POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 18139, 1 December 1922, Page 7

POLITICAL POINTS

“Where were you in the epidemic.'” inquired a young male elector of Air Sicvw.ng.ht (Liberal candidate for Wellington Central). “Where was I in the epidemic?” replied Mr Sievwrigbt. “ I was fighting in Branco for your safety.” (Loud -applause.) » * # * Air Wilford had been throwing mud for a long time, and a man who indulged in that sort of thing would require a mighty big heap, and he would be in a bad way when ho finished. —Hon. W. Nosworthy, Ashburton. * # # » In the South Island the electorate with the largest number of polling places is Motueka, with eighty-six. There arc eighty-four in Westland, seventy-seven in Wakatipu, ©eventy-throo in Wallace, and seventy in Clutha. * * * * At tho close of the Hon. J. A. Sanaa's mooting at North Invercargill, a vote of thanks a-nd confidence in the candidate was moved. There was a solitary “ No!” when the motion was put, and Air Ha nan referred to it as “a voice crying in the wilderness.” The reply oame pat: “Whore you will bo crying soon.” » » * * "Taxation is like water,” stated Mr Wright (Wellington Suburbs). “It always finds its own level, and the consumer always pays.” * * # * “ A great many men go into Parliament to fill ‘ Hansard,’ and 1 that is not a proper thing for this country,” saidi Air A. EGlover, candidate for Auckland Central. He added that Parliament was a great talking machine, but if there were more workers and fewer talkers it 'would be more to the interest of tho country. * * if* * Every child born, into this country begins Hte with a debt of £176 9s lOd on its little head, stated Air Oobbo (Labor candidate for Oroua) during -the course of a speech at Feilding. It is enough to drown it. (Laughter.) If tho debt becomes much heavier the babies will be afraid to be born. (Roara of laughter.)

"In tho Prime Minister’s own elector--ate,” said- Air Wildish (Labor) at Gisborne last week, “since 1919 twelve miles of railway had been built at a cost of £200,000, and in that twelve miles on fewer than five stations had been built. I am not sayino this in any carping spirit, but I don’t think it is rigfyt that all’ this should be done in a district where there are good roads,- while we have neither roads nor railways in this district.”

ir if- Hr -Jf The Grey ‘ Star ’ writes of it® contemporary : _ “ The ‘ Argus,’ with greater discrimination than we -thought it possessed, wastes little space on Air Holland’s speech at Taylorville; but it is revealed that ‘ho spoke for an hour and a-balf, and re- € dved a wholly sympathetic hearing.’ Wo era not quite sure what was meant by ‘sympathetic,’ but an impartial Webster’s dictionary explained that sympathy is forthcoming when another is seen in distress.” * * * • » Mir K. S. Williams (Reform), who has been returned without opposition for Ray of Plenty, has tho distinction of being th© first member of tho House of Representatives sitting for a European, constituency to secure election without a contest since 1911. Sir James Carroll was the last member of Parliament, prior to Air Williams, to enjoy the compliment of an unopposed election. Ibis was, as above stated, in 1911, and the constituency was Gisborne, which is adjoined by the Bay of Plenty. The Hon. A. T. Ngata, who is being opposed on this occasion for the Eastern Maori electorate, was returned without opposition in 1911 and 1919. * * * , # A questioner at one of Air Isitt’s meetings in Christchurch referred to members Bleeping in the House. “And I thank Goo,” commented the candidate, "tmu 1 have been able to sleep while some of the Labor men have been talking.” (Great laughter and applause.) “It has been one of the greatest mercies vouchsafed to me!” • » « « “The moment you mount a political platform you are a scoundrel,” was the pathetic utterance of Mr S. M, Wren, Reform candidate for Parnell, which evoked a sympathetic “ Hear, hear,” followed 1 by laughter when the candidate added; “ I have learned so many things about myself since the campaign started ..that J am really getting doubtful as to whether I have lived a good life.” e # • • A proportion of -the housing problem was caused, stated Air Massey to a meeting of electors in Auckland West, by the thoughtlessness of many of our young men, who never saved a penny before marriage. The wife then had the job of -saving for a man for whom she was too good l . ‘ ‘ What about the man who has a wife and four kids to keep on £4 a week?” inquired an interjeotor. “He should ’have saved the money for the house before he got the cafe and kids!” retorted Air Massey. * *• * » The Christchurch ‘Press’ has been having a controversy with the Liberal-Labor leader (says the ‘Dominion’) over a reposted utterance of Mr Wilford—in wishing Ate G. W. Bussell hick in Jus campaign —to the effect that “ if the Liberal Party got in they -would have a Finance Minister worthy of the mime.” Mr Wilford, in a written, denial, said'; “Will you kindly insert this, my denial, of having made such a statement? I said 1 nothing of the kind 1 .” Referring to tho denial, tho ‘ .Press ’ says: “. . . Our reporter is positive that Alt Wilford did make such a statement as was attributed to him, ami it was a statement quite in harmony with the remainder of his references to Air Russell, In view- of Mr Wilford’s denial, we must assume that ho did not mean what the reported! words convey. . , . It can hardly bo veiy pleasant to Air Russel! lo learn* that his leader repudiates the idea that ho could say—or, we suppose, think—that Mr Russell would boa, Finance Alinister worthy of the name. His prompt and blunt denial that he harbors any such idea—‘ I said nothing of the kind ’—goes some way toward® cancelling tho praise ho gave to his old friend. Air Wilford used io say that his forte was being piano—that he was a master of the art of keeping bis foot on tho soft pedal. It seems to us that his real forte is placing his feet on his friends’ soft crams, stepping off ono set on to another.”