AUCKLAND EAST SEAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17333, 3 December 1919, Page 10

AUCKLAND EAST SEAT.

THE LIBERALS' CAUSE, MR. MYERS' PLATFORM. EXTREMISTS CONDEMNED, The Opposition candidate for Auckland East, the Hon. Arthur M. Myers, addressed a crowded meeting of electors last evening at the picture theatre, ParBell. Mr. R. Briggs presided. Mr. Myers received a good hearing, though the proceedings were enlivened considerably by several persistent jectors, some of whom were women. The candidate, having outlined his public career and referred to the part New Zealand had played in the war, denned his views of sane or moderate Labour as distinct from extreme Labour. • During the war every citizen had an opportunity of making some endeavour toward winning the war. Some would not make the —would not lift a finger—and were disloyal to their King and country. (Applause and counterapplause.) Those were the extremists he referred to, (Renewed applause.) He thought, however, that 95 per cent, at least of the Labour of New Zealand was loyal. (Loud applause.) He had always been sympathetic toward Labour, and thought it should take more part in the administration of the country's affairs. If Labour were only sensible and sensibly led it would take more part therein, but } the tactics of the extreme section were I not assisting to obtain for them a fair representation. # i The candidate referred to the secession of the Liberals from the National Government. A Voice: What about G. W. Russell? Mr. Myers : Mr. Russell was an able , administrator. (Roars of laughter.) He is now before his own conptituents. A Voice : Yes ; and he'll go out, too. (More laughter.) Beply to Criticism. The candidate referred to the Herald's claim that Mr. Massey's Government had amended the National Provident, Fund Act ito provide a, workable scheme for the superannuation of employees of local authorities. \When I was in office," he said, none of the,local bodies had taken advantage of the provisions of the Act. i When I vacated office 10 local bodies, emi ploying 1000 people, had taken advantage ! of them as the result of my pointing them out. We have never yet had the slightest credit given to us for the part p*ayed by the Liberals in the National Government," he added. "We have only been critiI cised for leaving the National Govern- , ment." A Woman: What did you back them up for? Mr. Myers : We backed them up during the crisis of the war. (Loud applause.) And we would do it again in similar c.rcumstances. Mr. Myers proceeded to review the history of Liberalism, and what the party had done for New Zealand. He claimed that but for the Lberals the people would not have had access to the land. At this stage a woman interrupted the speaker, and there were cries of Put her ' out." ' A man arose in the body of the hall and protested vigorously against, those who demanded the woman's ejection. He was admonished by a polceman, whereupon the candidate asked the minion of the law to let the man alone. He did j not want anyone put out, he said; he I wanted to convince them. (Applause.) ! To the woman who had interrupted, Mr. Myers remarked that it was the Liberals '. who had granted her sex the franchise. (Laughter and applause.) He would like to see a certain number of working men elected, but he would not like to take office again by the help of exItreme Labour. A Voice: We don't want you. Mr. Myers: That is tor the electors to say. (Laughter and applause.) Don't make any mistake, the electors are going to return me. (Renewed applause.) We want to see the workers get more money. An Ironical Voice: You do I Attitude on " No-Confidence." The candidate said Labour could noi do without capital, but the capitalists should give Labour a square, deal, ana spend weir money in the country. (Applause.) People who were making undue profits should be stopped. A Woman: "What about brewers and hotel-keepers? Mr. Myers: If they are making undi" profits they must be stopped. He then I expressed his views on the housing and ' education questions, , i An ' interjector remarked ' that these views were similar to the Labour plat- ; form, and asked why the candidate did not join Labour. i Mr. Myers: Because the greater should | contain the less. Come over to us. j (Laughter and applause.) I In reply to questions, Mr. Myers said 1 he did not consider Mr. Massey and Sir ' Joseph Ward to be the only " possible leaders. They had been prominent in the 1 past, and had done yeoman service, but I they were not indispensable as leaders. I He considered the honorarium of al.P.'s ! should be increased to £500 a year. Ho '. was against the "go-slow" policy, whethei in a Minister or a worker. To another question Mr. Myers said ht supported the Liberal Party, and woulu vote with Sir Joseph Ward on a noconfidence motion. After that he ci sidered himself as having a perfectly free j hand. He believed in a strong Government, and that Government might be composed of Liberals, some of the present Reform Party, and possibly Labour representatives. He would not join any ! Administration which was able to bold office only on the vote of extreme Labour. Sir Joseph Ward had stated that the , Liberal Party stood for law sand' order, and would facilitate the carrying out oi the will of the majority, but the Liberals would give no countenance to any party I which sought to remedy Labour grievances by "direct action" or by going outside the law. The candidate was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, with only a few I dissentients. MR. R. F. WAY'S PLATFORM The Labour candidate for Auckland East, Mr. R. F. Way, addressed an aud.ence of about 150 electors in St. Andrew's Hall last night, being granted an attentive hearing. Mr. M. C. Irvine presided. J The candidate condemned the short- ! comings of past Governments, declaring himself the bitter foe of landlordism, profiteering, and the system of borrowing and i land aggregation. He voiced an impas- ' sioned appeal on behalf of mothers of the country, who, in his 'opinion, had been shamefully neglected in past legislation. The . alleged inequitable adjustment of income tax, operations of banking institutions and educational system also came in for severe criticism in a speech enlivened with flashes of caustic humour and embellished with an almost bewildering array of figures. The welfare of the returned soldier came in for comment, the speaker bitterly attacking the policy which, he ' sa : d, had permitted landowners to charge ■ these men the highest values ever paid for land in this country. Mr. Way concluded his address by thanking his hearers for the courteous hearing given, and making a strong appeal that the same courtesy be extended by all Labour adherents to his political opponents. So far as City East was concerned, he was proud to say that up to the present these amenities had been ; dly observed, a,.d he sincerely hoped all other candidates would be permitted the same freedom of speech he himself had enjoyed. (Loud applause.) i A number of questions were answered by I Mr. Way at the conclusion of his address. ,-A vote of thanks and confidence was carried without dissent.