LIBERAL CAMPAIGN.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18074, 16 May 1924, Page 15

LIBERAL CAMPAIGN.

MR WILPORD AND EXTREME LABOUR. (pbsss Associvnox telboxak.) WELLINGTON, May 15. Speaking at a meeting of the executive of the Liberal-Labour Association, Wellington North branch, to-day, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr T. M. Wilford, made two interesting statements, one dealing, with proportional representation, and the other with Mr W. A. Veitch's meeting at Napier. In regard to proportional representation, Mr Wilford stated that there was an Electoral Bill in the air, which, proposed proportional representation for cities and preferential voting for the country. m He had not much faith in the likelihood of the Government persisting in the direction of electoral reform, but he asked the executive to increase its members as' much as possible during the next few months so that it would be ready with other branches of the party federation if proportional representation was passed shortly.

Speaking of the- resolution passed at Mr Veitch's meeting, Mr Wilford said: "It- will help us a very'great deal. We have to fight two sections in this contest. First, certain of the newspapers which say that we are hand in glove with extreme Labour, and secondly, some of the small farmers who tell me that if they could be sure that we were . not standing in with extreme Labour, thej' would do their very best for us.

"I met some instances of both these phases in mv trip through Sir George Hunter's electorate this week. I assured those farmers who spoke to me on thi s point that we are not allied with extreme Labour. I am assuring the small farmer throughout New Zea■*ind even- week that we are not in any way allied with extreme Labour. ''This resolution will help us, and will. I am quite certain, prove to the small farmer that extreme Labour is far, far awav from the Liberal-Labour Party. I hope that, this resolution, which we will christen the 'Napier Resolution,' will be broadcasted through New 'Zealand, -so that the party I lead may no loncrer be misrepresented to the small farmer. "Sane Labour in the towns understands the position quite well, but I find fr->m my correspondence tint many small farmers throughout New Zealand have up to now been misled by being tobi that we are not opoosed to extreme Labour. There is no better friend >to the workers nf New Zealand than Mr Veitch. nnd thev know it. "This is not the first time in politics that a temporary, win has become a permanent loss to the mover of a resolution and to his party."