LABOUR PARTY TACTICS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 October 1938, Page 7

LABOUR PARTY TACTICS

(To the Editor.)' Sir, —The tactics of many of the Labour candidates during this campaign are astounding. One Minister, under Parliamentary privilege, abuses a lady and calls her a “vile” creature, but is not game enough to say it openly. The same Minister talks of “spilling the beans” about one of our most respected citizens and a member of Parliament. Another Minister threatened to pull an interjector’s nose, and our Prime Minister who says he is just an “ordinary” man—how modest of him, threatened to put a person in his place for saying “Time’s up!” Another M.P., speaking of the work done by his lady opponent, classed it as work for self glorification, when her work has been for all classes at her own expense. The same M.P. said it was a disgrace to see insurance agents going from door to door collecting dues. What about secretaries of unions going to places collecting compulsory dues? Now we find the member for Masterton referring to a chain letter, and other matters and challenging the Nationalists to repudiate them. He got his answer direct from an elector at Alfredton about one matter. As for the chain letter, which he describes as vile—senseless would have been better —well we will leave it to the intelligence of the people to judge whether the Nationalists are the instigators of such rubbish or not. Surely he can trace its origin. . . . Seeing that the National Party has a number of Roman Catholic candidates it is an absurdity to try and blame them for such a silly act. A letter like that would have no weight with any sensible person of any denomination. They talk of freedom of speech, but because a Catholic priest warned his congregation over the wireless to beware of Communism the latter party protested to the “powers that be” and churches were forbidden to use the air for such purposes by those in power. I am not a Roman Catholic, but one must admire a man who is game enough to warn his flock against the Communistic evil which is slowly creeping into our midst today, and all churches should follow his example. Why did Mr Nash, who spent £6.000 travelling the world, go to Russia during May Day celebrations? Not to sell butter surely, and yet we hear Mr Semple denouncing the Communists. Why? Because he knows they are voting for his Socialistic party. So they arc safe, whatever he says. It is time we woke up to the fact that we are rapidly approaching a state of dictatorship in matters appertaining to the affairs of our country. The attack of Mr Lee on our pioneers in his book, is a direct insult to many of us. whose oarents worked from daylight till dark' to carve homes for themselves and their children. How many of our Ministers are New Zealanders? Mostly Australians and from other countries. Thanking you for your valuable space. —1 am, etc..

- M. W. WELCH. Mauriceville, October 9.