THE ELECTIONS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22518, 28 September 1938, Page 15

THE ELECTIONS

TO THE EDITOR OR THE PRESS. Sir, —On Monday evening, as a Christchurch North elector, I attended Mr Semple's meeting at Papanui, and I think that something should be done to deny emphatically the assertion xnade by Mr Macfarlane that members of the National Party went along u> force for the purpose of wrecking the meeting. Mr Macfarlane had the temerity to make such an assertion when, as chairman, he opened the proceedings. and if he incurred the displeasure of any section of the audience fnr making such an unwarranted stateent, then he had only himself to . jme. As a matter of fact, the meeting was very orderly. Mr Semple spent most of his time in speaking of the work done by himself as Minister for Public Works, and throughout the period of about one and a half hours which he occupied with that matter, he was given a perfect and uninterrupted hearing. More than this, he received applause at times from all sections of the audience. If was only when the Minister stooped to abuse of bis opponents and their ideals that be received such interruption as he richly deserved. No elector should be expected to listen tranquilly to the torrent of abuse which Mr Semple in his temper far too often saw fit to pour upon those whose views did not apparently coincide with his own. The truth seems to be that the Minister cannot brook any criticism; apparently he has become accustomed to find his audiences over-ready to cheer and applaud his “appeal to class,” and his regrettable intolerance when confronted with a section of his audience which was not ready to do so, was clearly demonstrated to those in the hall and must have been apparent to the many thousands of others who were listening over the air. I am sorry that Mr Semple and Mr Macfarlane took the tactless line which they did take; their action was so unnecessary as to justify one in the suspicion that there might at the back of it be the desire to make political capital out of the occasion. Mr Semple may have experienced a tiny sample of what his party friends almost invariably serve up in the bulk to speakers of the other party, but he undoubtedly had a perfectly fair and courteous hearing. There was certainly no organised attempt to disrupt the meeting.—Yours, etc.,

A. H. PALAIRET. September 27, 1938. -

TO not EDITOR OP THE PRESS. Sir, —It was with a deep sense of shame that I listened to our Mayor’s hysterical outburst at the close ol Mr Semple's meeting last night. One 'would expect the Mayor of a large city like Christchurch to display a certain amount of dignity and restraint at a public meeting. Mr Semple asked for trouble and he got more than he bargained for. It was very cheering indeed to hear enthusiastic National Party supporters showing up some of our hot-headed nonsensical and childish politician’s remarks. If a man is foolish enough to make stupid statements and cheap accusations from a public platform he must expect to be laughed at. Mr Semple, at the commencement of his speech, made a remark to the effect that he was not a pacifist and never had been. To the accompaniment of wild cheering he said, “I would lead a battalion to-morrow if called upon.” He left the subject rapidly after saying he would come back to it at the end of his speech. He did not come back.

I noticed he made another bad slin. At one stage he mentioned Mr Hamilton’s name. The very mention of bis name brought forth a burst of cheering from National supporters. Mr Semple immediately said, to the delight of his own supporters, “I will have more to say about. Mr Hamilton later." The tone of his voice implied that Mr Hamilton would be shown up badly Apparently Mr Semple decided that discretion was the better part of valour and Mr Hamilton was spared further humiliation. f The meeting turned out to be a great advertisement for the National Party and Mr Semple showed his ire in no uncertain manner. Unfortunately, the Mayor of Christchurch did the same thing. He should have known better —Yours, etc., K. LOW. ' September 27. 1938.

*• m orroa or no raua. Sir, —We now have the policies of the two political parties, and can form an opinion of their merits and demerits. I write as a Labour supporter. At the 1935 election contest I wrote, in explaining (in answer to a correspondent in “The Press”) why I had - changed over to Labour, that in the Labour group we had a number of men intellectually more able than their opponents, that they had made a greater study of economic subjects, that their moral outlook was higher, and that they bad infinitely better manners. I am to-day confirmed in that opinion. “Imitation is the sincerest flattery,” and I am pleased that both Mr Hamilton. and “The Press” (vide articles in “The Press”) are quite well on the Socialist road, somewhat bewildered in their new surroundings, but getting on. The inspiration of Nationalist policy is evidently derived from their opponents, but as they are newly-joined recruits, ; and not very intelligent at that, lack the practical understanding of the results to be attained, and the methods to attain them. The Nationalists cannot serve God and Mammon; ■ either they must do as their opponents, and serve the people as a whole, or maintain their service to a. section at the expense of the remainder as in the past Without this understanding the Nationalists seem to have taken Labour’s policy, item by item, and said “We will promise to go one better or each.” no doubt with the reservatior that consequences can be evaded if inconvenient, when once in power, I There is one item in the Nationalist policy, the only one not. inspired by Labour, which shows a degradation of the human mind, that has never before - been seen in our political field. An article in “The Press” described it as v "fcovel.” This item is the one referring to the furniture grant for young married people. It is not novel; it is lifted from Hitler’s “cannon fodder’ building plan in Germany. For nearly SB years, the Church has taught the ctity of the family as something of “the things of the spirit." To-day we have come to this; in Germany human beings are to be bred for slaughter, in ■pew Zealand for “profit.” so that private enterprise can command a larger ■mount of material things, and a greater measure of power over others. -Now •he value the Nationalists set on an input in the breeding pen is £33 6s 8d “have paid more than that for a yearbug bull. .heard Mr Hamilton speaking in Christchurch last night, giving vent to ■ whole string of platitudes about home Spd family. The above shows that they - ®*d no real meaning drawn from an *ner consciousness. _L«i Labour we have the nearest ap- ' ff°P c h to a truly National Government , we have ever had. From its very Jlture it must stand for the good of ■i. and not for that of a section, as the so-called National Party, and ■ think there are too many sensible ‘ fpple in New Zealand to turn them T*t.—Yours, etc.. GEO. SAGE. - * **°y ern °r’3 Bay, September 24, 1938 'lyftrgcts from other letters on the read as follows: - Another 2 Division."—Please allow by space to ask the Government a . SJJffwn? Why are the members of ’ lament running round the coun- ( yj*l«ng everyone about the success Si ™*bour week when they are i i4'pr ygMhng sa&way crossing-keepers ’ijj ♦ 'I •’ .

uO hours a week for the mere wage of £4 4s 2d, from which superannuation, wage tax, etc., has to be deducted. I ask the Government what private concern could work its employees these hours at a wage of £4 4s 2d. I have always been a Labourite, but this will do me. Also, why were these men that are still working 50 hours a week left out of the last increase of wages?

“Too Young to Vote.”—The other night I listened-in to the Rt. Hon. Adam Hamilton’s speech and was astonished to hear him say: “We are not going to make any promises.” Rather strange, considering the election is so near. May I suggest, as one who went through the years while the Nationalists were in office that I will never forget the suffering of countless families who never had enough to keep body and soul together, let alone clothed.

“Worker.”—After reading the Labour epistles in your correspondence columns, 1 think many people who do not think for themselves or through not knowing better, would believe that the working man had never had a decent wage in New Zealand until the Labour Government took office, but such ideas are quite contrary to fact. During Mr Massey’s term of office and under the Coalition Government until the slump came, the working man had good wages and was far better off than he is to-day under the Labour rule, owing to the increase m the cpst of living and the excessive taxation they are compelled to pay. During the Massey time I received 19s a day for six days a week, ana at one period more, and had no levies or taxation to pay. I thought I was made. We had all we required for a comfortable living and were able to put a little away for a rainy day. From niy experience we would be better off with a change of Government; any way we need, to have no tear and to gain, and the elderly people on small incomes will not be any more neglected.

“Nevermore.” —I have listened to the Prime Minister (and, by the way, the newspapers were kinder than the radio) and have read the pamphlets being distributed by some of the members of his party. By what process of reasoning I know not but some of the old copy-book phrases learnt in the days of my youth and long since forgotten have become 'fresh in my mind. Other readers who once were young and now are old mav remember some of them “Self praise is no recommendation —"Pride goeth before a fall and a haughty spirit before destruction. Ol a later date and in another connexion “For frantic boast and foolish word—Thy mercy on Thy people Lord. And then I tried to square the policy with Christian teaching. Take the much vaunted “social security”: Mind you, I am all for caring for the sick, maimed, old and helpless, but when ‘-every little boy and every little girl that is born into this world alive” has to start saving with his or her first earnings for an old age he may never see, sickness which may not overtake him. children which may be denied him. I think of the time the chosen people were led by God and depended on Him. Did they store up provision? As I remember it their daily bread was furnished daily: and even to this day our prayer is “Give us each day our daily bread.” “Take no thought for to-morrow, what ye shall eat or wherewithal ye shall be clothed—your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.” And to the man 1 who built him storehouses and barns—- “ Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee.” Makihg all due allowances can you square the scheme with the teaching of Christ? In other words, is it “applied Christianity” or is it the dream of one of those dreamers who arise out of the admitted muddle of the world, proclaim a glorious new system that is to solve all human problems—but denies a biological fact by claiming equality of man? Then the dreams go down before hard facts and you get the chaos, instability, and tyranny that are bound to come from any effort to square theories with raw humanity, and a new heaven on earth comes home to roost.

“Blenheim.”—l. am opposed to the policy of the Labour Party and I am a member of the National Party. I, however, listened in to the first part of Mr Semple’s address last night where he dealt with his Public Works and Transport policies and his methods of carrying them out with very much attention and interest. Here Mr Semple was talking of things he • knows and understands. We know that he is a practical engineer of wide 'experience and ability, and this part of his address to me was most informative and instructive, and quite evidently made an excellent impression on his audience. ... His charges of deliberate cruelty and callousness against the previous Government during the period of depression are very easily answered. New Zealand is essentially an exporting country of primary products, mostly foodstuffs, and its ability to meet its obligations is almost wholly dependent on the prices of these in the overseas markets. Those countries that, like New Zealand, depend on their exports of foodstuffs were much more severely nit by the depression than were manufacturing countries, and no country in the world suffered more than New Zealand in this respect. The then Government had absolutely no money at its disposal, it was impossible for it to borrow on the London market, and the country was practically Insolvent. Yet, in spite of this no Government m the British Commonwealth, or in the world for that matter, rendered suen a liberal measure of assistance to its people as did the Government of New Zealand.

■ ''‘Another Working Man.’—Would • you please grant me a little space to renlv to a correspondent who sißP g himself "A Working Man,” in The Press” of September 25. I am only a working man and have worked hard for the few pounds that I have got. I challenge him to provide anything worn. £2O to £SO to get three independent men. one to be named by him, one by me, and the other one to be agreed on by those two, to find out who has done the most good for the workers of New Zealand, the Labour Govern ment of the last three years, or the Tory governments of the last 20 years, the loser to pay the cost. By of “A Working Man’s” letter he belongs to the town. I am nothing else but a country bumkin, and I am proud of it. I can say with certainty that the Labour Government has done more for the country workers than any other government of my time, i do not'know about the town workers, but the three men we appoint win find out. I admit that the cost of living has gone up. but our increase in wages pays for all our cost of living. I will challenge him to another wager of £2O or more on another statement he made. He says. “I now the workers are worse off to-day than they have ever been in the history of New Sand.” We could have that settled by the three men whom we choose. In mv opinion a man who makes a statement like that in ‘‘The Press” has had a terribly good job during the last seven years. As regards .hot lunch, the country worker takes his bit in his bag. He used to get only 8s a day? now he gets 16s. He says suits used to cost £3 10s; now they cost £6 15s. It was a poor suit you could get for £3 10s. I bought a suit in 1927 and I am still wearing it as a second best. Needless to say it cost £8 8s and not £3 10s, so if they went up 500 per cent. I should still be better oft.

“Humbug Hater."—The Hon. K. Semple has at last “spilled the beans regarding Mr S. G. Holland. I really expected something startling, following the- Minister’* verbose promise made

some weeks ago. However, the bean spilling was just another instance of the Minister’s extravagant language, but his disclosures will have as much effect on the Christchurch North electors as the bite of a flea on the hide of a rhinoceros. With reference to Mr Semple’s all round condemnation of the National Party, well, it is just another example of the grain of wheat hidden in the sack of chaff—one would search all day to find it and when found it would not be worth the search.