OPPOSED TO LABOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18273, 14 December 1922, Page 10

OPPOSED TO LABOUR.

INDEPENDENT MEMBERS.

PLEDGES DURING CAMPAIGN.

SUPPORT FOR GOVERNMENT.

Attention has been directed to the fact that in tho new Parliament are a number of members of the Liberal Party and Independents, who are pledged to support the Government if the alternative is to place in power either the Labour Party or a Liberal Ministry dependent on Labour support. Some of these members, such as Mr. Isitt and Mr. Atmore, have repeatedly reaffirmed their attitude in the House of Representatives', and all of them declared their intentions during the recent campaign. Typical statements by these members are published below. Mr. Allen Bell contested the Bay of Islands seat against Mr. Vernon Reed, a member of tho Reform Party, and defeated him. Ke stood as an Independent, and the claim has been made that he is a supporter of tho Liberal Party. Speaking at Kaikohe on November 17, Mr. Bell defined his position. He said ho was satisfied the Reform Party was the only one that could govern at present, and on a no-confidenco motion, the carrying of which meant a Government that could carry on only with tho assistance of extreme Labour, he would vote with Mr. Massey, as no other course was open to him.

Mr. Wltty'a View of Labour. Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton) was a member of the Liberal Party under the leadership of Mr. Seddon and* Sir Joseph Ward, but ho has never given his allegiance to Mr. Wilford, and has for somo years claimed independence. Following is an extract from the report of his opening address of the last campaign:— Mr. Witty said there were Red Pods. For instance A Voice: Cut it out. Mr. Witty: I am only referring to them by the name they are known by. I am going to say what I mean. I am not going to mince matters. This party, he went on, wanted to pull everyone down to their own level, instead of helping to lift tho people up. They had not the ability to run the country. They could, metaphorically speaking, pulldown a mountain, but they could not build a matchbox. As a matter of fact, the Labour Party had no power. They showed this by not being able to stop the present strike. This reason Labour members were so weak was that they were afraid of the right of recalL It would be a great pity if the Labour Party over got into power because they would ruin the Dominion, and he had no hesitation in saying New Zealand was too good a country to bo ruined. Rather than vote for that party ho would do so for Mr. Massey when it came to a choice between the two- sides. " God help New Zealand if the Labour Party got into power," he added. Conscience Before Party. There can be no question of Mr. L. M. Isitt's hostility toward the Labour Party. In a speech a few days before the election ho quoted his statement in his manifesto published in 1919, to the effect that if Sir Joseph Ward's majority was given him by the extreme Labour Party ha would do his utmost to aid in defeat of the extreme Labour device. He said he was just as strong a Liberal as ever he had been, but his love for Liberalism woidd prevent him doing anything to elevate that party into power to be at the mercy of extreme Labour. He would never assoelate himself with extreme Labour—a guiy that ho regarded as absolutely antiritish and disloyal. He would fight for Liberalism on liberal lines, but he would not weaken his position and his conscience by IFTting Liberalism into power by joining with the Red Feda.

Mr. Atmore's Attitude. Replying to a question during the campaign as to what ho would do on a noconndence motion, Mr. H. Atmore (Nelson) said his vote would never be used to put the extreme Labour Party in power. " He had made this attitude perfectly clear in speeches in the House and the country. Interviewed in Nelson yesterday Mr. Atmore said that if a good Government cannot be formed out of the. present House it will be due to members being obsessed with party considerations. Mr. S. G. Smith's Candour. In the course of a speech in the campaign, Mr. S. G. Smith, b.depondent Labour member for Taranaki, challenged criticism of his attitude toward the Labour Party. A local report contains the following:—"lt was perfidy to suggest that ono whom they had trusted for four years was going to do his country injury by linking up with the Reds, He wanted to make his position quite clear. ' I am not going to join, up with the Reds because I have no confidence in the leader,' said Mr. Smith. 'If Mr. Holland moved a vote of no-confidenco in the Government I would not vote for it. If tho Reds attempt to hold the balance of power I would be the first to move to come back to the country to solve the difficulty.' " Mr. Statham's Position. Speaking at Anderson's Bay on December 4, Mr. C. E. Statham (Dunedin Central) stated that ho would give absolutely no pledge how 'he would vote on a noconfidence motion, whether it was moved by the Liberals, the Labour Party, or the Liberals and the Labourites in combination. He 'was, however, .uncompromisingly opposed to the Labour Party, and would not support any government which was dependent on the Labour Party for its continuance in office. Mr. Hanan's Pledge. Speaking in Invercargill on December 1, the Hon. J. A. Hanan said he had declined to answer a private inquiry as to what his attitude would be in regard to his vote being given in favour of the Liberal Government getting into office and holding office with the assistance of extreme Labour, but had stated that he would make his pledges upon the public plat- j form. It was tho people of Invercargill j that had the right to his pledge. Con-| tinuing, Mr. Hanan said that in the j future as in the past ho would give his support to tho Liberal Party on a no-confideince motion. It was not his business who went into the lobby with him when voting to give effect -to his pledge. He would not vote to support Mr. Holland and the extreme Labour Party getting into power. Further, he would not support the Liberal Party being kept in office .with the assistance of extreme Labour, other than for one purpose only. That was to say, if it got into office, it must at once pans proportional representation, an electoral reform that was, greatly needed, in order that the House of Representatives should be constituted on sound democratic lines. After the Bill was passed the Government, should go to the country and give tho people an opportunity of voting at another election for representatives under this system. j ~ i