MR. BELLRINGER.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1922, Page 5

MR. BELLRINGER.

CLOSE OF THE CAMPAIGN. FINAL SPEECH TO ELECTORS. SOMEWHAT ROWDY MEETING. The, final shot in his electioneering campaign was fired last night by Mr. C. E. Bellringer (the Reform candidate for Taranaki) at the People’s Theatre, New Plymouth. Mr. Carter presided. The downstairs portion of the theatre was packed, while there was a. fair number of people in the circle. Mr. Bellringer was frequently applauded during the course of his speech, but a hostile element also made themselves heard by keeping up a fire of interjections throughout. Nevertheless a motion of confidence in Air. Bellringer and the Alassey Government was carried by a large majority at the end of the meeting.

•'VVe have been prosecuting our work for the last few weeks, and to-morrow we hope to see the consummation of it,” said Air. Bellringer in proceeding to review the position of the parties and the essential difference.? between them. “I claim I am as good a Liberal as any of them,” he continued. (Hear, hear, and a voice: “You used to be.”) The extreme Labor Party had brought out Air. Smith as a Progressive Democrat in 1918; they thought he was in accordance with their policy. A party in front kept up a constant barrage of interjections., apparently resenting the insinuation that Air. Smith was not true to his party. Air. Bellringer treated the interjections goodhumoredly. “The beet Liberal to-day is Mr. Massey,” ho declared., (Applause and dissent). So constant were the interjections that the chairman had to call those responsible to order. Continuing, Mr. Bellringer made a vigorous defence of the Government, saying that, viewed on broad issues and without prejudice, it must be admitted that the Government had done very well. Interjections broke out again, and there were cries of “Put them out,” but this Mr. Bellringer declined to do, saying that these men were doing good service for Mr. Smith, and noise was no argument.

Detailing the policy he stood for, Mr. Bellringer advocated a reduction in the excessive taxation that was the result of the war, the reduction of the cost of Government, the fostering of increased production, the right of the man who tilled the soil to own it, better shipping arrangements, a well-thought out system of profit-sharing, which would tend to increase production, the development of trade with Australia, and preferential trade with the Mother Country. Proceeding, the speaker spoke in favour of the present system of education, which gave to children the true spirit of citizenship. Loyalty to the British constitution was a plank which the speaker dwelt upon for some time; the man who had no pride in his country was one who did not count for much. We should be proud of our connection with the Mother Land. (Applause). The speaker then proceeded to quote the reported opinion of a gentleman at the Returned Soldiers’ Association dinner, when it was stated that the Government’s soldier settlement scheme had proved successful and the percentage of injustices was exceedingly small. An inter jeetor: “He’s a Alasseyite.” Mr. Bellringer heatedly replied that that was not a manly statement, as the inference was that the gentleman quoted would tell a falsehood because he was a Alasseyite. The situation grew rather warm between the candidate and the interjector, but quiet was eventually restored. The speaker then proceeded to deal with a statement made by his opponent as to a woman who had said the Government had virtually driven her and her husband off the land, and she would sooner vote for a Bolshevik than a Government candidate. As a matter of fact the officials in ine Land Department had dealt very generously with the returned soldiers going on the land, and the facts in the case cited were explained by Mr. Bellringer. The man had been treated very leniently and generously, he declared. After dealing with the Government’s position in regard to indentured labor in Samoa and the system o." audit in public stores, which Mr. Wilford had criticised, Mr. Bellringer produced a circular which stated that Mr. Alassey had voted with Air. Holland on occasions, when, as a. matter of fact, the motions had been moved by Government members, so that Mr. Holland voted

Dealing with a statement in which Air. Smith was reported as saying that the fight was one of the dirtiest ever fought in New Zealand. Mr. Bellringer said hp himself had hit hard, but it had always been above the belt, and ho had used no personalities, neither did he trade upon the fact that he was a Mew Zealander. A running fire of interjections broke out again, hut these Mr. Bellringer effectively dealt with, and proceeded to make an appeal for hearty support for the Government’s policy. He was not downhearted over his campaign, “and.” lie said, “some people are going to get a big surprise to-morrow when they see the numbers go up.” Mr. Smith’s vote with regard to the affiliation of the P. and T. Association with the Alliance of Labor was referred to by the speaker,) who, in concluding, said he issued not a personal appeal, but an appeal to support the Government on the morrow. Hearty applause greeted Mr. Bellringer at the conclusion of his address. Answering a question, the candidate said he believed in voting for principles that counted and in standing for a party which was founded on principles. A man who allied himself to no party got nowhere. “I stand clearly and definitely by the Government’s action in regard to the civil servants’ ‘cut,’ ” was flip answer to another question. Ho denied that the money saved by the “cut” was handed over to the large owners. “T am not in favour of licensing book-' makers,” stated the candidate. He also stood by what the Government am in preventing the spread of seditious literature throughout the Dominion. A motion of thanks to Mr. Bellringer and confidence in him and the Massey Government was proposed by Mr. Looney and seconded by Mr. Luscombo. An amendment of thanks only was lost, only about eight hands being held un in favour of it. The motion was easily carried. Three cheers for Air. Smith were given, followed by three vigorous ones for Air. Bellringer, and a rather rowdy meeting broke up.