GENERAL ELECTION.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 1437, 10 December 1919, Page 5

GENERAL ELECTION.

MASSEY IX THE NORTH. A HEARTY WELCOME. (Per Press Association). AUCKLAND, Last Night. The Prime Minister had a remarkable reception at Tuakau this afternoon. The town was gaily decorated, and children lined the approach to the hall, which was crowded. The chairman extended a hearty welcome to Mr Massey, whose name, he said, was familiar throughout the world as the result of his conspicuous work as •the head of the National Government. Mr Massey was received with cheers, and his speech was punctuated with applause. Alluding to defence, he said he did not suggest a great standing army, but it was essential to keep the Navy supreme. (Applause.) Dealing with the Opposition and extreme Labour parties, which he said appeared to be in competition as to which should have the greatest number of nationalisation proposals, he said it reminded him of the doctor who prescribed the same pill for every illness. (Laughter.) In this case nationalisation was the one pill. While believing that nationalisation was necessary to break up monopoly, he laid down the principle that the State should not interfere with an industry which could better be run by private individuals. He declared his belief that the principle cause of the increase of the cost of living was the tremendous issue of paper currency, which had the ’ inevitable effect of cheapening money. He did not believe the cost of living would be greatly reduced until much of the paper currency was withdrawn, and this would be a gradual process. New Zealand would welcome ex-service men whom Britain was going to assist to go abroad, and in glowing terms he spoke of the great ideal of Kipling—a British people under the Flag. A unanimous vote of thanks and confidence was carried, amid cheers.

WARD IN DANNEVIRKE. ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION. PROSPECTS OF LIBERAE PARTY. Sir Joseph Ward halted for a while in Dannevirke this (Tuesday) afternoon (writes our correspondent) on his way by motor to Hastings. For some time prior to Ms .arrival, a large crowd gathered in the vicinity of the Post Office. Sir Joseph was received by the Town Clerk and Mayor (Mr G. I. Anderson) and he renewed acquaintances with several old friends. From the ssrtqps of the Post Office, the Mayor and Sir,, Joseph addressed the assemblage. The Mayor expressed the pleasure it gave him to heartily welcome him on ) behalf of the residents of the district, | (Hear, hear..) ."Sir Joseph, he said, was no stranger to .them, as he had visited the town on. "former occasions, and on the eve. of a -general election, they were taking the opportunity of hearing from him matters pertaining to politics and the welfare of <the country. (Hear, hear.) He .referred to the many changes which had taken ( placc since Sir Joseph last visited the town —the war and the big lire in .the town. No doubt Sir Joseph could have noticed the marked difference in the town, and he would like to ask him if he did not sympathise with .the people in having to do i business inrsuch an antiquated post oflicc. {Hear, .hear and laughter.) He: drew Sir Joseph’s attention to the fact that. V.he post office w y as erected in 1896 —26 years .ago, -and what was considered an excellent structure in those days ; did not meet present day requirements. He was sure Sir Joseph w r ould sympathise with them in having to do their • business in this little rabbit hut. The Mayor again referred to .the fitting opportunity of hearing Sir Joseph. (Applause.) Sir Joseph Ward, who was greeted j with loud .applause, said ho did not ex- . pect to meet such a large gathering. , At Pahiatua, a similar welcome had been extended to him that day, and he I appreciated these receptions very much 1 indeed. In referring to the new struc- • turcs in the town, he congratulated the people on their enterprise and the progress of the town. He expressed cordial appreciation of the Mayor in drawing attention ■to the state of the post office building, and explained that he (Sir Joseph) was not committal on the eve of an election, , but he hoped to be | returned to office, and through Mr Ross, i their future member, the hoped they would be aMe to make their representations to trim. (Laughter.) Sir Joseph then proceeded to refer to the stressful times -which w r c were passing through, which the people of this country did not '.stfffieiently realise. lie alluded to the '‘bankrupt condition of l Franco, Italy, Germany and, Russia, and what he himwlf had witnessed in the devastation of 'big. cities in the war area. He referred to the great tasks ahead of us, the great increase in the public debt, and the large -sums of money to be found annually in interest, etc., and stressed the need of-a bold, courageous policy (during the next five years, and the prosecution of j, vigor•ous public'works 'policy, land •■settlement for soldiers, and the need for greatly increased production. The war had left us six thousand houses short in New Zealand, and Sir Joseph Ward then outlined his housing schemes Tor those of incomes under £3OO a year. He explained the easy system of payments and purchase, and his-proposal for (ho financing of the scheme. Sceptics ovei i 23 years had predicted disaster in liis financial assistance to workers and farmers—cheap money scheme- —but he pointed out how it had been a huge . success, how many thousands had participated in its benefits, and the profits derived to the State from the scheme. In mentioning the need of a strong Government, lie advised them not to believe that the doing well in the election was all on the other side. Ho was not disparaging the Government, but he piedicted that both in the North \ and 'South islands the Liberal Party would he returned. It was the strongest party in flic election. (Hear, hear.) (Sir Joseph next mentioned the tact that he had made X 5 speeches since Parliament • •mtos.p in the present campaign and he made some allusions to his becoming a talking machine, which •after (he election, could bo put on the matkel and sold to the highest bidder. (Laugh- ' ter.) He was very pleased to meet Mr Ross Cl he Liberal candidate) among them and he bespoke for him the heart y Support of the electors and that (hoy would give him a good majorily, in | order (<> help (lie Liberal Party in tin' >

great work to bo undertaken. Sir Joseph 1 licit proceeded to make a t'ow remark:/ on optimism and pessimism and to exyro.ss his groat dislike for the pessimist. He was out for the safety of the country and financial stability. He alluded fo the development of

hydro-clcctricity, and what the future had in store in the course of a few years in the supplying of cheap motive power, and the revolutionising of various industries and manufactures. He predicted that in 15 years’ time steam engines would be a thing of the past. Among other things, he mentioned that hydro-electricity would produce cheap fertilisers for the farmers. He contrasted our advantages on water power with those of America. In conclusion, he thanked them sincerely for their kind welcome. He believed that occasionally they criticised him—(laughter)—but he had an easy conscience and lost no sleep. He kept on smiling and his desire was to promote the happiness and welfare of the people. (Applause.) The Mayor regretted that the time was limited and that Sir Joseph could not stay longer. At his call, three hearty cheers were given for Sir Joseph. Sir Joseph Ward expressed his appreciation of the encouraging cheer they had given and the stimulus it had. At Sir Joseph’s call, three cheers were given for the Mayor and “one for the candidate.” After further exchanges of friendship, Sir Joseph and party then resumed their trip to Hastings. HASTINGS AUDIENCE CRITICAL. (Per Press Association). NAPIER, Last Night. Sir Joseph Ward arrived in Hastinbs by motor-car this evening-, and addressed a very large audience in the Municipal Theatre. He received a good hearing and was seldom interrupted. At the conclusion of his address a vote of thanks and confidence met with an equal volume of ayes and notes, but was declared carried by the Mayor (Mr G. Ebbett), who occupied the chair. It is understood that Mr J. A. Nash has been selected as the P.P.A. candidate for the Palmerston seat. The country is governed by a Cabinet caucus instead of by the representatives of the people. This cannot be good for the community as a whole. If the present system is to continue, then we might as well dispense with the sendees of about seventy men in the Ho-'se, and hand over the control entirely to the Cabinet. —“Wairarapa Age. ' Far more >on the Conservative side than on the Liberal side were declaring themselves Independents because they were dissatisfied. If the Massey Government possessed all the virtues, the rank and file would not be taking that stand.—-Sir James Carroll.

“Has’the Government of this country ever tried to make this country happier and brighter for the people?” asked Mr A. L. Monteith, Labour ■candidate for Wellington East. “I do not think so. If I did, I should not be standing here to-night. You have had commissions and boards until you are bored to death, and you have had legislation that does nothing. 1 need only refer you to land legislation and land aggregation. What has the Massey legislation done on the subject of aggregation and re-aggrega-tion? My occupation takes me all ■over New Zealand, and I talk to farmers .wherever I go ,and wherever I go I find the same thing—land getting Into the hands of the few. Here it will be one family, where there were half a dozen before, and there it may even he worse; from North to South : you find it everywhere. And yet there is .a land-hunger.” "We are told,” said LieutenantColonel Mitchell, the Independent ; .candidate for the Wellington South seat, “that New Zealand cannot hope ; to compete with English or foreign manufacturers on account of the higher rate of wages in the Dominion, ; but I believe that the wages in other countries are being levelled up to ours. Let us manufacture our own raw materials, for why should we send our wool 13,000 miles across the sea, only to bring it back over those 13,0(00 miles of water, and then pay duty on it before we put it on our backs? Why should we send our ! leather to America, and buy American boots made of New Zealand ' leather? When we realise our possibilities, as a manufacturing people, we shall ibe less at the mercy of men like Coats,who are making profits of 4'o per cent ,at the expense of the working people.” First and foremost, said the speaker, develop hydro-elec-tric power. So far.as can be ascertained, there are .22.7 .candidates nominated for the j :80 seats. These are standing in the j following (interests: — Reform C 3 Liberal . Cl ‘Labour 54 Independent Liberal ... . 15 Independent, 15 Independent Reform ... 6 Independent Labour ... 9 Not declared 4 The Labourites . are contesting the whole '.of the city seats and many of those in the country. There are two Reform candidates in two of the districts, and the Liberal vote is being split iaa two .electorates. Honours in this connection are, therefore, even. The Reformers have no candidates in seventeen electorates, and the Liberals none in .nineteen. “Scores and scores of Niagaras, as far as power is concerned, are going to waste in New Zealand,” declared Sir Joseph Ward at Martinborough. He held that the Government should order all the necessary machinery , immediately, so that-within three and | a-half or four years at the most the great sources .of powers would be at the disposal .of the people throughout ; New Zealand. Upon an estimate he . had seen recently, power in New Zealand would cost the people two and a-half tiroes less than the power from Niagara cost the people drawing jpower from -there. New 'Zealand .could not toe put upon tire same plane (industrially as America, but by failing to develop the sources of power 'lying at its doo.es the country was losing a great 'Opportunely. All?, the railways of the country, he added, should bo run within the next fifteen years by electric power. Writes an exasperated ■'•‘Sykesitc” in a Masterlon paper: It its widely known that the F.'P.A. stands for MassoySsm, or Toryism, and that by bringing religion into politics we are getting Vrack to the dark ages. Mr Kemp Shows, however, that Mr Sykos is the "official” R.P.A. candidate through no fault of his own. He did not wish to be, it was cast upon him. and Mr Sykes will have the sympathy of a large number of friends in his sad bereavement. Mr Sykes may well exclaim, “Save me from my fj-iends.’