POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2509, 23 November 1922, Page 2

POLITICAL.

MY Linklatcr addressed a fairly duge audience at' Taikirahuna on Tuesday night and was given an execllent reception. Tie was listened to very attentively whilst delivering his speeelf and at its conclusion answered several questions. A 'vote of thanks was earned by acclamation. Mr X. I*. Xeilsen occupied the chair and referred in eulogistic terms of Mr Linklatcr’s ability to represent the electorate in Parliament. Mr I.inklater will speak at Shannon to-night.

•Mr H. Wright, M.P., did not mince matters at Alaranui on Tuesday wphl when he referred to the various candidates who are upholding tin- Labour banner in the contests for the Wellington seats. He asserted that Labour was not represented in the local contests by one boim tide working man, a remark which caused considerable uproar. Mi' Wright said that with one exception the candidates were all Lahour union secretaries —and he could not think of anything flattering to say about a majority of the Labour union secretaries —nor all of them—were nothing but mischiefmakers. They secured for their unions an award of the Court, and with the assistance of the preference clause they began to foment trouble between the employees and the employer. He was quite satisfied that the union secretaries were to jr large extent responsible for the industrial discontent that was always in evidence. When a man

made a success as a union seerelary—when he proved hs qualities as an agitator—he branched out and carried the Labour banner in political contests.

Mr Plyger, the Liberal-Ljjbnnr candidate for Manawatu, has opened his campaign. In conversation with niic of his supporters we are informed that Mr Plyger lias a good “lighting chance” of success.

It is considered that Mr .J. A. Nash, the sitting member for Palmerston North will have no diffieult.\ in retaining his seat. His opponents are two Labour candidates.

The Hon. Mr Guthrie is opposed by Mr It. C'obbo (Liberal) for the Oroiin seat. Mr Cobbe is a son of one of Podding"s prominent business men and is being accorded splendid hearings throughout the constituency.

A trinngula.r contest' is talking place for the Otaki seal between Messrs W. H. Pield. sitting member, McClure (Liberal) and Harkness (Independent Reform). Indications point to the re-election of Mr Field.

j The prospects °f tlit* candidates j for Manawatu at flip forthcoming j poll are being freely discussed. The | Labour Parly are very sanguine a- ■ bout the chances of their candidate j who has traversed the whole of the v constituency addressing meetings ckand canvassing personally. His 2 i party have provided him with a mo- - j tor ear in order that lie will not suf--1 | ter any disability as to locomotion. -* ■ Air Linklatcr, the Reform candidate, 2 | has spoken in most of the centres, i ! FI is committees arc well satisfied ‘ with his prospects, Mr Plyger (Libral-Labour) although late in i the Held, is making the best use of his time. He has published and ‘ circulated a manifesto (a copy of ‘ which we have before us) which ’■ sels out in detail his personal and • Parly claims to recognition. Mr “Bob" Semple took the platform with Air Whibley a I Levin last night to harden up the Labour vote in that centre and both speakers wen* accorded good hearings. “Return the Massey Party to power. You will never regret it if you do, and you will show your good si use by electing Mr Linklatcr for Manawatu, and I hope the electors in Otaki will see lit to return me also, I will give them my host services as I have always done. Every lnemI her does not do everything he hopeto do, but I will do my best, and will have pleasure in assisting Mr Linklater to forward the interests of liielectorate.” —Air Pield at Levin. An amusing incident is reported in connection with the meeting in Strut I‘onl Town Hall, when the Prime Minister delivered his recent political address. A woman, who is a well-known resident of Stratford, drove ui> t" the hall in her ear with her party, Imr accommodation was at a premium, and admission was refused her. “But you can’t slop me!" she said. “1 came to hear Mr Massey and I’m going to get in, even if 1 have to hang on to the dear old man’s coat tails! So there!" Waiting her chance when the official party, headed by the Mayor, Mr -J. \V. APAlillan, and the Mayoress, hove in sight, she quickly slipped in behind Air A 1 assey, and literally went in by his coat-tails! Prom a 1 comfort able seal in the forefront of the meeting, this resourceful old : lady beamed upon Mr Massey 1 throughout the evening. 1 I “When 1 look up at the full moon 1 on a clear night," said a local re- I sident outside the Town Hall on Monday night at the conclusion of Mr Linklaters meeting, “I see the face of Mr Massey." He then went on to tell of Mr Massey’s forebears 1 and their settlement in the north of | Ireland. We may add and express J the hope that as the beam of light 2 reflected from the moon has given f a timely warning of impending dan- 1 ger, so the guidance of Air Alassey 'I at the coming election may steer the £ ship of State clear of the extremist I. rocks. t

In his address at Papatoetoe, on Monday, Mr Massey said that if New Zealand could increase the value of its exports to fifty million pounds, we would pay our way. meet all our heavy liabilities and have something over. The country could do it and the Government would do everything possible to help forward such an achievement. The arrears of land and income tax and death duties were fairly heavy, which showed that the people on the land were having some difficulty in paying 20s in the pound. There was no doubt, however, that the. worst of the slump had passed and that the country had again turned to prosperity. Air H. 1. Plyger, Liberal-Labour candidate for Manawatu, opened his campaign on Tuesday night at Awaliuri where he addressed a meeting attended bv over 100 people, which included a large number of ladies. Air Duncan Bennett was in the chair. The meeting throughout was most enthusiastic, and at its conclusion —Mr Plyger having expressed his desire that a vote of confidence be postponed for tbe ballot box —a vote of thanks was proposed and carried by acclamation. Mr Plyger, who dealt with the ! various subjects in a clear, concise and businesslike manner, stated at tiie outset of his speech he was out lo support that Government that conducted the affairs of the country in which he was born on sound financial and economical lines, but while his .sympathies were entirely with the working classes, which he characterised as the backbone of the Dominion he would never be found voting for the extreme Labour contingent. He looked upon it not only as a danger to the country but an enemy to those honest workers they pretended to represent. The Xew Zealand Labour Party favours a Right to Work scheme, and the Tlon. Downie Stweart dealt with the idea as follows: “The Labour Party in its election manifesto said it would introduce a Eight-to-Work Bill at standard rates of wages. It could introduce as many Bills as it liked, but it could not provide work unless it had the financial resources to pay for it, and it could only secure money by taxation or borrowing. If they had so simple and easy a solution of a world-wide problem, why was it that their own Labour Government in Australia showed a far higher percentage of unemployment than in Xew Zealand.”