaries and Labour extremists, of the I.'W.W. type. Is that, whv some of pur own Labour extremists ,have - been . saying ■ that "American democracy is a sham"? They are w-ell aware that control of' public affairs by the people could: not proceed further than it .has proceeded in the United States, where the President, the Feoeral and State, Parliaments, the chief State officials,. the Judges and even the chief police officers-arc elected. The truth is that American democracy has found that the Labour extremists'stand for disruption and disorder, and not'for freedom.. New-Zealand is making the same discovery.

The Wrecker. Mr. Pritcr-nro, speaking at Lower Hutt. last niirht. said he was always under theimpression that a statesman was a far-seeine mnn who silently but surely 6teered tho ship of State along the right course, but he could not see how-Sir; Joseph Wf.rd,. who- had s'rered the Libera! Party on to the rocks where it was still impaled, could be called a. sfcitesmnn.

Joseph's Coat, "An explanation is really due from the Lender of the Opposition," sugsjestj the Auckland "Herald." "He must know that in British communities it is customary for parties to stand for definite principles and identify themselves with definite policies. Such a limitation of., the versatility of politicians may have its drawbacks, but it is one which suitsthe istolid temperament. . of. -Englishspeaking peoples, and it is one which in' some menisure guarantees the sincer-' ifv of public men. Policies are amended and abandoned in nil countries, but in British States there is usually a profound disturbance of party feeling over, any revision of the ancient faiths. S;r' Joseph Ward would make. New Zealand', politics it kaleidoscope and his party n, chameleon. He formulates programmes with tho facility of a..rhymester, saribbling a verse; he forgets them as.oasily." Who Won the War? . This is what the "Mnflriland Worker" said nfter the Germans had signed .tho, armistice:— The war is over been use (he German people disproved Ihe methods ol' their war lords and refused to assisl them in their endeavour to make German commercialism th" dominant force throughout the world.

In other words, the Allies did not win the war. The end en me merely because the Germans did not wish to win. This insult to the armies of Britain, Krautr, America, Italy, and Belgium is <|ui!c in linn wilh Ihe w-ir-timo utlcranres of theorgan of lln. "Hods," as edited by Mr 11. K Holland.

The Liberal orjjnn :n .f'hristcliurch in-

vited Mr. Mn*si\v.lo r-xo'nin, ■ in . fie siK-ech he was unable to deliver, how he vm -posed to i-'dm-c (he cost.of living. The Prime Min'ttcr has .presented, his pint' in the form of Hie ljmst drri'-t'" nnli-prcfilceri'-j,' low vt nrHii'-'-d. But whv. (l-.ii not the Wardist*. if thev are ab'e.. pil'seiil a fchenic of tlnr own .for the wiisideratii'ii.rf the electors? They have n chance t'> wfn lot* of votes by shbw'ng how the coal Unit the minors w.m't produce can i..e s:ild cheaplv in the cit'rs, and how cotton and silk c.in be lriwriricd in New Zealand when they are hiifh-priced in the countries of export. Where is tho OppMitinn *?hrmp?

Distinctly Mixed,' ■"[ predict that there is a . tremendous industrial future ahead of Mirainar—even .'the/colleges are going out there."-l-ncon-'.fitjous'-humour from Mr L. M'lvery.ie, 'Libcrhlo-KaMidate to&JttfwwWk i m-t< at K'Qbiniie last night.

Ths Party -Banner. ■• "lam i(irrv,"-sud Mr. Mnsscy in Canterbury, "thai I mil compelled '« l' ,list the party banner. I. have seen enough of the fault* -of party, and I trust we shall never. K et back to .parly (lowrn-nif-.it as. we knew it. a few years ago. When we get back to normal times it will not lx; my.,fault if there is not a great improvement iw compared with the party system of tho-past." The Liberals, ol «>ui*e; -sav that the revival of p;irlv warfare, is all air. JliinrtnS's fiiult. - He had merely to retire, from office in favour of Sir .Ins-nli Ward nml thi! political harmony would "have bei'ii pM'fecf!

"Sane" and "Insane" Labour,

"Some people use the term "sano Labour' very' loosely. ' The application of cqurf.e, is that' there is «n 'insano Labour.'' There is no-such, thing, ladies and gentlemen;'.this extreme element which would dominate the country if h could is cunning, cruel, and merciless. It "is nut to destroy the employer, ru:ii private enterprise and make our life « 'hell on earth.'"-Mr. Dunbar Sloane, Libera! candidate for Suburbs, last even-

Mr. Duddp Answers Questions. ••That' sturdy- "Lib-Lab" member lor Kainpoi, the Hon. I), Buddo, has :■"»■ sidered ir series of ouestions presented to him by the Canterbury - I'mgress League, and has produced the following answer: "1 will cive niv best attention under .all circnnistauccs.". ; . How very like Mr. Buddoi -■ w ■ Tho Profiteer tlunt.