LABOUR DISCOURTESY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18267, 7 December 1922, Page 10

LABOUR DISCOURTESY.

PLAIN SPEECH RESENTED.

MB. MACKENZIE'S MEETING.

PARTISAN ROUNDLY HOOTED.

The strenuous and notably conscientious Parliamentary and platform work of Mr. Clutha Mackenzie, Government candidate for Auckland East, won an unstinted measure of appreciation from hundreds of the electors last evening, first at Newmarket and later at'the Holy Sepulchre Church hall, Khyber Pass. The first meeting at Newmarket Methodist Sunday School, was a model of pleasantness, the candidate speaking briskly for half an hour to 50 electors, over whom the Mayor, Mr. S. Donaldson, presided, and receiving a unanimous vote of confidence and an emphatio assurance of support. There was a marked note of discord at the Khyber Pass meeting, a contingent of Labour supporters at the rear of a crowded meeting, showing resentment of 6oma plain speaking on the eleotion test between British constitutionalism in industry and government and revolutionary socialism patterned on internationalism. The resentment was frequently discourteous, and drew sharp protest from the overwhelming majority of the meeting. Mr. Mackenzie spoke of the result of socialisation of everything in Russia. " Rot," cried a courteous gentleman at the back. " Were you ever in Russia?"

" No," replied Mr. Mackenzie, " I have never been in Russia." " Well, I have," said the interjector proudly, " and I know all about it." . " May I hope," said the candidate quietly, " that you aro not hero as an agent of Lenin and Trotsky." (Applause.) " That intcrjector's name," observed an elector near the platform, "is Outaky." After a wrangling debate on the sea. men's trouble, a young man aggressively questioned the candidato on several topics. Later, the same authority moved a liostile motion against Mr. Mackenzie, and was roundly hooted for the manner, as well as the matter, of it.

An amendment was carried exprening confidence in the candidate and pledging the electors to support him decisively at the poll. The meeting, which was controlled well by Mr. J. Stewart, closed with rousing cheers for the candidate.

AVOID VOTE-SPLITTING.

THE PARNELL ELECTORATE. MESSAGE FROM MR. MASSEY. Mr. Massqy has telegraphed to Mr. T. N, Baxter, chairman of the Reform Party executive in Auckland, as follows ; _"My last word to tho Reform electors of Parnell is to avoid vot-e----eplitting and do everything in their power to secure the return of tho official Reform candidate, Mr. J. S. Dickson, who for several years has served his constituents faithfully and well. I trust Mr. Dickson will bo again returned to Parliament with a sweeping majority."' FINAL FIGHTING SPEECH. MR. POTTER IN FORM. REPLIES TO OPPONENTS. Dominion Road fairly resounded with politics last evening, what with a crowded, audience listening to the final address of Mr. V. H. Potter, official Reform candidate, in tho Empire Theatre, and an overflow from that hall, caught by Mr. Hall Skelton, Liberal candidate, in an adjacent paddock. Mr. Potter's chairman was Mr. J. W. Shackelford, Mayor of Mount Edeu, Mr. Potter, who was given a rousing reception, began by confuting representations mado by his opponents. First he dealt with Miss Melville's advocacy of compulsory notification of disease. By this time it was evident that there was in the hall a largo sprinkling of hecklers determined to prevent the candidate, if possible, from getting a hear ing. Raising bis voice through the storm of pointless interruptions, and parrying a number of interjections, Mr. Potter satd that Miss Melville, in criticising the Government's treatment of returned soldiers, had advocated sending them out to tho back-blocks. The Government, on the other hand, had placed them on the best land available, on the principle that nothing was too good for them. Again, as to Miss Melville's assertion that tickets were issued for admission to Mr. Massey's Dominion Road meeting, he would be prepared to give £50 to the National Council of Women, to the prohibition cause, or to Miss Melville herself if she could prove that even one ticket was used.

Coming to Mr. Skel'on's £500 diallenge, the candidate poii ted out thai the transaction in land to which it referred was inquired into in 1920 by Messrs. Ridoll and Thomson, solicitors, whose report had justified the purchase of the Railway Department. "Then why don't you take up ib* challenge:" came a voice. "Why take up the challenge?" returned Mr. Potter, "when the facts are known to everv reasonable person in New Zealand?" On that estate thero were 65,000,000 ft. of timber, bought bv tho Government at Is per 100 ft. The timber was worth 5s per 100 ft. on the stnmp and the Massey Government had gained for the State £132,000 on that one v *i rh ?- v , had now a written offer to buy the timber at an advance upon their bargain. Mr. Potter summarised his platform. and m conclusion said :-"I l lave done my utmost to serve the Roskill electorate for the last three years. I will promise you that for the next thw* years™wS serve you just as faithfully;" All through the address there were bursts of interruption, with no apparent purpose other than shouting down the speaker, but Mr. Potter kept® steadily on and by stramm* >•* throat succeeded in making all his points. . Questions were xery numerous, extendnig to nearly three-quarters 0 f an hour. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks an< confidence. p assc d with prolonged applause, and three cheers for the candidate. "°

WOMEN TN PARLIAMENT.

MISS MELVILLE'S FORECAST.

REMARKABLE CHANGES COMING.

Miss Ellen Melville, Independent Reform, candidate for Roskill, addressed, meetings in the Methodist Hall, Dominion Road, and the Methodist Hall, Gordon Road, last evening, about 50 people being present at the first meeting and 70 at the second. Miss Melville gave her reasons for supporting the Reform Party, which, die considered, was the only party in New Zealand which contained the essential elements of a stable, progressive Government. Referring to her own position, Miss Melville said she was not an Independent in that she had no party— she was an Independent supporter of tho Reform Party. Much of Miss Melville's addresses was of particular interest to women. She considered that the world was ready and waiting for the impress of the woman mind on the affairs of nations, and believed that this century was going to see remarkable changes duo to women's influence in government. Women had to obey the laws, and there seemed no reason why they should not take a share in making them. At both meetings Miss Melville had a good hearing, and was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence.