POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4493, 17 November 1922, Page 1

POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.

• : MR; WHITESIDE’S CANDIDATURE* ADDRESS AT NGATEA. ' Mr A- J. Whiteside, a LiberaULabour candidate fbr the Thames electorate, gave an address at Ngatea on Monday evening. Mr S- Bradley was elected to the chair. There was an attendance of about 50 electors. The chairman said that as the candidate was paying his own expenses, •ahd Was not/the official candidate, the meeting should give him a good hearing.

Mr Whiteside said he may be a stranger in Ngatea, but he had. lived in three different parts of the .electorate and was acquainted with a great number of people within the electorate? He had paid his own way because he should go ahead and represent the place. Mr Allen, who was also standing in. the Liberal Labour Interests,. told the speaker that he (Mr Whiteside) should go; ahead and work'in the Liberal interests. Tne speaker had gone pn unofficially, not having received any communication from Mr Wilford. It was a pity to split the votes, but at a public meeting he had. been urged to go no wtih the campaign. THE MINORITY VOTE, The Liberal Party, said the candidate, started with Sir George Grey. Through the Liberals the country had been brought dp to prosperity. The Reform Party , had said that if; the Liberals got intp power there would be a revolution. This was against the principles of New Zealand. Although .... the Liberal Party had brought the epuptry up to prosperity it had been knocked out. Mr Massey knew he was in on a minority vote, and there was a feeling throughput the country that they needed a change. New Zealand had been once “God’sT)w.n Country," but it was now a land of misrule. The country was now catering for the big .man and profiteers. If . they Wanted their, country to prosper they would have to pass laws to bring the profiteer to book. The farmer got practically nothing for his wool, “but,” Ke said, “look what you've got to pay for your clothes. Look what you’ve got to pay for your boots. Look at. the prices you get for your cattie at the sales. Anyone who’ is a profiteer is nothing but a thief. He' is taking what does not belong to him.” He continued that ,he had taken lands' under the Hauraki pastoral lease. He could not sell the timber from the land, but could burn as much as he liked as leng as he did not tickle the profiteer. The 'Libera! platform, he maintained, catered fbr all classes except the profiteer. The country whs ruined by the war, but the war was carried on for what purpose? Mr Lloyd ..George had had to resign, and Mr Massey would have to too. • The war could have been finished in six months, but it did not suit the profiteers. Loyalty was giving one’s life-blood, not waving a little bit of a flag, as Mr Massey would, want them to do. Referring to Waihi strikes, lie said Mr Seddon had settled' the strikes < and the miners had acclaimed him With great popularity. “HOUSE OF 'TOFFS.”’ He urged electors not tp vote for the candidates with hides like rhin- ’ oceroses. (Laughter and applause.) Parliament was called the House of Commons;, but now they wanted .to * call it the House of. “Toffs.' (Renewed laughter.) When talking of the High Commsisioner’s salary he said it was ■going up and up. Then there w.aX

I £5OO for, amusement, I z a Voice: a shame. The Candidate: Yes, a downright shame. Referring to railways he •said the railways in Australia were paying. New Zealand was not doing that. EDUCATIONAL REFORMS. Great reforms were required.in the educational system. The schools were becoming congested- Something had to be done.. If the farmers overcrowded their pig’s they would have the health inspector on to them, but what about their children in their schools ? The human race was degenerating for the want of ventilation, in the railway trains especially. The schools were als’p badly ventilated. He recommended that those in the Ohinemuri electorate should vote for Mr 'Poland, who. was a thoroughly practical man. IMMIGRATION SYSTEM. He criticised the immigration system, saying that some of the immigrants were a’,l right, but some were mighty helpless creatures. The im? migration system at : present was not a success. He termed it as a tourist system; because as sobn as .the immigrants got out here they aimed at making enough money to get back Home again. When he got into Parliament he would not “■toady to the big bugs.” (Applause.) The cost of living could be brought down very much by proper legislation- He told them "not to ask ds to be like the Re-form Party, who were all prophets, but false prophets ” He would submit himself to the painful ordeal of cross’-ques-tioning. QUESTIONS, Mr D. A. Vincent asked would the candidate be prepared to stand down and submit to another election if he were elected and found to be unfit for the position. The Candidate: You’ve only got to look at my musqles. (Laughter.) Mr Vincent repeated his question.

The candidate said if he knew the people did not want him.be would resign. He was the only man who had to fight his own battle out of his own pocket.

Mr Blacklaws said supposing the Liberal Party gpt into power, would the candidate be in favour of voting Mr Massey to the Upper House. The candidate said he had got a problem this time. He did not think Mr Massey would get intp the Upper House. He should be by the fire in his homestead. Mr Titchener said the candidate had mentioned that the Reform Phrty had brought out Red-Feds., and asked what he meant by Red.rFeds. The candidate said it was the Reform party that had brought put that name/ He called nobody a Red.-ped, Some who. were Red.-Feds. may be il'feds.

Mr G. T, Davidson asked if the candidate would reduce the price of butter down to lOd per lb without going into the,matter so as to give the worker cheap butter. The Candidate: I Couldn't answer that. I’ve been a farmer myself, and when you talk about bringing down the price of butter I feel a cold s,hi ver run down my back. In reply to a further question by Mr Davidson lie said he would bring down the price of living by breaking down monopolies.

Mr Blackla.ws said Sir Joseph: Ward would likely stand again, and asked wh’ch leader would the candidate follow, Sir Joseph Ward or Mr Wilford.

The candidate said he did not think either of those two gentlemen would

be leader. Neither, he thought was suitable. He thought the leadership question-could be left out for the time being. He would follow whoever was leader and who should be leader in everything. But it should not be a one-man parliament, as it was at present. The political position wanted to be completely reformed. A lot of “ blatherskites ” kept on talking till two ip the morning and sent'pcople to sleep.

Mr Vincent: Are you in favour of the Paeroa-Pokeno railway being gone on with immediately ?

Mll Whiteside said bhat motor transport was getting a great hold in New Zealand, and the finances of the country were low. It would, therefore, not be a good time to go on with the railway. When the Liberals got in and’things got better, then,it would be time for them to go on with it.

Replying to Mr>. Titchener, Mr Whiteside said the Liberals had always been against a cu.t in wages. The Arbitration Court dealt with those things, and Mr Massey had no right to interfere. Mr Hemmings asked for an outline pf the candidate’s opinion. of reform in the immigration laws. The candidate said there Should be a higher health test, and immigrants should also have a bit of money. They should not be allowed to leave the country with money. present system, ihe said, was one of the most crude systems.

Mr Hemmings : Are you aware that the medical test for New Zealand is the highest for, any of the Colonies The candidate said many diseases and the like had been brought into the country, and the questioner must be completely misinformed. Mr Hemmings maintained, that he was correctly informed. Mr Hemmings)'Commenced to say something about the age of parliamentarians, whe'n the candidate interjected, saying he wanted only business questions. Mr Hemmings persisted, and managed to inform the candidate that Mr Balfour, of the British Parliament, had resigned at the age of 71.

The Candidate : I take it. as a compliment. See my whiskers.

A Voice: And still his' whiskers grew.

The candidate refused to-answer a question put by Mr Davidson because it was not, he said, a business question. The questioner said he wished to test the sound judgment of the candidate, whereupon that gentleman said, “If you don’t think me of sound judgment, vote for the Reform.” Replying to Mr Hayward, Mr Whiteside said the Labour Party was really a, branch of the Liberal Party, which could do more for the workers and farmers than the Labour Party. Mr Davidson : I was at one time a worker,— Mr Whiteside : I hope you are still one. Mr, Davidson tried to Continue, but he was ruled put of order by the chairman, the candidate also objecting.

The chairman called for a vote of confidence in the candidate. Very few voted either way. The chairman declared the vote of confidence carried.

A hearty vote of) thanks to the speaker, proposed by Mr Hayward and seconded by Mr Hemmings, was carried by acclamation. The candidate hoped the electors would show their confidence by tlheir actions. A vote of thanks to the chair concluded the meeting.