The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, April 9. 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1231, 9 April 1914, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, April 9. 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Thk Wanganui Reform Party is to be congratulated upon the selection of Mr F. Piraui as its candidate to represent the constituency at the forthcoming election. At the last election Mr Hutchison represented the Government interest and was defeated by Mr Veilch, the Labour candidate. The latter does not belong to the extreme Socialistic-Labour section in the House represented by Messrs Webb, Robertson, Payne, Hindmarsh and MeCoombs, as was evidenced in his sane opposition to the extreme views on labour matters enunciated by these gentlemen, and it will require a very strenuous effort on the part of Mr Pirani to uns.'at him. Party lines, however, are now well defined and the public, after recent happenings in industrial affairs, shou d take no chances with candidates who have leanings towards the revolutionary party. If New Zealand is to progress upon sane lines it must cut adrift at the coming elections from the dangerous doctrines of a set of imported fire-brands who seek to undermine the fundamentals of constitutional government. Mr Pirani in the past political affairs of this country has proved himself to be a fearless fighter in the cause of sane and progressive legislation and clean administration, with a grip of political economics second to none. As an educationalist his ability is recognised even beyond this Dominion. He is a born fighter with keen perceptive faculties, and an able platform speaker, while his patriotism is unquestioned. His blunt outspokenness and hatred ol the sham professional politician and opportunist made him a power in the House and he is the type of man who is wanted at the present lime in the Parliament of this country. We wish him success.

Our Palmerston evening contem porary is informed by “flaxmiil members of the Federation of Labour” that “If Mr Fisher were to speak again, they promise him a lively” reception.” This threat is explained as the outcome of a press association message, the accuracy of which the Reds deny. We have dealt with the press message iu a previous issue, aud leave it at that. Our contemporary states that the Red Fed section “bad previously agreed to give Mr Fisher a hearing.” What utter nonsense. Do these Red Fed. leaders —and we include the member tor Otaki amongst them—imagine that they possess the flaxmills employees body aud soul ? Do they imagine that they can order them to act like a pack of shrieking Dervishes at a political meeting ? What an insult upon the intelligence of these men, many of whom for very peace sake have tolerated leaders, and to inform the press that the flaxmiil employees can be used for such disgraceful purposes is au insult to their manhood, cf which we hope they will take a mental note. We re fuse to believe, however, that the flaxmiil employees iu this locality can be so duped as suggested. The time is coming when the flaxmiil employees will assess these “leaders” at their true value.