The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1928. LEND ME YOUR AID !

Hokitika Guardian, 9 November 1928, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1928. LEND ME YOUR AID !

Thk Lalxnir candidate for Westland appears to be in some distress. Last night his leader, Mr Holland spoke in Greymouth, hut during the week the aid of Mr McCormack, the Prime Minister of Queensland, was invoked. Mr McCormack, it appears. was a pal of Mr O'Brien’s in other days, and there is still that fellow feeling between the two. It would appear Mr McCormack was invited to give Mr O’Brien his blessing, and lie has done so in cordial terms, and probably at the expense of the Queensland taxpayers. However, we fail to see where Mr McCormack's aid or influence comes in in this electorate, for Queensland is not a state to conjure by. It has been under Labour rule now for several years, and it is not being governed wisely nor too well.

Let us take one of the Labour fads, unemployment insurance, which Queensland lias adopted, and which it is suggested by Labour should be adopted in this Dominion. The records show that 11 10 Queensland scheme is going to be very expensive for the contributors and taxpayers alike. There was a diminishing surplus, which lias now become a deficit, and the position is the more gloomy because the expenditure has soared above revenue. Another aspect in Queensland, is the ability to keep Labour in power. It is said that the Labour Government makes assurance doubly sure for its parliamentary candidates by so manipulating the electoral roll as to ensure a solid majority for its candidates. The metropolitan areas are the largest in number of electors, approximating 10.000 voters each, while other country electorates carried less than half the number, as witness Flinders 2741; Gregory 3905. Chartres Towers 4127. Eleven electorates have less than 5000 votes on their rolls; nineteen less than G.OOO. Of the i2 electorates, 45 carry less than < ,000. Actually therefore the 45 constituencies have a greater voting strength than the remaining 27, and the smaller peopled electorates all return Labour supporters. In May, 1920, there was a ihy-eleeti.on for Mitchell which had 4972 electors on the roll. Certain public works were started in the electorate and almost simultaneously 50.9 or 000 electors not previously resident in the district wore added to the roll, and the result was a foregone conclusion. Mr McCormack. Premier of Queensland. is Mr O’Brien’s friend who wishes him success in the Westland contest! Then Mr O’Brien lias mentioned another of his old political chums. Mr Theodore, an ex-Premier of Queensland. Mr Theodore is a very conspicuous figure in Now South Wales politics at present, where he is a Labour leader and a friend of the famous Jock Garden. This is what a Sydney paper said about Mr Theodore last month:—

Tukodohk’s Way

Mr Theodore is two gentlemen at once:—There is Rich Ted, who lives in Kirribilli. and Bed Ted, who goes to the Eight Hour Banquet to talk about “lethal conflict.” Special constables in Adelaide are equipped with rifles (unloaded) and bayonets; and Red Ted calls this “the first step to Revolution.” Whether to Revolution or from it. this step was not the first. First steps were taken bv the Adelaide mob of 5000 which attacked volunteer workers: and here is what happened to a volunteer falling into the mob’s hands:

“He had been assisting to load wool. “One man battered him with a piece of timber 4ft. long. “He fell and was kicked. “Others battered him over the head with the wood of their cargo hooks,

“Finally a cargo hook was driven into each of lii.s thighs. “Besides the wounds in his thighs, his nose and several ri s were broken.”

In the face of a moh capable of such brutality, one Government displays the force of a bayonet. .Mr Theodore makes speeches behind the mob. We may doubt whether the Government is positively right, but we are certain that .Mr Theodore is positively wrong. Would he leave Port Adelaide in possession of gangs of roughs, battering men almost to death?

fn addition to the plain spoken press comment. Air Bavin, the capable Premier of New South Wales had the following to say when Air Theodore’s speech was mentioned in Parliament:

Titkodork’s Part

“I can only say that T read them with a very great deal of regret.” said the Premier to a query by Major •Jarvie, whether he had seen the “inli amnia lory” statements regarding the strike made by Air Theodore at the Eight Hour Day dinner. He addl'd that he did not know what the Government could do to restrain “such extraordinarily foolish and unwise statements of a man holding so responsible a position in Federal politics as Air Theodore.” They were calculated to do untold harm,

Mr O’Brien’s earlier political associates are holding on their way, and it would appear that speaking in such a friendly way of his former associations. Air O’Brien .approves their conduct in their political careers. It would appear also this is consistent with what would be expected from the Extreme Labour leaders and it appears to be a further warning, if such he needed now, why Air O’Brien would not he an acceptable representative for loyal and politically contented Westland.