THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Evening Star, Issue 18136, 28 November 1922, Page 7

THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN

, , i 4MEETINGS.' 1 THIS EVENING. Halfway Bush.-Hon. W. Downio Stewart. , Opoho.—Mr J. if. Clark. Port Chalmers.—Mr J. M. Dickson. Movnincton. —Mr W. S.Maslm. Mosgiel.—Mr T. K. Sidcy. Albany Sireet.-Mr C. M. Mok and Mr J, W. Munro. Kensington.—Mr C. E. Statham^ Forburv Comor.-Mt J. Gilchrist, and Mr d. E.* MacAlanua. , r , - Evansdale (7), ■ Waitali (B.3o).—Air J. Stephens. TO-MORROW NIGHT. Leith Vallev.—Air Alunro. Russell Street.—Mr_ Moss. Kensington.—Mr Gilchrist. St. Hilda.—Mr MacManus. ■ Seadiff.—Mr Dickson. St. Leonards. —Air Clark. High Street. —Mr Maslui. DU'kia,—Mr Stephens. PRIME MINISTER IN MARLBOROUGH, h Mr Massey visited Marlborough yesierday Hf 3 was warmly welcomed at Pieton.' where he addressed a large meeting. Going on to Blenheim, Mr Massey was the principal speaker at a Reform rally, and the largest public meeting ever held in the district. His Majesty s TTieat.ro bring packed to overflowing by over 2,000 people. The Prime Minister _ received a mo'-t rousing "welcome, the audience using en "masse when he arrived, aud cheering him to the echo. He reoived an attentive hearing, the address covering ground previously traversed in his speeches in the North Island. A few interj’ectors wore vigorously dealt with. At the conclusion el the meeting Air Massey was accorded a vote of thanks, and he'then received a number of deputations on the stage. _ This took some time, but a large proportion of the crowd which hadi 'been present remained outside to catch a final glimpse, and the Prime Minister's car was hauled by enthusiasts from the theatre to the hotel. The scene of enthusiasm (reports an Association message) was unparalleled in Blenheim, and Mr Massey was deeply impressed. He left this morning for Nelson. en route to the West Coast and Canterbury, LIBERAL LEADER AT CHRIST* CHURCH. The seating capacity of the Theatre Royal. Christchunffi, was ts-sed- to its utmost last night, when Air T. M. Wiiford delivered a political address. At the outset Air Wiiford received three cheers. Dr Thacker (mayor) presided. _Mr Wiiford received an attentive hearing, which was not altogether free from interruptions. but these were not of art obstructive character. Mr Wiiford said it waa gratifying to find that no matter where he there was a great rebirth of _ Liberalism, and that those attending Ida meetings were glad to hear his remarks. He was Quite satisfied to continue hia tour of the dominion, and he felt there was no need to hnrrv back to conduct,hia campaign in the Halt electorate. When Air Massey took over the Government the Public Debt was £84.000,000 odd. The cost of the war was £81,000,000, though last week Ate Massey had made the fetal £100,000,000. jf £165,000,000 were deducted from £219,000.000, there waa a difference of £55,000,000, to which had to 'be added £14.000,000 borrowed from the Consolidated Fund. He would like to see the balance-sheet to ascertain where it had gone. It was all very well to sav it had been put into particular funds. The farmer had not got much of it. The Government was proposing to spend nearly £23.000.000, while it admitted the anticipated revenue waa £26,000,000. Was that the kind of thing they expected? The reason for it was that the Cabinet that governed the country was a hopeless set of muddlers. Referring to the Advances Department, Mr Wiiford remarked that while the established idea was that as repayments were made money so received should bo available for fresh advances, yet the Government had invested £21,590,000 of advances money in Government stock. At Te Awarautu the Prime Alinister announced that be intended to put £2,000,000 into the Advances Department. In other words, he told the farmers to cheer up, as everything was well. Ate’ Massey had written him on August 21 that the surplus from the Advances Department was profitably employed. What he (Mr Wiiford) said was that every pound of surplus in the Advances Office should have been lent to the settlers and the workers, afl-d not invested. Tlie fact that the investment resulted in the money earning a higher rate of interest, or that the investment was more secure, was beside the point and of no account. As to the railways, the Government had no policy except to keep business men from assisting in their management and prevent the clever men in the sendee from giving advice. The Lib-eral-Labor Party was not disloyal, and had no arrangement or alliance with Mr Holland’s party, and there never would bo an arrangement between the Holland parly and himself. There was continued hearty applause when Mr Wiiford referred to the fact that the £16,000,1100 surplus left when the National Government was dissolved was unfjiicstionably due to the financial genius of Sir Joseph’ Ward. Air Wiiford said the Liberal-Labor policy was a policy of. moderation, and the toleration of peace on earth and good-will towards all men. It was moved —“That this meeting of Christchurch citizens thanks Mr Wiiford for his address and declares that the time has come when a change of Government would be to the advantage of the dominion.” The chairman declared the motion carried by an overwhelming majority. The singing of a verse of the National Anthem and cheers for Mr Wiiford concluded the meeting. INVERCARGILL. Mr James Armstead, Reform candidate for Invercargil, addressed a large audience in the Alumcipal Theatre,' and received a good hearing. He emphasised the need for ‘ a stable Government, and upheld the policy and administration of the Massey Government generally. He was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. DUNEDIN WEST. Air C- Al. Moss addressed a veiy big meeting in the Roslyn Institute last night. Mr J. Torrance presided. Ate- Aloes contended that the Government had created unemployment, -and a policy Which, if carried on,* must eventually prove disastrous to the sipall business and employing class, insofar that it had lowered the purchasing power of the workers. In regard to the land, the policy of the Government tended towards aggregation, which again resulted in decreased production. The only party that stood for an increase of production to-day was the Labor Party, through, the fact that their land policy tended towards forcing the owners of land to develop their land and, further, to open up Crown land* which would reflect on the prosperity of the towns. Mr Aloes contended that the small business man should support the Labor Parly for his own interests. The candidate waa subjected to a- number of questions dealing with the land and housing policy of the Labor Party, which were answered to the satisfaction of his audience, rk-d unanimously on the motion of Mrs G. Bennett and seconded by Air Simpson. The,Hon.. W.. Dow-nie. Stewart addressed A vote of thanks and confidence was cara meeting of the electors of Dunedin West at the Presbyterian Hall, Highgate, last evening. There was a, very large audience, and Or Slncock presided. In introducing the candidate, the chairman referred to Air Stewart's activities as a city councillor and as Alayor of Dunedin, and stated that, the good work that he had done for hie fellbw-citizens here had been continued for the people of New Zealand as a whole in the wider, sphere of dominion, politics. Air Stewart deservedly earned the reputation of being one of the straightest of politicians This was a record that was gratifying not only to the candidate, but to the people who sent him to Parliament. Dun•din West was fortunate in having a man of the type of Air Stewart standing for re-

election. Not only was he a Reformer of the best type, but lie was also a Liberal in its truest and beet sense. Ate Stewart in his speech, dealt with the political parties now before the country, and contended that there was no clear line of demarcation between the Reform and Liberal Partita, but that there was a distinct differ- > once between those two parties and the Labor Party. Ho thou dealt at length with the Lajbor Party's platform, and declared that a number of its planks had been abandoned by the Labor Party in England as being impracticable. Mr otew- > art then went on to point out the need for a strong Government, and in doing this referred to the steps taken by the Reform Government'to curtail expenditure and readjust the finances of the country. A definite commencement had been made last session in reducing burdensome taxation, and it was by such reduction that one ot the main factors towards unemployment was removed. Such reduction encouraged investment of capital in enterprises caning for emplyomenl, anjl lie hoped that as a result of”additional economies .further progress would l be- made in this direction. After several questions had been asked and replied to Mr R. H. Scott .moved a hearty vote of thanks to the candidate for his interesting address and of continued confidence in him as the representative for Dunedin West. Mr R. Paterson seconded the motion, which was carried unam- . monsly with lond applause. DUNEDIN CENTRAL. 1 Air C. E., Statham addressed -a. good meeting ai- the Methodist Church Hail* ! South road, Cavcrsham, last ixigbt, ih© 1 hall being full. Air Statham made, a 1 forcible protest against the alleged mis- * representations of Mr Mnsliu, and 'the oaiOI didate's flat denial of Mr Maslm s aCCUSa- : tious earned for him a hearty round of | applause. He continued his address on ■ Hie lines of his previous meetings, and * at the conclusion answered a. number ot * 'questions to the apparent entire satisfac--1 tion of the audience. i DUNEDIN SOUTH, ; Mr T. K. Sidey had a .most enthusi- ■ as tic reception at the Coronation Hall, yt. ' Kilda. last, night. The mayor (Air -L ' W, Dove), who presided,, made many eulogistic references concerning Air Sidey s * services to tho district, and to the tact i that the presence of the members of the 1 Borough Council on the platform was a r tribute to Air Sidey for valuable assistance given. In reference to the Prime Aliaister's statement, that '‘critic;", of the Government had said that .taxation was higher in New Zealand than, in Australia, Air Sidey remarked that what critics had said was that the official statistics of both , Australia, and New Zealand showed that i taxation per head in New Zealand was higher than in Australia, and that Air Massey, in spite of this, bad promised > to produce figures, to prove his assertion ■ to the contrary, but had failed to do'to. Further, be (Mr Alaesey) now contended ■ .that his assertion was justified by the fart that the “exemption from income tax m Australia commenced at £2OO, whereas in i New Zealand it commenced at £3OO. I The absurdity oi this .contention was , manifest, as* it completely ignored the i extent to which taxation was imposed > beyond there limits, including indirect , taxation. Air Si dev concluded ins address J (by a. reference to” the-Liberal measures i placed on tho Statute Book by Libeuu ' administrators, his remarks under this > head meeting with the, evident satisfaction ■ of tho large audience'. After ti. number ’ of questions had been answered, Or Long- - worth moved that Air-Sidey bo accorded i a, vote of thanks for his sterling address, ; and also a vote of continued confidence !■ in him as the representative of Dunedin * South. This was seconded by Cr Adam > and carried unanimously amid applause. 1 Air J. E. MacManus addressed a largo I meeting at Green Island Town Hall last ■ night. Air L. Miller, tho mayor, pre- ■ sided. Air MacAlanua dealt with tho ’ amendments to the Arbitration Act, and ■ claimed that Air Sidey did not vote for i Jlr M'Cambs’s amendment that “ (he ini crease in the cost of living be computed , from the six months ended July, 1914.” . TJr Sidej’s vote was.not recorded for Air Holland’s amendment—“ That all industrial organisations -of employees shall be deemed eligible to be registered under the .Arbitration Act.” He claimed that the reduction in wages was entirely due ..to ■ amendments in tho Arbitration Act. which •reduce the purchasing power by 24 per cent. On the motion of Air Harrison < .confidence was affirmed. ! DUNEDIN NORTH. Air J. \V. Munro, Labor candidate, i spoke at the George Street School Hall i last evening, women comprising one-half 1 of the largo audience. Air A. Morrison - presided. Mr Munro said the disloyalist, the Rcgl—Fed, and the Bolshevik were 1 names that Were applied by tho Press to the Labor members. It was implied that the Labor candidates, if returned to Parliament, would ruin the country and put irdnlo a financial quagmire that would mean ruination, and that by their policy they would disintegrate the British Empire. Further, the Press contrasted unfavorably the New Zealand Labor Party with the Labor Party in the Homeland, though it must recognise that the result oi the recent Home elections was going, to have a mighty influence on the coming elections in New 'Zealand in favor of Labor. The Press was also trying to make out that the Labor Party stood for the confiscation of the homes of tho working people. Tho thing was nonsensical. The Labor Party did not mind political opponents of conservative tendency opposing it by every moans in their power so long as they fought fair. But they introduced religion into politics, as well as all kinds of outside issues, and it was all done to - defeat the possibility of the Labor Party getting into power. The Labor Party's j one aim was to bring about a. better social system that would give to -the workers a bigger share of their toil; it would not confiscate—it would give the workers better homes and a; better standard of living, and because the Labor Party -fought for those ends all .sorts of insulting things were thrown at it. (Applause.) Thirty years ago the Liberal Party, when trying to pass legislation in the interests ot the people, was referred to by the Press aa “the seven devils of Socialism.” It was his firm belief that the Labor Party would , be the future Government of this country. In answer to questions the candidate said he did not favor State aid to denominational schools, and the Labor Party was pledged on the education question to a national, secular system, such as existed at present. He hoped no religious denomination would ever control politics or the Labor Party. He deeply regretted that any religious question was being introduced into the election. Ho believed the P.P.A, was -a: Reform organisation. He was on the side of Prohibition. He believed lie could have won the Dunedin Central by-election in .1914 if he bad givee a promise to remain neutral on the issue. His reply was that he had been a Prohibitionist all his life, and ho was not going to turn in order to win an election. To the question, Tn the event of Labor and Liberal being returned in a majority' over ’’Reform, would you -favor the formation of a Government to es-vo going to the country again? Air Almira Gaid the Labor Party was pledged to join with no other party in a, Cabinet. A Labor member look a pledge that he-would not take a, portfolio in any other Cabinet, but if Liberal and Labor were returned with a, combined force strong enough to put the Government out the two parties ought to -be compelled—and- rightly so—to work together at least for the .'life of the Parliament. A vote, of, thanks was passed to Air Alunro for bis address..and confidence was expressed in ’the Labor Party. Cheers were given for Air Alunro. The electors at Woodhaugh assembled in good numbers to hear Air J, J. Clark speak last evening. Mr E. S’. Clarke was .in the chair, and -said that it was quite unnecessary for him to introduce the candidate, as he was so well known to everybody, an also were the services he had rendered to the city and the dominion. Mr Clark spoke, on many subjects during the course of his speech, touching briefly on taxation, railways, defence, and education, his remarks being closely and appreciatively followed. Mr Geo. Martin moved —“ That a hearty vote of thank® be accorded Air Clark for his able, address,” which was seconded and carried unanimously.