INFLUENCE OF THE P.P.A.

Dominion, Volume 16, Issue 170, 6 April 1923, Page 3

INFLUENCE OF THE P.P.A.

MR. ELLIOTT ON THE BYELECTIONS

CRITICISM OF LABOUR BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION. Dunedin, April 5. Speaking of the Tauranga election, the Rev. Howard Elliott said he had been asked why Sir Joseph Ward was defeated. His reply _wa« that Sir Joseph Ward’s defeat began five years ago, when the P.P.A. was formed. Some people seemed to think that Sir Joseph Ward was the man to save the country, and that he was a great financial genius, but .he was not the kind of financial genius they wanted. The return of Mr. MacMillan was satisfactory in many ways, and the influence of the P.P.A. had been referred to very bitterly by those who wished things had gone otherwise. It had been a strenuous duel between Mr. Massey and Sir - Joseph Ward, and whqn Mr. Massev had burst the balloon of the £50,000,000 of paper money there was little more to be said. Now, it seemed, Sir Joseph Ward was going to tour the country giving speeches, hut he would never talk himself into Parliament while tflie P.P.A. existed.

In regard to the Oamaru election, Mr. Elliott said he had read with interest a statement by Mr. Holland that the Labour Partv had not been properly organised for the last election, but that it was now ready, and that it rested with the local council to select a candidate. Now Mr. Macpherson had announced that the Labour Phrty was not going to run a candidate. This suggested that some agreement had been come to between them. Mr. Elliott declared that Labour organisers who had gone down to Tauranga from Auckland had been suddenly ordered back from Wellington. The master hand behind the Labour movement had moved. Sir Joseph Ward was not to be opposed. Now, for fear that Mr. Lee would be returned. Labour was to stand aside, though it was supposed »to be against I/beralism. Again, the master hand was at work, ordering Labour to lie low to give, the forces which x were against Protestantism a chance. If Labour were consistent, it would have oposed both Sir Joseph Ward nnd Mr. MacMillan, but the power behind it had spoken, whose purpose was to break up the Protestant forces, which were represented in large measure By the present Government. There was need for Protestants to stand shoulder to shoulder to defeat that organisation; The Protestant forces, in Oamaru would be in operation during the coming election. ; '.