POLITICAL CAMPAIGN

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 277, 27 October 1925, Page 4

POLITICAL CAMPAIGN

PRIME MINISTER’S TOUR. ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION IN TARANAKI. Per Press Association. NEW PLYMOUTH, Oct. 26. In continuation of his North Island tour the Prime Minister arrived at New Plymouth last night from Te Kuiti. ‘This afternoon lie addressed a meeting at Inglewood, where lie received a splendid reception, being accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. To-night Mr Coates addressed a big meeting here, receiving an enthuse iastic welcome with a vote of thanks and confidence at the conclusion, a vote of no-confidence being overwhelmingly defeated. The speech of the Premier covered the main planks of the Government’s policy. Mr Coates said that there had recently been a statement issued from the machine of a party opposite to him in which it was said the railways were not paying, that last year the return for capital expenditure was only 3.81 per cent, while the money for the railways was borrowed at five per cent. Mr Coates said the capital of tho railways was £45,000,000, and the cost of the borrowed money averaged slightly over four per cent. Tho policy of the Government in the past had been to earn 3] per cent, on the railways and it intended in future to earn just slightly over 4} per cent. The Prime Minister went on to refer to the loss in the railway revenue last year _ as already announced, and then outlined tho department’s progressive policy. He was emphatic in stating that the department had to advance to meet the requirements of progress, and though some people were saying it was time to call a halt, tho Government would not call a halt but would develop the services to meet the needs. Regarding the Civil Service, he said that though tho legislation provided for a third cut in salaries that cut would not be made. Mr Coates emphasised the necessity to keep taxation down. Regarding customs, he showed that the growth in revenue was due to expansion of imports. The general reduction in taxation during the last four years was £5 16s 3d per head. To-morrow Mr Coates will open the Opunake railway and deliver political speeches at other centres in Taranaki.

RUMOUR OF REDUCED WAGES

PRIME MINISTER’S DENIAL

NEW PLYMOUTH, Oct. 26

The Prime Minister issued the following statement to-niglit: “I observe, notwithstanding official denials already publicly made, that statements are still being made during the present election campaign by candidates representing the Labour Party that the Government intends to reduce the wages of workers by 7s 6d per week. I have already explicitly stated that there is no such intention and I deem it my duty, in justice to tho Government, to say again that the statement is an absolute fabrication and entirely without foundation. Tho repetition of this falsehood shows a poor conception of fair tactics on the part of those persisting in its circulation. It is indicative of its falsehood that official denials have not been met by any attempt at proof but by mere repetition.”

‘‘The Liberals are fleeing from their name, like rats leaving a sinking ship,” said Air Holland at Christchurch. “As a Party the Liberals have really gone out of existence.”

MANAWATU ELECTORATE. MR LINKLATER AT BULLS. An attentive hearing was accorded Hr J. Linldater at Bulls last evening when ho addressed a well attended meeting over which Mr Maunsell presided. The candidate spoke on the lines of his campaign in other parts of tho electorate, and on the motion of Mr Gaisford was accorded a vote of thanks. PALMERSTON SEAT.

Mr J. A. Nash will address the electors at Aokautere Hall to-night at 8 o’clock. OROUA SEAT. Mr Gordon Elliot will speak at Bunnythorpc hall to-night at 8.15. PREMATURE JUBILATION. OLD ELECTION INCIDENT. SUCCESS BECOMES DEFEAT. The occurrence of a general election campaign simultaneously with the death of Pastor Joseph Foster, of Hamilton, recalls to the minds of oldtime politicians an incident which caused amusement in connection with tho elections of 1905, and which is cited as another proof that in politics, as in sport, it is never wise to shout until the final numbers are up. At that time the Seddon Government was in office, and Mr Foster was living at Wnihi, and was the Government candidate for Bay of Plenty soat, in opposition to the sitting member. Mr (afterwards Sir William) Herries. On polling day, the returns for Wnihi town were completed very quickly, and gave Mr Foster the heavy majority of 779. With so large an advantage at one centre it looked as though Air Foster must win the seat. So thought Air Seddon, who wns sitting in his office in Wellington that evening, scanning the telegraphed returns, as they came in, with the eye of a veteran campaigner. In his exultation at the evident rejection of one of the members he most feared in the Opposition ranks, he at once sent off a telegram directed to “Air Foster, M.H.R., Wuihi,” congratulating him upon his return. Before the evening closed, however, the wires told a different story. Practically all the country polling-places gave Mr Herries heavy majorities, and Air Foster only small bunches of votes. Gradually the Waihi margin was whittled away, until the final return showed Mr Herries at the head of the aggregate poll with a majority of 150. OUR IMMIGRANTS. NOT ALL THE RIGHT TYPE. SAYS AIR V. H. POTTER. Deploring “the influence of Socialist doctrines,” Air V. H. Potter, at an election meeting at Auckland, after expressing fear that wo were not getting the right typo of immigrant, said tho young men of to-day appeared to bo growing up more and more helpless, were not prepared to do what their elders had done, and were obsessed with the idea of money and pleasure.

When Air Potter went on to say that the extreme Labour Party was increasing this element, telling the young people to work fewer hours a week for more money—an unhealthy doctrine that would bo as big a curse to New Zealand ns it had been to Russia. Referring to the sending of a message of sympathy to Mrs Lenin on the death of Air Lenin, Air Potter said it was an atrocious thing that any organisation in New Zealand should bo guilty of condoning the acts of such an arch-murderer as Lenin. While on this subject, ho declared that never in the past fifteen years had he seen such

a bitter and antagonistic feeling displayed to Great Britain as had been exhibited in this election campaign. It was tho bounded duty of the electors to see that the extreme Labour Party never got into power. As for putting the striking seamen in gaol, said Air Potter, the treatment was too good for them. It seemed they had nothing to do there hut smoko and read books from tho library. They would be getting moving pictures next. They ought to get “a short shrift and a merry one.” CAMPAIGN NOTES. “Can the candidate for Alanukau tell mo why he is different from the Biblical Jordan?” asked a. humourist of Mr W. J. Jordan at Point Chevalier, Auckland. “Yes,” Air Jordan responded; “the Biblical Jordan is always in its bod and I do not want to be.” “l T ou are wrong,” replied the questioner, “it is because lie cannot bo crossed.”

“I anv a Socialist in theory—probable' the majority of folk are,” remarked an elector as he left a meeting in Auckland last week, “hut I am not going to vote for Laliour and have my nice Utopian theories wrecked. As a matter of fact I feel that the small part of in}’ theories that can become practical in any lifetime have a batter hope with Mr Coates and men like him than witli a Labour Government that would begin by trying , to accomplish the impossible ail at once.”

The statement by a questioner at one of Sir James Parr’s meeting at Auckland that “birth is now done by regulation” convulsed the audience, which roared with laughter for a couple of minutes. “What' I arp trying to get at,” lie added,' “is that when you and I were born your mother confined me and my mother confined vou.” Once more the audience rocked. His complaint was against the effect upon fees of the regulations designed to reduce the danger of childbirth.. “I notice that the Christchurch Labourites are making a terrible fuss,” remarked the Alayor of Invercargill, Air Bain, the other day, “because their Alayor, a supporter of Labour himself, was not asked to preside at Air Coates’s address a few nights ago. I think that they should get a little of their own back, and so I would like to know why I was not asked to preside at Air Holland’s address here. I did not want the job, but I would have accepted it if I had been asked.”

“Have you ever worked on a farm?” Air Dunbar Sloane was asked at a meeting at Wellington. “Yes. I’ve worked on a farm, in a chemist’s shop, and as a land agent. I have also worked in a stokehold in the tropics—(cheers)—and spat coaldnst for a week after. It’s the hardest job in the world.”

Referring to tho antiquity of conciliation, Sir John Luke, during an address, mentioned that so long ago as the year 1812 Belgium had a Conciliation Act which was much on the same lines as the one in existence in New Zealand. However, as time went on the workers broke the Act down by asking for impossible conditions. History was evidently repeating itself, as attempts were being made on tho same lines by Labour here.

“If you have a home of your own then it should not take you two seconds to up your mind how to vote. It lias been said that the Labour Party’s new word ‘usehold’ was coined in Russia. It would not surprise me if that were so.”—Air Wright (Wellington Suburbs) at Watle.s town.

Talking about the Government’s earnest desire to help the farmers, Mr Dunbar Sloane, Reform candidate for Wellington Central, pointed out that experts hud been engaged to deal with all kinds of pests. A voice: Yes, at good screws. “Yes, if you had to chase flics all day you would want a good screw, too,” replied the candidate, amid applause. “You must have a cabbage garden,” said a would-be humorist at a meeting addressed by Miss Melville, ltofprm candidate for Grey Lynn. “Yes I had,” came the cheerful reply, “and-I grew good cabbages. I was born in the country and have a keen appreciation of land.”

Speaking at Newstead, Mr J. A. Young, candidate for Hamilton, emphasised that sound finance was the basis of good government. The administration of expenditure by the State departments had, of recent years, been thoroughly reorganised. Strict business methods had been adopted and political influence had been entirely eliminated in the matter of the distribution of grants and subsidies. The Government had concentrated on the completion of public works in the order of their importance, and had decentralised as far as practicable the administrative authority. Mr Coates had intimated that these principles would be adhered to and extended in order that the taxpayers might have confidence that full value would bo received. “A dead horse does not get any sweetfer through lying about the premises. It is dead, and the best tiling is to get rid of it.”—The Minister of Lands when speaking of money that had been written off in connection with swamp lands - “In land* tenure, you have the freehold, which the Reform Government believes is the best for the small farmer, and the leasehold with option of purchase,” said Mr E. D. McLennan at Pukekolic. “And then there is Labour’s proposal, of a ‘usehold,’ which would bo a ‘no-hold’ as far as the individual was concerned.” (Laughter and loud applause.)

“When I had to decide which camp 1 would enter in the campaign, I asked myself whether I should have for my leader Major Coates, the Prime Minister, a splendid soldier and a proved statesman, or Mr Holland, an avowed revolutionary, and a preacher of class hatred and warfare.”—Mr W. E. Leadley, Reform candidate for Avon. If the attendance at a meeting atdressed by Mr M. J. Savage in Hamilton can be taken as a criterion, very little interest is being taken by the people of Hamilton in the Labour Party's policy. The meeting had been well advertised,, and the weather conditions were fair. When the meeting commenced 20 minutes after the time appointed, the audience consisted of seven ladies and five men. Shortly afterwards two of the men left, leaving a very thin house for the deputyleader of the Labour Party to address.

The actions of the Government in the last three years had been for the benefit of the people: ns a whole, and not for any particular section. Charges had been made that some of the legislation bad been for the' purpose of catching votes, but he could prove the fallacy of this. There were 500 farmers who owned over 5000 sheep. Was the Government going to favour those for their votes, which were small in number? There were 200 people with incomes of Over £IO,OOO, and among whom were only 20 private individuals. Was the Government so foolish as ro sfek to benefit such a few people lor the sake it their votes? The idea was i.bsurd.---Mr 0. J. Hawken, Reform candidate for Egmont.

“If you hear any rumours of proposals to reduce the widows’ pension,” said Air C. E. Statliam at Dunedin, “I hope you will treat them as absolute nonsense. There is not a Government of any kind that wiil dare to reduce the pensions, because they know very well that the moment they do so they will leave the Treasury benches.” A report is being circulated in Oamaru, as part of the political campaign, that Alr .E. P. Lee, the Reform candidate for this electorate, is in the sere and the yellow leaf, being 73 years of ago (says the North Otago Times). A reference to tlie “Wlio’s AYlio” certainly bears out the report, for it credits Air Lee with having been born in 1852. As a matter of fact, Air Leo, who ought to know, states that he was horn in 1862. From the way in which he is getting round the electorate one would think ho was a juvenile. The Nationalist candidate was horn in 1864, so that there is only a couple of years’ difference in the ages of the two candidates. As the old age story has proved a “dud,” the frenzied Nationalists will have to try and discover some other means of stemming the flow of votes in the direction of tile Coates candidate.

Especially in Wellington and Auckland, Government and Nationalist candidates are being harried by enemy skirmishers. Even her sex has not saved Aliss Alclviile, who is standing for an Auckland constituency, from these seemingly organised attacks. As the champions of free speech (for themselves) the Socialists are unexcelled. — New Zealand Times. The Prime Alinister steers clear ot personalities and objectionable forms of public address. “I am not using any extravagant language respecting the Labour Party,” lie remarked at Te Kuiti oil Saturday night. “It is not my habit to blackguard anybody. I only try to put the case plainly before the people, and ask them to judge for themselves whether it is better than the one I find tlie other side lias put before them.”

If the Libei als succeeded in upsetting the Government, Air 0. J. Hawken, Reform candidate for Egniont, supposed they would ai.leii.nt to carry on with the help of Labour, lie was satisfied that il tlie electors know what had been going on in tlie last three years they would not take tho great risk ot putting the National Party in power. The Reform Party under Air Coates meant security, and he was perfectly satisfied it would bo disastrous it a strong party were rot returned.

As an experienced chemist, would you be in favour of administering sleeping draughts to a few Labour political pests, or would you chloroform them? This question was asked Air Dunbar Sloane at a meeting in Wellington, but the storm of hoots from tho rowdy element" present prevented him from replying.

“We read in the Bible that Nebuchadnezzar called on Daniel not merely to interpret his dream, but first of all to tell him what his dream was, which was about as hard' a task as could well lie given to any man. But the candidate who lias to interpret the Labour land policy lias an equally difficult task. He lias to reconcile irreconcilable provisions and contradictory policies.”—Hon. Downie Stewart.

Mr J. Hargest, Reform candidate for Invercargill, spent some time recently answering Sir Joseph Ward’s financial policy, and in doing so referred to his remark,' “How long can this mad growth in our expenditure be maintained?” Mr Hargest remarked that whilo Sir Joseph spoke of cutting down the national debt and limiting expenditure, iii the same breath he proposed completing four railway lines in the north over 100 miles in extent, and involving the expenditure of millions. “In other words,” said Mr Hargest, “Sir Joseph proposes to perform the old trick of eating his cake and still having it.”

Answering an interjector at Point Chevalier, Sir James Parr caused much laughter by saying, “I’m asport, and if my friend Mr Mason gets in, I’ll be sport enough not to lodge a petition against strawberries and cream.”

“You be quiet or get out of here,” said Miss Melville, Reform candidate for Grey Lynn, when she was interrupted by someone on the platform. “This is my platform and you are only on it by courtesy.” After that there was no further disturbance from that quarter. “I am a believer in thrift. Thrift iff the bridge over which labour passes to become capital. Every man and woman who has a bank account in the Post Office has by thrift saved labour, and all saved labour is capital. That is the way all people lay the foundation of independence.”—Mr A. B. Sievwright at Berhampore, Wellington. An amusing incident occurred during the address of Mr 13. J. Cooke, the (Labour candidate for Wairau, at Canvastown. Mr Cooke was referring to interest charges. “What is it, ladies and gentlemen,” he asked, “that keeps you awako at night, hour after hour, while you toss and turn and rack your brains?” “Crossword puzzles!” came the reply, and the meeting resolved into uproarious laughter. “It does not pay to be wealthy in New Zealand to-day. The Government takes a big slice in taxation, and when a wealthy man dies it has another big cut out of the cst:>ie. Death duties are very high in the Dominion.” —Mr A. Hamilton) Reform candidate for Wallace.