WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 November 1922, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

MR MASSEY’S CHIEF ASSETS, j SPECIAL IO GUARDIAN. WELLINGTON, Nov 20. Local interest in the election campaign centred last week chiefly around the speeches of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition at Lower Hutt. Early in. the week, Mr Wilford had addressed his constituents, strongly criticising the Government, and on Thursday evening Mr Massey ; went out to reply. On Friday evening Air Wilford took the platform again and gave back as good as ho had re- I ceived. It cannot he said that either of the party leaders was quite at his j best. The Prime Alinister, though his

audience was good-humoured enough, was subject to a considerable amount of heckling and he has not Air Soddon’s happy knack of turning this sort of thing to account. His arguments, too, were a little unconvincing. He would have it, for instance, that the fact of the Labour members haying voted with the Liberals when their view's were in harmony was proof of a- conspiracy between the two sections of the Opposition to overthrow law and order and bring about a political revolution. AYhen his audience laughed at this far-fetched suggestion the Alinister grew angry. DIVISIONS.

Early in his speech. Air Alassey, by way of administering a ‘‘left hand compliment” to the Liberal leader, had said that Air AVilford and Air Holland were the best assets he had in Parliament, and in the country. Returning to the subject after he had attempted to establish a connection between the rival Opposition leaders, he declaimed loudly against any amendment in the electoral laws that would tend toward a democratic distribution of Parliamentary representation. Proportional representation, he said, would make it almost impossible to establish a strong and stable Government in New /.calami. It would do away with the country quota, and it would split Parliament into groups. It would create confusion and cause loss, and ho begged the people of the Dominion to have nothing to do with the system. Uf course anyone unacquainted with the principle and the operation of proportional representation could hold these views quite honestly, hut it is unfortunate for the Prime Minister that the figures of successive elections show that under any system that ensured, Parliament accurately representing the will of the majority of the people he and his friends never would have reached office. LIBERAL AND LABOUR.

Air AVilford’s reply to the Prime Minister was a little disappointing to Iris friends. He made a vigorous fighting speech which vastly entertained a crowded hall, but lie dealt rather with the small things of the campaign than with the great. The electors are not greatly concerned over the monetary asistance given to Sir James Allen in furnishing his London house anel they are a little weary of storicis of the Government’s waste and extravagance. One point, however, the leader ol the Oppositon made very well. The persitout attempts of the Primer Minister to spread the idea that the Liberals were conspiring with extreme Labour against thci best interests of the connin' were simply contemptible, lie said. The Liberals with much better reason, might say tire Reformers were conspiring with Air Holland and Ins friends. Air Alassey had acknowledged Air Holland as one of his Lest assets in Parliament and had expressed a hope that the leader of the “Red I‘cas would be re-elected. Still more- significant .at the last general election, ttie Reformers had openly sided with labour as against Liberalism. It was to divert attention from his own attitude that Air Alassey was raising the cry ol conspiracy. THE PROSPECTS. The prospects of the parties much more than their policies continue to engage the attention of the electors here. It still is the opinion of obseivnlit people that the Reformers will come hack with a good working nmjo.itv hut not with so large a one athey had in the last Parliament. All Alassey is embarrassed not only »> - superfluity of candidates anxious to be on the winning side hut. also b a number of candidates who serial " well in the last Parliament, by oUl j' unquestioningly at their party s and cannot now he cast adntt to make room for younger and mwe cap. men. In this respect Mr AVllfol £ fared much better than lias the. 1 line Alinister. He has managed to mspne with enthusiasm for lus cause a number of young men— young, that i, . . politicians go—who are l>" U n - "< ' rare good light against the betiw > - ganised forces of the Government Ihe outcome of it all may be an strength to both Liberal anel Lahoui with Reform still holding a clear majority.