LIBERAL-LABOR PARTY

Hokitika Guardian, 24 June 1924, Page 4

LIBERAL-LABOR PARTY

MR WII.RDRD O.V SOITHKHX •font. Speaking .of the l.il.eral-T.ahour Daily at Wellington on Saturday. Mr Will'ord said:— "We are solid, and as happy a family l as ever worked in political life. All l are accounted for. and all are staunch and true. ' "I had a splendid meeting at Waimatc, a district which for many years returned Sir William Steward, a Liberal. to Parliament." remarked Mr Will'ord to a "Rii't" representative. "Over lot) electors, on a cold hitter night turned out to hear me, and, at the conclusion of my address passed a vote of confidence in our party and in myself, with three dissentients. ] was then entertained in the evening, when all present formed themselves into a committee to organise the district for our side and finding the necessary finance spontaneously, so that the organisation can lie properly carried out. It was it great meeting.

"I found in the Reform papers a splendid energy against myself. I bought every paper 1 coaid find known to he Reform, and, without exception, they are working hard against me. 1 think I may certainly say that our party is well on its feet. "In Dunedin. I met the executive of our organisation, at which meeting the lion .1. A. Hamm attended on behalf of Invercargill, and we settled the lines upon which organisation should take place for Dunedin city, for Chalmers and Mataura the only two seats held by Reform outside the city of Dunedin down South, i'or it must he remembered that Reform has only one seat in Dunedin city, which will ho attacked by our party. Candidates for tho Hon Mr Downie Stewart’s seat and Chalmers are in sight, hut they must he selected locally before being approved of by our party.

“Generally, in regard to the South Island, there is no Reform seat which is invulnerable; there is no Reform ronstitutiency in which the Liberals have not a chance of beating Reform and there tiro at least five seats in the South Island which Reform has little chance of holding. 1 have no doubt, after my totlr through the North, and the evidence that was given me during the last week in the South, that we can claim in the near future a return to power of tlie LihcrnlLahour Party.” While in Dunedin on Thursday Mr Wilford was the guest of the Rotary Club, where he delivered an address on Japan and America, which Round"

Hutcheson, tile editor of the "Otago Daily Times,” characterised as informative and instructive, and as opening a- viewpoint on the siuialioa which lie was sure was unknown to any Rotarian present in the room. Asked whether he was surprised at the defeat of General Smuts, Mr Viil ford, in reply, handed to the “Post’' representative a card on which was written the name of Senator the lion P. Whiteside, J.P.. of Johannesburg, which Mr Wiil'ord said was given to him in Kioto, Japan, when he met all Whiteside there. "Mr \\ hiteside stated that although General Smuts was a great Imperialist and an able man, saiii .Mr Witilurd. "lie was a stei'li, uncompromising officer who, after earning great laurels at Home, ami taking part in big aflair.. was to-day autocratic and unapproachable and thill he would not he surprised if lie sought the electors at any time to find that lie had lost his scat.