ON THE HUSTINGS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 66, 11 December 1919, Page 8

ON THE HUSTINGS

WELLINGTON NORTH ■ 1 ME. H. 0; BROWNE IN TOWN HALL (Extended Report Published by Arrangement,) .Mr. H. Oakley Browne, Liberal candidate for Wellington North, addressed a meeting of electors in the Town Hall last nielli. There was a fairly largo gathering. The candidate had a friendly hearing, almost free from' interruption. One. man who interrupted in the early part of the speech was invited to leave, and went without police assistance. The. chairman, Mr. J. J. M'Grath, introduced the-candioatc, and said he had known Mr. Browne for vory many years as an honest, vigorous, well-informed Liberal. The candidate's opening speech had been "a magnificent political address." and if he had been an unknown man at the start, he was better known now than either of his opponents. He had become the best-known man in Wellington

Mr. Browne, who was received with applause. thanked the chairman for his complimentary remarks, and the electors for havinc turned out in such large numbers. Ho wished, in opening, to read a statement in regard to questions that ho had received from various associations and organisations. There were a. few of these ouestions that could be answered bv a plain "Yes" or "No," but there were others whose real meaning and significance might depend upon a great variety of circumstances. He was not going to commit himself by giving plenges that might, be held later to cover, contingencies not. anticipated "at the timo when the promises wero given. He had been asked, for example, if he would support "legislation to prevent tho formation or operation of trusts and combines (commercial or industrial) which way be to tiie detriment of the. interests of tho Dominion or of any section of tho people." Members who gave such a. wide pledge might be called upon to suppress trade unions for acting in a manner prejudicial to tho interests of tlio Emplovers' Federation. "The workers of New Zealand." said Mr. Browne, "are finite able to understand these things lor themselves and to take proper precautious in time. But, as a Literal, I ant glad to tako this opportunity of prototing publicly against such a perfectly 'ii ktuitous proposal. I denounce it as ,i shameless attempt, to go. back a hundred years and reintroduce tin; worst forms' of political despotism over Labour; and I. can assure you that whenever the chance comes my way, I will' fUht this policy or anything like it to the best of my ability and strength; and o\ ery genuine Liberal and democrat in the country will be with me." Jlr. Browne, proceeding, said lie was a. Liberal. . Ho did not think this was a time for men to seek places in Parliament without giving a pledge of political faith. The experience of tho past shoved that Independent members liad to take one side or the othev when they reached the House. There wero only i.wo lobbies when the division-hell rang, and the so-called Independents would have to take sides when Parliament met, as it must meet, early in tho New Year. Liberalism, tho only political creed that could help the people, was coming back hwmpliant. Tho Dominion had suffered seven years of government for a class. II; had gone back thirty years, to the <lav 3 of. laud aggregation and monopoly. The Reform Party made a parade of passing legislation to prevent land aggregation, hut how did th;;y administer iliat legislation? Liberal legislation required Liberal administration. The candidate proceeded to again refer to the position of the two Reform candidates i'or the Masterton seat. The people of New Zealand wanted government by the representatives of the people, and they wero going to get it. The. Dominion wanted to get rid of "old man politics," and substitute "young man politics," and that was why ho was standing as a candidate and why he was going to will Wellington North. (Applause.) Mr. Browne proceeded to deny that Sir Joseph Ward was tied to the "Red Feds." In 1911 the Second Ballot Act had b;en in force, and this measure, if not perfect, did at ieast secure majority representation. Mr. Massey stated that if 3vc repealed this Act he would substitute something better. But ho had not kepi his word. The "Tory" Party would never substitute anything better, because it knew that it could 'never win if majority represent!!i.ion was assured.. It had not won ill 1911. Mr. Massey had secured office in 1!)12 merely because four men returned as Liberals, and pledged lo the Liberal Parly, had deserted their party. Ho went'to the country in 191-t with a majority of eight and .returned without any majority at all. 110 managed to hold office because of the mistake /Of a returning officer in .i/tmedin Central. That was a bit of history that could not be denied. Mr. Massev. iti 1911, iuul not Hesitated to urge nis lollowers to- join hurnts with Lauour in order to unit the Liberal Government. Now the Reformers were latsely accusing the .Liberals of doing what thi'.v themselves did in 1911. The lu-iorm Party was "on the scrap-heap." It was a party without a record of achievement, but possessed u a record of strenuous and bitter opposition to such Liberal measures as old-age pensions, land settlement, and advances to workers ami settlers. The Liberal recurd > as \ ritteu on the history of New Zealand, and the Liberals were the onlj parly that could and would go on legislating in the interests of tlio people. Sir Joseph Ward had produced a policy constructive in every detail and conforming with the advancing spirit of tlio age. The lieformers, on the other hand, had no policy. They , asked for a blank cltef|ue, and lie believed they were not going to get it. So lopg as the Conservatives held the reins of power in New Zealand, so long would all the legislation be in the interests of property and profits. Tho electors had the remedy l in their own hands, and it was for them to sec that the Government of New Zealand was a Government of the people, for tho people, lie believed Hint December 17 was going lo see tlio end of the Conservative reactionary party and the' restoration of l.'l,I in!;:liuis(rih'mi. Mr. i'.rewne referred to the gift; of tho bultle-crnisor New Zealand, and said the chief vaiue of that gift was its spontaneity. Not one penny of taxation had

heen placed on the workers in order to pay for tliat ship. Sir Joseph Ward had. imposed extra, taxes on bank notes and the totalisator, and made increases in the higher graduations of the death duties in order to provide the money. Sir Josepn Ward had been vilified for that gift, but events had shown him to bo a man of foresight. Mr. Massey had made certain promises in 1911. He had promised to reduce borrowing, reduce taxation, reduce public expenditure, reduce the cost of living, promote closer settlement, and promote industrial peace. Ho had not redeemed a single one of those promises. Mr. Browne referred to the Post Office bonus, and said the Reform _ Ministers had imposed ft shocking indignity oiv Sir Joseph' Ward 'by refusing tohonour his promise to the postal officers. The Government was holding back because it knew that if the postal officers got the ljonus nil the other public ser. yants should get it. They ought to get

it. A voice: Why did not the Liberals do it when they had the power? Mr. Browne: "Because the National Government was a Government of compromise." lie added that, the bonus was bound to be paid, because the Liberals were eoing to be in office afier December 17. He had neon Sir Joseph Ward on Sunday, and could say confidently that the Liberal leader oxpected to win. TTe was going to win four more seats in the South Island than he now held. • Mr. Browne dealt with the cost of living iiur-stion on the line? l of curlier speeches. Be hoped that the new Board of Trade Act, for which the povernmeut wa? taking credit, but which had l>eon designed and drafted by the Hon. W. D. S. Macdonald, would reduce pree*. TnAnted currency was one cau=« of high living costs, and if a Stnte Bank was necessary in order to control currency, then he' stood for a State Bank, The success of the Commonwealth Bank was a pointed example to New Zealand. The O'didate proceeded to refer to the "Ashburloif incident," and said that a similar incident had .occurred in the Bav of Islands, when a certain Reform member had l>een unseated. In conclusion. Mr. Brawn undertook, if elected, to do liis best to represent the electorate. (Prolonged applause.) Mr. Browne answered several questions. A heartv vote of thanks for the candidate's "able and instructive address,' and of confidence in Mr. Browne as future member for Wellington North, was moved and declared carried unaniironsly.

MR. J. RBAD AT SYDNEY STREET,

The official Labour candidate (Mr. J Read) for the Wellington North constituency, addressed an open-air gathering of electors in Sydney Street last evening. Tho meeting , was presided over by Mr. Atkinson.' At the outset the candidate, after referring to some editorial comment of the Labour candidates in amoral paper, dealt with the platform of tho Reform candidate. As to the unrest 'lithe community, Mr. Read said that this was not necessarily an unhealthy sign, as in all times when unrest asserted itself it was on account of injustices 'u the social system, and this, he claimed, was the case to-day. As a matter _of fact, if it were not for unrest arising from time to time, social progress would be arrested, and instead of forging ahead towards a juster social svsteiu, the community would be moving backwards. The candidate asserted that his opponents had' no goal, no ideal, aiul hence no views with regard to • the future. The speaker advocated proportional representation, and ho askrd that the Labour Party be supported to secure this fail and bettor system of representation. In dealing with the plank of the Labour Party, the sneaker stated that tho Liberal Party had paid the Labour Party the, greatest compliment it could bv commandeering a portion of its platform, but mere gramophone iterations and reiterations of parrot-like phrases would not tell in this election. At tho conclusion of his address Mr. P. J. O'Regan delivered ft short speech, and proceedings were concluded by a vote of thanks and confidence in the candidate