PATEA BY-ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 April 1921, Page 6

PATEA BY-ELECTION.

LABOR CAMPAIGN. (Contributed.) A crowd of one hundred and fifty to two hundred gathered in spite of the. very inclement and boisterous weather in front of the Post Office, Patea, on Saturday night last, to listen to addresses in support of the Labor candidate, Air. Lewis Alcllvride, by Air. E. J. Howard, AI.P., Christchurch South, and Air. P. Fraser, AI.P., Wellington Central. Air. Fraser stated that he was willing and anxious to debate with Air. H. A. Atmore, AI.P. for Nelson, on the question “That the adoption of the objec-

tive and platform of the N.Z. Labor Party would be in the best interests of the people of New Zealand.” He would suggest that the besl» time and place for the debate would be on Tuesday night next in the Town Hall, Patea. A vote of thanks to the speakers and of

confidence in the Labor candidate, Mr. Lewis Alcllvride, was carried unanimously. A meeting in support of the Labor candidate, Mr. Lewis Mcllvride, was addressed by the candidate and Mr. W. E. Parry, M.P. for Auckland Central. Air. Mcllvride dealt with the history, the ideals, the aims and objects generally. He spoke on the main planks of the Party’s platform, and declared in eloquent terms that the Labor Party knew no defeat. It was in line with progress ana evolution, because it stood for the highest interests of every man,

woman and child in the Dominion. Air. W. E. Parry, AI.P., spoke for over an hour. Air. Parry dealt minutely with the question of credit, with the housing problem and the question of pensions. Both speakers were heartily applauded. Rumors of threats that the spokesmen of the Labor Party were to receive a bad time had been flying around the Patea portion of the electorate for some time. Events proved that such rumors were without foundation. The meeting

was most attentive and orderly, with only a few interjections, which were dealt with in the most good-humored and capable fashion by the speakers. The Grand Theatre, Hawera, was crowded on Sunday night, when Mr. H. E. Holland, AI.P., Chairman of the Parliamentary Labor Party, replied to the Prime Alinister’s recent speech in Hawera. Air. Holland dealt with Air. Massey’s statement regarding the cutting down of taxation, and pointed out how utterly impossible and wrong that would be in view of the huge interest on the national debt and the urgent need to increase expenditure on many of the country’s services. The nation’s pension scale stood in urgent need of revisit n. The amount paid to widows and orphans, |o the blind, to the victims of miners’ phthisis, were totally inadequate. The Labor Party stood for pensions which would maintain the sick, the afflicted, and the widows and orphans in a proper standard of comfort. There was loud and long applause at the conclusion of an address which lasted nearly two hours. A motion condemning the Railway Department man-

agement for refusing Mr. Mcllvride, Labor candidate, leave of absence to con-

;est the Patea electorate and asking for fiis re-instatement in the railway service from which he has received dismissal .in the event of his being unsuccessful, was carried with three dissentients. Loud cheers for Labor terminated the meeting.