“DIRTY POLITICS”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 510, 13 November 1928, Page 9

“DIRTY POLITICS”

CLEANING UP COUNTRY UNITED MEN’S SACRIFICES “Sound, solid, sensible, and capable of being carried out.” was Mr. Kells Masons’ summing up of the ynited Party’s policy in his final address at Penrose last evening. He contended that a vote for the United candidate meant a vote for employment, a vote for any other party was a vote for unemployment, notwithstanding the fact that he regarded it a most detestable task for any candidate to blow his own trumpet.

He agreed with the generally accepted axiom that politics had become a dirty game under the Reform Administration, but there were members of the United Party prepared to sacrifice incomes of £3,000 a year in order that they might serve the country and assist in cleaning it up.

His condemnation of the Coates Government went the length of suggesting that certain clauses of the Mental Defectives Act should be applied to the whole of the Reform Party, wnereby tney would be given a dose of their own medicine by being arresetd and committed to a mental hospital.

He attacked an unnamed member of the Legislative Council whom he dubbed the Reform Mussolini, who although nominally without a portfolio, nevertheless was sufficiently powerful to swing the Cabinet as a boy swings a stone on the end of a string. He was described as one of Reform's spare parts and was responsible for perpetuating legislation, not by Act of Parliament, but by Orders-iu-Council, thereby depriving the people of representative government. Of all the glorious promises made under the Coates’ and Confidence trick last elefction, only one per cent had ever been kept.

“The United Party is fighting this election with its own funds.” he declared. “It is not being subsidised by outside vested interests.” He attacked the system which permitted American motor-cars, petrol and other commodities to enter the Dominion to the detriment of Empire products and advocated raising the tariffl to the highest possible limit against a country which took practically nothing from New Zealand. He said that large numbers 3f unnaturalised Dalmatians were being employed on our public works, while the Government looked on at the deplorable state of the thousands of ablebodied young New Zealanders unable to find work. “A shocking and disgusting condition of . affairs.” he termed it. He contended that neither Reform nor. Labour had brought forward the progressive ideas that the United Party now placed before the electors.

A Voice: You're giving us what Coates gave us—all promises. Mr. Mason: Mr. Coates and Labour will have to give way to the United Party. It is neither stagnant nor Socialistic. We have many wealthy men in the party. They are a good element in any country; but whereas the tendency of Labour is to level downward, the policy of the United Party is to level upward, and is worthy of the people’s confidence. After explaining the settlement of the land under the group system, the compulsory national superannuation scheme and the £70,000,000 loan, Mr. Mason, after a good hearing, was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.