SHOULD RESIGN.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17973, 19 March 1930, Page 7

SHOULD RESIGN.

SICK PARTY LEADER. UNITED PARTY CRITICISED. SHIP OF STATE IN DOLDRUMS. Speaking at Frankton last evening Mr E. J. Howard, M.P. for Christchurch. South, said that the people he had met in the country seemed to be somewhat contused as to things political. The good ship New Zealand was in the doldrums and no one seemed to know where the wind would come away from. Sir Joseph Ward’s sickness was trying the patience of the most loyal of his followers. Everyone sympathised with him, and yet there was a feeling that the country must not suffer even for so good a man as Sir Joseph Ward. Mr Howard said that he had noticed that most of the independent papers had called upon Sir Joseph to resign. From a Labour point of view, said Mr Howard, the position was very clear. Sir Joseph went to the country with an Impossible programme. In their wildest moments the Uniteds never thought they would he returned to power. Then, by a lucky accident, the seventy million surprise was launched on to the people. This seventy million boom had been a newspaper accident. That is, Sir Joseph had issued copies of his intended speech to Liberal papers, in which he had clearly staled his intention in regard to the seventy millions. Then when he spoke he had apparently made a slip and said he would borrow seventy millions dn one year. Like “the man who gets things done ” stunt, it worked. The farmers ■wanted money; everyone wanted money, and with the promise of cheap money and plenty of it the Uniteds were returned in sufficient numbers to take the Treasury Benches.

Labour’s attitude was straight—always had been ’Straight. They bad a polilical programme and they would support any parly who would put that programme on the Statute Book. They had been returned pledged to turn Reform off the Treasury Benches. For til years there had been a sham-fight between Reform and the Uniteds. Then Labour became the official Opposition, and by close attention to legislation brought down by Reform they convinced the people that Reform was no good to this country. As a result of voting Reform out the United Party came in. Labour had no alliances, no agreements, no understandings with any other party. They look each piece of legislation as it came down, studied it and came Lo a conclusion how they would vote. Most Pressing Need. The most pressing need before the country last session was, said Mr Howard, to find work for the unemployed, and Labour was prepared to stretch their principle to a small exlent to get relief for those seeking work. Sir Joseph said he could do the job if be had not been tied up by his predecessors on the London market. We pressed that point again and again until Sir Joseph himself admitted it was not quite in accordance with fact. Then came the recess, with the promise that iri live weeks he would clear the streets of unemployed. So Labour had supported the increase in primage duty simply as a measure to relieve the unemployed. But the Government had failed to carry out their promises to the people. Instead of cheap money at 'i'i per cent. Sir Joseph had gone on the local market at a time when money was plentiful at 5} per cent, and had offered si, thereby embarrassing many of the local bodies. ; They had failed to clear the streets of unemployed, but had actually increased the number by their lead given to the banks and other lending institu- ; t'ions. Their attitude in Samoa had been exactly the same as Reform. As a fact the United Party were only carrying out Reform’s legislation, legislation that had caused the people to send Reform lo the pack. Labour’s attitude during the coming session would be their programme. If their

programme, or part of their programme, were brought down by the Uni teds, they would naturally support h. On the other hand, it' reactionary legislation were brought down they would oppose it regardless of consequences. Sntoresting Situation. The situation, added the speaker, was interesting because we were faced with constitutional difficulties that the layman could give no opinion on. We were installing a new GovernorGeneral and (hat again involved difficulties that time only would unravel. Labour would go straight ahead meeting the difficulties as they arose, and no individual would be .safe In setting up as a guesser just now. The “ Disunity of the Uniteds ” was the funny side of the question, and never had any party ever been faced with such a situation, lie personally sympathised with the Prime Minister. Apart from being a sick man he was returned to office with many of his crewnew to office and not exceedingly brilliant. As a result the veteran of many fights had to shoulder responsibilities that were too heavy for one man, hence he went under

Mr Howard dealt with the situation in Samoa extensively on the lines of his previous addresses, which have already been reporled extensively in this journal. In answer io a question Mr Howard said the Labour Party favoured the widows of deceased civil servants retaining some form of superannuation, as his party recognised that the wife of a Civil servant contributed to the superannuation fund equally -with her husband, as part of her wages went into the fund each week while her husband was alive. An incorrect Statement. When Mr Howard concluded his address on Samoa by remarking that his party, if returned lo power, would reverse the policy of the other two parlies, a voice interjected: “And that is cxacily Ihe thing that would keep you out. Mr Holland said he would hand Samoa back lo the Samoans.” Mr Howard said that statement was not correct, lie would give it a flat denial. .Mr Holland had never said anything of the kind. What lie had .said was that he would hand the mandate back to the King. The speaker said lie had the cause of the Samoans at heart, because he loved the Samoans.

The Voice: You are just carried away. (Laughter.) Mr Howard said New Zealanders had sot an example in their treatment of natives by their administration in New Zealand, and what he would like to

see would be similar treatment accorded to the Samoans. He was quite sure New Zealanders had the kindest Intentions towards the Samoans, but the Administration had blundered. Another member of the audience asked why the speaker had not given the meeting the history of the trouble over the copra. Mr Howard assured the speaker that the copra question had nothing whatever to do with the trouble, and did not enter into the story at all. On the conclusion of his address the speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.