"COATES OR SOCIALISM.?"

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 259, 2 November 1925, Page 8

"COATES OR SOCIALISM.?"

SIR J. PARR'S CONTENTION. THE USEHOLD AND "DYING PLEDGES." At Victoria Hall, Avondale, before a largo audience on Saturday night, Sir James Parr declared that there was only one issue before the country —Coates or Socialism? There was no alternative choice. Did the Eden electors want Mr. Holland with his policy of Socialism overturning all private and turning every business and industry and farm into a State concern governed from Wellington? That was the issue to be decided on November 4. Mr. Grigg, the Nationalist candidate, had dropped out, and it was a straightout vote between himself and the Socialist candidate. "I am sure," said Sir James, "that sane Labour is leaving the present Labour party in thousands, because the present Labour party is an extreme Socialistic party, and nothing else." The candidate then severely criticised the latest phase of the "Usehold" controversy. He said that his Socialist opponent at the eleventh hour was now saying all over the electorate that he had given up the land platform, and was pledging himself that he would only touch the big estates and State borrowers. Mr. Mason's "dying pledge" was as worthless as it was untrue. Neither Mr. Savage nor Mr. Mason could alter that Labour policy. They would be disciplined like Mr. Jordan and Mr. Moss if they tried to do so. Only a Labour conference, with delegates from all over New Zealand, could detract or take anyything away from their land policy. But Mr. Holland, Mr. Fraser and the extreme section at the next conference would outvote the others, and the present land policy, with its obnoxious clauses, would still remain. He said his Socialist opponent had declined to accept his challenge, because he wa3 afraid to meet him in fair argument. (Applause.)