THOSE ELECTION ADS.

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 3, 3 July 1926, Page 10

THOSE ELECTION ADS.

NOT SELF WRITTEN

PRIME MINISTER REPLIES TO

CRITICS

NOT GIVEN TO BBAGGING.

The Prime Minister made a frank

defence of himself in the House of " Representatives yesterday afternoon against the election quotations which have been used against him by the Opposition—references to "the man who gets things done" and to the pictures which appeared in Eeform Party advertisements in the course of the General Election campaign and the more recent Eden by-election. . ■-.',■

"May I say, to begin with," said Mr. Coates, "that I da not know of any country which has . legislation in" connection, with the funds.of organisations for party or political purposes. It has been the custom in this country, it is the custom in Great Britain, I take it that it is the custom in Australia —and I know of no legislation against it—that party organisations do in every election year take, part in organising and advertising and gen- i erally r assisting to place the policy of the Government bei'ore the people." . Mr. D. O. Sullivan (Avon): *'It has not been abused in other countries*'' Mr. Coates: "Has it been abused here?" Mr. J. A. Lee (Auckland East): "Several hundred pounds were spent in canvassing against me in' my elecv torate. " The Prime Minister said he did not know anything about that. Mr. Lee might know. The Labour Party, he proceeded, had their own : organisation and their own campaign funds. Whether or not they were more than those of th!e Beform Party he was unable to say. It was gross exaggeration^ however, to talk about the Bef orm-Party spending £400,000, £40,000, or: £20,----000 in the course of its campaign. "I say that," he added, "with inside knowledge of the costs." :■ . • ;.-■ r HOT SELF WRITTEN. Many of the organisations formed in support of the Beform Party throughout the country, he went on, were voluntary, for the purpose of assisting the policy of the Government.- '.' To suggest that I have written out these very advertisements about my3elf," he said, "is incorrect." : ; s The Leader of .the Opposition : (Mr. H. E. Holland): "We never suggested that.". : . Mr. Coates: "All I can say is j that whether they are right or wrong I feel very proud to know that there arc so many ladies and gentlemen—l hope there will long continue to be so.many —who have sufficient confidence in'the Government to find the money and the time to assist, and to have said sonic very nice things about the leader of tjie party. I feel very proud to have such friends, and I thank them for their moral and tactful support. Personally, 1 think they meant well." "I don't agree for one moment," he continued, "with all that has been said about myself. I have never said, for one thing, that I was the man who got things done. I ■ sincerely trust I will never be found bragging of what I can do." ' • -' Mr. H. E. Holland: "The advertisements bragged." . ... ■Mr. Coates: "Those advertisements were done by voluntary effort by friends who meant well.". .. ... , A HARD TIME. He said he -was the last one' to do anything to assist them in what they did. He doubted very much whether he ever read one of the advertisements right through. There was not suftV cieni; time to eat, drink*, and sleep during the election campaign, and certainly there was no time, to read _ advertisements. It was a r hard time, often very trying, and full of excitement, but every party leader always felt the same at such; a time, and felt i it-was up to him to do .h,is very best.! Personally he had felt, mighty disappointed at everything he had done. .He did not claim to be the wonderful .indi--vidual that some of the advertisements J suggested. j ■ BB "6N TRIAL."' Mr. Coates said he was ; sure most members of'the . Beform side of the House were very appreciative offfle very loyal support the party received from its friends. He hoped they would rally in thousands more. .' . Mr. Sullivan: "A vain hope..!'... . Mr. Coates:. " I hope not. We can only hope and try, and that M'rili; can say. lam not going to. boast.;- We t are ou our trial, and we have; got to; be tried out. That ia a fair statement of the case." ' " :,"■'!•■'' ; The Prime Minister went on to reply to references"which had been made to the Tory element on the Reform ; side of the House. So far as he knew, he said, there were only two of the party who came into'the House in 1908 the remainder having entered Parliament in 1911 and since then; a young, virile set of men," he added, "with progressive, modern, , liberal, broad ideas—(Opposition laughter)— born of the soil, men with a determination to serve the people, and.not one. particular class of the community, but the wholo'of tho people'