THE GENERAL ELECTION BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 66, 11 December 1919, Page 7

THE GENERAL ELECTION BATTLE

CAMPAIGN IN THE WAIRARAPA

FIGHTING SPEECH BY MR. M'LEOD

NEWS, NOTES, AND COMMENTS

The "Revolutionary" Workers. "Critics of tlio revolutionary workers regard them as criminals because they are seeking to abolish tlie existing social system," says the "Maoriland 'Worker." "Deeply convinced as we are that the existing state of society is vicious and unjust, wo cannot agreo with these critics. Nor can wo agree with tho accepted idea that tho existing code of law and morals is heaven-orclaii|ed, and tliat any attempt to amend it is wrong and must bo put down, llather do wo believe that tho codes of tho day are very imperfect, wholly unfitted for the needs of the present generation, and that thoy keep tmmniiily in bondage to tho spirit of the past." Tho Bolslieviks desire "a new code of law. and morals." So do tho peoplo who applaud tho sentiment: "Tp hell with agreements." But decc-nt peoplo don't feel that way. ' Mr, Fraser on Social Scrvice, Mr. I'. Fraser says that "the'spirit of social service displayed by all seotions during tho epidemic is tho spirit- which tho Labour Party wants to sco for all time." So does everybody else. But there is not much of tho "spirit of social service" about tlie attitude of the coal miners, for example. The Yes-No Tactics, The Liberal leader' 6 principal lieutenant, tlie Hon. W. D. S. JlaeDonald, stated at one of his recent meetings that during the war there was some neglect of local affairs "owing to war expenses and lack of labour," but "Mr. Massey held all the leading portfolios except I'inaiioe and got a good grip of overytliiug." Surely Mr. Mac Donald does not intend lo go back on his earlier statement that the Liberal Ministers were responsible for everything good that was done by the National Government! It seems to be yes to-day and no to-morrow with some of them. Anyway, the revised ■statement'of tlie ex-Minister is scarcely spoi ting.

Terrorism on the West . Coast. "One niight Just ,as well throw a baby-to a wolf as throw <i namo to you," exclaimed Mr. Pirani to the ex. tremists of his audience last night in refusing to give the name of the informant to whom ,ho acknowledged ho was indebted for a story of gross ter101'ism perpetrated bv official Labour on the West Coast, 'llio incident, as related by Mr. Pirani, was that-, of an honest, fearless, and straightforward labouring man who fell foul of t'lio "Red Fed" leaders fot refusing to he coerced. JIo was staying at an hotel where thero were thirteen unionist workers. Four of tho extremists told the hoteikeepi'r that unless ho cleared tho loyalist out they, would all leave in a body. - Liko the decent, honourable man that he was, the victimised man left of his own accord and went to a private' boardinghouse. Ho was in turn hounded out of there, and later out of a third accommodation house—his only offeuco being that he possessed tho sterling qualities of a loyal New Zealander, which tho terrorists themselves lacked. Turning to tho hostile coterio of intorjcctors, Jfr. Pirani. told 'them straight-out from tho shoulder that it was men who were "guilty of such dirty, dastardly acts" who were shouting liberty and seeking the franchise, of the electors. Getting Things Done.

"In my opinion Hip Government should be always trying to do something," remarked Dr. A. K. Newman in the course of his address at the New Century Hall last aiifiht. "The old idea was that tho only duty of the Government was to keep low and order—to keep a policeman and say to people, 'You must not,' and imprison them. We have got beyond that stage a very long way, and wo Jiavo abandoned (lie pld school of political economy; I am a very devoted believer in tho prinemlc that tlie municipal government could do a great deal to improve towns, and that the' general Government could cnnrinnuslv improve tho condition of fho people so as to make life easier, hannler. and more pleasant in every way No Government is worth maintaining in office if it is, only prating about the t.liiniß it is going to do. It do something, i"td there must be no goslow' policy.'', A Challenge to Combat. Disgusted at tho disloyal some of flic extremists, Mr. Pivani went so far at his meeting in St. Peters Schoolroom last njglit as to challengo one burly ' iiilorjcetor to fistic combat. I ani not afraid," he passionately exclaimed, "io take you'on any lime-young as yon are." The challenge fell on deaf ears—the intorjeclor was squashed. Another Lie Nailed. Labour candidates in Wellington and elsewhere have been accusing tho Gov eminent of having used the War Regulations to exclude from New Zealand copies of an official review of State enterprises issued bv, tho Queensland Government. Tlie Attorney-General (Sir Francis Bell) stated yesterday that the Government, so far as he wa£ aware, not censored anv publication issued by the Queensland Government. Tho document referred to appeared to bo a pamphlet'written by Mr. 11. A. Campbell, late organiser to the Queensland Labphr Party, and entitled "Socialism at Work in Otteenslnml." 'The pamphlet was published in London. untf not, as slated, by the Queensland Government. A copy of this namphlct had been included in u bundle of distinctly mischievous and dangerous literature, which had been deiaineil at the Customs on the advice of tho 'Crown Law officers. If it hao' been ail official publication of tho Queensland Government it would have been ditlercntlv dealt with. Home Truths for the Extremists. Although his meeting in St. Peter's Schoolroom last night was a rowdy one, Mr. Pirani never lost an opportunity to, as lie himself expressed it. "instil a few home truths into the hide-bound minds of men wJio won't see what is in their own interests." More than onco tho candidate scored in handling (he extremist-;, notably when enlighteiir ing them as to the lamentable absence of a white New Zealand plank in official Labour's platform. The candidate was being heckled about tho Liberal leader's leaning towards indentured labour in Samoa, ami in reply ho ejaculated: "You extremists talk alwut slavery, you—you! Why—why did tho Labour Party take a white New Zealand oil' Labour's platform when no matter what: party is returned to power a white New Zealand should bo one of the most prominent planks in its platform? You (the extremists) talk of indentured labour, but yon act for slavery. You aro not only'prepared to allow all coloured hbour into the country, you not only propose that there shall be an internationalisation of New Zealand, but you yourselves are tho greatest, slave-drivers' that exist!" (Uproar.)A Hint For Someone. Speaking, at Stokes Valley, 31 r. liishworth, commenting on tho countesl: for the llutt seal:, said if it was a Question of vote-splitting the Liberal candidate should bo tho person to island down in favour of a man who lived in the district, and who had a more solid baekint' than ho. Will Mr. Wilford's friends take the hint?

Mr. Pirani and the Hoodlums. Mr. Pirani ovoked somo frantio Jiowla from tho noisy hoodlums who sought to snoil his meeting last night. He told them that after the election law aod order—not Bolshevism—would rule New •Zealand. "I stand," ho ejaculated, "not for Wellington Ceutral, but for a loyal Empire. (Uproar.) You will find oil December 17 that tho members returned to Parliament will be representative of the peoplo of Now Zealand No man can net in for Wellington Central without a maiority. No minority representative is tointf in for this district, and von kn6w it just as well as I ao. You disloyalists. ... I know you don't liko , the salt being rubbed in. I know that ' vou can't eland it. You are the men who do more injury to your country than, anything else. You disloyalists! Oil,vou poor innocent fools!" The Hutt Breakaway. Tho interesting littlo table showinl how the votes went at the last Hutt election appears to liavq excited a good deal, ol' interest amongst Hutt electors and not a littlo uneasiness in tho camp of the sitting member. Two correspondents, however, point out that wo must have omitted ono of the booths, as tho totals of the two candidates do not tally with tho detail figures of the oifforent / booths. In fact nono of tlie voting centres wore omitted. The balanco of tho votes not shown in tho tablo vero the votes of absent voters, 48 of whom • voted for Mr. Samuel and S5 for Mr, Wilford, which made tho total 6 as stated, Mr. Wilford's anxiety at the breakaway : of his old supporters grows increasingly manifest. His attempt to dotach votes' from Mr. Eishworth under tho pretence' that otherwise tho Labour candidato may. squeeze in displays a singular lack of l originality and great faith iu ' the:' gullibility of tho ' simple elector. That' Mr. Wilford should have to drag out this venerable electioneering bogey should bo a very fair indication to Hutt electors of what he really thinks of his' own chances. Meanwhile Mr. Rishworth continues to gather in new supporter*. The campaigning lias developed him into an admirable platform speaker, and his cbvious sincerity and frankness mako an excellent foil to the political—er—adroitness of the sitting member.

Put to tho Test. _ "I am accused of having said at somo little out-of-the-way school where I am suuuosod to have held a meeting, soma place where I did not expect to bo challenged, tliat tho miner did not need brains, but only brawn," said Mr. M'Leocl at Martinborough last night. "I havo asked for the namo of the school where the statement is supposed to have been made. I have offered to abido by tho decision of the chairman of the meeting or somo other responsible person who ;vos at the meeting as to whether I said 1 if. or U9t. and I havo offered to givo .€IOO to 'any hospital in tho Wairarapa if the decision is that I maa'e tho statement. Needless to say that ehallongo lias not been taken up, and that .£IOO is still unclaimed. I never made tho statement ladies and gentlemen. They cannot tell ino the name of the 6ch'ool, because (hero was no school, and thoro was no such statement: made bv me- at- any time;" A ChamDion of the Farmers "One thin? shied at mo is that I am a Boimlters' representative," said Mr. A D. M'Leod at Martinborough last night. "I wonder what constitutes a squatter F I don't, know. I don't como across very many men who stolo their land. Well, sav for the sake of argument that a souatter is a man who has more than !>(i00 sheep. and that the man who has less than 5000 is not a squatter. Thoro are in the jvliolo of this district sixtyone people who havo more than TiOOO sheep. Give every one of them fivo votes for their families, and that makes .'!00. Now. what candidate in an election would bo out. asking for thai; little lot?" (Laughter and applause.) Ho did claim to'bo'a fanners' representative, nnd he was proud to be so describeo*. , He had worked fov tho ■fanners for many years, and not for tho squatters.

Still in the Clouds. Tho Liberal Leader, speaking tit Mandevil lo lust week, had something mow to say about those 10s. 6d. houses. He is reported as follows:— Houses should be obtainable at ■10s. (id. for five rooms. The-deposi-tors in the Post Office Savings Bank woro mostly tlie smaller wage-earn-ers, and tlicir deposits amounted to ■£19,000,000. Theso deposits for the' last live years averaged .62,175,000, and thero' was no reason why the small earner should not be given <v clianco lo become tho owner of his own homo by the provision of a sink- ■ ing fund at 1 per cent, for JiG years. There should "be no need to go outsido Iho country for the monoy. Thia would-make the acquirement of a home easv, although 'no man woa likely to "live in a house for 68 years. When he vacated it: another would go in and carry on tho pay-' mcnls. Wo may bo dull, but will Sir Joseph' pleaso try to rnako it nil clear? A Big Punch. Mr. C. K. Wilson, in his candidature for tho Waitomo seal, makes no seoret of his desiro to promoto—before all things—the interests of tho settlors and of the wouid-ho settlers. Ho quotes tho American who said, "Burn Chicago to the ground ami in iivo years it will vise again from its ashes, but destroy tho country round the city and in less than iivo years tho gras? will be growing iu the streots of Chicago." Mr. Wilson shows his hearers how increased production is tho only means of meeting our enormous obligations, and deplores the short-sightedness of tho policy that would starvo the country districts \of tho advantages enjoyed by tho towns, lia instanced tho lack of educational facili-' ties in tho country that kept hundreds of good families tied to tho towns. "When," ho said, "the fall in prices comes—and it has followed all wars— the time of extraordinary conditions will .come to an end. Then thero will surely bo widespread distress and unemployment if we do not do everything in our power to encourage land sottlement and still more land settlement." - 7 Mr. Wilson hits tho nail cquaro on tho head with a" big 6tnito. Man's First Duty—Loyalty. "Tho first duty of a man was loyalty to the people and to the country ho lives in, and tho Empire to which ho belongs," said Colonel Mitchell, when addressing n meeting yesterday at the Newtown tramsheds. A Punctured Balloon. "The Liberal Party of to-day ha 6 lost its punch," said Dr. A. K. Newman._ in the course of his address at tho Now Century ll'all last night. "It. lias lost its enthusiasm, it is splitting into two, and a large portion ol' it lias gone over to Labour." Religious Feeling. ; Ueligifliis feeling the contest for tho Hgmoiit seat. On Tuesday night three plate-gins*, windows were smashed in the shop of Mr. Ira J. Bridger, president of the Kgmont branch of tho P.i'.A. -A Pots Association mwsag» state' that '!■ understood tho polica know tho offender,;.