LABOUR PARTY’S CAMPAIGN.

Shannon News, 26 September 1922, Page 3

LABOUR PARTY’S CAMPAIGN.

M LET ING IN LEVIN

Tne Labour Party opened the cam-

_aign in connection with the coming election at the Century Hall last mght, when Mr J. W. Munro, M.P. for Dunedin North, addressed a fairly ‘ a , ge attendance of electors. The ; abour candidate for the Manawatu aiectoVate, Mr F. D. Whibley, was also present and addressed the meeting. Mr J. H. Taylor, president of the local branch of the Labour Party,

... e-oiued. MR MUNRO. Mi Manoo was well received. He said it bad occurred to him to ascertain tne prospects -of the Labour natty in the electorates in this portion ol the North Island. He had been to Palmerston North, and from

iiiijiiiries there, and also in this district, he was convinced the Labour canuiaafes would be elected and tint! Mr Whibley would be letumcd for tins seat, (Hear, bear.; Touching oi. democracy, be asked his hearers what democracy meant, and remarked that it was government ol the people by the people. The Massey Party did not represent the people in a democratic way, and really represented a minority of the people of the country. The Massey Government was a Government by dictatorship, Mr Mas-

fey being the dictator. A good deal of the legislation on the Statute Book to-day was placed there by the old Liberal Party, and when the Liberals were in power, Mr Massey, then in opposition, opposed them all along the line. The Reform Party, he claimed, stood to" protect certain interests outside Parliament. These" were* vested interests, represented by different classes of commerce, and were, linked up one with another. Last of all there was also the Farmers’ Union, representing the large landowners. Now all these factions took care to return to the House; members who watched Iheir Interests. Then they had the newspapers to back them up, and the speaker harked back to the days of Richard John Seddon, ol

whom the opposition papers could say nothing good, but that gentleman was one of the greatest statesmen, the speaker claimed, this country had ever seen. On all sides to-day there was grumbling' and discontent, but the people were getting just what they voted for. The Liberal Party had remained in office in the days of its power with- the support of the Labour Party, but it was now gone

lor ever. A good deal was heard of the Labour Party, and' even extreme Labour. He had asked several what they meant by extreme Labour and sane Labour, and they were unable to tell him. Others said it meant Socialism. Labour’s policy was really co-operation. Labour asked for the. full and iiee use of the fruits produced by man’s toil. Was there anything wrong with that? Labour was accused of disloyalty and called Red Flaggers—and why? The red flag really stood for the same thing as the red Salvation Army flag, which was ‘ symbolical that lliev were prepared to shed their blood for the carrying out of the ideals which their

flag represented. That was what the Un:cn Jack stood for to-day. Another accusation the Labour Party had to combat was Mr Holland—‘‘that terrible man Holland.” There was not a better read or brainier, man in Parliament to-day, the speaker said, then Mr Holland. (Applause.) The speaker referred to other Labour M.P.'s. Mr Fraser was one who had done his very best to improve the conditions of the workers, and advocated taking

a little from the dividends of those who- owned the country for the betterment of the wage-earner. Mr Munro next touched on the. cut made tn the wages of Civil servants and workers. Employers all over the country sent letters and resolutions to Mr Massey asking him to bring wages down, and Mr Massey brought immigrants in. In three years 10,000 people were brought here, and’ the speaker* claimed that there was an

understanding that the newcomers were, to get first call on employment. What was the result?—unemployment and a shortage of houses. The Labour Party opposed the present housing conditions, which, from lbs shacks people were compelled to use, made conditions on a par with the ilbusing problems in cities of the Old Country. The Labour Party wanted a State Bank among other reforms, and for that they were called extremists. Opponents of Labour say that the party was pledged to Holland or Fraser. That was not so. They were pledged to no party, but to the principles for which the party stood. The Deformers were pledged to Me Massey, and the Liberals to Mr Wil-

l'ord. so that Labour was more democratic than either ol the others, it the electors wished to support true democracy and the good ol the greatest number of people,, they would cast their votes for the Labour Party. The Labour Party were out to make good in the interests of the electors. F n.brmr was not disloyal or any ol

but stood for ihe benefit of the people as a whole. Mr Munro resumed his seat amidst applause. The chairman then introduced Mr ♦Vijibley, and remarked that Mr Whibley was chosen at the ballot among the Labour supporters as the candidate for Manawatu. He had proved himself a capable public man, and ii elected would do credit to the district. THE LABOUR CANDIDATE.

Mr Whibley expressed bis pleasure at meeting the electors at. this end of the district. He was not a stranger, as he was born at Foxton. In offering ills services, lie had not done so with any great ambition to become a member of Parliament, but with the hope of assisting the community as a whole. If elected, he would do his best to further the interests of the electorate, and assist to make the country a better one to live in. He went back to the election oi 11)08 Lithe Rangitikei electorate. There was no Labour candidate, but Mr John Stevens, a Liberal, and Mr Newman, a Conservative, were in the- field, the speaker being secretary for Mr Stevens’- committee. In' the succeeding elections be had associated himself with the Labour Party. Times, he sa d, bad changed, buthe was certain a bigger Labour vote would be cast in Manawatu at the coming election than ever before. The Reform Party was really concerned. Would Mr Massey have come to a small town like Foxton to deliver a political address if he were not. As a matter of fact, Mr Massey had really arrange 1

to go to F'oxton. before Mr Newman's retirement was even mentioned That visit by Mr Massey, members 01 Cabinet and other Reformers showed ihe position of things politically in the electorate. The Massey Party claimed to be the friend of the; small farmer, hut that was not the case.

Farmers who were able to pay got'a rebate on their income tax, but the small man who couldmol pay promptly got no rebate, but got' 10 per cent added for being late. It was 'easy 10 see whose friend Tstt Massey was. Mi Whi-bley then referred to i ; ee of-inti., • esl bonds issued during the war, and

which the Labour members opposed, file - Government admitted now that the National Government had made a mistake, and was offering to raise the interest and convert the stock to make it tax-pay nig. A question asked in the House showed that a few small men were converting, but not. so the large holders. They were hanging on to tTveir large incomes free of tax. The Labour Party wanted taxation placed ort the shoulders of those best able to beat it, and would fight lire class legislation that the Ma.ssev Party was supporting. Mr Whibley said he would take an opportunity later'of addressing the electors, when lie would deal with the Party’s policy. (Applause.)

QUESTIONS. Mr It. Smith inquired if it was not a fact (hat the P. and O. Company owned the shipping of New Zealand. Mr Munro replied thaf that company did not own all the shipping, but the Union Company was part of the P. and (). Omipaiiy to-day. Mr Munro said there was no doubt- about a shipping ring, which bad divided enormous dividends among a few shareholders. It hail been an El Dorado during the war, but was not doing quite' so well now. A, voice: And Mr Massey knighted ihe- general manager. Mr Munro: Yes, that's what they do. Votes of thanks to ihe speakers and •chairman closed the meeting.