CAMPAIGN NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 126, 24 November 1922, Page 7

CAMPAIGN NOTES

"I know very little of my opponent,'< said Mr. Mitchell at Newtown last even-i ing, "but what I do know of him is to his credit." (Applause.)

"I think the time must come wheii there will be a system 1 of universal pensions established," remarked Sir John Luke in _ answer to a question asked at his meeting last evening. •

"Mr.' Mitchell, your chairman's goml to sleep."—A droll remark at Mr. Mitchell's meeting at Newtown last evcn-f/: ing.

"These hard heads don't lite hard:'; hits;-they hurt them," remarked Mr., Croskery last evening as a man who had. been interjecting several times rose and, left the hall, to the accompaniment of.j ironical invitations to stay "and see iti-i, out."

Commenting of Mr. Srerwright's admission that he did not know much) about proportional representation, Mr.. Fraser said Jast night that it was onlyfair to ti»e electors that anyone seeking, their suffrages should take the trouble, to learn a little about politics. The? Lib.-Lab. candidate was making a mistake when he thought he could bluff his way through with noise instead of know* ledge, and sound instead of sense.

| 'During the/last three; years not ona^j thing had been done to stop land ag-> gregation," said Mr. G. Mitchell at New-> town last evening. The candidate advo^ ■• cate"d a tabulation of all the holdings tda show what the land was capable of.pro-> ducing, the form of farming suitable for ■ the land, and the number of holdings it could be cut up into." Once' they had that information it would be quite simple.; to find where the land was that could be* settled in the interests of .the country.

"You're too extreme. It's Moderate^ Labour we want. Moderate Labour., every time for mine," remarked a man at Mr.. Croskery's Maranui meeting, interrupting the candidate for a aioment to. acquaint him with the fact. "Yes, itk will be hard.labour for you, my friend, if you put your faith in Moderate Lab* , our," was the candidate's instant re-< •■ joinder, amidst laughter.

"Should there be another war would you be in favour of conscription?" wa§. a question asked at Mr. Mitchell's meeting last evening. This was his answers "Yes, if necessary—both of wealth analmen." (Applause.) /

Mr. Fiaaer last night': "The ' ma-N noeuvres and gymnastics of his political opponents ill Wellington. Central wera becoming 'tiresome. He did N not car*, whether they came against Labour singly! or in bunches. The Labour Party, because it embodied the hopes and aspirations of the working people,' would retain, the support of all thinking people mi' Wellington Central."

'"Hansard" will show that'll voted kt /ave_ the lower paid worker from a reduction in salary in every division in the House, and those who say that I. voted to reduce the workers' -wages hava" little resard for that honour- we expect* among Britishers, and none ' for thetruth' 5 said Mr, *G. Mitchell, amids© applause, in his address last night.

To do away with, the Arbitratiott,! Court without putting some&ing better;] in its pla-ce would j>]ace ttie workes.f at the mercy of an^ nnscrnjmfous em-« ployers, and their position woold be very' much vnrse. than it is to-day, remarked-, Mr. G. Mitchell in his address at Victoria Hall last evening.

"What does Mr. WiHordf offer to-'tha' electors of Hiitt and the country as a,; whole?" said Mr. H. D. Bennett at? Lower Hutt last night. "=H e is offering; to oust the Massey Government, not byi doming back at tins head of a stronger' 1 party than the Reform Party, which would be quite legitimate. He' is asking! for sufficient of a party to enable him, by an extension of the collusion which 1; he has already had with the Labour Party, to turn out the strong Crowrnment now in power. When yon see the platform of the Labour Party you wHflj cpme to the conclusion, seeing that the^ Liberal Leader lias so far forgotten him-; self and his country ns (o bo a party bo s this collusion, that it is time that the* people of this district mad* ac end o$ his political career. Does anyone^ in this' room think the Liberal Pal4y is coming back strong enough to take office? I ' believe that the Labour groop will come back stronger than the Liberals in ths new Souse, but the liberals 'and the Labour people combined may be able to' ' throw out the Massey Government: Ejei £l ' ' '■:'■■

contemplated with the Labour people was that whichever party came back the stronger should take the reins of office. How are the people of Hutt going to ■take it if, after this election, Mr. Wilford makes this collusion with Labour, and the Massey Government goes out? And what is to happen then ? A General ■'■Electron. Nothing .else is, offered. _ Nothing but a miracle can put the Liberal Party in power. The most they can hope for is that by a combination of the two Opposition groups tha Government may be defeated, and that a General Election will follow."

■ Commenting upon the crowded meet"ing at Aro street last night, Mr. Fraser said that it was perfectly clear that it was not necessary, for him to follow the example of one of his opponents and gather up a- miscellaneous contingent of followere from outside the constituency to give him some semblance of support.

'; "Do you call yourself a worker, Mac? 'I don't think you've done a hard day's 'work," was the 'somewhat embarrassing "interjection at Colonel M'Donald's ■meeting at John street last evening The "candidate replied by stating that when "•he came to New Zealand firat he had 'half-a-crown in his pocket. He took the ■'first work that offered—bushfelling on the East Coast, and he challenged any"one present to take him on at bnah- ; felling, ploughing, or even at pick and shovel work.

In his address laat evening, Colonel i'M'Donald said that if elected he \ would ■do his best to extend the co-operativa 'works system on the basis of the Oron■gorongo tunnel contract. An interjector here called out "When you get in"— with emphasis on the "when." This sally was greeted with laughter, which was renewed, with applause, when a. response came from the audience, "Don t worry, Mac. ; you're all right.?

Colonel M'Donald, at a meeting at John street last evening, remarked that he did n«St expect that party ,msnt would be entirely abolished, but by the election of a small body of powerful Independent critics the efficiency of .■the administration of the Government "jwould be -enormously increased.

.'■■ At his meeting at Aro street last' even'in»-, Mr P. Fraser said that Mr. W. H. Bennett was a straight-out, staight-for- ; ward opponent, for whom he had the •greatest respect. Their political views were wide as the poles asunder, but when anyone acted a manly part he, •would always be prepared to pay him a

Miss Ellen Melville, 'Independent Beform candidate for Roskill, doesn't want any sympathy, votes. She.said so at a recent meeting (says the "Auckland Star"). Don't vote, for her because she is a woman, and don't refuse to vote for her just because she is a woman. That was Miss Melville's plea. She claims to Le able to think and act as well as most 'candidates.

"There, is not a Department of tha State at the present time," said Mr. W. Noton when/ addressing the electors of .Parnell, "but in which, if managed by 41 band of business men, immense saving could be effected."

"The views I Am expressing 'are my own views'. Whether they are eound or not is for the people to judge. , But they a.re not merely the echo of some other •person."—Miss Melville, at Boskill.

One of the questions asked Mr. Eraser .at his meeting last night was : In the event of No-license being carried, would Ihe candidate support compensation for the' workers displaced by ' its enforcement? Mr. Fraser's answer was "Yes, most certainly. The Labour Party would support the providing of every worker disolaced with work at equivalent wages. The party stood for the right to work or adequate maintenance for all i work-, evs." ' ■ " V

The Bankers' Magazine, the organ of big interests in England, declared Mr. Croskery at his meeting in Maranui last night, was quite frank about what those interests aimed at. It advocated subduing the popular spirit through hardship arising from unemployment, so that they would bo tractable in the hands of their masters, cease to give trouble, and so add to the big men's profits. "Mr. Massey must have got, a cable from someone at Home telling him what he was, sxpected to do." ..This 'was the candidate's clinching nail in. his condemnation of salary and wages cuts.

"Are you in favour of liquor or noliquor?" was a question put to Sir John Luke last night. '-'You can exercise your vote at the ballot," he replied. "My vote is sacred, and I will not tell you how.l will vote." '

The question of company taxation, and taxation generally, came in for some attention by Mr. G. Mitchell at Newtown last evening. He said that the companies did not pay the taxes at > all, although they made a great song about it. Coal companies increased, the prices of coal, meat companies increased the price of meat, wool companies passed ■ the increases on to.the goods they produced, and the gas companies added 9d to 13 to the price of every thousand feet. .The whole incidence of taxation, said Mr.,Mitchell, should bo altered..

"Mr. Wright has told you,that a fourroomed house can be erected in Austtralia for £200, and in England for £400. He says this cannot be done here, but he can't tell you why," said '' Mr. Croskery at Maranui' last evening. That simply showed that a man who couldn't recognise the existence of trusts . fattening on the people was not fit to . represent those people in Parliament!

Speaking to a representative of "The Post" to-day, Mr. W. H. Bennett said that he was sport enough to recognise that Mr. Sievwright had been clever to take full advantage of the opening that had been provided. He fears, however, that a wrong interpretation had been placed on his Skating Rink speech, possibly due to the number of interruptions which. occurred while he was speaking. "I did not mean to advise my supporters to writo 'ILLP.' after my opponent's name. I advised my supporters to close ■up their ranks and let him 8.-I-P."

> "I have always advocated that our own unemployed should be provided with work before we brought in more people from overseas."—Mr. G. Mitchell at Newtown last evening.

' 'Are you in favour of members of Parliament only receiving salary while the Ilouse is sitting?" was a query received ■with laughter at Sir John Luke's meeting last night. "Well," replied Sir John, "I think a Civil servant sent up that question. I would ask him if he does not like being paid when ho i 3 away on holiday." (Renewed laughter.)

'•■ Tho " unwritten law " by which the Speaker of the British House of Commons is not opposed at elections was mentioned by the Mayor of Auckland (Mr. J- H. Gunson) in opening. Sir Frederick Lang's meeting at Epsom last evening says " The Post's " Auckland correspondent. " I think the practice followed in the British political world of not;subjecting the Speaker to a^ontest should obtain in Ne*,Zealand, he Baid. • " I say that advisedly. Sir Frederick, of course, would be the teat t»

suggest such a thing in thia young country. Probably we have not the same innate appreciation and respect as they havo in the Old Country for the high office of Speaker of the House, but it would be a good thing if we could inculcate in the young people something of that spirit of reverence."

A little light on Labour's attitude to the present industrial trouble was provided by Mr. Peter Fraser, when he spoke in the Post Office Square yesterday. He said he regarded the trouble as one between the Seamen's Federation and the shipping compaJiies. It was none of his business, and he would not interfere until he was asked to do co. "If the seamen appeal, to me for assistance, I will be wdth. them. Make no mistake about that. In the meantime, I decline to discuss the trouble."

" Don't you think," asked an elector at Miss Melville's meeting last night (telegraphs " The Post's " Auckland correspondent), "that you would be better employed in learning to cook and sew than in trying to get into Parliament?" Miss Melville replied: " It is rather unfortunate for the questioner that he asked that question to-night, as it happens that I made the dress I am wearing, and -while I do not make any pretentions to style, still it is a dress." The Chairman: " Some dress, too." ■ Miss' Melville said also that she could give the ladies in the audience an original recipe for a nice jam if they would like it. There seemed to be an id«v in the minds of some people that a woman could only learn to do one thing.

"Mx. Wright calls trade union secretaries agitators," said Mr. Croskery, Labour candidate for, Suburbs, last evening. "Well, I'm a union secretary, and I'm not ashamed of the fact." He told how he became a union secretary. He was identified /with a union in his business, which at last decided to 'Beck improvement in wages, which were on a very low plane. "I was sent for and told I would not be required any longer. 1 No reason given—except that they had ' 'decided to make a change:' I had to get something to do to keep my family going, and: a union secretaryship being vacant, I managed to get it. That's how I became one of the 'agitators' Mr. Wright is so concerned about."

"It is dragging loyalty down to a low level when we have to parade it," said Mr. Mitchell at Newtown last evening. "I don't believe it is necessary in a country like this to make loyalty compulsory."

"A connecting link" by way of a ferry boat from here to Lyttelton and from here to Nelson should be a part of the general railway scheme of the country," said Mr. G. Mitchell at Newtown last evening. "The sooner that is done the s,ooner can we be assured that there will be no interruption as far as our connecting link is concerned." (Applause.)

The opening of Mr. G. Mitchell's meeting at Newtown last evening was marked by a running fire of interjections, anß them were times when Mr. Mitchell found difficulty in proceeding. "You pride yourself on the spirit of fairplay," he said. "I appeal to you to give me a reasonable haaring. There are a lot of people here 'who have come to hear me speak, not yon. If you want to speak I'll hand over the hall to you at the end of my meeting and I'll pay for it<" . :

Tha editor of "The "Maoriland Worker, '.' Mi. J. Thorn; referred yesterday to the success of the British Labour Party at the recent General Election.^ The Press of this country, he told his audience in the' Post Office Square, would have the people believe that there was a wide gulf betwen the British LabourParty and the New Zealand' Labour Party—that this former was sane, moderate, and loyal, and the latter insane, immoderate, and disloyal. "Nothing of the sort,", said Mr. Thorn." The platform of the one- is almost identical ■ with the platform of> the other. The ."sane, moderate, and loyal" British party had chosen as its leader Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, one of the most extreme socialists in the British Empire. Mr. Macbonald was defeated in 1918 because he opposed' the war, and throughout the war he was one of the most ardent defenders of the conscientious objectors. The New. Zealand Party was proud to be associated with the British Party, and it believed that the success "of the latter would be.reflected in the election to he held here r.extj 'month.

A questioner at Mr. Montedth's meeting 1 last night asked the candidate to estimate the time required to pull the country out of the bog into which Mr. Massey had driven it. Mr. Monterfch, who is flying the Labour colours, was quick to reply: "It all. depends how soon you let us get a start on ifche job."

"R.1.P." may stand for Rest in Peace, but Mr.. A. B. Sievwright has different ideas about the meaning.of the letters_ when they are applied to him by a political opponent. Mr. Sievwright stated last night he was prepared to accept the description, but the R would stand for Rectitude, the I for Imperialism, and ' P for Principles. He thought that his opponent had, therefore paid him a compliment. "My opponent has written 'R.I.P.' after his own name," said i Mi. Sievwright, "for he calls himself 'Reform's Independent Politician.' (Laughter and applause.) That gentleman deals in ; trivialities. Make no mistake, a vote cast for reactionary Tories in this electorate is a, vote cast for Revolutionary Socialism."-1

"Even some Reform, candidates," said Mr. Croskery, Labour candidate for Wellington Suburbs, last evening, "have come to see merit in.the State bank, and to advocate its establishment. Mr. Malcolm seejs in it a saviour from the banking ring thai is throttling industry, and Mr. Harkness recognises it will help the farmer, more than. any private concern will. This always ■ happens; when Labour develops an ideal till it begins to get popular along comes some political thief to steal it."

"What do you consider a living wage for a married man with four children?" was a question asked Sir John Luke at his meeting last evening. ' 'Well, that is somewhat of a poser," replied the candate; "when I was Mayor we made the living wage £4 5s for unskilled men."