PLATFORM POINTS

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 43, 19 February 1918, Page 3

PLATFORM POINTS

"The duty of a National Government is to devcte the whole of its energies to winning the war," said Mr. Brandon at his Tinakori-road meeting last night.

This was no time to consider whether they should have prohibition or liquor, no time for any party cry of that kind. If their minds and thoughts were taken away from the main issue and they were quarrelling among themselves, how could they join hands and support those brave men who were fighting for us? There must be no bone of contention thrown down. The Legislature and the National Government must confine themselves to measures which were essential for winning the war. If returned he would do his share to keep the National Government on the path of duty and vote steadfastly against any attempt of any party to bring on to the floor of the House any question which was bound to promote domestic strife. 1 (Applause.)

In the course of his address at Wadestown last evening Mr. Poison animadverted in strong terms on " the want of action on the part of the Government in connection with the most important question—the- cost of living." The Government, he said, had not done nearly enough in the way of building workers' homes. This was one brajioh of the State's work in respect to which no activity had been shown. There were many other ways—including that of the employment of State colliers— by which the cost of living could be reduced. ■

" I am the only man entitled' to claim himself a member of Parliament, as I have been elected since my term expired."—Mr. P. C. Webb, M.P., at Mi ' Holland's meeting last night.

"Now we have the Manawatu butter producers threatening to withhold supplies from the local market," said Mr. H. E. Holland at Northland last night. "You will notice a significant factr—that this butter strike is to commence on 28th February—election day. When a miners' strike was talked of the other day the ' newspapers throughout New Zealand referred to the way in which it would affect my candidature—they seemed very concerned about it. Now there is another strike talked of and it is Mr. IVlassey's supporters are talking of it. I hope you will remember that on election day.

Pointed reference was made by Mr." A. de B. Brandon last night to the subject of education. We had to-day, he said, an education system in force. That system was founded on certain fundamental principles. He believed in those fundamental principles, but :the extent to which they were carried was another matter. At the present time the education system in New Zealand must be allowed to continue as at present. There must be no further expenditure' during the war. Money was wanted for other purposes, and to spend perhaps hundreds of thousands of pounds on educational experimente would be the height! 'of wickedness.

"There xno reason in the wide world why we should not have a change of Government," remarked Mr. Tblson in his address at Wadestown. Some people^ he added, held that it would be a terrible thing to have a change of Government while the war was on. The speaker pointed out that England, France, Canada, and. Australia had changes of' Government—some of them eeveral times. At this etage there was an interjection "that they were changing the Glenerals at Home," to which Mr. Poison replied that it would be a good thing if we sent our "only General" and other headquarters officers to the front, and appointed returned men to their places. A soldier amongst the audience interposed with a remark that the Commandant had been to the front. Mr. Poleon remarked that he had not been to the front in this war; it was the Boer War. The soldier again interjected that the Commandant had proved himself a soldier.)

In the course of his reference to war profits, Mr. Holland, said at Northland last night that ope of the scandals was in,_ connection with the sale of sheepskins. In the first years of the war the price of these advanced about Id a lb, to 7-Jd. Then it was discovered that sheepskins with wool on were required to _ clothe troops, to prevent them from being frozen to death as they were on Gallipoli. Immediately the price rose to Is 4d, and a ivin-the-war Government permitted it.

"I'm sorry this question has been asked," said Mr. Brandon at his meeting last, night. It is : Are you in favour of exempting Marist Brothers from military service when married men with families are being called up? I have already said that it is the duty -which every man owes to his country to fight in defence of_ that country, and that the order of their going is a mere circumstance. It is the duty of every man who can bear arms to. go and fight for his country." (Applause.) .

"The Government Statistician's Department is one of the most valuable Departments in the : country; but you have a Government that does not allow the Department to be staffed as it should be," said Mr. Holland at Northland. The speaker contended that when a wheat shortage was wrongly predicted the mistake was largely due to the Statistician's Department being understaffed.. . "