THE ELECTRAL CAMPAIGN

Evening Star, Issue 17225, 15 December 1919, Page 8

THE ELECTRAL CAMPAIGN

MEETINGS THIS EVENING. Labor rally tit Grand, Theatre. ■Mr W. D. Stewart (Dunedin West), at Burns Hall. Mr C E. Statliam (Dunedin.. Central), at South Dunedin Town Hall. ■Mr J. T. Paul (South Dunedin), at St. Mark's Hall, Green Island. Mr J. M. Dickson (Chalmers), nt Northeast Harbor. -Mr J. Gilchrist. (Chalmers), at Mount Gargill. Mr D. Colquhoun (Chalmers), at Port Chalmers Town Hall. Mr T. K. Sidev (Dnnedin South), at Green Island Public Hall. Mr K. Kellett (Dunedin ZS'orth), in Georgo Street School. AN AMENDE. In justice to Mr J. A. Brown, -who is contesting Dunedin West in the Labor interest, we have to say that the contributor to our Labor column was not Justified 1 in. saying that ho (Mr Brown) '' was a member of the. Employers' Association." As a matter of fact, ho has never belonged to that body, nor attended' any of its meetings. DtJNEDIN SOUTH. A. large lumber of ladies attended at the Cavcrsham Oddfellows' Hall on Saturday afternoon to hear the Labor candidate (Mr J. T. Paul). Mrs Herbert occupied! tiro chair, and, in introducing the candidate, referred to lies great work for t.ho women workers of the City and New Zealand generally. Mr Pawl dealt witli the increasing cost of living, and its effects in reducing wages. Housewives had considerable difficulty in these days of high prices in making ordinary wages meet the bills for household necessaries. He explained that the basis of the present political contest was economio -interests, and tho Welfare League was endeavoring to protect its interests by excluding the Labor Party from representation in the coming Parliament. After questions were answered, Mrs Donaldson moved and Mrs Saunders seconded an appreciative vote of thanks to Mr Paul for his address. #nd confidence in -him as the Labor candidate for Dunedin South. At Cargill corner on. Saturday evening Mr Paul addressed! a very and attentive gathering. For an open-air meeting it was singularly attentive and appreciative. Mi* Paul dsalt Wly ■with the political situation and ite possibilities touching specially on the cost of living, the propaganda, of the Welfare Leagw© and their attempts to defot-e. the Labor Party ■for' the purpose of fitrengtheninrg their economic position. N At tho close, after several questions we>e answered, ringing cheers wore given for Li'.bor and its candidates. DUNEDIN CENTRAL. Mr Statham held a most successful meeting at tho Methodist. Church, Belleknowes, on Saturday evening. Mr A. M. Shugar, who occupied the chair, introduced the candidate in the mo?t eulogistic '■manner, and spoke of the good "".ork Mr Statham had done in Parliament. Mr Statham's address, which was on the lines of his previous speeches, was listened to attentively, and frequently punctuated with applause. After- a number of questions had been ansAvored to the entire satisfaction of the audience, Mr J. ftlemiiifc moved, and Mr Batehelor seconded, a hearty vote of thanks to .the speaker. This was carried with acclamation, and a vote of thanks to the chair concluded the meeting. sjjt james allkn at southbridge. Tn the presence of a large and enthusiastic attendance at Southbridge on Saturday night Sir James, Allen replied at length to the speech make by Sir Joseph Ward at Lceston. Sir James Allen said lie was there at the request of tho Prime Minister to reply to Sir Joseph Ward, though {here was nothing much for him to reply to. Dealing with tho Land Question'and the provision made for district land purchase boards, he said the 'boards were being constituted, and there should be a rapid advance in land settlement all over tho Dominion. He questioned whether the purchase was leading {o the inflation of land values. He considered that the high prices were due to the prices being secured for commodities. Sir 'Joseph Ward had referred to the question of housing reform. 'I he Government had not made professions in regard to housing—they had acted, tie criticised Sir Joseph's scheme for utilising the Post Office 'Savings lianks deposits for llie erection of dwellings, and said that no such money was available. Ho gave them that assurance as Minister of Finance. 'J he reason was that the money was bein? used for other purposes—-the purposes for which it had -alwavs been used.

In regard to training camps. Sir Jamo3 said that his scheme was- merolv n sugeestion. It had not even been considered by the Cabinet, it would be unwise to cut out the training scheme. The League of Nations might fyiil. Referring to Sir Joseph Ward's proposal for the nationalisation of the coalfields, the speaker said that the Government were entirely in favor of t.ho State entering into competition with private individuals and companies. He was in favor of it, as ho believed the State should control prices and set an example to other employers in regard to the conditions of their employees. (Applause.) There had been strikes in the State mines, and the miners had struck against the Military Service Act and also because some of their members would not pay the levy for Australian miners, andhad imposed disabilities upon the whole of the Dominion. There was no necessity to "go slow." and the suggestion that the. nationalisation would end strikes and the "go slom'" policy was purs camouflage. He refuted Sir Joseph's statements that nationalisation would result in cheaper coal and large profits to the State. In regard to a State Bank, he pointed out the danger of a largo issue of papor money. Prompt steps had been .taken to cope with the situation, and he could say that at the end of March next the revenue would more than meet the expenditure. As to the soldiers' gratuities question, the only interpretation he could place upon Sir Joseph Ward's action was that it was a deliberate (bribe to try to secure the soldiers' vote. There was no real difference, so far as be could gather, between the Reform and the Liberal Parties. He knew of nothing which should keop the two parties apart except the personal ambition, should he. say, of two men. He did not think this .latter contention would bear water. Mr Massoy, being leader of a party of 41 members in the House the party in -the majority—he naturally had the first claim to the Prime Ministership. The other Leader in the House, Sir Joseph Ward, had a following of 31 members. Was thore any reason why Sir Joseph Ward Ghould not have made a sacrifice, Hko every soldier who had gone to the front? Was there any reason why ho could not have joined" hands with Mr Massey, the same as during the war? He felt certain that 'Mr Massoy would be returned as head of the majority of the House. If no party were returned with a majority, the extreme Labor section would attempt to control cither the Reformers or the Liberals. Mr Massey had definitely said that he would not ho so controlled', and ho thought Sir Joseph Wan! had said the same; but if Sir Joseph Ward were to defeat Mr -Massey _ with the aid of Labor ho could riot maintain office afterwards without their aid. Whether he was going; to accept that the speaker was not goin* to fay, but, if not, the country would bo faced with the prospect of another election, it the Reform and the Liberal Parties joining together, and -then we would bo faced again with the same difficulty: Two men—one, Mr Massey, recognised as the leader; the other, -Sir Joseph Ward, wanting to be leader. Sir James, who concluded with a reference to the industrial unrest, was accorded a vote of thanks for his address, followed by enthusiastic cheers for him and Colonel Rhodes, and the'singing of 'For they are jolly good fellows.'

IS THERE A LIBERAL-LABOR ALLIANCE? in the course of his address at Paeioa on Saturday night the Prime Minister gave some evidence o: efforts that had

been made during the course of the election campaign to bring about, in. certain parts of the Dominion, an alliance between the Liberal and Labor Parties. He read a letter addressed to the Rev. Mr Broome, an announced candidate for Waitomo, from Mr T. Taylor (president), and W. Kershaw (vice-president) of the Waitara Freezing Workers' Union, giving the text of a resolution carried at a committee meeting of the union, in which it was resolved to ask Mr Broome to withdraw from the contest, in. the best interests of | both the Labor and Liberal Parties, as it was the opinion of the union that tho Labor and Liberal votes if split would place the Reform candidate at the head of the poll, " thus defeating the aim of both the Liberal and Labor parties." The letter was endorsed bv Mr W. F. Jenkins (chairman of the Liberal Committee at Waitara) as follows—" And I endorse the above, and agree with tho opinion expressed." Continuing, Mr Massey quoted a declaration of Mr Hotland, Leader of the Parliamentary Labor Party, at Westport, to the effect that " he hoped the Labor Party would come back from tho elections as the constitutional Opposition, but if they did not, and Sir Joseph Ward moved a vote of no-confi-dence, the Labor Party would join with him in ousting Mr Massey, but they would not support bir Joseph" Ward unless ha enacted "the legislation the Labor Party were fighting for." Further, a Press Association telegram, dated November 10, frpm Hawera, stated: "In response to a deputation representing the Liberal and Labor interests, Mr M'Neil (Labor) has agreed to withdraw his name as a- candidate for the Patea seat, to allow Mr Morrison (Opposition) a clear field." In Oaniaru the Labor Party had adopted a Liberal candidate. In tho Wallace electorate a Labor candidate had withdrawn in favor of the Opposition candidate. In Temuka a meeting waa recently held, attended by representatives of the" Liberal and Labor Parties, with c the result that the extreme Labor candidate, had been withdrawn in favor of the Liberal candidate. Mr Massey also quoted a statement mado by Mr Hiram Hunter, ono of the Labor leaders in Christchurch, *hd a candidate for Avon, to the effect that the Liberal Party " will never again be able to form a Government without the support of organised Labor." In conclusion, Mr Masßey drew attention to a statement publicly mado by the Hon. G. Fowlds ic Auckland, as follows :—" On a no-confi-dence motion I would vote against Mr Massey with any party, Labor or Liberal, and take my chance as to the quality and calibre of the Government I should get to succeed Mr Massey." The Prime Minister stated it was quite evident that Mr Fowlds, who had been a prominent member in Sir Joseph Ward's Government, would co-operate with extreme Labor, and he appealed strongly to the electors to place State before Party, and prevent an unholy combination preventing a strong and stable Government being returned to office.

LIBERAL LEADER AT HAMILTON. Hit Joseph Ward was at Hamilton on. Saturday forenoon. The Town Hall was crowded, and Sir Joseph was accorded an excellent reception. A vote of thanks and confidence was passed, and the hope expressed that tho Liberal Party would he returned to power at the forthcoming election.

[Published by Arrangement.]