THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Otaki Mail, Volume 27, 5 December 1919, Page 3

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

j MR FIELD AT LEVIN. i In the course of liis address in Levin Mr Field ’ said ho was informed by people who knew that before the goslow policy was introduced the miners wdre making over £2 a day. Voices: Rot! Bunkum! How much a ton are they paid? Mr Field: I can't go into details. That is wnat I am assured they got.' A voice: They get 2s Sd per ton. Mr Field: If you aTe right and I am wrong I am very glad to hear it! If the miners don't like the conditions they can go to some other work. Referring to the housing conditions at the mines, Mr Field said he was told many of the men preferred to live in hutg. The audience would be glad to know that it was proposed to build houses which would be let to the miners at reasonable rates. Mr Field was questioned as to th* Government’s action in regard to the shipping trust. Mr R. Smith asked what aetion the Government took to prevent the P. and O. Company taking over the Union Company. Mr Field admitted they had dohe nothing. Mr (Smith: Is Mr Field aware that, this huge trust has already got hoi i of one of the primary industries. Before the war the freight on hemp ranged from £2 10s to £3 10s. Now it is up to £2O a ton, a clear increase of SOO per cent. To pay that tho workers have to accept a reduction of 20 per cent in wages. The people who took royalties for flax had also to come down by half to pay this exorbitant freight.

Mr Field: I must confess that I know something about these facts, though 1 I think you have overstated tho figuros ! a little. Maybe there is some justificai tion for some rise, but not to this cm- ‘ tent. Mr Field said he did not think 1 the combine would get hold of meat 1 butter or cheese. Something would have to be done to cope with it, other- ; wise wc must havo State shipping. 1 (Labour applause.) LOYAL MURCHISON. NO TIME FOR DISLOYAL HOLLAND. Nelson, December 3. Mr H. E. Holland was announced to deliver an address at Murchison tonight, and at the appointed hour just over 100 residents - had assembled in the local hall. Mr J. Bradbury, a prominent citizen, was voted to the chair, and when lie rose to introduce Mr Holland, Mr A. Thompson, jnn., moved the following motion: “That, in view of tho fact that the Murchison district was second to none in the Dominion in loyalty to the King and country in tho Great War, and in view of the fact that the Minister of Defence has described Mr Holland as being throughout the war disloyal to his King and his country, and the men who went to fight for freedom, now this meeting of Murchison citizens feels that, though art full sympathy with the legitimate aims of Labour, it cannot suffer to be addressed by tho Labour representative now present, and every loyal citizen is therefore urged to quietly leave the hall.” This was seconded by Dr. Warneford.

Au amendment was proposed:— “That Mr Holland be accorded a fair hearing,” whereupon Mr Holland said that Sir James Allen’s quoted state; ment was unfair and untruthful. Dr. IVarncford remarked that Sir James Alleff was not there to defend himself, and ho walked out of the hall. He was followed by 79 others, only 22 remaining'behind. The chair man then declared himself in full sympathy with the resolution, and also retired. The remainder of the audience then elected another chairman, and tho meeting proceeded. Those who left the building joined in singing the National Anthem, and then dispersed. * ANOTHER RICHMOND IN THE FIELD. LATE CANDIDATE FOR OTAKI. We have it . on the very best of authority that yet another Candidate will be nominated for the Otaki scat—a “dark horse” whose intentions we mentioned in a recent issue. This latest candidate will probably stand as an Independent .Liberal. Nominations close on Monday next at noon. , MR FIELD AT TE HORO. Mr W. H. Field addressed a gathering of about fifty electors at the Te Horo Public Hall on Wednesday night, despite wintry weather, and was accorded a patient hearing for nearly two hours. Mr H. L.'Beauchamp occupied the chair. - Mr Field said he wished to make it plain that if Mr Massey did not get a clear majority he would' resign. There would then be a fusion of the Reformers and Liberals, and the speaker said he would then support the National Parly comprising :these two. In discussing his opponents for the seat, Mr Field found fault with Mr McKenzie for not taking the trouble to explain fully the objects of the Labour Party, to which he was pledged. The major portion of Mr Field’s speeeh was on similar lines to his address at Otald, fully reported in. these columns. : A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the candidate, the chairman stating that Mr Field preferred that the electors show their confidence in him at tha ballot-box. MR MCKENZIE’S CHALLENGE. Speaking at Te: Horo on Wednesday night, Mr W. H. Field said he had been l challenged to a public debate with Mr .J. McKenzie re Socialism. He contended there was no need for a debate. The pros and cons of Socialism were not- being discussed by him (Mi Field),

and the question would, not be settled by a public debate. Mr Field added that some people had become so busy throwing mud at him and members of his family that it was necessary for him to get round the electorate and correct misstatements; therefore he hail not the time to take up any debate, even if he had the inclination to do so. MR ISHERWOOD AT: UPPER HU-TT. • - , . . Mr A. J. R.-Isherwood, Liberal candidate for the Otaki seat, held a meeting in the Independent Hall, Upper Hutt, last evening. Mr P. Robertson, who presided over a. large attendance, explained that the candidate was suffering from a "heart attack, and pro- j bably would not be able to speak very i long. ..... Mr Isherwood then rose and said he ; was standing.as a Libera], although not ■ supported by the Liberal Party or any trade or profession. The candidate denied a statement alleged to have ! been made by Mr Field that he was | the nominee of the liquor trade, At j this stage Mr Isherwood announced that he was too unwell to proceed, but said he would address the electors on some future occasion. The meeting then terminated. —‘ ‘ Dominion. ’ ’ MR MCKENZIE AT PAHAUTANUI. Mr J. McKenzie, the Labour candidate, addres.4bd a meeting of the electors at Pahautanui on Wednesday night. He dealt with various planks of his party’s platform, and strongly advocated the immediate establishment of a State bank and a State shipping service, pointing out what had been’ done in the Commonwealth along, those lines/ In reply to interjections Mr McKenzie explained the conditions under . which the miners lived and worked, and , said that the statement coming from , the Employers’ Federation with reference to “go slow" ought to be accept- , ed with reserve, as the Federation was 1 a party to the dispute and therefore t could not be expected to be impartial. (

Coloured labour in Samoa and New Zealand and the cost of living in Queensland and the indebtedness of that colony were also' discussed, the candidate asserting that New Zealand’s indebtedness per-head of the population was £27 in excess of Queensland’s. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the candidate. MR EVELYN MACDONALD AT OHAU. \ At Ohau last night the hall was well filled, when Mr Evelyn Macdonald gave a lengthy address, and held the iuter- ! est of his audience throughout. The speaker read his first advertisement, iu which he described himself as a progressive Liberal and Labour candidate, with a national policy. Events had encouraged and justified him. The Farmers' Union, valuation, speculation, and aggregation of land, land tenure, banking and currency, education, militarism, cost of living, and other matters received attention. At the conclusion a vote of thanks was. carried heartily. NOTES. Mr W. H. Field speaks at the Rikiorangi schoolhouse to-night, and at the Waihoanga schoolhouse to-morrow (Saturday) night, as advertised. “Tho Month” (edited by Bishop Cleary, of Auckland), under the head'ing of "(Some Advice,” says: “Catholic" electors will follow' freely their party or personal choice in their coming exercise of the parliamentary franchise. Neither the Church nor its heads will interfere with their full freedom therein.”

“I am against the Government taking control of any of our industries, unless absolutely necessary,” said Mr Field at Te Horo on Wednesday. Mr Evelyn Macdonald will address electors at Brights’ Theatre to-night at S o'clock, and at Rikiorangi to-morrow night at the same hour. In reply to a question by Mr H. L. Beauchamp, at his meeting at Te Horo last night, Mr Field said the Otaki river had been examined and reported on with regard to its suitability for Supplying hydro-electrical power. The speaker said he thought the Otaki river would prove an excellent source of power, and also the Ngatiawa stream, Rikiorangi. If elected he would be pleased to do his best to urge that these sources of power should be utilised, as he felt sure the Mangahao power would prove insufficient for the great demands that would be made on it in a few years.

The poet had sung, “Learn to labour v o wait” (said Mr Evelyn Macdonald replying to a qnestion at Ohau). He hoped all would get to work now without more waiting and do their best —none were asked or expected to go beyond their strength. An old axiom said, “Idleness is the parent of want,” and that was true, and labour was the mother of abundance. 1 The “go slow” was dishonest, and no better than burglary. The burdens of the world, the welfare of the world, rested upon the shoulders of the labourer—of farm, office, factory and mine. It was for the State to see that each carried a share of the burden, and that each had a share in the welfare of ail—a fair share of the fruits of labour. This was the first duty of government. The man who went “on strike” perhaps knew quite well that his own wife and child would be among the first to suffer by his action; yet it had seemed somerimes the only way left to him to rouse the Government and the public. The speaker said we should think a little more sympathetically for each other, and try to understand the others’ point of view.