BEFORE THE BATTLE

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 144, 16 December 1919, Page 11

BEFORE THE BATTLE

FINAL WORDS BY THE PRIME

MINISTER

(BI IBIEGEAPB.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

NAPIER, 15th December. To the Electors of New Zealand—

On the 6v& of an election in which you are called upon to decide the most important issues ever placed before the electors of this country, it is my duty and privilege, as Prime Minister of the Dominion, to remind you of the grave responsibility that decision entails, and to seek from you a renewal of the confidence you were.good enough to bestow upon myself and those associated with me in 1914.

' We have passed through strenuous times since then, and have weathered the storm, stress, and perils of the Great War, from which we have emerged in triumph, not without many sacrifices and much sorrow, but with less dislocation to our national life than possibly any other country.that entered the war, and certainly with less internal strife or industrial trouble than has been witnessed elsewhere.- Next to the patriotic impulse and devotion of my fellow citizens, I attribute that result to the unity of counsel and effort which was made possible through . the coming together of 'the great political parties, New Zealand thus presenting a united front to the world, and its public men sinking all petty differences of opinion _to concentrate on the one supreme object of winning the war: In its aftermath, the war has,left us to face many pressing problems which call for attention and solution, and it is to be regretted that as a people we are not facing them in the same united fashion that we met, and successfully grappled with the problems presented by the war itself. It is not through any wish or failure on my part that the party barriers which were flung down during the war have been again erected. I had ventured to hope that those purely artificial divisions which separate the men. who believe in constitutional action, and who loyally support the State as an integral part of the British Empire (to which I feel sure the great majority of New Zealanders are proud to belong) had gone once and for all. But since tne parting has come, it is necessary that I should appeal to the electors for the return of the Government, of which I am the chief representative, with an even more solid support than it received in 1914, and I make that appeal in what I conceive .to be the best interests of the country, quite apart from consideration of party or self. At no time in its history has the Dominion been confronted with greater or graver problems than those which must be settled in the immediate future, nor has there ever been such' a well-organised attempt on the part of men professing the most revolutionary principles to capturd* _he government of the country The danger is, that the factional fighting that is proceeding between the Liberal and Reform Parties may result in the return to Parliament of men who by no means represent the true sentiment and patriotic ideals of the people of New Zealand, which were so magnificently demonstrated during the great war. Disclaiming all responsibility for this unfortunate state of affairs, I would remind the -electors that the imperative need of the day is a strong, capable, and resolute Government of proved administrative capacity, able and willing to legislate for the good, not of one particular class, but of every class in the community, and to sympathetically and successfully adjust on equitable lines, those differences that, unfortunately, mar the relationship of Capital and Labour, and that interfere with the good feeling that should exist between the workers and those who undertake their employment.

The record of the past session alone demonstrates that the Reform Party, which I have the honour to lead, possesses the necessary capacity to govern the country on such lines. Its record, from 1912 on to the present time, has shown it to be every whit as Liberal in its legislation as any Government that has preceded it. As a party, it has clearcut ideals making for sound, progressive, j and stable government. It aims at pro- ! moting political unity, and seeks to work in harmony with all loyal citizens, and thus offers a rallying centre to all who are prepared to place the interests of the State above those of party, while it stands inflexibly opposed to the Revolutionary Socialists, who would wantonly destroy the existing order of society, with no clear idea of what should replace it. The Reform Party is only too anxious to co-operate with all who are honestly intent upon making New Zealand and its people contented, happy, and prosperous. To achieve this, it recognises that the legitimate aspirations of Labour must be satisfied, and that the wageearning class must be remunerated on lines making for decency and comfort, and housed under improved, sanitary, and better conditions generally. The strong Government New Zealand needs for this purpose can, I submit, be best secured on the Reform side of politics. The Liberal vote is being everywhere cut into, and must suffer at the I hands of the Labour candidates, of whom the greater number belong to the Extreme Revolutionary Class, all but two being tied hand and foot to the party machine. They make, no secret of their intention to vote against the Government on a No-Confidence motion, and then to squeeze the Liberals, should they thus succeed in putting them into power. Under the most favourable circumstances, therefore, the Liberals can only hope to govern the country with the help of these Extremists, and under such a combination the nation would inevitably suffer. The wisest course the electors can take is, therefore, to strengthen the hands of the Government by returning the Reform candidates who are standing for election, thus giving it a good solid majority over both parties in the State. The Government stands for : A policy of sane development along sound, progressive lines. Economical administration. Fair play to every section of the it community. Increased educational facilities for the people. A vigorous Public Works policy, including the speedier construction of railways. . Improved roading facilities! The vigorous prosecution of the hydro-electric schemes, for which it . has taken power to borrow the necessary moneys. Improved shipping facilities, both coastal and overseas. The opening up of new coal mines. The elimination of the profiteer. Tho greater encouragement of local industries, including the fruit preserving and fishing industries. Comprehensive housing schemes for all parts of the Dominion, and generally improved employment conditions. It appeals confidently for the support of every loyal' citizen in the State, so that New Zealand may more efficiently play her part in the great work of industrial . reconstruction following upon the repatriation of our gallant soldier citizens, and as an indispensable unit of the Empire. ,W. F. MASSEY, Prime Minister..