GENERAL ELECTION

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 12470, 3 October 1938, Page 7

GENERAL ELECTION

MR BURNETT AT TAURANGA SOUTH Mr. C. H. Burnett, M.P., addressed a well-attended meeting on Friday night at the Baptist Hall. Mr Matheson presided. Mr, Burnett dealt fully with the policy of the Government. He replied to the statement made* by Mr. Doidge at Matata in regard to the Geneva incident, and the statement made by that speaker at his Tauranga meeting in regard to an Expeditionary Force leaving New Zealand. .Mr. Doidge, said the speaker, knew quite well that the expression of opinion made in Tauranga was the speaker’s own opinion and was not made on behalf of the Government. That was made abundantly clear at the time. “What I said then, I now repeat,” said Mr. Burnett, that in view of the modern development of war aircraft he (the speaker) did not think it possible for another Expeditionary Force to leave the country. That statement was twisted by his opponent to read that in the event of a conflict overseas he had represented it as Government policy that they would not send an Expeditionary Force overseas, which was entirely incorrect.

“Mr. Doidge went on to use these words: ‘Are we really to believe that Mr. Burnett speaks the mind of his Government? Is this really the policy of the Government? Britain at all times safeguards us, nut in her hour of need Britain to have no help from us. Does anyone seriously believe that we in New Zealand have sunk to such a level of base ingratitude?” Mr Burnett said: “That is my opponent’s statement because I expressed the personal 'opinion that with modern aircraft I felt it unlikely that an Expeditionary Force would leave this Dominion in the present crisis. We have never had a Government that has done more in the defence of this country or who proposed in its policy to do more for the defence of the country than the present Government. and that is proved by the Defence Estimates in the Budget. I never expressed any viewpoint for the Government in regard to the defence policy, but I do know that our Government and the country will stand firmly and loyally behind the Motherland in any crisis. Abraham Lincoln said, T will stand by my country be she right or wrong.’ We have among our candidates over twenty returned soldiers. We have a member in the House who was wounded seven times, and was decorated in the field. We have another who lost his right arm and was decorated for bravery, and we are not going to Mr. Doidge or anybody else to tell us our duty in regard to the Motherland in her hour of need and danger.” Mr. Doidge had stated that the Labour movement in Britain was out of step with British Foreign policy. If he had said that Britain was sharply divided he would have been nearer the truth. One has only to read the account of Hon. Lloyd George’s speech to know that the Liberal political thought of Britain was thoroughly in accord with the Labour movement of Britain in this connection, Mr. W. J. Jordan has had the subsequent honour of being made temporary Chairman of the League and his services to the Empire have been fully recognised by those in high places, despite what Mr. Doidge may say to the contrary. The Manchester Guardian, one of Britain’s most reputable and highly thought of Liberal press organs, in a leading article of May 5 of this year, article, which was entitled “The Two Ehglands” in the following words, after dealing with the full discussion at Geneva: “For if there is an England that is cold and indifferent to tractions, the England representing Lord Halifax at Geneva, there is another England represented at Geneva not by Lord Halifax but by Mr. W. J. Jordan, who cares passionately for the traditions we are asked to betray.” That, said Mr Burnett, was a tribute to Mr. Jordan that cleared him in the. eyes of the , world —the British world. They have no more loyal or patriotic citizen in the Empire and he would defend him on and platform in the country. Mr. Burnett dealt fully with other phases of Government policy and concluded with an appeal to his audience to stand firmly behind the Government that had done so much to assist the Dominion.

On the motion of Mr. ToAvers, seconded by Mr, Watson, a vote of thanks antT confidence Avas carried by acclamation.