THE EVE OF THE BATTLE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17631, 7 December 1922, Page 6

THE EVE OF THE BATTLE.

PKIME MINISTER'S FINAL WORD. THE LIBERALS AND THE REDS. TO THE PEOPLE OF NEW ZEALAND,— It is again my privilege and duty to appeal to you for a rental of the confidence you were good enough to bestow upon myself and those who were associated with me in the general elections of 1914 and 1019. The strenuous times through which we have since passed have eased considerably of late, and the results of the last eight months more particularly have shown that we are once again o* the high road to prosperity. But there are still grave problems confronting the country upon the solution of which very much depends, and tne electorsjrfu be called upon to-day to make very important decisions which, for good or ill, will affect the future welfare of the country. The more or less artificial divisions which affect the moderately, minded section of the community included in the Reform and Liberal Parties may conceivably hand over the Government of the country to the extreme Labour Party, which glories in the Bed Flag and the principles of revolutionary Socialism. In the face of almost unprecedented difficulties, the Government has carried on the business of the country in a manner which has won for it the cordial support and sympathy of those who have the real interests of the people at heart. Its record is before you, and will, I believe, meet with your approval. But I would remind you that a strong Government is the supreme need of the day, and that can only be secured on the Reform side of politics. The Liberal vote suffers everywhere at the hands of the Labour candidates, for whom the greater number belong to the extreme revolutionary class, and are tied hand and foot to the party machine. They make no secret of their intention to vote against the Government on a no-confidence motion, and it is evident the Liberals can only hope to govern the country with the help of these extremists. Under such a combination the Nation would inevitably suffer. I can only appeal to you, thorefore, to strengthen the hands of the Government by returning the official Reform candidates who are standing for election, and to thus give it a decided majority over all other parties in the State. W. F. MASSEY.