CAMPAIGN NOTES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 26 October 1928, Page 7

CAMPAIGN NOTES

WITH THE CANDIDATES NOTES FROM SPEECHES "How is it that Sir Francis Bell, the 'uncrowned King of New Zealand,' can hold a portfolio?" was a question put to Mr I!. McKeen, (Labour) in Wellington. "It's well known that he is the Government," replied Mr McKeen, who aclded that Sir Francis Bell had long years of service to his credit and was an exlremely able man. Mr McKeen said it Would have, been utterly impossible for Mr Coates to have carried on without the assistance of Sir Francis Bell, who was a very able man; one of the ablest in the Southern Hemisphere. "He is a power unto himself," declared Ml' McKeen.'

Mr F.'Colbeck, the Country Party's candidate for Tauranga, slated that the Country Party was not out as a farmers' party, and it's aim was to serve all interests. He claimed that instead of vote-splitting, as.was asserted by their opponents, the Country Party was doing exactly the opposite by inducing the farmers to vote together. Mr Seavill, Reform candidate for Raglan, described the Country Parly as a source of weakness ifl SOJTIQ filectoratCS, and said he was afraid it was going to split votes rather badly, but he hoped without fatal results to the Reform Party. He agreed with the Country Party's principal plank of free trade within the Empire. The only difference between the Reform Party and the Country Party was that the latter wanted things done more quickly. * * * *

Speculation was' indulged in by the Hon. R. A. Wright, speaking at Kelburn, as to how the United Party will vote on a no-confiden.ee motion moved by Labour if the two parties are returned with a majority between them. Mr Wright said that"for the sake of argument he would assume that the Labour Party and the United Party together had a majority in the new House —he did not believe for a. moment that that would be the case. Would the United Party vote with Mr Holland and bis colleagues to put the Government out of office? Two prominent candidates of the United Party had already stated that they would not do so, How would they vote, then? Would they vote for the Government which they had denounced in such strong terms?" "I can only suppose," said Mr Wright, "that when the division, bells ring they will 'duck' and lose themselves in Bellamy's or somewhere else until the division is over."

When Mr M. F. Luckie, Reform candidate for Wellington South, was speaking on the extreme Socialist question, an interjector claimed the late Mr Seddon as a Socialist, to which Mr Luckie replied that it would he enough to make Mr Seddon turn in. his grave to be coupled with the Labour-Socialist Party of the present day. Mr Seddon was one of the greatest individualists that had ever lived, but his Socialistic proclivities were on much broader and more humane lines than those of the so-called Socialists of the present dav. # * #. '«

Industrial disputes are diminishing in New Zealand. At Hataitai Mr T. For, svth said that in 1925 there were 83 disputes, in 1926 59 disputes, and in 1927 40 disputes, and of the latter number the Labour Department classified 27 as "trivial."

Dealing with immigration and unemployment, Mr M. Luckie disputed the fact that the Government was responsible for the position. To show that Labour was not sincere in this attitude he referred to a speech delivered by Mr C. H. Chapman,'a Labour candidate, who alleged, and rightly so, that the introduction of modern machinery had displaced a large number of workers during the past 20 years, and this was an increasing factor in reducing work for unskilled labour. The introduction of oil in place of coal on steamships was also causing fewer unskilled men to be employed. Mr Luckie asked whether the Government could be blamed for such a. position, which was practically world-wide, and which at the same time was of the greatest benefit to the world at large. So far as this Dominion was concerned the introduction of up-to-date methods had caused an enormous expansion in the production of our primary products, and had turned the balance of trade so greatly in our favour.

Mr Dunbar Sloane, Reform candidate for Wellington Central, at his first campaign meeting, devoted a considerable part of his address to. criticism of the Labour Party platform, and the views of the parly's leaders. A voice: "Why not 'have a smack at the United Party?" Mr Sloane: "I am not worrying about the United Party. This :s a ding-dong go between the Reform Party and the Labour Party; between Dunbar Sloane and Peler Eraser; and after this campaign is over I am going to Mr Coates, and will say, 'Here is Wellington Central for you'." (Applause.)

"When people get old they are lonely," said Mr R. McKeen, the Labour candidate for Wellington South, when advocating increase in pensions. "Their family grows up and gets married, and old people can never familiarise themselves with the younger generation." Mr

McKeen said that the pension of 17s 6d per week meant semi-starvation. One old man of 75 years had stated that ho received 17s 6d per week, and that lie paid 12s 6d per week rent, and that if it had not been for Canon Fielden Taylor he would have been able to jhave Had only one hot meal a week. Canon Fielded Taylor was supplying hot meals at 2d jpor meal, and if it had hot been io.r that, dozen:* of. jpoofUe would have beou in starvation!"

* * * # The only hope of increasing farming lies in the scheme advocated by Sir Joseph Ward, declared Mr S. C. G. Lye, the Liberal-Labour candidate for Hamilton. Speaking on the subject of "Land for the People," Mr Lye said the Liberal party had introduced the advances to settlers scheme, under which £40,000,000 had been distributed to the farmers. It had also introduced the co-operative system in industry in New Zealand whereby the dairy industry had achieved its present prominent position. Mr Lye said there had been an inequitable incidence of taxation since the Reform party came into power. While the tax on incomes at the bottom of the scale had been increased, that on incomes at the top had beon lessened. He strongly advocated the raising of a large loan, which would enable the Taupo railway and similar works io be rapidly completed. The farmer would always be an. impecunious straggler until a bold system of finance was adopted by the Government.

According to Mr R. McKeen, a "bombshell" is to be dropped during the election campaign in connection with the recent Dairy Control Board trouble. "Within the next two weeks," he said, "there will be a 'bombshell' as to what took place in connection with the Dairy Control Board, and <I hope that the explosion will be enough to smash the pre. sent Government."

The United Party stood for freedom for all,'a free Parliament,,and a free people-. Its motto was "Trust the people and let the people rule," said Mr J. B. Donald (United Party, Auckland East). With regard to freedom for all, the candidate did not hold with deportation without a fair trial. 'He did not say who was right or wrong in the Samoan affair, but he said emphatically it was not right to deport any man or woman without proper trial. If such things were permitted ,no one knows when it might be his turn next. Eternal vigilanco was the price of liberty, and the people should be jealous of their right to British justice. » » » »

The first duty of the State, said Mr F. E. Waite M.P. (Clutha) was to defend tlie nation from aggression, and the second was the preservation of peace and justice and justice within the State. It was in connection with the general welfare that all the arguments started, one set of people thinking one thing and another thinking differently. The greatest trouble to any Government was in resisting undue pressure from any sectional interest fostering its own ends. One of the 'greatest dangers of modern times was the system of advocacy of any particular interest throughout the Press of the Dominion. People swallowed the arguments being meted out, without considering the su.bject thoroughly, and the danger of undue pressure of public opinion in a misguided direction was greater than in mediaeval days when people could scarcely read or write. The trouble to-day was that people read, and they did not "think. The easiest way to destroy any party was 'to destroy its leader, and so for the last three years there had been consistent attacks on Mr Coates; but the Reform Party continued as solid to-day as when elected three years ago. . » # # »

The Prime Minister's manifesto was the most disappointing and futile document that had ever emanated from a public man. There was not a word of encouragement in it, nothing in the nature of achievements, and any policy that was at all a problem was avoided. As for land, which was admitted to be a burning question, there was not a solitary suggestion other than this—that the Government was making a few experiments with pumice lands, and in the distant future a block of 10,000 acres in the north would be subdivided. That was the Prime Minister's message to the young men of the country who were looking for land. —Mr W. A. Bodkin, United Party candidate for Central Ota go.

Although he is generally regarded as possessing the safest seat in the Dominion, the Minister of Public Works, the Hon, K. S. Williams, is not prepared to leave the electorate to take care of itself. Mr Williams stated at Gisborne that it is his intention to visit as much of the Bay of Plenty electorate as possible, not so much for the. purpose of electioneering as to enable him to get in touch with his constituents, a duty which is not without difficulty during most of the year, when his Ministerial duties keep him closely occupied. The Bay of Plenty electorate is recognised as being the hardest in New Zealand to work, .extending from, beyond Opotiki into, various parts of Poverty Bay, and covering no centres of even comparatively large population.

There was some opposition when Mr A. S. Richards, Labour candidate for Roskill, expressed-in emphatic terms his dislike for military training. "Is it a grand thing that your dear little Boy should be placed under the dominant control of the claw of militarism?" he asked amid guffaws. "Is it right that he should be forced to subject himself to the foul language that men use to him when he tries their patience, and that he should be placed in military camps under a system of segregation?" .A Voice: "Nonsense. Is that all yon can find to say?" Another voice : "Perhaps you would turn and fight if somebody chased you with a bayonet."

"Not one of the 16 points in the notable Coates Cabinet's manifesto of 1925 had been given effect to," stated Mr de la Perelle (Awarna) in a recent speech.

"It bad been a. Government of broken pledges and promises. Reform lived in the past. Reform worked for the wealthy Reform 'grab-alls,' while on the other band the United Party lived to solve neglected problems and to bring back that prosperity- New Zealand once enjoyed." The same speaker characterised the Coates' Administration, as a "borrow, squander and tax Government."

Speaking at a meeting addressed by Mr A. Harris, M.P., at Takapuna, the Hon. E. W. Alison, M.L.0., expressed the hope that Mr Harris would not support "the insane proposition to borrow £70,000,000 and bring ruin upon the country."

"Lndies and gentlemen," began the Mavor of Christchurch. the Rev. J. K. Archer, at Mr H. E. Holland's meeting in. Christchurch, "you will understand of course, that I am not here to-night to make a speech." "Hear, hear," came a cheerful voice from the back of the hall. The M'nyor was too experienced a chairman to be taken unawares by the interjection and as the laughter died down, be-expressed hearty agreement with his interjector. He said they had come along to hear the Leader of the

Labour Party and without further remarks lio would ask Mr Holland to •speak. 1 * * » •

The leopard could not change its spots, said Mr W. Seavill at To Awainutu, and although the Labour Party kept its extreme plank's in the background at election lime, there was no •doubt the menace of Socialism, as advocated by the Labour Rarty, still oi«s,t-', ed. ' By Socialism 1m meant the State ij control of the means of production,' dis- , ti'ibution and exchange. Since Mr Coatcs had been. Prime Minister he had done extremely well. The candidate had heard all the Cabinet Ministers speak and he had been greatly impressed with the enthusiastic interest each took in the department he had to administer and the thorough grasp each had of the details of his department. * * * »

Mr W. E. Taylor (United Party candidate for Wallace) is anxious to revive the glories of the old Liberal-Lab-our regime. Addressing a big meeting at Orepuki last week, he said: "In the old days there was no distinct Labour Party in Parliament, but the whole might of democracy was behind the Liberals, and the poorer classes were getting from the generous hands of the Liberals more than they have been able to achieve since the Labour Party hived off from the grand old Liberal-Labour bive. What, I ask, has the Labour Party been able to achieve during the tenure of the Reformers? They have worked gallantly, but are so hopelessly outnumbered that their achievements have been of little benefit to their own, class. This must continue while the Labour Party hold aloof from the successors to the old Liberals, and the split in the ranks alone makes it possible for the Reformers to hold office.-'

"Do not take a passage by that ship." said Sir James Gunson, Reform candidate for Auckland suburbs, in a passing reference to- the United Party. "They have a captain, now, but no rudder, and you do not know where you'will be landed. I respect the Labour Party, and believe its political convictions are sincerely held. But I put it that Reform offers a better hope of performance than either the Labour Party or the remnants of the Liberal Party, shattered, and living in the memory of the past." * * * »

"Sir Joseph Ward had given people, among other fine legislation, the Advances to Settlers Act, which had been described as one of the marvels of finance, while the Advances to Workers Act and Old Age, Pensions Act were further measures for which the people had to thank Sir Joseph Ward. Penny postage and the present efficient mail service were excellent examples of 'his great service to the country, while his work at Imperial Conferences had attracted world-wide attention."—Mr Loughnan, at Palmerston. • * « • Labour's main line of attack on the Government appeared to be that there has been too much borrowing, said Sir James Gunson, in a speech at Auckland. Taken at its face value, that criticism meant that the Government should either not have borrowed at all, or should not have borrowed so much. A very important contributory factor in causing the recent unemployment had been the greatly reduced expenditure by the Gov.ernment and local bodies. But if Labour had had its way, and had reduced borrowing, there would not only have been a reduction in the number in employment, but no employment at all in the great departments of State, as most of the works had to be done out of capital, and not out of revenue.

"In the event of the United Party moving a vote of no-confidence in the Government, how would the Labour Party vote?" was a question put to Mr Walter Nash, Labour candidate for Hutt, at Petone. "That is a strange possibility io anticipate/' replied Mr Nash. "I don't know how the Labour Party would vote if that happened. Possibly they would- vote to get rid of the present Government that they might get a little more out of the United Party. However, I can't see any difference between the two. parties: it's a case of Tweedledum and Tweedledee. But better the open enemy than the plausible friend."

If the Government must be condemned something else must be put in its place, comments "The Post." Mr Holland says Labour should be. No doubt there are some electors who will follow the example of the frogs in the fable and reject King Log without any inquiry as to the character and antecedents of King Stork. The moderate elector, we trust, will show more discernment. Though he may have complaints against the present Administration, lie will not allow grievances to outweigh judgment. He will put Labour upon its trial also. He will inquire particularly into the past conduct and present professions of the party on such issues as: Imperial policy, including Empire preference, naval defence, the Samoau trouble, and Mr Holland's attitude regarding the defence of British subjects in Shanghai.