GENERAL ELECTION.

Grey River Argus, 13 October 1922, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTION.

LABOUR'S CAMPAIGN. WELLINGTON, October 12. Nir Holland (Leader) opened the Labour Party’s campaign in the Town Hall to-night. He said that the parties in the field would be nominilly three, but really only two, as the Liberal Party is dead. The Labour Party had been charged with being Socialists. They were, as this was an inevitable step in the history of the human race. The Massey Party was vastly in the minority to the extent of 127,025 less votes, and, under election by propofflonal representation they would have had 29 seats, and Labour 18. The Labour Party stood for the Initiative and the Referendum, for the abolition of fhe Legislative Council; and for the removal of political disabilities from women. The Government housing, he said, had been a failure. The houses erected had not- kept pace with the increase in population. The speaker attacked the Goverm 1 ment’s financial policy, which, he said, was taking away from the poor man to give to the rich. The Labour Party proposed to wipe out national debt of ten millions by striking a levy on the 277 millions increase that has taken place in the accumulated wealth of the Dominion be tween 1914 and 192 L The meeting concluded with a motion supporting the Labour Party, and pledging it io assail the present Go vernment. INDEPENDENT SOLDIER CANDIDATE. I i WELLINGTON, October 11. Colonel T. W. McDonald, standing ns an Independent candidate for Wellington East, opened his campaign to-night. He said he stood as an Independent, because the country wanted men, and not machines. Strong pressure, he

said, had been brought to bear on him to contest Wellington Central against Mr Peter Fraser, but he had declined, as he was going to see the contest through in Wellington East. He gave a close analysis of the financial posii tion of the Dominion, which he describ- ' ed as grave, with a debt per head of the ( European population of £167, while the • people were being taxed to the peak. He condemned the system of Government guarantees to producers, which only meant the people had to pay dearer for their food. • He criticised the Government \s lam! 1 purchase system, and opposed immigrai tion with so many unemployed in the I Dominion. ‘ A vote of thanks and confidence was [ passed.