POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2508, 21 November 1922, Page 4

POLITICAL.

A voice: How did you vote on (lie civil service petition in the House last month? Mr Wilford was asked at the Auckland meeting'.

Mr Wilford: Do you mean the question of joining; the Alliance of Labour? The Voice: Yes. Mr Wilford: I voted against it, and I would do so again if 1 had the chance.

“I fail to see anything in the Labour platform with regard to the defence of this fair country. I hey seem to think that this country is not worth defending and the sooner they quit the better.” —Mr W. 11. Bennet at Alexandra Hall, Wellington, last week.

The Prime Minister was responsible for an unconscious “bull" in the course of his address at Stratford last week. He was telling the audience of some of his experiences in England during the course of assisting in raising one of the big war loans, and said he was addressing a large audience in a town in the north of England. “It was an audience as ‘dense’ as that which I am facing to-night,” said Mr Massey, and in a moment there was an outburst of laughter. When this had subsided, someone asked, “What about those behind you?” to which the Premier cleverly replied, “I never forget the people who stand behind me.” (More laughter.)

The question of land nationalisation as pronounced by the Holland Socialistic party was referred to by the Hon. Mr Massey in his address a‘t Inglewood recently. Hh said the first attempt at land nationalisation was made away back in history in the time of .Joseph in Egypt. He recalled that when .Joseph’s brothers came to him to buy corn and had •exhausted their money he said to them, “Very well, I’ll take your lands instead,” and they agreed. Joseph was a great financier, but. the country had never recovered from that transaction.

This Labour party, being now on its best behaviour is seeking to show that it is not for industrial strife or “go-slow” practices. The fact stands that it has never opposed •any stoppages of industry, and it did not object to the “go-slow” practices in mines, and on the.wharves, when these were in operation. Its Manifesto says, “The Government allege that, owing to the limitations of output by the miners they were compelled to import. The answer is that during the War period the New Zealand miners' set up a world's record for coal production.” The truth is that such is no answer as the “go-slow” in coal production was after the wai\ In his published pamphlet “Imported Coal and Why” Mr Holland says (page JO) : “In UJll) tire re was n go -slow strike m New Zealand. Nobody denies it. The miners had no option.” Yet now by a trick of words this party seeks to make it appear as if “goslow” had never taken place. How little this party regai.ls ihe stability and progress of industry is seen in this that its present platform demands “a live-day working week of 40 hours,” which, if applied, would cripple most of our industries.

Ministers visiting districts to make political speeches do not as a tile answer questions, but at the Lower Ilutt, the Prime Minister agreed to answer one sent up in writing. This asked for an explanation of the way in which an amalgamation of the Reform and Liberal Parties might be effected. “There is one party too many in the State at present,” said Mr Massey. “Three parties are not good for any country There should lie an

amalgamation so as to leave two parties. There are men on the Liberal side, good men, straight-for-ward, decent I'efiows, who have the interests of the country at heart; and I say to those men, ‘C’ome and join us!’ (Laughter.) And I say to the people who sent them there, ‘Support us!’ But I say to the others, some of them, and I am not going to name them, ‘I would not have them at any twice.’ ”