POLITICAL CAMPAIGN

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 276, 26 October 1925, Page 4

POLITICAL CAMPAIGN

PALMERSTON SEAT. A meeting of Mr J. A. Nashua committee is called for Mr W. McKenzie’s rooms, Broadway, to-night at 7.3?). Mr Nash will address tho electors tomorrow evening at Aokautere. A meeting of Mr Nash’s supporters and committee will bo held at tho Coronation Hall to-morrow evening at 3 o’clock. NOMINATIONS FOR OROUA ELECTORATE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The following nominations have been received for the Oroua electorate: John Gordon Elliott, nominated by Edwin Hicks, Blacksmith, Feilding; Alfred Kidd, farmer, lviwitca; Gordon Christian Harris, farmer, Feilding; Victor Emanuel Smith, land agent, Feilding; Bruce McLeod, sheepfarmer, Colyton; N. G. Minson, Mm. McEwen Stewart Hugh Osborne, M. Berryman, jun., R. H. 11. Guthrie, 0. McElroy and D. S. Goodwin. Richard Gobbe, nominated by Jas. Campbell, stationer, Feilding; John Geo. Cobbe farmer, Feilding. John Henry Taylor, nominated by Joseph Whittle, farmer, Feilding; Percy Goldsmith Guy, merchant, Feilding; John Cork head, carrier, Feilding; Frederick Augustus Edwards, dairyman, Feilding. VISIT TO HAMILTON. PRIME MINISTER’S TOUR. CORDIAL RECEPTION. Per Press Association." HAMILTON, Oct. 24. Mr Coates made a short visit to Hamilton yesterday and opened the Railway Institute, erected by the employees of the Frankton house lactory. He was welcomed to iho electoral e by Mr J. A. Young and other speakers. The Prime Minister congratulated the employees upon the enterprise and co-operation shown between the controlling and working staffs in the erce tion of tho building. Only by team work could results be obtained. Good bosses mado good men, and a good understanding between them procured good results. Ho could not please everybody and be was not going to try. but lie wanted tho walkers in the department to 'eel happy am: fonu utcd, and lie desired close co-operation between all sections. They could make the department a success by pulling together. He would like to see the same spirit which was responsible for the erection of the institute permeate the department from the youngest member of the working staff to the highest of the executive heads. The Prime Minister was cordially received, and left later for Te Aroha, where lie delivered a short speech, and then visited Te Awainutu and Cambridge. ENTHUSIASM AT TE AWAMUTU. Per Press Association. TE AWAMUTU, Oct. 24. The Prime Minister was greeted last night by an enthusiastic audience at Te Awainutu, and delivered a vigorous campaign address. He was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence in his administration. In tho course of his address Mr Coates announced that Te Awainutu would he included in the scheduled stopping places of the Main Trunk daylight expresses, in addition to those already announced. GATHERING AT CAMBRIDGE. Per Press Association. CAMBRIDGE, Oct. 24. The Prime Minister addressed a largo and enthusiastic meeting in the Cambridge Town Hall last night, when fully 1000 were present, many being unable to gain admittance. Tho Prime Minister spoke for an hour and three-quarters and received a most sympathetic hearing. A vote of thanks and confidence in the Reform Party and Mr Coates as leader was carried with great enthusiasm, followed by continuous cheers and the singing of “He’s a jolly good fellow.” TE KUITI VISITED. ROUSING RECEPTION. TE KUITI, Oct. 25. Tho Premier, on arrival at Otorolianga at 4 p.m. on Saturday, had a rousing reception. On entering the hall to speak 20 Maori women gave a haka of welcome and goodwill. Ho met a deputation of Maoris, who made a request that Maori land ho exempt from rates. In reply, the Premier stated that he would look into the legislation on the matter, but considered that in tlie host interests of the Maoris and the Dominion they should work the land themselves and help pay for the roads and development. Tho Premier arrived at To Kuiti at 6 p.m., when there was a large crowd to meet him at the station and cheers were given for him and Mrs Coates. Ho was welcomed by tile Mayor. The thcatro was packed and be had an orderly but enthusiastic meeting. Mr Coates dealt with the aims of the Government if returned to power. A vote of thanks and confidence was passed with a few dissentients. The Premier and party left by motor for New Plymouth on Sunday morning. RUMOUR OF REDUCED WAGES. STATEMENT BY~MR HOLLAND. GISBORNE, Oct. 25. The City Hall was crowded last night, the occasion being an address by Mr H. E. Holland, the Labour leader. He gave an outline of the Labour policy on the lines of addresses elsewhere. With reference to the Labour claim that.the Government intended to reduco wages 7s Gd weekly to assist tlie family allowance scheme, Mr Holland held, that although Mr Coates denied that such a scheme had been considered by tho Government it was very significant that the Minister of Labour (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) remained silent on the point. It was unquestionable, ho contended, that the Minister' must have approved of the inclusion of the scheme in tho annual report, of tho Secretary of Labour.

Mr Holland did not reply to recent criticism in connection with Labour’s platform. After an attentive hearing no was awarded a vote of thanks by general acclamation.

CONTRADICTION BY MINISTER. SUGGESTION NEVER BEFORE GOVERNMENT. GORE, Oct. 26. The Hon. G. J. Anderson, Minister of Labour, replied to (ho statement made by Mr H. E. Holland in Wellington that tho Minister of Labour had carefully considered a reduction in wages of 7s Cd a week. This proposition appeared in the annual report of tho department. Tho Minister does not dictate (says Mr Anderson) to the Secretary of Labour what the latter shall publish and tho latter is allowed to incorporate in reports views which no Minister

could hope to give effect to, but which were of universal interest. The proposed reduction of tho 7s 6d weekly from tho wages of workers concerned was totally opposed by Mr Anderson. No such suggestion had ever been beforo the Government, which had never considered the matter. The opinion on family allowances in tho report was merely an academic expression by tho Secretary for Labour. “DIRTIEST ELECTION.” “Statements are being made by the opponents of the Reform Party that are absolutely incorrect,” said Mr R. A. Wright, the Reform candidate for Wellington Suburbs, at Maranui. A statement had been made that Reform had for election purposes made attempts to involve the watersiders in a strike. If any member of the Reform Party tried to induce any section of workers to go on strike, the party would “go down ten thousand fathoms deep on November 4.” Such a statement should have been backed by facts or withdrawn. It would he a diabolical thing to do, and if it could be proved tho candidate would not remain in tho party five minutes. “I venture to say this is going to be the dirtiest election ever fought,” said Mr Wright, who went oil to state that Mr W. Nash, another Labour candidate, had said that the Reform Government had passed laws that filled tho pockets of its friends. When a sweeping charge like that was made there should he evidence to support it, otherwise it should be withdrawn. Tho candidate then referred to Mr Harkness, the Nationalist candidate for Otaki. Mr Harkness was now quoting the Bible to show what the Reform Party was. It was an extraordinary thing that three years ago Mr Harkness stood as an Indepdent Reformer. He was now calling them hypocrites. At tho last election lie was singing their praises, and now lie was running them down. When a man did that he killed his own chances.

RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH

ATTACK ON MISS MELVILLE,

“COWARDLY TREATMENT.”

Scathing comment on the conduct of the section of the audience responsible for tlie uproar at the meeting addressed hv Miss E. Melville on Tuesday, was made by Mr V. H. Potter, Government candidate for Roskill, at a meeting at Epsom. “There are Socialistic supporters who would deny the right of free speech,” said Mr Potter. “Tho treatment accorded Miss Melville was cowardly, unmanly and un-British. There is no doubt these men go about in cliques. They pick on a speaker and try to wear him or her out by persistent heckling. It is despicable for men to pick on a woman because they differ from her in politics.”

A member of the audience rose at this juncture, apparently with the intention of offering some excuse for the attack on Miss Melville. The audience forestalled him, and expressed approval of Mr Potter’s remarks by continuing an uproar of applause until tho objector resumed his seat. Mr Potter said it was significant that meetings addressed by Labour candidates were never disturbed. CAMPAIGN NOTES. Mr Field’s Otaki nominators are Messrs H. Freeman, R. W. Booth, H. L. Beauchamp, T. O’Rourke, O. J. D’Atli and Mrs Simcox. Mr Charles E. Statham has been nominated for tho Dunedin Central teat. Mr M. Fagan, Labour candidate for Motuqka, said he was strongly opposed to Communism, and such a tiling as nationalisation of land could not he thought of. When question time came at a meeting addressed by Miss Melville, Reform candidate for Grey Lynn, everybody wanted to ask questions at once, hut* the chairman soon restored order. One man stood up and shouted something at tho candidate in a thick voice. “I am not going to answer a man who talks to me like that,” said Miss Melvillo amid applause. "The Government of New Zealand must represent the ideals and aspirations, the patriotism and tlie loyalty of tlie country, and the Government must reflect the good sense of all the people,” stated Mr J. J. M'Grath, at Wellington. “"For the leadership of such a Government Mr Holland is temperamentally and by training totally unfitted, for lie is the product of machine-made politics. He must genuflect to the caucus, that aggregation of accrued brain storms, which will in effect become tho real Government of tho country, with Ministers as mere puppets. There has been ample evidence of that recently in the attitude and methods of the various State Labour Governments of the Commonwealth.” “As for the Labour Party’s platform —well, if they got into power tomorrow, it would take them 100 years to do one-tenth of it.” —Mr Dunbar Sloane, Reform candidate for Wellington Central. Asked at Mangahao why the Liberal Party had changed its name to National, Mr Hollings' (National candidate for. Manawatu) replied that lie personally had had nothing to do with the change, but obviously the reason was that the Liberal ranks might be opened wide enough to include all moderate people, who were against extremes, to form a strong National Government that would legislate along National lines for all classes without respect to party influences. Discussing the difference between Co-operative and Socialistic schemes of work at Maranui, Mr R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs) said that he had no fault to find with the co-operative tunnel work that had been done for the Wellington City Council. It was a very good job, and tlie men _ had made' a lot of money out of it. “It was one of your wild men who did that,” said an interjector. “Yes. But lie is very sano where money is concerned,” replied the candidate amid applause. •Mr Oakley Browne: Land is too dear, food is too dear—“ Yes, and beer is too dear,’’said a pathetic voice. Mr Yarnall, Labour candidate ior Roskill: I suggest you should vote Labour. Why 1 suggest that is—A voice:" Because you want a job. A significant contrast is presented by tho tone of two meetings held in the Point Chevalier" Public Hall on the lust two evenings, (says the Auckland Herald of Thursday) On Tuesday Sir James Parr, the Government candidate, had throughout his meeting to fight for a fair hearing against a minority of Labour interjectors. Last evening Air H. G. R. Mason, Labour candidate' for the scat, and Mr W. J. Jordan were able to speak almost without interruption, receiving a fair and courteous hearing. Both meetings were crowded, they were held on successive evenings, supporters of both parties were present on each occasion. Ihe difference in tho receptions accorded the candidates is tiio best commentary on the fair-mindedness of the opposing parties.