THE CHOICE.

Shannon News, 22 August 1922, Page 3

THE CHOICE.

FOR ELECTORS TO CONSIDER

AS PICTURED BY MR MASSEY

"Mr Wilford has admitted in the House that he is prepared to negotiate with the Labour Party to put the present Government out of office,' declared Mr Massey at Foxton last night. "There are signs of the alliance at present. "What is the policy of this party going to be? I cannot tell. I have seen so many changes of front of late. Mr Holland's is the policy of confiscation to nationalise the means of production, distribution and exchange. You, have got to choose between a system of Soviet government, such as obtains in Russia, or a system of constitutional government such as you have in this country, where every man and woman is free who keeps within the "four corners of the law. Which is it going to be?"

was a great Imperialist, a true statesman, one who always stood for law and order. The people of New Zealand were to be congratulated because they had a strong man who would always stand for what was right. (Applause.) The Hons. Guthrie and Nosworthy went into the House with the speaker, and it had been a great pleasure to him to see how they had carried out their work. In Mr Guthrie, the soldier settlers had a sympathetic friend, and the Government s scheme of settlement had been an unqualified success. The speaker also referred to Sir James . Allen's war work. Continuing, Mr Newman said ri£s constituents were entitled to know his reason for retiring.

The reason was that he was advised by his doctors that it was not wise for him to continue the long and strenuous hours borne by a member of'Parliament. He had long ago made up his mind that he would pull out of politics when he was no longer able to do the work to jthe satisfaction of his constituency 'and himself. He had no intention, however, of settling d°wn to cut firewood. He hoped still to be able to take part in public work for many years.

MR LINKLATER'S CANDIDATURE

It was with very great pleasure that he heard that Mr Linklater had been selected as the candidate upon his retirement. He was chairman of the Kairanga County Council and the Foxton Harbour Board. He did a great deal of patriotic work and he hoped he would be returned to Parliament. Finally Mr Newman thanked them for their kindness. He had. made friends in Parliament and public service who had enriched his life, and whose friendship he valued as a possession he hoped to retain as long as he lived. (Loud applause.) "THE GOVERNMENT." The toast of "The Government" was proposed by Mr D. W. Matheson, Mayor of" Levin. H:j stressed the difficulties of the times; and the way the Government had" conducted its affairs under 1 such conditions. To him it seemed that thfe strength of the Government lay largely in its leader. Times like the present were not for the theorist, but for the constructive worker and thinker. /

In reply, the Hon. Mr Nosworthy said what had been said of the Prime Minister was perfectly true. Cabinet and the House loved and respected Mr Massey and he felt the great majority of the people of New Zealand did so too. Even after the shock of the Great War the Dominion's credit stood as high as that of England. No Government, he- hoped, would ever have such a troublous time as that which afflicted this Government in the financial slump that marked the conclusion of the commandeer. MR LINKLATER TOASTED.

Mr J. K. Hornblow proposed the toast of the "Reform Candidate" (Mr Joseph Linklater). He stated that it had been said somewhere that a candidate had been foisted on to the constituency. It was no such thing. Representatives of all parts of the district, with Mr Newman, had discussed the selection and Mr Linklater had been decided on. Manawatu was one of the wealthiest constituencies, principally concerned with agricultural and pastoral pursuits, and its selected candidate was not only a farmer but had taken an interest in public affairs to the extent of having j been chairman of the Foxton Har- j bour Board and the Kairanga County ! Council. During the Boer War, he was I a member of the 6th Contingent and \ fought under General Plumer in South Africa. Mr Linklater was a j Palmerstonian, but there was no fear ' that Palmerston was getting two members. Mr Nash, one of the best i men in Parliament to-day, could look after its interests very well. In reply, Mr Linklater said that in whatever positions he had occupied he had tried to do his best. It was with ) a great deal of diffdence that he had i accepted the candidature for the Manawatu, but since in all parts of the district he had had such an excellent reception he felt sure of his return. He would try hard to be a worthy successor to Mr Newman.