POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2057, 20 November 1919, Page 2

POLITICAL.

Mr A. 0. ITillier, Labour candidate for the Manawatu seat, wif]"C» speak in Main Street on Saturday night, at" 7 o'clock. ‘T am not one of those who believe that we have seen the last war, or anything like it,” said Mr Massey at Papakura. “I believe the next war will take place in the Pacific, the now storm centre of the world, and therefore I strongly favour a strong naval squadron being maintained by New-Zealand, Australia, Canada, and perhaps South Africa, to be ready for eventualities. We have recently hoard of two countries in which they launched larger ships than any in the British Navy, These ships are not being built as toys, therefore British naval'supremacy must he maintained.”

The railways belong to the people of the country,” said Mr Massey, in his speech at Papakura, “and it is the duty of the Department and of the Minister to meet the requirements of the people. We are going to do it. Our aim is to cater for the convenience of the people, and not to make the railways earn .high rates of interest. If the railways earn 4 per cent. I will he quite satisfied.”

“The soldiers' have had a ‘square deal,’ and I am going- to see they continue to get a ‘square deal,’” said Mr Massey in reply to an interjeetor, at Papakura. “All the Tied Feds’ and ‘T.W.W.’s’ and Sinn Feiners in Xew Zealand can't keep me out” —a remark which was greeted hy applause. There were one or two hostile interjections, and in reply to :i voice will) a brogue, Mr Massey said: “You go. back to Ireland. We don’t want vou here.”

We repeat again that any political parly which does not make its llrst and vital plank loyalty to King and Constitution, despite all else, no matter how alluring, is unworthy of support. The Xew Zealand Labour Party does not include this as its chief plank, therefore its candidates are not entitled to the support of loyal citizens. Men who advocate direct action as against constitutional procedure in settling industrial disputes are anarchists and a menace to (he welfare of the State. Once the Labour Party rings (rue on these vital points,.!! will gel a hearing. While the war was raging, and the necessity for sending every available man to the front was daily being impressed upon the nation by the civil and military leaders ati Home, constant attempts to frus- 1 Irate the efforts of the Xew Zealand authorities were being made by members of the Xew Zealand Labour Party. In view of these facts, it is not a little strange to note how solicitous the Labour Party's candidates now profess to be for the welfare of the soldiers and the dependents of those who sacrificed their lives or have returned to the Dominion broken in health. The electors, however, will not soon forget the disloyal attitude of the prominent leaders of the XLZ. Labour Party.

Mr F. Marnier, sitlhi” 1 member and Reform candidate for Marsden, declared, in his opening speech at Whangarei, that when (he Prime Minister returned from the Old Country 1m found considerable unrest in (he country, and in his party, but his presence speedily made a difference, and two weeks after his return the clouds lifted, and lie sun was now shining on the Reform Party brighter than ever. He attributed this happy result to the skill and good generalship Mr Massey had displayed.

Labour candidates looking round for some concrete instance of the benelits arising from Labour government will do well to avoid any reference to Queensland, which for the greater part of the war was under the rule of the extreme Labour Government headed by Mr T. J. Ryan, and now in the hands of his successor (says the Christchurch Press). In July, 1911, the cost of living in Queensland was lower than in any other State of the Commonwealth; in July this year it had risen by 62.0 per cent., the greatest increase shown in any State, and 15 per cent, above the average of the thirty largest towns in Australia. The^Queensland railways afford a shocking example of Labour mismanagement and extravagance. In 1914-15, just before the Ryan Government came into power, they yielded a surplus, the amount being nearly £50.000, They have never done so since; on the contrary, the successive deficits during the past four years total £3,694,000. “The good that men do is oft interred with their bones —the evil lives after.” The Southland Times (Invercargill), a Reform journal, rises to the present occasion, for in a leader it,says: “Sir Joseph Ward opened his campaign last evening with an excellent speech and an excellent meeting. He was in capitoU j form, and his .-peech was clear, vigorous, and effective.” The article continues, “For the' constructive work of the years following the war the country needs the services of the best men available, irrespective of party, and Sir Joseph Ward is unquestionably one. If Sir Joseph Ward was lost to Parliament the whole Press of the country, Reform as well as. Liberal, would refer to the loss as national, and that the Reform party might well have given Sir Joseph Ward a clear ran in his constituency.” During lii.s address to the constituents of Riccarton, Mr G. Witty

said that from the ashes of the old Liberal Party was going to spring a new Liberal Party, which would do better work even than the old, and would bo a benefit and a blessing to the community.

Mr R. A. Wright, Reform M.P., • speaking at Karori, said he had never known the Whip to be used on any member of the Reform Party. Personally, he had never been (‘.ailed into line, and when he had found it impossible to A'ote for a Government measure he had not done so, but nothing had been said. That avus as it ought to be.

The Hon. W, D. S. MacDonald, in the course of his speech at Rotorua, said: “A gentleman the other night had said a good deal about Labour and extremists and exploiters. There Avere extreme sections on both sides, and no doubt some exploitation Avas going on, but efforts Avere being made to check it. When in office, he sent two experienced men to Australia, and on the information they brought back avus framed the Board of Trade Act, which the best legal advice in New Zealand informed him was the best Act for the purpose in the Avorld. His friend had also said that Sir Joseph Ward would do anything to get into power, and had leanings tOAA'ards the Labour section. Either he Avas grossly misinformed or Avas deliberately lying. (Applause.) None of the Liberal Party believed in upholding the extremists in any way. They did not Avant to have anything to do Avith the sedition monger, the trouble maker, the man who did not knoAV Avhether he was loyal or not, the man who could not sing ’‘God Sua’c the King” or “Rule Britannia." They did not Avant such men in Parliament. (Loud applause.) The Liberal Party had pul up men against the Labour extremist members in elections; it remained to be seen if the Reform Party Avould put up men to split the vote. In Auckland the Reform Party had put up men against Liberals Avho Avere being opposed by the extremists, and if the Bolshevik Party came into poAver, Avho Avould be to blame?

Extremists are they who seek purely selfish ends, without regard to consequences; who will take all they can get, and give no more than they have to. Those who demand a one-sided “serialisation of (he means of production, distribution nnd exchange,” who would denude the thrifty, encourage the slacker, luster discord, and render the world unsafe for Democracy. lint there is another version of the extremist. I am, 1. have said, opposed to the extremists in any direction. Again we hear Conservatives speak of the danger of “Experimental legislation,” and these men were nosing as Liberals —(he real .Liberals, men" who had recently passed more “ex])erimenlal legislation’’' than ever before in so short a time, it was the cry of “Wolf” when there was no wolf, but a friend. Conservatives had raised the cry against all progress. Titov afterwards adopted (and perverted) measures they had opposed by every political (rick and pull. They had endeavoured by the same means to force progressives to extremes. He believed the public could see now Unit it was a wolf who cried “Wolf." If I hey did not see it —and stop it —some day the real had wolf would come, and Heaven help us all then. An extremist also was lie who with the cry of “Wolf” on his longue was guilty of inciting the wolf. —Mr Evelyn Macdonald, Independent candidate for Otaki, speaking at i’orirua.

“All of us avliu lire l I'.v wages can Jive only by selling ourselves as industrial slaves.“ This Aalement, made by one of Hie Labour eandidates, is absolutely incorrect,” said i\lr R. A. Wright, at Khandallah. No ■worker in New Zealand sold himself to any master. The position to-day was the very reverse. The masters were compelled to go cap in hand to "obtain the services of the worker. As a matter of fact, DO per cent, of the successful men in New Zealand commenced work as wage-earners. By thrift, industry, and self-denial they had achieved success. These virtues were, however, now regarded as belonging to the Stone Age.”

“The ‘go-slow’ policy and strikes are in the very worst inlere.'ls of the people of this country,” declared Lieutenant-Colonel G. Mitchell, at Brooklyn. “I would not,” he added, “stop a man from striking. Ihe men who strike are misled by agitators. (Applause mingled with dissent.) AVhen a combine or a union stops the food supply ot the people, the Government must step in and protect the people—and the Government will always win. . . . I am not sure that I would not send the profiteer and the agitator to gaol at the same time.” (Applause.)

Air J. 1L Hamilton, Reform candidate for Awarua, urged that there should be a stronger representation of farmers in Parliament. He criticised the record of the Liberal tarty, and stated that it had completely lost the confidence of the people. He declared that the solution of industrial strife was the provision of permanent home's, permanent employment and permanent wages to workers. He condemned Sir" Joseph Ward’s housing schemes and the nationalisation of coal mines as financially unsound.

regards the Labour Party, said Mr Cotton, the “Moderate” Labour candidate tor the Hutt, “Peter Fraser, Bob Semple, Harry Holland, and M'Gombs are poor unfortunates who have to use dynamite language to get their positions They are no friends of Lab-

our, but are out to make easy billets fur themselves. When the extremists get up in the House to talk the members go into the lobby for a smoke.’’

Mr C. H. Chapman, official Labour candidate for Hawkes.Bay, in the course of his address at Hastings, contended that neither the Reform nor the Liberal leaders had done anything to meet the changed conditions arising out of the Avar. The Labour Party had lavo main objectives, one being free education from the kindergarten to the university, and the other that Labour should have a greater share of -the wealth produced by Labour, He advocated the establishment of a State Bank and other State enterprises.

According to the GoA r ernment candidate for Roskill, Mr V. H. Potter, the go-sIoAV coal miners are each sacrificing about £1 a week in wages. Assuming this calculation to be correct, it is pertinent to ask; Whom does the go-sIoAV policy hit? And at Avhom is it aimed? If it is aimed at the oAvners of coal mines, the fact is that these people are better able to protect themselves than is anyone else. Almost; always the OAvner is able to fix bis price in proportion to his expenses. The only Avay in which he can he permanently hit is by forcing up his cost of production to a point at Avhich imported coal can undersell him; and such an achievement Avould bring no satisfaction to anyone in this country, because if the owners of New Zealand coal mines had to shut down and Avait for cheaper labour, the coal miners Avould have to shut doAvn too. Whom, then, does the go-sloAv policy hit? It hits the public, and, according to Mr Potter, it deprives the coal minor himseli ol; £1 a Aveek, “which the miner could have put into a co-operative store "if his leaders had let him.” But, for the direct actionist, constructive reform and co-operali\e tiiort luiA’e no clmnn. He is out to destroy, and with some -vague ultimate idea of rebuilding. What lie will ret.add ho does not knorv, hat ho is entirely and contentedly certain of Ids oavu mission as an architect of rum.

Speaking at Victoria Hall, Wellington, the other night, Mr U. Semple remarked thal the man who resorted to names, slung mud, and dived into the pol'tical and mental sewer, gave the signal that ho was stripped of logic, bankrupt of brains, and destitute of argument. Au ounce of preclice is worth a ton of precept, Mr Semple!

Here is an instance —quofed from Mr Massey’s i’apakura speech —of the misleading value of mere figures: —“In the year in which he took office as Prime Minister (he (fade of (he country, imports and exports, amounted to £38,000,(100. During nine months of the present year the trade had a mounted to £02,004,502. It was only fair to slate that exports had been increased by reason of additional shipping being provided tor the large quantities of produce held in this country.” H would have been still tairer to point out that the prices of 101!) are not the prices of 10.1.2, and that when anyone tries to measure the progress of Xew Zealand in terms of the value of imports and exports, he adopts a method the value of which is very heavily discounted. H the Prime Minister could have shown similar results in quantities as well as in values, he certainly would have made a very great discovery. Taken over (lie period of the last seven vears, money values have almost ceased to be a measure of production, The upset of the relative values of money and work is one of the main facts and problems of the dav. —Post.

Mr Fred Pirani, Liberal candidal e for Willing!on Central, opened Ids campaign last night. He met with a hostile reception. He was bombarded with interjections, including one about “indecent pictures.” and was counted out. At the (‘(inclusion of a lively meeting the following motion was moved: “That this meeting of electors considers that Air Pirani is not a lit and proper person to represent .1 bis or any other constituency in Xew Zealand.” Another elector moved as an amendment : “That Mr Pirani he thanked for a pleasant evening, hat that tins meeting has no faith whatever in the Liberal or Mim.-ey parlies.' 'litis amendment was put to the meeting, and apparently carried. The chairman was proceeding to pul it as the substantive motion when a larther amendment was moved: “That Air Pirani be thanked for his address." Air Pirani started to speak, but was counted out vigorously, and the meeting broke up in disorder, a section of the audience geving cheers for the Labour candidate.