MR. HARRIS AND LABOUR

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 246, 17 October 1925, Page 14

MR. HARRIS AND LABOUR

Some "ginger" was infused into the Waitemata contest by hostile criticism of the leaders and objectives of the Labour party by the Government candidate. Mr. Alex. Harris. M.P.. when addresins electors in the Foresters' Hall. Birkenhead, last evening. Mr. E. ('. Walton presided. The meeting proceeded quietly for some time, during which the audience passively heard the recital by the candidate of the "magnificent work ' of the Reform Government. He claimed that tilis (Government was doing "more than any country in the world" in the matter of adequate provision for the soldiers, and widows and children of deceased soldiers; that this Government had done more to solve the housing problem "than any other country in the world." Then the candidate attacked the Labour party —iL-; leaders and policy. "Extreme and revolutionary" were its objectives, and "openly and flagrantly disloyal to the Crown were epithets applied to its leaders. This aroused a section of the audience, and thenceforward a running lire of interjections interrupted the candidate. He alleged the aim was to set up v Workers' Parliament, something like they had in Russia soon after the revolution; to nationalise everything; to abolish our existing defence system, and create a standing citizen army, on the voluntary principle. with standard rates of pay, for the purpose of confiscating property by force. This, he asserted, was going to result in civil war. Inteijectors declared that Mr. Harris did not understand the Labour policy, and in refutation of his imputations of disloyalty, reminded him that Messrs. Lee and Jordan were soldiers in the Great War. Cheers and counter-cheers for the ri\al parties terminated the gathering. MR. GRIGG WITHDRAWS. It is stated that Mr. F. Grigg. of Whenuapai, who had been announced as candidate for the Eden seat, has withdrawn from the contest, leaving a straight-out fight between Sir James Parr and the Labour candidate, Mr. Mason. MR. WILFORD'S DEPARTURE. (By Telesraph.—i'ress Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Mr. T. M. Wilford, accompanied by Mrs. Wilford, his son. and the latter's family, left for London by the Port Dunedin.