GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 68, 13 December 1919, Page 15

GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Hitting Below the Belt, Lieutenant-Colonel Colquhoun, who is a candidate for Chalmers in the Liberal interest, writes to the "Otago Daily Times":—"lt has come to my that some person is persistently spreading the rumour in Dunedin 'that Mr. Downie Stewart never reached France, but was only in England.' Mr. Stewart joined my company (tho 14th South Otago) as a platoon commander in Egypt, autt went with the company to France. Air. Stewart served with tjbe Ist Battalion of the Otago Regiment in the trenches in front of Avmcntiens during 1916. Mr. Stewart was .in officer who looked after the safety and comfort of his men. It was on account,of lus devotion to duty, and because he hung! on too long, that ihe is suffering the great disadvantage of bad health to-day. In politics Mr. Stewart and I are on opposite sides—he is an Independent, and 7 am a Liberal—but I cannot stand by and ■see a true comrade and a brave g'entleaan hit below the bolt." A Nelson Humorist. >. The Liberal candidate for Nelson, according to report, "defended" tho housing scheme of the Liberals from tho attacks of the Eeform journals,-and eulogised it , as a perfectly feasible plan to meet a , very great difficulty. He said tho criticism was merely that of party, and ho advised every person in want of a home to study this scheme. Mr. Atmore's political opinions are not taken very seriously at any'time, and his unconscious humour is here well exemplified. The electors will find it remarkably difficult to take his advice. The fact is, that "perfectly feasible plan" of which ho.speaks consists of a vague proposal to borrow the people's money from tho Post Office Savings Bank •without jiaying current rates of interest for it. No other details have been given, but no doubt that is a mere trifle to Mr. Atmore. The Eeform housing policy is presented in the Housing Act, which makee practical provision for the erection of homes. It is the old, old story. Sir Joseph Ward'is talking, vaguely and flashly while Mr. Massoy.is proving .his sincerity by getting busy and doing the work. And Sir Joseph Ward's political gramophones go on grinding out their bymn of praiso.. Repudiated. The United Labour Council of North Otago and. its allied unions have announced publicly that they "in no way associate themselves with the extreme aims 'or. methods of.the New Zealand Parliamentary Labour Party (as, led by 3tr. Holland), or any section cf ixtreme labour. Their aims and ambitions are progressive and sane." i The will say, of course, that tall the workers standing behind this announcement are "traitors," "hirelings," "scabs," and so forth. But abuse won't disguise the fact that sane Labour in North Otago has formally , repudiated Holland, Fraser, and Company. Next, Please. '< Some of tho Liberals, including exmembers of tho National Government, are etill saying that if they had had their way during the war the incidence of taxation would have been different. They suggest that Mr. Massey "dominated the Cabinet" and prevented- Sir Joseph Ward ,from "putting the burden on tho right shoulders," and so forth. Tho Liberal candidate for Wellington North says glibly that Sir Joseph Ward could not arrange taxation as he wished because ''the National Government was a .Government of compromise." Well, well! This, is what Sir Joseph Ward" himself said in the House of Bepresentatives ,on September 30 last, when tho Financial Statement was undor discussion: "For tho operation and the' work in connection with the Finance DepaTtment I was individually responsible. . . . For the policy of the Finance Department during the timo I was in the National Government I ■ was responsible; and I may say here that I was not interfered with by the Prime Minister or any other member of the Ministry in connection with any of the important proposals which ■ from timo to time I submitted to the Tlouso, and which were assented to." Will the Wardiste ever "play the game"?

Tha Liberal "Tail" Tinder Mr. Seddon, with 3iis apparent assurance of ft perpetual majority, thero grew up a system of nominations to tho House of Representatives that were- as entirely personal to himself as were his anppintments to tho Legislative Council fsavs the Hawko's Bay "Tribune"). How far these were dictated by individual fitness for tho position none knows better than the people of Hawke's Bay. Tho "Bis S" branding iron was applied to many a hopelessly incompetent legislator who was in no way cither acceptable to or representative of. his constituents, but whoso vote was as good a≤ a better man's, antf. more, stiTl, was all the surer the less his intelligence and capacitv for independent thought The result was made amply apparent when tho mnster-hand was removed from control, leaving behind him a Parliamentary personnel which, lacking the old headpiece that undertook to think for them all, commended itself but little to a people compelled at length to look _ into the Qualifications of those ostensibly representing them. Eradicating a Hardy Perennial. Speaking at Lower Moittere, Mr. T. A. H. Field, Eeform candidate for Nelson, raid the electors had been repeatedly asked to believe that in 6ome mysterious manner, Mr. Massey had been handing over New Zealand in lumps for the. building up of huge estates. What was the real position? Anyone could- see it in a moment by turning up the Official Year Book. Briefly, the position might he stated thus:— Sir Joseph Ward came into office in 1906 arid found 90 estates of over 50,000 acres. ■ Five years afterwards,«in 1911, there, were still 50 estates over 50,000 acres each. Mr Massey came into office in 1912. - , Mr. Massey by 1917, five years afterwards, had reduced those 30 estates of 50,000 acres and over to 61. Sir Joseph Ward's reduction , was nil. Mr. Massey's reduction was 33 por cent. Yet the old Wardist fiction will bo spouted from Wardist candidates' meetings right up to election day. Well, Voto Reform. "For the electors of Tiniaru, as for" those elsewhere! the question at issue is whether the Semp!es,and Hollands and Vinnella are to be given the opportunity of gaining control of the government of this- Dominion," says the Timaru "Post." "Thero i-an be only one answer. No one who values the liberty which has been won , by the progressive' forces in New Zealand during long years of political conflict ..would dream of submitting himself id such control as these men would exercise—men who are avowedly the enemies of decent society, and would, so they hare openly declared, impose the terrors of Soviet iulo upon this fair country, "Twisters." At ono of his meetings in Auckland, Mr. Clutlia Mackenzie, .Government candidate for Auckland East, was asked by an interjeetor why ho had "gone back" on his father's principles. "What were my father's principles?" he asked. The interjeetor: Liberal i.rinciples. Tho candidate: And what are Liberal principles to-day? The interjector: The same as they were years ago. ' ■ The candidate: No. They arc not the same. ' The interjector: Yes, thoy btb. You are a "twister." . The candidate: No. The Liberals aro the "twisters." (Laughter and applause.) The Liberalism of to-day is not the Liberalism of Mr. Seddon. Everybody knows how poorly Sir Joseph Ward has lived up to the traditions of Mr. Scddon's Liberalism. (Applause.)

The People's Bank. The Liberal candidate for Rangitikei, lirigadier-General Meldruni, is reported 'to have made this statement regarding housing: "Sir Joseph Ward | proposed with tho moneys annually made available in the.Post Office Savings Hank, to erect as many houses in the Dominion as were necessary. Mr. Massey opposed this scheme, partly because it was proposed by Sir Joseph Ward, *nd partly because he wanted tho money for public works. The moneys doposited in tho Savings' Bank were usually tho savings of workers, and it was quite fitting that this monoy .should go to provide homes for workers. It was.a fair and equitable schome." The candidate evidently has misunderstood the position. Mr. Massey has nt-ver said that Savings Bank funds should not be used for public purposes, including housing. But he has objected to Sir Joseph Ward's proposal to take •money from the "people's bank" at a specially low rate of interest. . That is the whole point: The Government at present pays current rates of interest for any money borrowed from the Post Office Savings Bank. A Fighter. I ' ■ "I ask for no sympathy," saia' Mr A. D. M'Leod. at Martinborough on Wednesday night. "I ask only for a squaro co. I have always been a fighter all inv life, and 1 like it I have never taken file count yet, and I am going to bo in it on December 17. lam going to ask every man ,to vote in accordance with his opinion and ideas, and I shall be happy to abide by the decision. I have endeavoured to ■ play tho game through life as a public man, and I have not been parochial. It has been oaitf that if I am elected Maryborough will boom and other parts of tho district will be nojlected. I have been on tho hospital boartl for years, and 1 defy anyone to sav that I have been parochial. I havo always played the game, and if I am elected I will still play the game. I am looking forward to work not-only for the people of Wairarapa in part, but for the people of tho whole Dominion." (ApDlause.) The "Red" Ladies. "It is a very unfortunate thing that women have degraded themselves in this election by behaving a,t public meetings in a wav that is n sad and sorry example to their children," reniarkea' Mr. P. Pirani at his meeting in St. Peter's Hall yesterday afternoon, after ho had been interrupted by a lady in the audience. These women had unsexed themselves, ho added, and by their behaviour thev had shown that they coultt not give a proper lead to their children "The Age of Miracles . . ."■' "T!io man who promises to 6olvo every .problem, in a year or two or in ono or two Parliaments either ' is a fool or thinks that you are fools," said Lieiit--Coionel Mitchell to a meeting of electors at Brooklyn. Unless all ■ tho people were prepared to get together and cooperate for. the good of tho wholo country, great results could not bo expected, ho added. : Where the Poor Man Comes In. Miss E. Melville, tho Government candidate for Auckland West,' discussing war taxation, 6aid that tho larger portion of tho increased impost Vas paid by wealthy people, and not by the poor men, as often was stated. Sho pointed out that no income tax was paid on incomes of less than .-EliOO, and no land tax or death duties on estates of under ,£SOO. An interjeetor: Will you tell us foihcthin<r that tho poor man does come in on? Mis 3 Melville: "Yes, llio totalisator!" She pointed out that the total investments in New Zealand had risen from ,£2,800,000 in 1012 to .£5,000,000 in 1.917, while last year, oven with the reduction of racing permits, tho,amount was ■£+,- nOO.OOO, and the indicalibns were that tho present year's return would lx> a record. A second interjnclor (to the first): That settles you all right! (Laughter.)

Typically Liberal. "What measures would the Liberal Party have taken, had they been in power, to decrease taxation and lessen the burden on the country during the war?" asked a questioner of the Hon. A. M. Myers at Auckland. "There coiikl havo been no decrease of tho taxation during tho war," replied the candidate, "but had tho Liberal Party had its way tho incidence of the taxation would havo been .different from what it is, so that tho burden would have been placed on tho shoulders of those best able to bear it." - ' The reply is a typical Eample of Opposition misrepresentation. The Minister in charge of the finances of tho Dominion during the greater part of the war - period was Sir Joseph Ward, who naturally was responsible for the adjusting cf taxation. Many members of the House made suggestions in 1916, 1917, and 1918 for .the • readjustment of taxation, and Hansard contains tho record df Sir Joseph AVard's defence of his own pro- :' posals. Indeed the Liberal leader was careful to explain more than once that his Eeform colleagues had not interfered with his control of the Department of Finance. Land Aggregation. Land aggregation was discussed bv Mr. T. A. H. Field, Government candidate for Nelson, in a speech at Lower Moutere. Mr. Field pointed out that so far from the sreat estates having grown under Mr. -Massey's Administration they had decreased by .13 per cent, in the years from li)l] to 1017. Sir Joseph AVard became Prime Minister in 11XW and found 50 estates of over 50,000 acres. In 1911, tho nearest year to Sir Joseph AVard's defeat in which statistics were available, there wero still 90 estates of over 50,000 acres. Mr. Massey by. 1917 had reduced ,thoso 90 estates to.(II. The number of occupied holdings of over 10 acres increased by 5(iJ(! under Sir Joseph AVnrd. Under Mr. Massey up to 1917 the nutnlwr had increased by SiilO, or half as much ngain as under "Liberalism." By the breaking up of big estates and the occupation of new holdings under the Massey Government up to 1917 occupied holdings increased by 5,250,000 acres. Under Sir Joseph AVard tlipy had 'increased by only ft Ijaro four million acres, or 2,5 per cent, less. A Matrimonial Question. A Questioner at Air. Malcolm's election meeting: at lSalclulha showed a deposition to cross-examine the candidate on ni.-itrimojiial problems. Ho was completely silenced by Mr; Malcolm's reply to ono of his questions." "AVhat encouruirement," ho asked, "would you*hold out to a young married woman to rear a fumilv?" Mr. .Malcolm ropliod: "Tho encouragement of any good woman who wants to become a mother." Tho reply was greeted with loud applause. A Way Out. Some of the local Liberal candidates havo an, outlook that is all their own. Consider, for instance, Mr. L. MfKeuiiie's observations on the , population question. The Deform Government, ho suid, wanted to encourago immigration (apparently ho doesn't know that Sir Joseph AVard wants to encourage it too), but the fact was that wo could not house tho peoplo already here, and could not keep up with our present demands, "so why r.ot put our own home in order boi'oro inviting new troubles?" This is distinctly a new way of looking at things. A captious critic might raise all sorts of objections. Ifo might say, for instance, that an immigrant carpenter can do his share of building a hoiiso in a few months, and can only livo in one nouse at a, timo all his life, And many immigrant carpenters could build many houses. But Mr. M'Kenzie is prepared evidently to sw3sp away 6iwh trifling considerations. Ho ought to extend his argument. He might urge, for oxamplo, that since houaJ3 are in short supply and peoplo in over supply, tho right thing to do would bo to deport some people and Keep on deporting them until the balance is restored. Porhaps Mr. M'Kenzie will favour tho electors of Wellington ftast with a sot scheme on. these lines. Hβ could hold out a trip to parts unknown as an election inducement.

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The Defeatists. The Labour Party was perfectly consistent in its attitude of "defeatism." It never swerved from its policy of inviting humiliation and dishonour for tho Empire and its Allies. It remained true to its squalid colours to the end, for when the Peace Treaty had been signed, its annual conference this year, over which Mr. Paul presided, adopted a manifesto in which it placed on record "its unqualified condemnation of the terms" of tho Treaty. We do not wonder that, from considerations of political expediency, it would hiive its back record of tho war period expunged from the minds of the electors at the present time. But the electors owo it to themselves, as—with tin; exception of an insignificant few— loyal British poople, to consider whether the members of a party which was so indifferent to the fate of tho Empire in the gravest crisis in its history as tho Labour Party proved itself to be aro fit to be trusted with an important voice in tho control of the destinies of the Dominion.—"Otago Daily Times." ' Imported Mischief-makers At oiie of his meetings during Uib week Mr. ]?. A. Wright had occasion to say that some of the leading mischiefmakers in i\W Zealand to-duy did Jiot belong to the country. They ivere importations. A heckler immediately interjected: "AVhero are you from?" Mr. Wright replied: "I am a native of Duuediri; whore the Scotch people reside who know wl-at to do with porridge." "AVhnt a shame," said 'tho heckler, "to think tliut a man like you should bo born in my native city *' AVhen Mr. Wright pointed out that ho was hardly, to blame for the coincidence the heckler replied, "R 'makes me> ashamed of my birthplace." Snipers in Ambush. "At) election timo (remarks tho Southland "Tinies") tho candidates ihavo to come out into tho open, where they bocome targets for all sorts of criticism. Those who criticise them ought to como out into tho open also. Tho great, majority of tho anonymous letters (ihat appear in tho Press at election times would never be sent to the papers at all if tho names of. tho writers had to go into print. To many letters that now appear over assumed names a considerable proportion of newspapor readers doubtlesi, attach considerable weight; if they appeared over tho names of tho writers they would carry no weight! at all." The "Southland Times" might have added that if tho public took sufficient interest in the elections to make a point of seeing and hearing the Candida lies' whoso reported utterances appear in tho newspapers, eome of tho Said candidates wouldn't carry any weight either. The City of Cranks. "The significance put upon tho Christchurch meetings (Mr. Massoy's and Sir Joseph AVard's) will depend (observes the Southland "Tinies") upon tlie- colour of the political spectacles through which they are looked at, but we doubt veiy much whether any instructive comparison can bo mado between tho reception given to Sir Joseph Ward and Ihat given to tho Primo Minister, or whether tho significance of the enormous α-udienco which Assembled at Mr. Ma.°.scy's mooting, presumably to hear him, sineo rho miftin body of tho rowdy element was ouUidc, can bo correctly appraised. Account has to bo taken of tho fact that the demonstration occurred, in Christclmrch, and. Christchurch ,ib ono of tho queerest, and crankiest, of tho cities of the Donliniou. No one is ever able to tell what will happen in Christchurch in any given set of circumstances, but it is nearly always safe to say that somethins; will happen which could not happen anywhere elso in tho Dominion.. The incident under notice* seems to havo been ono of tho little vagaries of the worthy citizens of the Cathedral City." No Longer. Susceptible. '"1 do not know why our grave Legislative councillors do not want women to sit in their midst," remarked Mr. E-. A. Wright at Berluunpore last night, "but the only reason I can see is that many of the councillors aro elderly gentlemen find nro therefore no longer interested in the ladies." (Laughter.)

Two Views of Party Loyalty. F.vory man who was sound in politics was ,in Independent so far as his actions in the Hou.ee wero concerned. He cpuld voto against Bills and talk as ho pleased, and tho only thing the leaders asked was, "Whero aro you on a Jio-confidence motion ?"—Mr. AV. D. S. MncDonald, speaking at Gisborne. Mr. J. A T igor Brown, like Mr. MacIkaald, a member of the Liberal Party in the late Parliament, has a different el-ory to tell. He declares that he has frequently hud to vote in opposition to his convictions.in order that ho might be loyal to his party. Cathedrals and Dog Kennels. "Thero is one tiling that I am certain about, and it is this: that the extremist party will not bo strong enough to influence Parliament," said Dr. A. K. Newman during his address at Koseueatli. "They will have nothing like a majority; they will be about as strong as they aro now. If the two other parties ma nearly oven in strength, the extremists may hold tho balanco of power. That would bo dangerous if wo had a_ weak Prime Minister who would be dictated to by them. ... No good will come out of the extremist policy. My own belief is that after this election (lie extremists will become weaker. Tho Labour Party will (.till be strong in the country, but it will dethrone tkn.se people who sire aiming at getting hold of the Government rf this country, and who never lifted a finger to hflp it in the hour of danger. I hope that tho loyal pcoplo of this country' will havo the good sense on Wednesday to elect a majority of members who will insist that tho 'country shall be wisely and well ruled. Thero are Home people whoso'ono idea in life seems to be. to pull down and smash everything. They say: 'Some people are happy and are getting on well, but this shall not continue, s-o we.shall pull everything down.' Some people are good at pulling down cathedrals, but they cannot build a dog kennel. Some very wild statements aro being made. There is a good deal of industrial unrest which could bo managed if taken up end handled properly. AVliat we want are more of tho cathedrals mid less of the dog kennels in our policy." (Applause.) Br— rrl The 'J'aihapo "Times" is very angry: "From exposures, of organised scheming mid lying, . and of positively alarming verbal filth with which the columns of soino newspapers.aro daily teeming, tho present general election campaign w obviously being fought with tho vilest weapons a decadent, degraded humanity can forgo for its satanio purposes. From sources whero it was least expected it is discovered in its most hateful and sordid forms, and the chief revellers in both secret and blatant aspects aro men who havo hidden their contemptible shamclessness under tho A cloak ,cit religion." A pnljHlblo «iso of liver.'.' His Little Wants. Mr. A. Holms, the Independent candidate, for Masterton, says that ho advocates "the recognition of genuine Hcformism—not to be confused with Masseyisin —nrouressive Liberalism — something anart from AVnnlisni—and constructive Lfibourism—opposed to Hollandism." If Mr. Holms got into Parliament ho -would have his party under his hat. Unanimity of purpose within the party mieht be assured, but that is about all the satisfaction the electors could hopo to dcrivo from the arrangement. Prophets About. Mr. B-. ]3riggs, presiding as chairman at one of tho Hon. A. M. Myers's election meetings in Pnrnoll this week: "Prior to tho election of the present member (Mr. J. S. Dickson) Parnell proudly kept the Liberal banner afloat for over 30 years. J\'ow that it is to 1)0 merged in the- Auckland East seat I feel sure it will again come under the Liberal Hug, not only as a member, but as future leader of tho Liberal Party, and as Prime Minister of the Dominion." iLoiul applause.) • AYo- shall.be glad when the elections are over and we know the worst.

His Awkward Past. In Wanganui,. Mr. Veitch, the Moderate Labour candidate, has been busy in an Attempt to show, that lie is not tied hand and foot to the AVardian chariot, though' he has promised to support the Liberals (observes the Christchurch "Sun" in an editorial review of the general political situation). "We should say that Mr. Veitch will be offered, and is prepared to accept, a portfolio in tho next Liberal Government—should there bo another. Yet two or three years befoio Hie war. the same Mr. Veitch was epenking his mind about Sir Joseph AVard and his party in tho following severe terms: 'The Liberal Government have become Conservative—more so than the Conservative Party itself.' Another example: 'A man like Sir Joseph Ward, with such feeblo heart and lack of courage.' After such crushing strictures, it is decidedly Mr. Veitc-h's duty to offer explanations as to his attitude tod:>T- For instance, ho might fairly bo how tho objects of his scorn in 1911 have so completely redeemed their reputations since." The "Greater Victory." "Tho greater victory—<the real victory —of tho war years was won by the conscientious objectors of all countries," says Mr. 11. E. Holland. "The Labour movement acclaims their courage and honeety, and denounces their persecutors, liiiperishably they have written Hicir names on history's scroll of heroes." In fact, tho real heroes of the war, according to Mr. Holland, are not tho men who fought and won in France; tho heroes are the men who preferred the seclusion of gaol to 'the dangers of war.Tho shirkers and objectors have a suitablo friend and champion. A New Movie "Star." The Liberal candidate for AVaitomata, Jlr. A. E. Greeuslade, called a meeting at Takapuna tho other night, but failed to secure any audience at all. liven his chairman seems to have failed him.- The candidate's eloquence would not be denied. Mr. Greensladc made his way iuto a neighbouring picture theatre, and spoke there for ten minutes. This seems a little hard on the people who .-had paid their sixpences for an. evening's enjoyment. Labour Tyranny. Sneakinp at Upper Hntt, Mr. W. H. Field said that tho extreme Labour Party prated of tyranny and trusts and combines. While under the control of that nnrtv and its methods, Labour, Mr. Field said, was tyranny of. the worst order, and a- combine of tho worst kind. The socallert strike-breaking clause of the Minintr Act of 191!) was ono step in the direction of bursting up this huge combine. The-Incentive to Effort. AVhon Mr. C. F. Bennett, Government candidate for Auckland AVest, was speaking, in favour of State doctors and, dentists, an interjector shouted, "Nationalise them all." "That's no good," replied the candidate. '"You must have the incentive of opposition to get progress. Cut out opposition in everything, and wo will get a lot of spineless people. Let mo tell you people who want to nationalise everything that the man who thinks lie is going to make a competence' by climbing to tiro top on the back of a union is making a great mistake," a iemark which produced applause and uproar. 'The only man who makes a competence by climbing on the back of a union is •the successful Labour agitator. "Atrocious and Absurd," , "Party Government Las grown to be an absurd and utterly atrocious system," remarked Dr. A. K. Newman, Eeform candidate for Wellington East at Eoseneath .on Tuesday .. night, "but' I havo no belief that it is- going to be finished. . . . The sooner we get rid of party rule and have rule by the House the better it will be. The House will have to get rid of its despotic Ministers and masters." Dr. Newman added that he. favoured'the principle of the elective Executive, mid he had urged it in tho House twenty year:! ago. Aβ-a result of recent experience he was more convinced than ever that the system should bo adopted.

Reform's Labour Laws, • An interesting summary of what the Reform Party lias placed on the Statute Book in tlio way of labour legislation wag given to a reporter in Christchurch by the Prime Minister (Kt. Hon. W. P. Massey. So far as we are concerned, said Mr. Mnssey, by way of prefacc, he had always been very 6trongly of opinion that tho proper way to help the worker waa to keep the country prosperous, and to keep employment plentiful. Then, wages would bo high and work- would not be intermittent. Since it had been in office the present Government had placed on the Statute Book 45 Acts dealing witK labour matters. In 1912 an Act had been passed requiring improved accommodation for ilaxiniil and sawmill workers, including an adequate wate.r supply and an incrcaso from 240 to 360 cubio feet of air space, per man, in the sleeping quarters. In 1913 ho had asked Parliament to agree to tho Labour Disputes Investigation Act, providing machinery for tho investigation of disputes where tho workers had not chosen to take'advantago of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act and wero not bound by any award or agreement. . The Shops and Offices Amendment Act of 1913 had given a Whole holiday per week to assistants in hotels or restaurants, acoording to the decision of the Arbitration Court. The Workers' Compensation Act had been amended in 6omo important parts in. 1913, and a Shipping and Seamen Act was passed making provision for -the medical treatment, at tho owner s expense, and without loss of wages, of a seaman injured aboard, ship In 1913, also, county had been given powc-r to purchase land and erect buildings suitable for workers' dwellings, while somo of those powers had been conferred on borough councils as well. The Pensions Act of 1913 had also been a move forward. In 1914' they had extended tho maximum amount which tho Government might expend on a worker a dwelling from ,£6OO to .£750, and the term of repayment oa <a "permanent rial" house from 25| to ,36 years, with a consequent reduction in tho instalments. In tho samo year tliero had been an amendment to tliQ Coal Mines Act, making tetter provision for tho safety' of tho workers. In 1915 tho original Miners. Phthisis Act had been passed, providing pensions for miners incapacitated through pneumoconiosis. li--1916 thev' dealt by legislation with rent restriction, limiting rents'to tho preyrnr rnte, except where that was less than 8 per cent, on tho pre-war capital value. In 1917 ail amendment to the Shops and Offices Act had restricted the hours of employment of women and girls in restaurants to not later than 10.30 A very important Act passed in 1918 had been that in which tho Arbitration Court was given power to amend any award or industrial agreement after taking into consideration tho increased cost of living since that award or agreement was made. , . ■ . Of 1919 legislation, tho Prime Minister spteinllv mentioned tho Housing Act, which lie described as "probably the most important Bill of that'nature ever placed before a British Parliament. When ho had reviewed other measures passed 1 last session, Mr. Massey explained that what ho had given was only, a rough sketch of tho party' labour legislation; but the whole 45 wero Acts intended for tho protection of tho workers and the wage-earners, or the people of lower incomes. Ho thought it a very creditable record, although one that was perhaps seldom thought of. Save the Children. ' "Equal pay for equal work is all right, and I do not quarrel with tho 1 principle," said Lieut-Colonel Mitchell (In- ■ dependent candidate for Wellington South), last evening. "But Ido say," he continued, "that tho country must have children, strong, healthy children, or go -under, and it is not right—the ccuntry must suffer for, it—if a man struggles to bring up seven children on .£3 3s. per week. Tho 1 State must in some way come to a man's assistance where he has a largo family and a small ircome."