A CAUSTIC ATTACK

Hokitika Guardian, 7 August 1925, Page 4

A CAUSTIC ATTACK

SPEECH BY AIR ISITT,

A LA BO UK REPLY

WELLINGTON, August 5. Devoting the whole of an earnest speech to the Labour Party’s politics Air Isitt scathingly condemned ft and drew hot rejoinders from the Labour benches, though actual interruption wa.s firmly restrained by Air Speaker, the criticised members only getting the opportunity to ejaculate, “Sob stulf . New Zealand, said Air Isitt. was not self-supporting nor sell-controlled. To an enormous extent it depended on the .Motherland with its cheap mar-lcet-s si ll cl *is its banker. .11 disaster overtook the .Motherland it must

quickly be reflected in New Zealand. Unfortunately England was struggling for her markets against cheap foreign labour and her industry was handicapped by the virus of 'Revolutionary Socialism similar to that which was doing it,- deadly work in New Zealand. Thrift was denounced as a vice, and the extremists would dispose of everv class but their own. “It is not.” lie said, “a bond of love which holds these extremists together, but a bond of common hatred against every class but their own. Though some doctrine had attracted some of the finest men it was purely materialistic. He knew that Capital had shamefully exploited Labour, hut he was thankful there had been big improvements. Ghastly contrasts of poverty and wealth still existed, and good men with no economic knoledge sometimes swallowed the Labour doctrine in the belief that it would provide a .solution. Mr Chappie, of Christchurch the chief promoter of Socialistic Sunda v Schools, had declared that the time must come when we must do away with the BiMo and turn to those broader hiblos ot science, literature and the human heart. “MAD AND 1R I’ESl’t >NSI BEL.” “Can you imagine more irresponsible. self-contradictory, madder stuff than is served out day by day to admirers of members of tbe Revolutionary Socialistic Party yes-no from start to finish ?” asked Mr Isitt. who proceeded to quote as an example ot glorious inconsistency tbe resolution

of the Labour Party that inasmuch as warships were tools to Capitalism they would give the cold shoulder to American sailors. Would they be consistent- and boyentt those men who rallied our produce to England in the interests of the capitalistic classes? Labour welcomed the Kamarad Jap or the Kamarad Chinaman, hut it demanded tlm maintenance of a white New Zealand. Would eapitalistii Japan be satisfied with the resolution of seventeen Labourites if there was no other method of maintaining a white New Zealand. Extreme Labourites deefared that there was no go-slow in New Zealand but lie recently went through Christchurch to consult tailors, shirt makers. timbermen and representatives of many trades and professions. Every man declared lie was paying higher wages but was not producing as much as in pre-war times. East Alonday

he saw the manager of one of the biggest firms in Now Zealand, a man with no bitterness, but speaking kindly of Labour and the character of those in his employ. He said, “Our minimum age is 25 per cent above pre-war and our production is .'it) per cent less.” Air Isitt asked how the leader of the Labour Party could deny there was no go-slow in New Zealand. That party never condemned so vile a weapon, which made a man an hourly thief and turned the worker into a waster. T’nen i.liore wa.s their claim that they wore the lineal descendants of Grey, Dallam c. Ueddon. and Beeves. Mould (trey in the hour of the Empire's peril have gone weeping round the country deprecating war activity or national patriotism? Would Ballanrc, Scddmi and Beeves have supported them in their idolism ot Lenin and Trotsky. Such a claim was an insult to the names of those great men. who wore true Imperialist- and bad pride of l-ace and love of country. A SERIES (if (,H Em'I'IONS.

Mr Isitt re in-hided hy putting the following series of questions. He said the meinhcr for liuller. leader of the Revolutionary Socialists on one occasion urged the late Prime Minister to violate Covcninieiit contracts hy r-dueiiig interest on national loans, and when Mr Massey said. “I cannot commit repudiation." the meinher lor Uniter replied. "Repudiation! Wlmt is interest;' Something for nothing.” "Ho members of hi.s party support his statement that interest is something for nothing? "Do they urge the (Jovernment to reduce the agreed-upon rate of interest on Government loans, or do they i epmliate their leader; “The member for Duller, replying to the bon. member for Gislvornc, admitted that it under the land system lie was advocating the farmer got his due nothing would he left for the ; mortgagee. Does the. Revolutionary' ' Socialist party deliberately and knowingly advocate a system they think will benefit the farmers hut rob all the ■ mortgagees of money borrowed from them ? "The member for Puller de'nies that 'go slow' is practised in Xcw Zealand. iL is a denial that, contradicts facts known to all. One of the WellingtonClirist.lnncli ferry boats was recently plastered with notices advocating ‘go j slow.’ 1 never heard Mr Holland's followers condemn, "go slow” as disI honest, subversive of true manhood I and an utterly unworthy weapon to i use. Will they condemn it now. or hy I silence give it tlieir consent ? ' "Rovohit.hniary Socialists demand from th.e Government huge and imine--1 dinte expenditure, that they know no ; Government can possibly meet, in or-

der to increase the discontent of the .; worker and win votes. Can they deny j tliis ? j "They have condemned this Govcrn- ! ment for excessive borrowing. AVill they tcdl us definitely where the money for this expenditure is to come from ? “With one exception these lion. : members united in a. message of sym- ! patli.v and condolence with the Rtis- ' sian Soviet over the death of the mon- ' stcr. T.enin, a man who murdered his way to power, who violated every prineiple of democracy, who suppressed the ; right of public meetings, free speech and the Press if hostile to him. How does this square with their recent championship of Lyons and their pro- | test against suppression of revolutioni ary literature here? How does it | square with their loud profession of j democratic principle? "Members of the revolutionary SoI ciali-t Party claim to ho loyal. They j take the oath of allegiance to the [•ling. When the Irish rebellion broke out their official organ. ‘Maorilnnd Worker.’ rejoiced that this was ‘the I first step in the breaking up of the British Empire.’ The other day the ! chief promoter of tlieir Socialistic Sunday Schools stated he would rather pray for a weasel than for a king. When the Prince of Wales visited this Dominion the ‘Maoriland Worker’ held him tip to ridicule. \A e never heard one word of disavowal or condemnation from the Labour members. If they are loyal, why? “Have they abandoned their claim to industrial parliaments, or do they still want the present system of par- I

liamentary government broken up and industrial parliaments established. A LABOUR AfEAIBER IN REPLY'.

Air Jordan, Labour member for Alanukau. characterised Afr Isitt’s speech as omitting and well rehearsed. Afr Isitt- had been a professional talker all his life. He came into polities with good intentions, but they saw him now as a political derelict, recognised byno side and scorned by members of the House. He was an actor, a showman. Ai r Lang.stoiie: A cheap Jack. Air Jordan : He is now at the end of bis career in the House. Whatever aspirations be lmd. be now found himself to lie an absolute failure. “Last night,” continued tbe member for Alanukau, “the galleries of the House were- filled before the supper adjournincut. They ennui from near and far for the member for Christchurch North competed with Fuller’s for a crowd but when we did not get a chance to start before, lie refused to speak after supper because tbe galleries were then empty.” “lie told me so.” said Air Jordan. “Our friends from the gallery went away disappointed because they had missed a comedy, and Air Isitt was disappointed because he did not provide it.” AN INSINUATION. “To think that the, member -for Christchurch North could have come down from what lie was twenty years ago to tlm position of selling himself for a scat in the Upper House” .

There were many cries of “Withdraw” from the Alinisterial Ikmu-lics. Sir Heaton Rhodes arose in protest, asking whether it was in order for a member to accuse another member of selling himself fur a seat in the Upper House. “I am afraid the bon. member is not in order. He must withdraw,” ordered the Speaker. Labour members: Will the Government give an assurance that it is not trite ? Tbe Speaker: Order! Air .lonian: I withdraw; bill there is a feeling on these benches that because of the way the lion, member lias served the Reform I’arty, lie "ill if be does not stand at the next election. lie rewarded by a seat in the Upper House. We will see. Continuing. Mr Jordan said tlmL the member for Christchurch North bad degenerated into a junker, a tlagwitvcr, ami a lighter with his tongue. He bad accused tbe Labour Party of ‘‘go-slow." Was there any other member who went slower in the House tliaii the bon. mcniocr for Christchurch North, who would miss prayers to play billiards? (Laughter and disorder. with angry cries from the Alinistfrial benches).

The Afini-ter of Agriculture, life Hon W. No.,worthy. protested against Air Jordan’s remark, and the Speaker said that although the member was not offending against the Standing Orders or the- rules of tbe House, be would ask him to avoid sm h references. Air Jordan: 1 11 not say that again.

Air Speaker: Although it is written somewhere. "That I have said 1 have said.’’ (Laughter).

.Mr Jordan said that in answer to Mr Isitt be would sav that the Labour Party would not repudiate interest, but thought it would be reasonable regarding tin* war debt to ask that as other men offered their lives, men with money should offer their money at as low rates as possible. As for the member for Christchurch North, lie was ) cry little vise than vanity. lie refused io -peak unless to a gallery, and there was very little consideration in him fur oilier people.