MR FORBES’S MEETING

Evening Star, Issue 20959, 25 November 1931, Page 4

MR FORBES’S MEETING

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Regarding' the appeal the other night by the mayoress, Mrs R. S. Black, for whom 1 have always had the greatest respect, I would like to ask if she thinks Mr Forbes has ever shown any sense whatever of the so-called British fair-play which she solicited on his behalf. His reception should have met his expectation. “As thou sowest, so shalt thou reap.” Messrs Forbes, Coates, and company, by their callous treatment of the workers ever since the death of Sir Joseph Ward, have been sowing in the hearts of the workers of Now Zealand the seeds of discontent and hostility. Those have at last germinated, therefore they are bound to spring. Every man speaks from his own stomach, so ringside critics with full stomachs, who as yet have always been in the ranks of the favoured and fortunate few, must not condemn too readily those who probably had just left their home, where perhaps a child, a mother, or a wife, is ill through starvation and undernourishment. It would not bo reasonable in the face of such hardship and misery to expect an educated community to meet its Premier with a smile. Perhaps that is the reason that gentleman is so much in favour of the curtailment of our educational privileges, because fully 95 per cent, of the workers present that night possessed sufficient mentality to see right through the speaker. Ho absolutely lacked constructive policy. In fact, he just simply travelled along his old track, throwing in here and there a little bit of bluff, which is just typical of the man, and which tho starving workless of this city are sick and tired of. In face of tho hostility that was being shown at the moment ho was brazen enough to say that he felt assured of their confidence.

As to the different reception accorded Mr Holland, one lias always proved himself an educated, able statesman, and gentleman, while the other has proved himself long since to be totally unqualified to hold the position of Premier of a country. He should, in fact, have resigned from office twelve months ago. Messrs Forbes, Coates, and Downio Stewart are fast losing popularity through their condemnation of superior men, including Mr Scullin. All Mr Stewart can dish up about Mr Scullin is the fact of his conversion of loans. Although that was a morally wrong procedure it showed brainy statesmanship, and if Mr Stewart could only find time to read the papers he would find that from the moment of the conversion Australian stock in the London market I '' appreciated. Still, he tries to bluff’ the electors that it was otherwise. Up till November 10 Australian stocks had appreciated by more than £100,000,000. That was the rise for six weeks, news of which appeared in the Press on November 11.—I am, etc., M. J. Andrew. November 24. to Tns EDITOR. Sir, —“ Omega ” asks if those who took part in the demonstration at Mr Forbes’s meeting can justify their action in hooting Mrs Black. If “ Omega ” was present ho would have noticed that when Mrs Black rose from her seat the hooting stopped almost immediately, allowing that the audience had respect for her. The mayoress was not howled down. It was tho question she asked, or rather shouted: “ Don’t yon bolieve in British fair play?” that was objected to so strongly. Fully 90 per cent, of the' people present have not received anything like a fair deal from Mr Forbes. Some have had wages reduced, others have been forced to lialf-starve on the dole, and taxation lias been forced on the poorer classes till it is practically unbearable, while it has been remitted to the largo landholders. Mr Forbes has not given fair play, so he must have known Jong ago that be would not receive it in any place in New Zealand, and those who demonstrated against him did so in tho only possible manner open to them, as they have no say in putting him in Parliament, and only ono vote in eighty in making him Prime Minister. And why, sir, put the British into it at all? One particular brand of fair play is as good as any other, and none take preference. As for “ Omega ” and posibly others, saying Mrs Forbes and tho flower girl were treated with hostility, they are greatly mistaken. The demonstration was directed at Mr Forbes, and no other, except when Mr Black rose to introduce Mr Forbes, which ceremony was not wanted, as tho people know him far too well and much to their sorrow. With regard to the girl presenting the flowers, that also was a piece of unwanted rubbish. It would have been far better if the little girl had been at home in* bed, and the flowers left in tho garden, whore they were meant by Nature to bo. Judging from tho correspondence in your columns, a lot of people seem to have swallowed the bunkum about tlio demonstration being organised without stopping to think. Any person who was present in the hall, except at the Press table, from which only a very limited view of tho hall could ho had, and none at all if the reporters were doing their work, could see that there was no organisation whatever amongst those who were taking part. Those who objected to Mr Forbes were in ones, twos, and dozens, with a few who took no part scattered hero and there, and mado up fully 80 per cent, of tho audience. Of course, speaking of the audience I am omitting those who formed the tableau behind the speaker, most of whom, including tho chairman, were half-asleep, while tho remainder stilled yawns very clumsily. In your report of the meeting you, or rather tho reporters, omitted to mention tho fact that the motion of no confidence in Mr Forbes’s methods proposed by Air O’Donnell and seconded by dozens all over the ball was passed by an overwhelming majority, both on the voices and in the numbers supporting it. In that report you mention it as significant that a policeman spoke to Mr O’Donnell early in the meeting when lie called for cheers for Mr Holland, but also forgot to state that ono of the members of tho scenery round the stage mado a swing at him with a walking stick and missed, and then just as excitedly called for cheers for Mr Forbes, which received poor response, and was not spoken to by tho man in bine, even though Airs Black shouted for fair play. _ Many are complaining that Mr Forbes was not given a chance to state his policy. Can any ono of them, including local candidates, say definitely what that policy is? If so they are hotter than Mr Forbes himself, as he has none whatever except relief to his bosses, tbo landowners and money lenders. All ho had to state was an extremely poor apology for past performances, and, although ho was longwinded about it, to try and make out Afr Holland a deliberate liar. Nobody wanted to hear that sort of twaddle. What was wanted was a definite statement as to how he and his party intend to manage the country if lie is returned ami a guarantee that lie and tho party would stick by it and not be unfaithful as they have been in the past. So, sir, everybody present should have boon well satisfied. Those who wont to

hear what amounted to nothing heard it. Mr Forbes knows that Dunedin as a whole (because the meeting was a representative one, despite what a few say) thinks of him as a political misfit; 'and those whom lie has brought below tlie standard of decent living by his following tho dictates from the Shylocks at Home gave vent to some of their feelings very effectively indeed.— I am, etc., f One Whq Helped. November 24. TO TEE EDITOR. Sir, —Air Forbes has humiliated the worker by forcing him to accept charity, yet the hon. gentleman’s supporters resent tho humiliating manner in which Mr Forbes was treated on Friday night. The present Government has broken every promise made to the electors, yet its leader, Mr Forbes, has the audacity to face the public craving sympathy and support. The 10 per cent, cut in wages came into force. What happened? The tradesman in steady work had the 10 per cent, cut applied in Ids case, while the relief worker had his wages cut from 14s to 9s per day. If this is an example of a 10 per cent, cut it is high time our statesmen received a lesson in arithmetic. The relief workers of this country have received anything but fair play. The members of Parliament sit back in comfort and put the dirt across the worker. Tho farmers are receiving special consideration from the Government. Who deserve less? When times were good tho farmers speculated in foreign cars and farm implements, yet tlio present Government has done everything to put the farmers at their ease. Are the Coalition supporters satisfied with the present legislation? If so, they are either blind or they wish to see 'the worker crushed. If those who were going to vote Labour have changed their minds on account of the unruly meeting on Friday last they aro feeble-minded. The rowdy element was in tbo minority. Mr Forbes and Mr Coates have squandered the public’s money during tho last three years. 11: everv member of Parliament, including the Prime Minister, were cut down to* three days at 12s (kl per day it would help to balance the Budget. The Government and city councils are ever ready to expend enormous sums of money to entertain overseas visitors, yet they cannot afford to pay tlie worker a decent wage. Afore parliamentary bunkum! “Do as You Would bo Done By ” might well sign himself thus. Has Mr Forbes lived up to that motto? It is easy for Mr Forbes to make conditions that do not apply to himself. If Mr Forbes had stayed in Welington and tried to exempt all relief workers from the unemployment levy and remedied the stand-down week he would have received sympathy and support instead of insults and abuse, which in my opinion he richly deserves. —I am, etc., Faib Play is Bonnie Plat. November 25.

TO TH» EDITOE. Sir, —Wo hoar through the Press a lot of criticism about tho political meeting at the Town Hall, but I don’t think that any of the persons signing noni cle plumes are up against it like tho worker of to-day. When Mr Forbes enmo on to the stage and the workers came face to face with tho gentleman that is starving their wives and children it was like showing a rod rag to a bull. Mr Forbes had no policy to put before us, only to criticise Mr Holland’s policy and what bo bas done in the past. No man is guilty until proved so. Messrs Forbes and Coates have been proved guilty. Mr Holland is still innocent. There have been relief works in this town for tho past nine years, and it will last another nine years if tho Coalition is returned. Your correspondent “ Two-eyed ” mentioned about Civil servants and their cost. I would like to ask him a question: Who put the Civil servants there that run the country into a lot of money? I also see that ho is a working man out of work, so I shall advise him to road the Coalition’s policy in*tho ‘ Financial Times,’ and if be is not squint-eyed when he is finished, I shall be mistaken.—l am, etc. 11. Math eson . November 20.

RAILWAY PRIVILEGES. TO TH* KDITOK. Sir, —I would like to know why Hillside men should have free passes and privileges on the railways. They get good pay, do not work any harder (less in many cases), and get numerous other privileges and superannuation. The latter the public help to pay. Now that the holiday time is approaching I suppose wo may expect to , have railwaymen crowding out trains and keeping others out of seats, as has happened before. These concessions should bo absolutely cut out and railwaymen put on the same basis as the ordinary working man. As for Mr Morrison’s remarks as to overtime, I for one am working overtime now for nothing, and his other remarks are only piffle. The “ Hillsiders ” in my opinion are like greenhouse plants transported to the open. They have lived their luxurious life of ease in their “ fairy palace,” and how that they are feeling the cold they do not like it. Any demonstration can be conducted by only one man: he takes the lead or prompts, as I have seen. It needs only one man to yell “ One.” When that starts it carries itself forward, as many returned soldiers or men in camps can prove. So there need not have been any organised demonstration at the Town Hall, although I believe there were far more than 3 per cent., as seen by one member of Hillside. As for Mr Morrison, I advise him to consult an optician.— I am, etc., Buster. November 25.