POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 18141, 4 December 1922, Page 5

POLITICAL POINTS

“ Are you in favor of feeding unemployed on carrots?” was a question asked at one of Mr G. Mitchell’s (Independent candidate for Wellington South) meetings. “Yes,” replied the candidate promptly, “providing the unemployed are donkeys.” «■ # * * “Last election the Liberals said that Mr Massey bad stolen their policy. Today Mr Massey has just the same policy, a;nd they say, ‘The Massey policy is rottom’”—Mr H. D. Bennett (Reform candidate for Hull). * * * # “ I am one of the best assets the Labor Party, which is represented fairly strongly hero to-night, has in the suburbs,” stated Mr Wright (Reform) at Miramar last week. “I am making material for them to make speeches upon. If you bump m© out this time you will have no one to tilt at for the next throe years.” *** * ’ Interjection at Mr (Massey’s Blenheim meeting: “My word, Tommy Wilford will have something to ray to you when you get back to Wellington.” The Prime Minister: “The Lord help Tommy Wilford if ho meets me.’ * * * * Although tho Cabinet comprises thirteen Ministers, ns against nmo iip the Ward Ministry, they are of such mediocre ability that one Minister is compelled to administer Lands and Railways, two of important portfolios. —Mr G. H. M/Clure, Otaki. # # * * “The leaders of our official Labor praise Bolshevism as a great humanitarian movement. Tho British Labor Party it is cruel, murderous, and hateful,” remarked Colonel Mitchell. » * * * “If I don’t get a majority,” asserted Mr Massey at Blenheim, “I should 1 immediately summon Parliament and hand over tho reins.” A Voice: You have never had a majority I Mr Massey; You have not enough brains to know that two and' two make five! Wo had a large majority. * » * * “If the Massey Government’s administration was judged upon the merits of its treatment of tho soldiers on their return from the war,” remarked Mr M'Keou (Labor candidate for _ Wellington South), in dealing with soldier settlement, “it would stand condemned in the eyes of tho people of tho country.” * * * * Mr James Young (Liberal-Labor, Wellington North): The Shipping Trust is like a sea serpent. A Voice: Mr Combs said that last night. Mr Young: 1 don’t know what Mr Combs said, but if ho said that it proves how two great minds think alike. Another Voice: If you think the same as lie does, why are you fighting him? Mr Young did not reply. & # * * Take railway freights: On our Stateowned railways on an eighty-five-mile basjs butter was paying 54s sd, as against 13s pre-war, and cheese 34s sd, as against 13s 8d pre-war. This is a fair criterion of how tho Massey Party is assisting the daily fanner's, at a time when they are being taxed out of existence and their produce is not realising tho cost of production. Still, tho Massey Party will tell von that they have tho interests of the farmers at heart. —Mr G, IT. M'Clure, Liberal-Labor candidate for Otaki. » # * * “Who got the benefit of the money the Government has spent bringing people to this country?” asked Mr M'Keon at Newtown, Wellington. Answering, he continued: “The immigrants may have got a benefit indirectly, if coming to unemployment and no houses was any benefit, but the direct benefit was to the subsidised shipping companies.” * * *■ * Criticising the. Government’s housing poliov, Mr A. L. Monteith (Labor candidate "for Wellington East) said ho could not understand how such a man as Mr Anderson was ever appointed Minister of Labor. He had declared that under the Government housing scheme homes could bo built £3OO cheaper than by private enterprise. A Voice : Was he stunned ? Mr Monteith: . Borne of the statements ho makes stun one, _at any rate. In the following week he said the housing scheme was stopped, ■)f -K- ‘A- -X Colonel M'Donald (Independent _ candidate for Wellington East, replying to questions, stated that he was against the 3s reduction in wages. He did not think that the investigation on the results of which it was based was broad enough. It should have included more than the food groups, and should especially have included rents. (Applause.) He was against all reductions in wages unless they were absolutely necessary in the interests of tho whole community; and he did not think this 3s reduction was necessary. (Applause.) He was strongly opposed to the “cuts” in the Public Service wages and salaries, both to the “cuts” which tho Government had already made and to the “cut” that it was now contemplating. (Applause.) * # * * "You have been told everywhere lately that the Labor Party stands for civil war,” stated’ 1 Mr Nash at Wellington. “ Well, aren’t wo a lot of fools to come hero and ask you to support us if'that is our object? ’ Why do we come here to ask you to put us in Parliament if that is our object? There is only one party—the workers—in New Zealand who realise that such a war is impossible. It is the only party all over' the world which has fought against war.” (Applause.) * * * * Mr H. D. Bennett (Reform candidate for Hutt) was referring to the .needlessness of tho Liberal Party in tho politics of the country. “What,” he asked, “has Mr Wilford to put before the country today r A Voice: Soft soap. (Applause and laughter.) Mr Bennett; Then, why do you keep on sending.him back? He continued that the Liberal candidates were coming out with all sorts of hyphenated names, hut few of the candidates were boasting that they were supporting Wilford Liberalism. A Voice: Back to Seddon. Mr Bennett; That is one of the cries. I ’believe that there are many Reformers in the House who would join a Back-to-Seddon Party, but Wilford is not the man to lead that party. Ho is not even the man to form it. A Voice: Cut him out.

Mr Bennett: That is what I am here for. {Applause.) Ho is your member. Even in Petouo you have given liim a majority. A Voices Not again. Mr Bennett; That may bo, but you have had him for twenty-three years, and I must conclude that you like him. A. Voice: You will run a, good second. Mr Bennett: There is some comfort in that. Who is going to bo last? A Voice; Wlfo-ra. (Applause.)