PLATFORM POINTS

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 116, 13 November 1919, Page 3

PLATFORM POINTS

"Undoubtedly a new vein of thought has taken possession of the .minds of some of our people," said Mr.' Field lit the Upper Hutt last evening, "a veil) of thought some of us can't understand. But moderate people do not hold these views, and I think they will agree with my politics. Nobody can say I did not look after the interests of my district property. You may be told I have been an aggregator of land, but I do not hold any land beyond the requirements of my family and myself. I have not been guilty of any aggregation." "Principles don't matter to a lot of these men who are the opponents of

Labour," said Mr. B. Semple at New.town last night in discussing a farmer's proposal that Ghinamen should be allowed to come to New Zealand to act as domestic servants. "Some of these men think so much in dollars that their eyes have taken on the shape of two-shilling pieces (laughter), and their hearts—well, their hearts have become cash registers. . . . Once get these Chinanien into the farmers' houses as servants, and the next year they'll be in the shearing sheds competing with the shearers." (Applauee).

Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., has always been a staauch friend and advocate of rifle clubs, and he renewed his asseverations of support to his audience at Upper ■Hutt last night. He was against an elaborate defence system and ostentatious .military display, and declared his Opinion that, properly organised and encouraged, rifle shooting might become the most important side of our system of defence.

"Two men run the Reform PartySir James Allen and William Ferguson Massey," said Mr Semple a.t Newtown last night. "Let me say definitely that they are both capable men and classconscious as far as their own clas.6 is concerned. I have no personal bitter antagonism towards these men, but I have a great big quarrel with the principles they advocate. (Applause.) They are affable, good fellows in the lobbies, but you can take my word for it they are fighters when come matter is raised in the House in which their supporters are interested."

"Where will the Massey Party's butter fat bribe be?" asked Mr. A. L. Monteith last evening. "The farmers will want more on hides and cheese, and if they are entitled to it on butter, they are also entitled to it on other articles. It will go down in history as the greatest piece of political jobbery that this conntry ever saw."

Education was one of the many subjects dealt with by Mr A. W. Croskery (Labour) in his address at Masonic Hall, Berhampore, on Tuesday He asserted that the system had been allowed to drop into a state of absolute chaos. Teachers were so inadequately paid that the best brains of the community were gradually drifting into commercial pursuits, with the inevitable result that it was nearly impossible to find teachers sufficient to man the schools of the Dominion. The size of the classes which teachers were asked to teach was a public crirno. "Just fancy," he said, "one teacher being asked to teach' seventy odd children." How was it possible under such circumstances for the teachers to give any individual attention to the children? Many of the teachers were nervous wrecks at a very early age owing to the severe burdens which were placed upon them by large classes. The whole system would have to be revised. Larger and bettei schools would have to be provided, the classes would have to be reduced to allow a teacher to give individual attention, higher salaries would havo to be paid in order to increase the number of teachers, and a much improved and more efficient system of medical and dental inspection would have to be provided—all these things were necessary if New Zealanders were to rank as a progressive and up-to-date people.

Mr. A. Tj. Monteith, Labour candidate for Wellington East, addressed a meeting at St. Mark's Schoolroom last evening. Mr. H Dyson presided. The candidate said that he believed the Labour Party to-day was the only party the masses of the people could look to for a sound policy They had the spectacle, he said, of the wealthy classes becoming wealthier, and the other classes suffering from a reduction in their standard of living. The National Government had lifted the excess war profits tax, and placed the burden on payers of income tax, which had. been duly handed on to the people. Farmers had escaped their fair share of taxation through out-of-date valuation rolls. Industrial unrest was the result of the education of the masses, and a healthy sign, promising a brighter and better life for the working people. These should be fully represented in Parliament. Labour in the House wanted reinforcements, and it was up to the electors to send them. The candidate was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.

A meeting of the supporters o£ Mr W T Cotton, moderate Labour candidate, was held at Petone last evening. Mr. Cotton outlined his qualifications, mentioning his position on the Lower Hutt Borough Council, Central Chamber of Commerce, and Wellington Expansion League. New blood, he said, was needed in Parliament, to promote progress in the Dominion. The present parties in the House were criticised by the speaker The Beform Party had done nothing to stop land aggregation and break up the big estates, the Liberal Party stood for .vested interests, while the official Labour Party were out to use dynamite by which to climb into power 75 per cent, of the people were not represented, and he was out to represent the average right-thinking worker Mr. Cotton was, by acclamation, accorded a vote of thanks.