QUESTION OF TACTICS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 24, 27 July 1929, Page 13

QUESTION OF TACTICS

SOME MORE HISTORY

When speaking in the House of Representatives ou Thursday, tho Minister oi Justice (the Hon. T. M. Wilford) made an excursion into the past which caused not a little amusement. He said reference had been made by some speakers to the tactics employed by members of the Government during their visits to various parts of tho country, but he would like to read to the House a letter which had originated with tho Dominion Secretary of tho Kef orm Party (Mr B. A. James). ' Tho letter, said Mr. Wilford, was couched in the following terms:—-

c.- , r T '22nd November, 1013. I biv,—May I suggest that you should' endeavour to strengthen the hands of thai Government during the present crisis in tlio af airs of the country by arranging,- if possible, for the passing o f n ittonslyworded protest a K ainst the action of the! Opposition in holding up the business of! larliament by the present stonewall Pre-1 ierably the protest should come from some representative body of citizens of your district; but if circumstances do not admit Qt that being done I would suggest that you call an emergency meeting of your branch members immediately on receipt of this, and record your protest at the meeting, iiien endeavour to have same telegraphed by .Press Association throußliout tio Dominion. If you cannot accomplish tlio latter, will you siMid me word of your doings _ bo that I may get it into "The Dominion" hero? A short wire will do in that event, but whatever is done must be done within the next day or two. You will have noticed that the Auckland business men have already recorded their protest against the stonewall, and we have ffood reason to believe that thu country sympathises largely with the Government in the attitude it is assuming, both in rcjrard to the strike and the tactics of the Opposition under .Sir Joseph's leadership I lease treat this letter ns strictly confidential—and let any action you may take in the matter appear to come from vourboli.—lours faithfully, (ggd.) Ernest A James.

"So when now members get a little worried übout the criticism which is levelled at them," paid Mr. Wilford, they should remember that tho gas factory is in full blast and keep on smiling." (Laughter.) Mr. A. Jr. Samuel (Thames): "That's not as bad as tho letter which you wrote about tho Labour Party in tho 1914 election."