BY-ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 6, 6 July 1935, Page 10

BY-ELECTION CAMPAIGN

A LIVELY MEETING

"It is not you we don't like, but your ' party," an interjection that was greeted with applause, expressed the general spirit of the meeting which was addressed at Woolston on Thursday evening by Mr. M. E. Lyons, Government candidate in ; the Lyttelton byelection, reports "The Press." Mr. W. J. Knighton presided over a meeting that, although sometimes noisy and always ready with interjections, was never anything but good-humoured. Mr. Lyons's speech followed the general lines of his earlier addresses, but almost at the outset he brought out the liveliness of his audience when, after he had paid a tribute to the work for the community of the late Mrs. E. R. McCombs, M.P., an interjector asked: "Then why not let the son go in unopposed?" "I do not think that is a suggestion that comes well from one who is presumably a Labour supporter," replied Mr. Lyons. "Surely one of the essentials of Labour policy is opposition to the hereditary principle, and insistence on the right of the community to elect its own representatives " The ■ Government in the last few years had been in the position of one who had to administer an unpleasant medicine, and it was naturally unpopular, said Mr. Lyons. A formerly wealthy man had> asked him recently how he could possibly cupport Mr. Forbes and Mr. Coates. (A voice: Well, how can you?) That man had lost his money and blamed the Government. (Voices: We've lost our jobs.) One reason that might be offered for such support was that the frying pan was more comfortable than the fire. A QUESTION OF ARITHMETIC. The fall in the country's income by 40 per cent, had forced the Government to do things never before v attempted. Any man faced with such a position in his private income would have to overhaul his position drastically. A voice: Nonsense! Mr. Lyons: You may be able to prove that two plus two equals five, but I can't. Another interjector referred to the "squandering" of money, particularly by the Native Affairs Commission, and Mr. Lyons replied: "If that is true it is unfortunate that I was not in the House to criticise the squandering." Voices: Yes, you can all criticise, but how do you vote? Mr. Lyons: I'll vote as my conscience directs. A voice: Does Mr. Forbes know that? ! How would you vote on a no-confid-ence motion? Mr. Lyons: If the Leader of the Opposition moves a vote of "no-confid-, ence," I will support the Government. Otherwise it depends on what the question at issue is. I shall never go as a blind follower of any Government. (Uproar.) That is probably an attitude of mind that a Labour , man cannot understand, because he is bound hard and fast. A voice: You can't do it; you know you .can't. Mr. Lyons: If you like to call me a liar, I return the compliment. THE PROBLEM OF MONEY. A reference to the success of the conversion loan operations in London as demonstrating tl#» soundness of New Zealand finance brought from an interjector the question: "Why not give the people the money?" Mr. Lyons: You can put a politician in cnarge of a printing press and let him turn out millions of money, and you will be worse off than you are now. Let me quote Lord Snowden . . . A voice: He's a twister. Mr. .Lyons: You didn't always say that. The voice: You've got to find them out. Mr. Lyons quoted Lord Snowden. In his discussion of the need for better handling of the unemployment problem Mr. Lyons aroused the sympathy of his audience, and went on to discuss the position of those returned men who were now "cracking up." "The Government should do something, possibly in the way of a pension, for those returned soldiers who are prematurely aged and breaking down in health," he said. "It may cost £100,000 a year, but it must be faced. If any Government refuses to meet the needs of these men—the 'burnt out' men as the Returned Soldiers' Association calls them —then" I shall vote against it." Derisive voices: Ha! Ha! Mr. Lyons: I shall vote against it. And what is more, I give you the right of recall. You can send me a telegram if I fail, anJ I'll guarantee to resign. You can't have anything fairer than that. After discussing the price-fixation proposals of Mr. Langstone; and answering a number of questions, Mr. Lyons received a vote of,thanks from the meeting.