EVE OF THE POLL

Evening Star, Issue 18144, 7 December 1922, Page 7

EVE OF THE PO LL

FINAL RALLIES. Several of the candidates gave final addressee last evening, and .received the customary pledges of support and good wishes. - Mr Massov lash night delivered Ins final 'address-In the present political campaign Jn the Dannevirke Town Hall, which was packed to the doors'long before starting time, the big crowd overflowing into the streets. The Prime Minister said be did not intend making predictions, but hoped that the choice of the people woul|_b© acceptable and satisfactory to the majority. He then outlined the Government’s policy and what had been done .regarding tbs reduction of taxation. Incidentally, ho said that if we could gop-the interest of the £26,000,000 indemnity owing by Germany it would be a splendid thing, even s wo had to let Germany have forty veais in which to pay the reparations. 35a referred l to the improvement in tho financial position for ill© first eight months of the financial year, and said ho believed that it would continue until the end of the financial year. If so, the balances, ■would be on the right sidle. Ho mentioned that recently he had received a cablegram from London offering half a million at 5 Kent. He had cabled back asking that made a million, and he had got it. f Applause.l _ The credit of the dominion was tho highest of any country in the world. He predicted that wo would sec ■wool steadily increasing in price for tho next eighteen months. “BawraV wool would shortly be exhausted, and then the demand would exceed tho supply. We could look forward to tho future with confidence, and look the whole world in the face and pay our way. Referring to soldier settlement, ho said ho expected! to lose a little in tho readjustment to he made; but tho time would come when byincreased values in properties they would have a splendid asset in the country against the £25,000,000 ’ involved. He thought the chattel security loan scheme would bo a great success. Money would be lent at 1 per cent, more than! it cost the Government to provide for administration and sinking fund, expenses. After dealing with other subjects on familiar lines, he said the issue was in the people’s hands, and if they carried out their duty wise!' l ' they would send the Reform Party back. A hearty vote of thanks and confidence Was carried in tho Massey Government by a big majority, and the results of tho Maori elections were received with cheers. An enthusiastic meeting concluded with tho singing of 11 For he’s a jolly good fellow” and tho National Anthem. PRIME MINISTER AND PEOPLE. THE BESETTING DANGER. Mr Massey has issued the following message to tho people of New Zealand: It is again my privilege and 1 duty to appeal to you for a renewal of the 'confidence you were good jmough to bestow upon myself and those associated with mo in tho General Elections in 1914 and 1919. Tho strenuous times through which wo have since passed have 'eased considerably ob late, and, the results of the last eight months more particularly have shown that we are once again on the high rood to prosperity; but there are still grave problems confronting tho country, upon the solution of whicn very much depends, and, without exaggeration, I think I may state that tho electors are called upon to make important decisions which will affect the future of the country and the welfare of its people. There are, unfortunately, divisions affecting the more moderately-minded section of the community included in Reform and Liberal Parties, which might conceivably hand over the government of the country to the extreme Labor Party, which, for all its more moderate platform counsels of recent date, glories in the Red Flag and the principle of revolutionary socialism. That is the great danger to be guarded against. In face of almost unprecedented difficulties, the Government has carried on the business of the country in which has won for it the cordial support and sympathy of those who have the real interests of the people at heart, and the Government’s record proves that it is entitled to the confidence of the country at large. A strong Government is, however, the supreme need of the moment, and that, I submit, can be only secured on the Reform side of politics. The Liberal vote is being everywhere cut into, and must suffer at the hands of the Labor candidates, of whom the greater number 'belong to the extreme revolutionary class, and arc t ied hand and foot to the party machine. Thev make no secret of their intentions to vote against the. Government on a noconfidence motion, and then to make the Liberals do their bidding should they gnccced in putting them into power. I can only appeal to you. therefore, to strengthen the hands of the Government bv returning the official Hetarm candidates who are standing.for election, inns giving it a decided majority over all parties in Parliament, and I leave the matter with confidence in your hands.