GENERAL ELECTION.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 November 1919, Page 4

GENERAL ELECTION.

(FEE FKEHb ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT,]

THE ELECTION DATE. WELLINGTON, November 18. The Executive of the New Zealand Jewellers’ Association passed a resolution, urging Mr Massey to fix the date of the elections not later than, the 10th. as a later date would dislocate their Christmas business. MR ISITT’S FIRST MEETING. CHKISTCHUROR, November 18.

Mr Isitt M.P., opened his campaign for Christchurch North to-night- The pieeting wfiS decidedly lively there being frequent verbal clashes between the pindidate and members of the .audience. Many of the Labour Party were present.

Mr Jsitt said that he was pledged to fight for everything that made for prosperity and the happiness of the people lie said he pledged himself whether they returned him pi* not, to fight-heart and soul against Bolshevism• He wpul 1 also fight the leaders of Labour, whom he believed were the greatest foes this country ever had in tb e position the coiintry now was in. There was only one way out of the difficulty, in New Zealand. That was thrift and economy, in adyocating which, he was not urging timid policy, because such would plunge tKe country into ruin. They had vast resources unscratched They must spend courageously op everything. Tfiat would be a productive policy. He did not mean to urge economy by the- starving of industries or by cutting down wages. He went qp:—“That rotten, degpVl- - and contemptibile system, the ‘goslow’ policy, has to be stopped.” He contended he was never more truly fighting the battles of Labour tfnvi when he was fighting any Bolshevism creeping in. He would give a general support of the Liberal Party jf hp was elected. He got a vpte of thanks.

A FREE FIGHT. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov 18

There was a fively incident at a meeting addressed-by L. M .Isitt, Liberal candidate for Christchurch North, tonight in St Matthew’s Schoolroom. A woman who had interjected refused to keep silent, which drew a remark from Mr Isitt, said she had been put up to upset the meeting. Then an elderly man began remonstrating with the woman. He next attempted to carry her out. Immediately all present were in an uproar. Fop a period ,a free fight raged in thg middle ojf the hall, during which the woman got back to her seat. The man who tried to carry her put was knocked down.

A REFORM MINISTER. ASHBURTON, Nov. 18

Mr Nosworthy addressed a large meeting at Ashburton. Mr Nos worth} who was well received, spoke of unanimity in the Reform Party. He had, with a dozen other reform members, opposed the formation of the National Government, but had loyally supported ft as a war government only. Before the Peace Conference the “olive branch” was held out to the Liberal Party- by his Party. Th Liberals rejected their offer, preferring party government. The Liberals had left Reformers to do all the washing up. The Liberals hoped for the soldiers’ support by their gratuity amendment, but ithe soldiers, he said, were satisfied with the present provision. The Reform Party were for a strong government. He stressed increases in the direction of land and income taxes duiing the war, this being conscription of Wealth. The present tax incidence was unjust especially the land tax, which was heavy on mortgages. Gratuity -was to be paid by conscription of Wealth. Reform determined to revise the unjust system of taxing farmers, j’heir debts were taxed. Inland and [overseas transportation development was favoured.

Speaking of the butter equalisation fund he favoured the present scheme, by the state making a payment from the Consolidated Fund to farmers. The wheat question was a v.ery complicated one, but the speaker’s policy was to help the farmers over the period. If elected, he intended to consult the farmers re wheat, after the election, to make a definite arrangement. As Minister of Agriculture, he was making arrangements for grading island fruit and so supplying plenty of cheap fruit, while free from blight. Encouragement ought to be given to immigration from Britain.

He asserted the Cabinet opposed militarism, but said the elements in the Pacific gave cause for watchfulness. Some reasonable form of training was thus necessary, both for military and naval defence.

Regarding the land monopoly, ho said the Reformers had passed legislation to abolish reaggregation. His Party was fighting the meat and commercial monopolies. The speaker was but against the brewing monopoly. It was not the man on the land who bled people, but the middleman. There was an outcry about putting soldiers on the land, but many soldiers wanted to go into business and commerce, where a close monopoly held them out. He favoured taxing the mercantile community more and burdening the farmers less. Sir Joseph Ward favoured nationalisation. This showed he was in sympathy with the extreme Labour Party. This Sir Jopeph Ward carefully denied. The Liberal and Labour members would, combine to form a Government if they got a majority, but the Reformers, he said, would have no dealings with the extreme Labour Party, nor would Reform accept their support in government. He referred to Sir Joseph Ward as “a political opportunist of the first water.” “The country, he said, “would be better with its decks cleared of Ward, Myers, Wilford and company.” Id conclusion, he quoted Lord Kitchener’s message at the beginning of the war. He appealed finally for a strong government.

A vote of thanks was passed to the speaker by acclamation.

CHRISTOHUROH SOUTH. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 18

Mr Henry Holland, (ex-Mayor of Christchurch), the Independent Liberal candidate for Christchurch South, opened his campaign to-night. He said ho was standing as a Liberal. This was because he thought the middle and the

lower classes might expect) more from a Liberal Government than from a Reform Government. Ho said that he still retained tbe greatest respect for j Mr Massey and the other leaders of the Reform Party. He strongly favoured a continuance of the present system of free, secular, compulsory, education. He favoured the RSilway Department acquiring the Lyttelton-Wellington ■ ferry service and running it in conjunc- j tion with the railways. He received a vote of thanks.

DR. NEWMAN SPEARS. WELLINGTON, November 18

£)r Newman, Reform candidate, fpr WeUingtcm'pHrtb addressed the ejectors at Oriental Bay to-night. He said several things were urgently needed in New Zealand. A policy of industry and progress was essential. Tffe education system, which had beep allowed to lag behind the times, must be improved- There should be more technical training for young people. Referring to party matters, Dr Newman said he thought there was danger ahead. A small group of extremists would hold the balance of power in the new Parliament. He and some other members agreed that if that happened they would sink all their differences and insist upon good Government.

A vote of thanks and confidence was carried. ..