LIBERALS AND REDS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16702, 10 December 1919, Page 11

LIBERALS AND REDS.

MB HOLLAND'S POSITION.

A severe criticism of tho C'hristohurch 'Tress - ' was indulged in by Mr H. FTolland. Progressive Liberal candidate for C'hrisichurch South at tho opening of his address in the street Hall last night. Mr Holland expressed surprise that ft journal like "The Press" should make such nn attack on him as it had done. He remarked that on the first occasion that he contested the Mayoralty. "The l'ress" had opposed him, and ho had then publicly stated that when that paper was against a candidate, that candidate was on good and solid ground. "The Press" had opposed the lau> Mr T. K. Taylor consistently. In Kilo or 101 H. Mr Holland continued, when there had been every possibilit v of a serious strike of drivers, he had telegraphed to the Prime Minister urging that no stone .should lv left unturned lo prevent a strike in wartime, and bad been well rapped over the knuckles bv '•The Press" for interfering with State affairs. In 1 !>l7. when b<< and Mr Mcfomi>s bad fought nut the mayoralty, larirclv on the question of loyalty and dUlovnlt'* be was, a>x:ording to ''The Press." "everything that was good." but now. for some unaccountable reason, lie was branded by that journal a> an undesirable person to sit in Parliament-, and his war -work evident!- counted for nothing. In any case, said Mr Holland. no matter how the election went, he had and would have nothing to thank "The Press" for. It seemed apparent tint its aim was to get as many extreme Labour men returned to Parliament as po«s«ble. It seemc-d to him nn una'f-ountnblo thing that "The Pi •ess." though there was no candidate of its own partr standing, yet preferred to him ft man with such political views as bis opponent.

MR ISITT EXPLAINS HIS ATTITUDE.

At Knox schoolroom la.it night Mr L. M. Isitt was asked how he would vote in the event of a want of confidence motion in the Reform Government being moved. "If Sir Joseph "Ward had a sufficient majority to assume the Leadership of the House," the candidate replied, "I would certainly vote for bim. If he gained his majority by depending on Holland, Semple. and t'o. —(A Voice: "Oh, not so much of that.") —I should not vote. T trill not rote the Liberal Party into power to bo dependent on the dictation of nn extreme party that is disloyal and Bolshevistic" (Continued "How then, does Mr Isitt reconcile bis attitude in view of Sir Joseph Ward's pandering to I-aboiir?" the questioner. "I don't admit that lie has pandered to Labour,'' said the candidate, "he has not pandered to extreme Labour. He made his position clear in his speech in tho Choral Hall." "He said tbat in 1918," said tho questioner, and added: "What will he do? He trill pander to Labour." "What's the question?" said the candidate. "How is it that they are leaving that indentured labour matter alone?" For the next quarter of nn hour or so Mr Isitt was kent prelty busy with questions on tbat subject.

LABOUR LEADERS AND EXTREMISTS.

Mr t>. Jones, at Burwood lajt night, sairl:—Mr Mnssey lias been accused of not putting i*.> Reform mon in opposition ato Liberal and Labour candidates in sonic Christchtirch scats. I can tell you that tho Reform Party could have put up candidates against the Liberals in Christohurch seats, but it did not want to do anything that might allow Holland, Semple and Co. to gain more power. The Liberals liad no chance of winning this election. and if to oust Massey from power there Mas to be a combination of the Liberal and Labour parties, the leader of both parties must bo taken into the Cabinet. Sir Joseph Ward had never once said that he would decline to hold the Treasure benches if he had to rely op Holland, Semple and Fraser." A voice: He said ho would take in Vcitch. "Why do you cloud tho issue? Mr Jones: Mr Veitoh is standing as an Independent Liberal, and the Labour Party is opposing him. He has disavowed And condemned the extremists in the strongest possible terms, and it is idle to refer to him as being in the Labour Party. I toll you again that there can be no LiberalLabour combination unless the leaders of hoth parties are taken in. Mr Jones said that when he thought of what magnificent work had been done by the workers of New Zealand in the war. he could not believe that men like Holland, Semple and Fraser—who had been in gaol for sedition—he could not believe that these so-called leaders were representative of true Labour. Voices: Neither do wc. Mr. Jones: In casting your vote take care that this time you will not bo actuated • so much by thoughts of party, but support the men who are the best and most fitted to govern i New Zealand in the country's interests, j (Applause.) SIB JOSEPH WARD'S CAMPAIGN. (TRESS ASSOCIATION' 'TELEGRAMS.) WAIPAWA, December 9. Sir Joseph Ward passed through Waipawa this afternoon, en rout© to Hastings. Ho received a most enthusiastic welcome, a call for cheers being responded to vigorously. Sir Joseph Ward spoke for about half ail hour, stressing the need for a strong Uovernmunt to carry the shin of State through the troublous times* ahead, and a strong forward public works policy. He expressed his firm belief that the Liberals would, at the general election, again come into their own Sir Joseph Ward addressed similar open-air meetings at Masterton, Pahiatua, and Dannevirke, experiencing tho same measure of cordiality in each centre. NAPIER, December P. Sir Joseph Ward arrivod in Hastings by motor-car this evening and addressed a very large audience in the Municipal Theatre. He received a good hearing and was seldom interrupted. At the conclusion of his address a motion of thanks and confidence mot with an equal volume of ayes and noes, but was declared carried by the Mayor (Mr G. Ebbett), who occupied the chair.

MB RUSSELL ON THE FUTUJRE. In bis address at Sew Brighton on Monday night Mr G. W. Russell delved into the immediate political future, and hinted at tho formation ot a new party, ami i the rise of a new leader if the Labour I extremists held the balance of powor. I ,- I cannot sar there is a great deal : of difference between tho manifestos of I Sir Joseph WnrH and Mr Mnssev." declared. "But in Avon it is not« a ditleience bot.»i:on .ui .na.wy sir Joseph Ward, it is a question between • tho forces of order and the _ forces of disorder. I make no reflection upon Mr t?ullivan. I don't think I have his -.-mo before in connelion with this contest." Later oil .«i Uussell said: "I am utr : terly opposed to extremists of any kind, and under no condition will I support I any Government that has to depend

lor ito voted on men wno iiOiti. extreme views m m in.te,s, 01 wno an* in fa tour ol Uio jmn.y. I s.and lor Uiu painiMC, Hin-anmiug jxxjpie, and tnoao peupie who wut.i <>..e i«> take liu> iiiiev-lioiic jioni rximpie, uoi.auu, | JWHI C-0., litX-M iu»l VOU: 111. ILr.'. .Wr Jtusseii we.it, on to .say t..nt .Mr .-vnipio, at n nieuiuig in \\ unit lead n I'ouiunin.oii.ion Hum .Ur iioi.aini. Loader nt tnn Parliamentary Lohour i'ariy, in wi..rn tie said tne Laitour l'any wotuu oniy support any ou.er party in I'anm.ucju to long ns tnat otiior paitv wou.il obey tm-ir tcmmanda," Voices: Quito rignO "1 urn oniy asku.g for tue suppo.t of ;hos<> people who ho novo in law and order," continued .Mr Kusscll. •'those people u'lio aro proparou to acccpt loyaity to King and patriotism to Emp.ie. and who flood I>y tnose loyal principles thiotigiiout tne war when the .National : (iovcrurr.en: sought to sec that -New Zealand did its rnir share in connexion witii the war. T .ere are tw paI uow, standing for election —tho RoI«* * iii r*ii 1..0 . *x: i in .y. i ean tell yon tnat so tar as the Labour Party is concerned J do not believe there will be many more of the extreme Labour Party in tho r.ew Parliament than in the laet. I can see three labour seats for certain. j another four possible, and I am not clear that a ::y other Labour candidates wii! lie returned. If thcru wen* any such thing as the Labour Party—cariy. in;; out their wish of holding the balance of power, if anything of that kind were to happen, the sensible men on both sides would once get together and form another party, the immediate efTcct of which would be to form a strong stable Government and kill any claim of three or four men to control it. I \ voiei.*: Who IVIIII 1 '! 1'" the Mr Russoil: ] cannot say, but there is u : • ivpoi-ii jin:u uiuavs arise,' and when the time arrives uue iua.. will be there. I am not going to saj who it is, but there are plenty of able men in tho House of Representative*, and 't is a place whore every man finds his level. I

L'l.iso contact with Mr 'Masscy aii'l .Sir .lames Allen has apparently caused Mr Russell to considerably change his views since the last election. Speaking at Linwood on November 10th. 191 1. he said the chango 01" Government after the lf>l 1 election had been the best thing that emild havo happened to New Zealand for it showed the ]>eople of the country and especially the men atid women what a Conservative party really was when it got- into office. . . . The Labour Party were looking to the Liberals to help in defeating Mr Masfcy and be had a right to ex peel the vote of those who were opposed to Mr Massev., Speaking at Linwood on November 29th. 1914, ho said: It was not fair of Mr Sullivan to stand against bim, considering that he had been the Liberal member representing tho Avon constituency for the last, six years. What bad he done against Labour that lie should be treated thus. It might moan the return ol' Mr Acland, the Reform candidate. £>ir Joseph Ward had promised, if returned to power, to introduce proportional representation, so that at the ; next election there would be no harm in 3lr Sullivan or any other Labour candidate standing against bim.