THE INVERCARGILL ELECTION

Hokitika Guardian, 1 September 1930, Page 2

THE INVERCARGILL ELECTION

ECHOES IN HOUSE

REFORM PARTY CRITICISED

WELLINGTON, August 28. Invercargill’s new member, Mr V incent Ward, plunged into his maiden speech in the House this afternoon with premeditation, in the course of some amusing party banter regarding election incidents. The opening was provided by Mr Jordan (Manukau) who criticised the Government for not honouring its promise to avoid further railway dismissals and declared that Labour’s support during the recent difficult times would call for some explanation to Labour members’ constituents which, lie added, they could give quite satisfactorily. | Mr Samuel (Thames), who does a good deal of speaking from the front Opposition benches affected to be sympathetic over the Labour dilemma. | quoted from a manifesto issued by the United candidate (for Invercargill, containing seventeen points, one of which was: “No fusion with Reform, co-op-erution with Labour.” This, he argued was a clear indication of an alliance though one party to the arrangement was evidently becoming disappointed, i ahe Hon. P. A, do la Terrel le: I repudiate the general nmnifestio there, Mr Samuels said that, the Minister had previously repudiated a statement of iiis supporter and it looked as if ho would have to he disciplined by his party. He was surely not going to question the statement of a gentleman now a member of the House of his own

side ? Mr Ward (Invercargill): Do you stand for all your candidate said in the election?' Dou you endorse what Colonel Hargest said? Mr Samuel: I did not hear him speak, but from what I know of the gentleman—

Mr Parry (Aucnland Central): That*s side-stepping. Why don’t you answer? Mr Samuel replied that there was every evidence during the session oi United co-operation with Labour, amt he was indeed pained to hear the memberr for Manukau questioning the pob icy of the Government There was an agreement about completing business, but if the Labour Party was going to start a sham fight with blank ammunition that would be a breach of faith. He heartily sympathised with Mr Jordan in his troubles. (Laughter).Mr Parry: There is one thing the Labour Party will not do, it will not take advantage of the crying needs of the country for party purposes. If there was an obvious object lession of that it has been given since the session started.

Air Samuel (loudly):: Hear, hear, (Laughter), /

Mr Parry added that he had listened patiently to speeches from the Reform Party, but not one word of constructive criticism had been heard, Air Brondfoot (Waitomo)! You were looking for the impossible, • Air Parry: Not one suggestion to the advantage of the people who are suffering through the depression, Mr Parry then said that the speech, of the Leader of the Opposition in moving his no-con-fidence motion was the most demeaning and puerile he had heard in Parliament from the viewpoint of argument. This was the sort of “dope” members were supposed to listen to, something like the stuff one heard in comic opera. . Mr Waite (Clutha) reminded members of the Labour Party that-there had been a recent meeting of the Alliance of Labour. This, lie suggested had stirred them up. Their people were getting tired of Labour’s subservience to the Government, hence their latest outbursts, “Labour. members,” he concluded, “have been chivvied by their own supporters for sticking to their derelict Government,”

A MAIDEN SPEECH. This exchange of opinion with references to the by-election, brought the new member for Invercargill to his feet. Mr Ward was greeted with applause from all sides, which he acknowledged hy saying that he !felt honoured by being a member of the House, and proud to follow in his father’s footsteps. He would strive to do his best for the country’s interests The member for Thames had made a statement regarding the by-election, and he would like to ask him whether his party organisation stood behind the Speaker’s Reform opponent. “1 am not criticising Colonel Hargest,” continued Mr Ward, "for J have a great respect for him, However, I do criticise a small coterie running the Reform' Party, though I exclude the great mass of Reformers throughout the country. 1 had Reformers telling me they would give me a vote, and throughout this country the United Party is glad to receive into, its fold those of all parties who have not extremist views,” (Laughter), He asked Mr Samuel if he could explain a statement.published in a Reform newspaper, which mentioned, on authority of its Invercargill correspondent, that Mr Ward was only being adopted on probation. “I do not know whether 1 was coming out of the Borstal Institution or going into it,” commented the speaker. He lvould like to hear what Mr Samuel had to say to a report published by the same authority that he would be given a clear run at Invercargill in exchange for the giving of similar facilities to