REFORM AND LIBERAL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 12 October 1922, Page 5

REFORM AND LIBERAL

(To the ±Jditor.) Sir, —Your footnote to "Moderate's' letter was well merited. To class all railwaymen as extremists and disloyalists without excepting . the 'Taranaki men is a bit over the odds. Why, in most branches in "ew Zealand; and I take it this would apply to Taranaki, it was, I understand, the custom to commence all meetings of the branches with the National Anthem. Unfortunately, however, a new spirit seems to be creeping in. That railwaymen outside. Taranaki are largely joining up with the extreme Labour party is a matter of deep regret, and it makes one wonder what the service is coming to when you see the pages of the Railway Review, the official organ of the "A.S.R.S., taken up with propaganda on behalf of the Labour Party, and the executive of the A.S R.S. openly advocating its support, and setting aside a page of the Review for the benefit of this party. This is the sort of stuff you read as showing railway sympathies outside Taranaki: <<The, Gisborne branch fo.the A.S.R.S. passed a motion thanking' the New Zealand Labour Party tor its magnificent service again st the railway cut"; "a large meeting of railwayman- at Palmerston North unanimously endorsed the Labour candidate, Mr. Hodgens" ;' 'Trankton Junction formed a Railway League for affiliation with the Labour Party"; "The Auckland branch of the A.S.R.S. congratulates Mr. Holland on his aititude in the Turkish crisis," and so on. Now, I venture to say that every railwayman in Taranaki would run a mile before he would attend a meeting that would pass such extreme resolutions, and rightly so, because does not the Scriptural injunction say: "Lead us not, into temptation," and if you keep away from contamination evil cannot befall you: 1 might mention for "Moderates benefit, and as showing the sanity, the freedom from extremism, the loyal outlook of our Taranaki * railwaymen/that during the recent Patea by-election a meeting of railwayman met Messrs Smith and Veitch, M.P.'s,' who are ex-railwaymen and who' were supporting, the Liberal candidate, am 1, they received a most warm and enthusiastic hearing. Now, Messrs Veitch and Smith are typical railwaymen, and no one would accuse them of extremism or disloyalty. "Why don't the railwaymen in New.•< Plymouth say that they did not want a Labour candidate opposing Mr. Smith, even though he i had voted for the principle of reduction of their wages? "Blessed are the meek" murmurs my . übiquitous Labour friend, but nevertheless the meek are sometimes blessed, and New Plymouth is blessed with Mr. Smith. Can "Moderate"^ produce a reception of V- the 'extremist leaders as warm as this reception of Messrs Veitch and Smith? If he can, and 1 am convinced he cannot, then I would say the railwaymen were only pulling the extremists' legs. You cannot mate me believe that railwaymen in. Taranaki would support such a revolutionary party. If they did they would fall very considerably in the estimation of all law-abiding citizens, and it would only show that disloyal propaganda was. creeping jn, even in Joyal flittle .Hawera. So niueih for "Moderate's" slanders on our splendid railway service, at least s6 far\as Taranaki is concerned. .My Labour friend asks what party railwaymen in this district; will support after this election if Mr. Massey's prediction comes true that there will be only two parties in the House-—Reform and Labour. ( Well, as they certainly will not support the revolutionary party then in 1925 they will be found supporting Mr. Dixon, that must 'be selfevident. They certainly .will not support the Labour jcandidate. My friend has sent along a few other questions, though he says be is convinced that Mr. Astbui'y will not face them. They are, following' the numeration of my last letter, as follow* :— (8) Whose policy has Mr. Astbury ex-pounded--his own or that of the Liberal Party? (Note, my friend says that Mr. Wilford has not yet hateneif a policy for. his party). (9) How, does the Liberal policy differ in essentials from Reform? (My dear friend asks Mr. Astb.ury not to dish up "' 'proportional representation,^ "because he says i;hat you, sir, in a leading article a while back showed that the Liberals were not sincere, inasmuch as when they could have had proportional representation for the Legislative' Council, when they were members of the Coalition, they "refused it and preferred the nominated system). , . - (10) Can Mr. Astbury name one important measure that Reform has introduced; during' the present Parliament that Liberalism as a body has opposed? (N. 8.: My friend says hV will add another fiver if Mr. Astbury satisi factorily answers this with, the other questions). i " (11) Is it a fact that at the last election in electorates where there was no Liberal standing, such as Palmerston North \ and Otaki, the Liberals were advised by Sir Joseph Ward and other -Liberal leaders to" vote for Reform find jagainst Labour, and if so. does Mr. Astbury approve this policy? (12) If, after the coming election, the Liberal Party is defunct, which. will Mr. Astbury support—Reform or Labour? (13) Is Mr. Astbury prepared to decry that Liberals like R. W. , Smith fWaimarino), McCallum (Wairau), Vigor Brown (Napier) and other Liberals will make similar "arrangements'' with Mr. Massey before election, day as Mpo^s Isitt and Witty have done, and if they do will he say how much of the old party will Tie left?--! am.-■etc.. LIBERAL DIEHARD.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In your issue of October 9 appears a lengthy letter over the norn de plume of "Liberal Diehard." His sarcastic jibe at the tame, sane rail- ' way workers of a place not 100 miles from Taranaki (Hawera) is, in my opinion, $, compliment to the railwaymen. Mr. Editor, can you or anyone else show me where there is any sense or progress in running a Labour candidate in the Patea electorate at the ! forthcoming elections, in the face of past events? Prior to the general elections, when the late Mr. Powdrell was returned, a branch of the New Zealand Labour Party was formed in Hawera. It was decided to run a candidate, who polled about 500 votes. At the by-election in 1921 all the Labour men from Auckland to Dunedin invadted the electorate to assist Labour's hope, Mr. Mcllvride, yet all they could do was to increase Labour's vote by less than 100 votes. At a meeting of the Hawera branch of the N.Z. Labour Party, held recently, it was decided to | run a candidate at the forthcoming 1 election. Members of the party turned up to address local railwaymen on a I;recent Sunday, but as only half a dozen tame, loyal railwaymen were • oresent. it was decided to call another ] meeting during the week, when only ' four tame, sane railwaymen attended.

The above facts explain why "Liberal Diehard" sneers at the railwaymen, and possibly why the local branch decided not to run a candidate. Had tne local Labour leaders decided to canvass the electorate for funds to be used, to contest city seats I am inclined to think they would have met Avith. a ready response from the railwaymen. Instead tiiey run their heads against a brick wall, and bounce back witn jibes and sneers at all who will not follow them. In the face of the following resolution, which was carried at the last conference of the New Zea£ud Labour Party, held at Wellington, "That in recognition of the fact that this is an era of social production, the' party declares that craft organisation' as a class weapon for the workers is

obsolete, and pledges itself to organisation of the workers along the lines oi industry," it appears to me the New Zealand Labour Party, along with the Alliance of Labour, are out after the control of the railway unions. I don't mind saying right here, Mr. Editor, that this will come to pass about the same date as a Labour candidate is elected in the Patea electorate. To any sane person who has followed the trend of industrial .events during the past 10 years it should be perfectly clear which form of organisation bears the best results. The following strikes--1921 in the Old Country, 1922 South Africa, 1922 United States, 1916 NewSouth Wales, 1921 France, 1921 Italy, 1913 New_ Zealand, were each and all dismal _failures J ami eaell and * everyone was run by either an Alliance or Federation of Labour. In conclusion, Mr. Editor,. I do not think the New Zealand railwaymen have anything to gain by throwing" their weight' into the New Zealand Labour Party. Queensland, under a Labour "Government, has just reduced the railwaymen's wages, in spite of the fact, that they are the worst paid in any of the Australian States. Thanking you in anticipation^ *—I am, etc., ' COMMON SENSE LABOUR, i P. S.—Since I penned the above an--other correspondent has a further jibe at the railwaymen's loyalty. He does not know what he is talking about. All the railwaymen are not linked up with the Alliance of Labour. The A.S.B.S. consists of 10,000 members, and it would be strange indeect 3F Stere were not a hundred or so ; extremists who consistently contribute to their official organ. The responsibility for the 1920 strike does not belong to any member of the railway unions.