POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 18136, 28 November 1922, Page 2

POLITICAL POINTS

“T don’t think skilled workers should be allowed on the wharves. It is not fair to tho unskilled workers,” said Mrs M’Vicar (Independent Reform candidate for Wellington East), after staling that one skilled worker had told her ho could earn more on the wharves than he could at his trade. ■X* ■Jf vv’ *X* “Mr Massey says you must choose between extreme Labor and Reform, and lie never said a truer word in his life,” stated Mr F. S. Morton to Eden electors. “Because Liberalism stands right between those two extremes.” * * ft ft “ I don’t believe that there arc 128,000 Revolutionary Socialists in New Zealand,” said -Mr A. B. -Sievwright (LibLab. for Wellington Central). “But I believe that three years ago some .128,000 people w r ere gulled and bluffed by tho Revolutionary -Socialist Party—and they won’t he gulled and bluffed again.” (Applause.) “The man who is incapable of shame is unworthy of resentment,” said Mr A. E, Glover (Independent Liberal, Auckland -Central) concerning an individual who made a very uncalled-for and personal remark regarding the candidate. “1 would rather he out of public life for years than have tho vote of that man,” a sentiment that was warmly applauded. * * * * “The Liberal-Labor Party is_ now called tho ‘ shandy-gaff ’ party,” said Mr T. Brindle, at his meeting in Gisborne (reports the local ‘Times’), “ it is neither one thing nor another. You want to keep an eye on the _ party that steals the clothes of Labor while they are bathing, -because they arc trying to get the sympathy of the electors in planks stolen from ns.” * a ft ft When Mr A. B. Sievwright was referring to tho “Leader of the Revolutionary Socialists” an interjector asked: “Who is he?” Mr Sievwright: “I’m not indulging in personalities. If you don’t know the name of your leader, it is time you learned.” * * * ft “ I give you this in,” conceded Mr Potter (Reform, Roskill), in discussing laws past and present. “ I give yon this in, that the majority of tho laws on the Statute Book to-day were pub there by past Governments. But the way tho Massey Government has improved them yon do not -recognise them.” (Ironical laughter.) * * ft “Can’t I see a lady in the House?” exclaimed Mr J. Vigor -Brown after several interruptions during Iris _ meeting in Napier. Ho had -been explaining that, just as ho was about to move a Bill in tho House, ho was informed that a lady wished to ecc him outside. He went out to see the lady, who was a Salvation Army lass. (Laughter.) A Voice: Was she young? (Roars of laughter.) Mr Brown : Yes, and she was pretty, too. -X- ft ft ft Mr P. Fraser (Labor) waS ( taking a peep -at Parliament in a address, when there came an interjection : “They go to sleep there ” “Yes, they go to sleep there all right,” said Mr Fraser, “ but I would rather them go to sleep than talk. They -go to sleep very excellently, and it would be a very good thing for the country if tho Massey Party sleeps its last sleep at tho General Election. ’- » x- ft * In his address at Napier Mr Vigor Brown (Reform) proceeded to touch on Labor, intimating that he would deal with Socialism first. A Voice : Do you know anything about it ? Mr Brown -said a Socialist was not a Laborite. There were some very good Labor men, but they were not of Socialistic class. A Socialist bad no God, and did not believe in religion, and he did not believe in the future life, nor m marriage. A Voice : “ I am surprised that a man of your ability would stand up and tell such a damnable lie.” ft ft # # “There is a great decline in tho productivity of the pastoral pursuits of tins country since Mr Massey took office,_ said Mr Hall Skelton, Opposition candidate fox Roskill. A Voice s “ Poor old Bill!” Mr Hall Skelton : “lb is not poor old Bill. He gets £2,000 a year. It is poor masses of the people—-poor old family man.” ft ft ft ft Five nomination papers were handed in on behalf of Mr A. Harris, Reform candidate for Waitomata, one from each of the five boroughs in the electorate, consisting of fifty-two signatures in all. “ A strange thing about our loans on tho London market,” said Mr Parry, Labor candidate for Auckland “is that the last loan, negotiated is always the best. Tho Prime Minister says 60.” (Laughter.) “You will always notice that money was never raised under such advantageous circumstances. Every loan he gets is the best loan ever raised. It is rather remarkable, isn’t it, and says something for the financial ability of our Finance Minister, who is the Prime Minister himself.” (Shouts of laughter.) * * * ft Instancing a change of heart among the small farmers on tho subject of their political friends, Mr F. S. Morton, the Opposition candidate for Eden, told tho Mount Eden electors that ho had as chairman at on© of his meetings in a rural district a small farmer, who declared that be was going to vote for the Liberals for the first time in forty years, and the chairman exhorted all small farmers in tho district to do the same. «• * ft * “ Wo have done well in this little land, and the Empire knows us as a people standing for King and country, doing a fair thing bv everybody. Then why change?”—Mr” W. S. Glenn, at Marlon. ft ft ft ft “I believe in the future of the West Coast—a great district which has been neglected. I want yon to join with me in creating and fostering a progressive spirit true to the best traditions of the West Coast. The West Coast-first, second, third, and all the time!” —Mr J. D. Lynch (Independent Reform candidate for Westland.) * -a- ■» ft Mr Wilford’s party is not a happy one. It is a different party from that led by Sir Joseph Ward, who was respected and admired, and is a loss to tho country.— Mr W. S. Glenn, Reform candidate for Rangi tikel. * « « ft He deserves to bo elected! According to his advertisement in tho Auckland papers, Edmund 11. Buckingham, Independent- Reformer, will speak on “ New triple alliance, composed of leaders, social, mental, p-hvsical workers, in one harmonious combination, for the purpose of reforming tho nation. Founded on sound democratic principles. Equal opportunity for all in education, and social evolution. Essential in upholding a great nation. Hence the necessity for strong, broad-minded statesmen. If be can say all that in one breath ho should make a first-class politician! a- * ft ft Mr Massey, in the course of an addyess, refuted 'the aspersions that had bean thrown on on© of his supporters, Mr yivian Potter, during the latter’s first term in Parliament. Mr Massey said that be know -Mr Potter had been slandered. It had been said that ho was drunk in Parliament. Tihe speaker mentioned that he personally kept longer hours in the building than other members, and bo had a pretty good idea of what went on. Tho present Parliament was a sober one. . A high-pitched female voice: Hear, hoar. (Laughter.) M-r -Massey continued that ho had never seen any member of tho present Parliament, quite ijpart from parly, dgififfl?-

thing that was discreditable to Lira while under the influence of liquor. He had seen Mr Potter in the House day and night, sitting out long debates, when there was certainly a temptation to go to Bellamy’s, but ho had never seen him showing the slightest signs of alcohol, and ho thought it was his duty to say so. Mr Potter had been tried and tested, and proved himself an able member. A Voice ; He got paid for it. # * * ft “ Are you in favor of liquor or no liquor?” was a question put to Sir John Luke. “„You can exercise your vote at the ballot,” he replied. “My vole is sacred, gnd I will not tell you how I wifi vote.” » * ft ft “ These hard heads don’t like hard bits; they hurt them,” remarked Mr Croskory (Labor candidate for Wellington as a man who -had been interjecting several limes rose and left the hall, to the accompaniment of ironic?;! invitations -to stay “ and sec it out,” ft # ft ft To do away with the Arbitration Court without putting something better in its place wouliS place the worker a-t the mercy of any unscrupulous employers, and their position would bowery much worse than it is to-day, remarked Mr G. Mitchell (Independent candidate for Wellington South) in a recent address. ft ft ft ft Asked if be favored a white or black Now Zealand, Mr C. Lafferty (LiberalLabor candidate for Hamilton), said: “ How can I vote for a white New Zealand when we -have so many Maoris around us? Would you hqvc me banish them from a country which is theirs and not curs?” ft * * * “ There is no home lit© in the real souse of tho word. We are looking for -the time when the mass of tho people will own their homes; but you cannot expect tho representatives of the landlord class to legislate in, your interests.”—Mr M. J. Savage, Labor candidate, who is seeking re-election for Auckland, West. it ft “ Mr Wright has told yon that a, fourroomed house can be erected in Australia for £2OO, and in England, for £4OO. Ho says this cannot be done here, but he can’t tell you whyi," said Mr Groskcry at Maranui. "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! *L„ * ft * Speaking of widows’ pensions during an address, Mr A. E. Glover (Independent Liberal, Auckland West) said that formerly these pensions 'wore actually children’s pensions. Ho had assisted in_ having the anomaly removed so that the widows themselves received payment. “That is not so,” interjected a member of the audience in emphatic tones. “ I’ve known a case the widow was refused a pension.” “Oh!” returned the candidate eagerly. “ Well, come with me to the pensions office.” “Too kte- ; ” said tho interjector; “ she’s manned again.” After tho laughter had subsided the candidate remarked that a husband was the better choice.