THE GENERAL ELECTION

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 3889, 2 December 1919, Page 3

THE GENERAL ELECTION

PRIME MINISTER AT WAIMATE

ti'ei Pres_ Association.'»

Wuimale, Dec. 1

Mr Massey spoke Hero to-night to a crowded meeting, iiie half was?pack_vd some time before the meeting wan timed to commence. He spoke ior over two hours and was accorded an ■excellent hearing. He said the times woro too critical .to indulge in party wrangling. He referred to the worn, of tne JNational Government and sketched its beginning. He went ou to epeak ot the necessity for increased industries. Greater road, and nutway development was necessary. He touched on hydro-electricity, and said no country was so well favoured ot Now Zealand ior water power. The coal shortage and go-slow policy made the necessity tor hydro-electricity greater. (Hoots, cheers, applause.) The railway cut had become neeesary owing to the targe number of men who had left on active service. It was also due to the cool shortage.

A voice: I'es, when the..men came hack they did not get their positions again. The speaker replied that every man had got. his job back, with the exception of the unfit. "How could you put a man with heart disease on the foot-plate-of an engine f" (.Applause.) No further interjections followed. Speaking of nationalist!tion, he said the Government was only interested in the nationalising industries to break up the monopolies and to assist public enterprise but not fo lull it,." Moro wheat must be produced in New Zealand. The drought showed that it Was inadvisable, to rely on Australia. Encouragement must be given to farmers to grow more, ln regard to sugar, meat, .-md flour, lie went on to say that last.session the Government had passed the most drastic Bill in Ihe British Empire regarding profiteering., which provided either a heavy penaly or gaol. Regarding repatriation, the Government had made every ell'ort fo place the men, and he, whs j/Jad to say that 02 per cent of the relumed men did not desire assistance. Particular attention was being paid to flic placing of partially incapacitated men. The agrecment'willi tlio Imperial Government with regard to the meat output had been extended to tlio end of June next. The Imperial Governnienl would decide between now and then whether the agreement would be renewed. He replied at length to criticism referring io the indentured labour in Samoa. There wafi no necessity of slavery, or would not be, under the British flat:.

A vote of thanks was carried with enthusiasm. REFORM CANDIDATE FOR TARANAKI. New Plymouth, Dec. 2. Mr George H. Buckeridge, of Hawera. who was recently selected to contest the Taranaki seat iv the Reform's interests against Mr S. G. Smith, the sitting member, spoke at New Plymouth this evening, and nas accorded a mixed reception. He advocated more rapid development of- fhe country, the opening up of lime deposits,! providing facilities for the carriage of limo to farmers, and bring labour and capital closer togoher. He warned the audience against the dancer of Labour extremists, and Sir Joseph "Ward's proposals, and endeavoured to show that the only sound man to lead the country to-day was Mr Massey. Ho agreed that a mistake was made iv cutting out New Plymouth and Opunake from the Railway Authorisation Bill, and explained that Sir. William Fraser was about to retire from the Ministry. He favoured Prohibition on efficiency grounds. At the conclusion of the speech he bad to face a fusilade of questions, and a vote of thanks and confidence was declared carried.

MR. CRAIGIE. INDEPENDENT

Timaru, November 2

Mr. J. Craigie, M.P., addressing his supporters to-night, said the country was tired oi the party systeih, under which principles wero sacrificed for personal ambitions. H« asked for a free hand to bo sent to tho House of Representatives and unfettered, to enable him to do bis best for the Dominion. The meeting unanimously approved of his policy as outlined, and. endorsed his attitude.

DISORDER IN DUNEDLN

Dunedin, November 2

' The Town Hall in South Dunedin was crowded when Iho independent Labour candidate, Mr. W. P. Black, was announced to speak. A vote of no confidence the grounds being that ho had scabbed on the Labour Parly, was carried. The .mover of the motion then attempted to take the chair, but.Mi. Bradley, the chairman, held his ground and pushed his opponent from the platform. The scene of disorder amidst which this little comedy was enacted continued wil limit intermission for about an hour. Tho Chairman endeavoured to make himself heard abovo the hooting and bawling, and eventually stated that ho had no alternative but to declare the meeting closed, and, iv doing so, expressed tho hope that they would be British enough to sing tho Nafiona]Anthem. Whether iii the uproar the Chairman's request was heard or not may be doubtful, but it is certain, however., that it was a. signal for renewed hooting and general disorder, amidst which the meeting broke up.