BY-ELECTION HOME TRUTHS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 148, 23 June 1923, Page 11

BY-ELECTION HOME TRUTHS.

ENDOKSED BY REFORMER. SOLACE FOR GOVERNMENT. (Bj Telegraph. — r.irUuiiicninry Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Friday. The lively discussion on bv-e'eotion tactics which took place in the House yesterday was re-opened to-day by Mr. Hockly, Reform member for Rotorua, who quoted the 1000 by-election at TC.inyitikei when, he said, fnur Liberal Ministers —Sir Jas. Carroll, the Hon. Geo. Fowlds, the Hon. J. A. Millar, and Sir Thomas Mackenzie —spent the second ballot week in the electorate, which they deliberately bouffht with promises o *f bridges, roads, and schools. Mr. Honklv declared that not only was the constituency bought, hut it was deceived, for he declared that n bridge promised was not included in that year's estimates, and the opportunity promised certain people of acquiring the freehold of native lards was never given. I hope the Liberal change of heart is sincere, continued Mr. Hockly, and their conversion real, but I am afraid it will not be. The member for Rotorua added that he was glad that when an endeavour ■vras made "to bring charges against Mr. Massey the Liberals could only get one promise in Oamaru and one in Tauranga. Jlr. Massey said the one at Oamaru ■was outside the electorate. Jlr. Hockly explained that he was speaking of the one at Palmerston. I consider, he said, in conclusion, that it is one of the greatest tributes to the Prime Minister and his Ministers that these are the only charges that can be brought to indicate an attempt to influence votes, and then there was no definite promise, but only a promise to give favourable consideration. THREE MINISTERIAL DENIALS. The Hon. G. J. Anderson, Minister for Labour, declared that the defeat of Sir Joseph Ward was due to a variety of causes, and sectarianism played a "very small part indeed. He denied that the Government party countenanced the P.P.A. organiser. If one set of bigots in the community set up a sectarian politi. cal association, another set of foigots Mould do the same, but the Government party had nothing to do with either. As for the other allegation, Mr. Anderson said everyone who knew the Rerorm party knew that not one penny of public money was spent by Ministers on electioneering.