DISTURBERS EJECTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19156, 23 October 1925, Page 13

DISTURBERS EJECTED.

MR. STEWART'S CAMPAIGN. ANOTHER NOISY MEETING. DENIAL OF FREE SPEECH. Another uproarious election meeting was addressed by Mr. James Stewart, Government candidate for Auckland East, at St. Benedict's Hall last evening. The building was packed to discomfort, and at least one-thiru of the audience displayed hostility to the candidate from the outset. At no part of the proceedings could lie be said to receive a courteous hearing. On almost every point in his address he was interrupted by either flippant or hostile interjections, and half his sentences must have been inaudible at the further end of the hall. Twice in the course of the evening the chairman, Mr. C. F. Gardner, called upon the police to eject hecklers whom he had already cautioned. In each instance the disturbers marched out of the hall to an accompaniment of " cheers for Harry Holland," and counter-cheers for the candidate. Mr. Stewart began by asking as an old Newton boy that his former schoolmates would give him fair play. With regard to the criticism of the Reform Party he claimed that its long tenure of office warranted the statement that it had done a large amount of good work. Anyone who charged it with extravagant expenditure and increase in the public debt without sufficient return, must, have lost his political glasses. The country's finances were never in a sounder position than to-day, as was shown by the price obtained for New Zealand's loan, as compared with the loan raised by New South Wales about the same time. The increase in expenditure was largely due to the regradmg in salaries and wages of public servants and the necessary changes arising from reversion to the 44-hour week. Here came many derisive interruptions, whereupon the candidate declared that lie. had invited the electors to hear him, and not to hear his hecklers. New Zealand's Prosperity. Order being restored, Mr. Stewart proceeded to compare the position of New Zealand with that, of the Australian States, in regard to finance, population and trade, as showing advantages in favour of the Dominion. Another disturbance at the rear of the hall provoked the candidate to protest against the treatment he was receiving as being unfair and' un-British. The Government had, he said, been condemned for its actions in connection with •soldier settlement. In the repatriation of those who went to the war—A Voice: Did you go? The candidate said he had tried to go. Commenting on further interjections, .he asked again for British fair plav and declared that those who refused it to him were not true Britishers and ought to leave the hall and allow others to hear him. Proceeding u-ith the soldier settlement question, Mr. Stewart suggested that, when so many inexperienced men were placed on the land it was inevitable that there must be many failures, but out of 10.550 men who became farmers, 9341 were still on their holdings when the revaluations were made last year. The total number of soldiers assisted to go on the land or enter into business had been 84,519, and the total expenditure under these headings £30,619,960. Educational Progress. One department that had been subjected to unjust criticism was that of education. The best guarantee of the success of a country was an educated democracy. In no other department of the State had more progress been made under Reform. Members of all parties in the House, on the production of the Minister's annual statement, had congratulated him upon his success. Protesting against another enforced break in his discourse, Mr. Stewart said he had had the assurance of Mr. Lee's secretary that Mr. Lee was not favourable to obstructionist methods, and he was sure that if Mr. Lee were aware of the ; behaviour of his supporters he would be | ashamed of it. Proceeding once more, the candidate | said that Reform was doing its utmost for education in New Zealand. The children of the working people must be educated, and they were the best asset the State could have. The speaker cited the increases given under Reform in teachers' salaries, speaking to an accompaniment of yawns from the back of the hall. Coming to the question of child welfare, Mr. Stewart said that as an official visitor to His Majesty's Prison, his work took him into the poorer quarters of the city, and he knew the extent to which children were physically and mentally defective. These children must be built up and educated. Reform had taken the matter in hand, and was going to see that they were physically and morally uplifted and made into healthy and respected citizens. The candidate commended the establishment of junior high schools, and advocated the supply by the State of free books and free stationery to school children in all stages of education, right up to the university. With regard, to ihe Postal Department, Mr. Stewart claimed credit for New Zealand as having been the first, State in the British Dominions to return to penny postage after the war. Another department which had incurred condemnation from the street critic was that of railways. LTnder Mr. Coates the department had undergone reorganisation. He had placed it on a business basis, better than any that New Zealand had previously known. It was now being run on up-to-date commercial lines, and in it Mr. Coates had made good his motto, "More business in Government; "less Government in business." Mr. Coates' Qualifications. Taking up an interjection in reference to the Prime Minister, Mr. Stewart said that Mr. Coates was not merely a politician but a statesman. Any promises that he made, Mr. Coates kept, and he had shown that he could make good. " Gordon Coates is a man, and a man of his word, and a man who would not stoop to the tactics that are being used in this hall to-night. Whether I am returned for Auckland East or not, Gordon Coates is going back to rule the country as Prime Minister, as sure as night follows day." One of numerous interjections was met with the laughing remark, "I will be Minister for Labodr, in this country before Harry Holland will be Prime Minister." With regard to the customs tariff, Mr. Stewart denied that the duties had increased as far as the breakfast table was concerned. The breakfast table was as nearly free as it was possible to makeit. Under the 1921 tariff, increased duties were levied only on alcoholic liquors, tobacco and motor vehicles and duties needed to assist New Zealand industries. "Some of these duties," he added, "were imposed to protect your jobs." Replying to an exclamation about immigrants, Mr. ; Stewart said he welcomed the immigrants who had come, and was proud of them, and they had shown their wisdom in coming to the most prosperous section of the British Dominions. "What about our tobacco?" came from the audience. Mr. Stewart replied that the man who smoked a pipe had had the cost of his tobacco reduced by 8d per lb., which had meant a sacrifice of £75,000 *in revenue in one year. Commenting on the reciprocal tariff treaty with Australia he pointed out that under it the exports of the country had been increased by £300,000 a year. Comparisons had been made by some candidates between Queensland with its State enterprises and New Zealand, but he quoted statistics to show that setting the gains against the losses there was a Ufst loss to the State «£ £751,861.

"If you could understand the harm you are doing your own cause," declared the candidate in referring to another storm of interruption, "you would keep as quiet as mice." A little later he declared that the disturbances of that evening would be worth 100 votes to him on polling day. The speaker's assertion that every Labour candidate had to give his written resignation to the party's executive called forth yells from his tormentors, and "three cheers for Labour." Concluding his address with eulogy of the work of the Public Trust Department, Mr. Stewart thanked the electors for their hearing, and said he confidently left the result in their hands. Question-time was mainly an extension of the period of disturbances. One questioner suggested that it was Mr. Hilev and Sir Sam Fay who were entitled to the credit for the reorganisation of the Pail way Department. Mr. Stewart said that Sir Sam Fay was the paid expert who had reported on the method, and Mr. Coates had been the man to take the recommendations in hand and see them carried out. Challenged as to his opinion of the. Labour usehold tenure, the candidate said it would never obtain a hold in the Dominion. The suggestion that the Government contemplated a reduction of 7s 6d a week from workers' wages in the interest of family allowances was characterised by Mr. Stewart as the most ingenious they ever put forward in any electorate. A Voice : It is true. Mr. Stewart: It is absolutely untrue, and it was made with the deliberate intention of misleading the electors. Some uproar about "John's challenge" arose at the back of the hall, but Mr. Stewart maintained that he had proved the incorrectness of the Labour suggestion. A vote of confidence was given to the candidate and the meeting broke up with cheers and counter-cheers. B.ABIES IN POLITICS. A CANDIDATE'S MASCOTS. TWINS ON THE PLATFORM. " Although I believe New Zealand needs to carry a greater population," said Mr. W. E. Leadley, Government candidate for Avon, at a meeting on Monday evening. "I believe that the best population is New Zealand-born boys and girls. During the war 17,000 of our best young men lost their lives, and you can !see the necessity of that slogan, 'Keep New Zealand cradles full.' I would like to Show you a sample. May 1V" Mr. Leadley disappeared off the stage bv a side door while the audience tittered. Loud applause broke out when the candidate reappeared with small boys (twins), one under either arm. The boys were bare-legged, and wore little blue jumpers. "Allow me," said Mr. Leadley, "to introduce my mascots during the coming election. The little fellow on your right is Bill, and the little chap on your left is Jock. And my wife tells me that Jock takes after his father. He has the gift of the gab. If they please you, the best way you can please them is by sending their daddy to Parliament on November 4." Then the candidate disappeared again, coming back proudly minus the twins, threw out his chest, took a drink of water, and proceeded to speak of the delights of the hearth and home. LABOUR OBSTRUCTIONISTS. DISGUST OF ELECTORS. " TIME WE SHOWED OUR BRAINS." Some 50 people who gathered at the Beresford Street School last night to hear Mr. W. E. Parry, Labour candidate for Auckland Central", contained in their number several who denounced in strong terms the way Labour supporters amused themselves at Government candidates' meetings by endeavouring to break up the proceedings with organised interjections. Mr. Parry opened his address with an announcement that he was disgusted with the way his opponents in Auckland Central were conducting a campaign full of personalities. " I do not mind telling you." he said, " that as far as the law is concerned, I will push it to the furthest possible point I can go. I have refrained from dealing in personalities, and I will continue to do so." On top of this announcement the candidate had something to say about certain alleged, tactics of Sir James Pair and made references to "hitting below the belt." A recent circular issued to some people in. his electorate by Sir James I arr, dealing with Labour's land policy, had as its purpose the misrepresentation of the policy. " Sir James Parr forms one of the component parts of the Government of the country," said Mr. Parry. If it is tiue that every one of those men who received State advances wrote to him for assistance, and that then the Minister used those private letters written to him on a pure and simple business matter, he is ' hitting below the belt in using them for his benefit in a political campaign." When question time came a member of the audience took the opportunity of saving such people as clerks and even labourers would not vote for Labour. "Well, I am a supporter of Labour." a woman announced, " but I do think we ought to show a bit of distinction at some of "these meetings and show our brains. It is not a bit nice." "It is disgraceful," declared another woman. A Voice: People follow up the Government candidates with the sole reason of interrupting them: It is all organised. Mr. Parry: No, it is not organised. Much of the abuse the Government candidates have been subjected to they have brought upon their own shoulders. A 'Voice: I am only a working man, but I say it is a disgrace, and does Labour harm. PROBLEMS OF " USEHOLD." SOME OF ITS DRAWBACKS. POSERS FOR SUPPORTERS. Apart from the general question of the utility and practicability of the "usehold" tenure advocated by the Labour Party, certain problems which would arise" under its application are being urged and have been raised at the meetings addressed by Labour candidates. At Mr. H. G. R. Mason's meeting at Swanson, for instance, Mr. H. A. Robertson, who was also in the chair, put to the candidate two questions that will certainly be of moment if the system is ever put into practice. Should a Labour Government become a fact, it was asked, and the Labour land policy be enforced and the settlers, in consequence, become tenants merely, how could they rate themselves in special areas for the purpose of building a public hall, or for special improvements on roads ? Mr. Mason frankly admitted that he did not know. Another poser put by Mr. Robertson related to the basis of rates and taxes. The candidate, he pointed out, had stated that only estates of more than £20,000 I unimproved value would be affected by the "usehold" policy. Unimproved value would always remain the same. Take the case of a holding of the unimproved value of £IOO,OOO, which Labour cut into 20 holdings of £5000; in due course, the other lands in that district would be revalued by the Government. Suppose that, as had actually happened in some districts, values were increased by 50 per cent. Land taxes and the rates of local bodies were assessed on the departmental values. Would it not mean, the candidate was asked, that the Labour land policy would protect the tenants of the resumed lands against increase of their rates and taxes, while the burden placed on other property-owners to provide the necessary revenue would be so heavy that they also would be forced to bring their own lands under the same system'! Mr. Mason's answer was that it was quite this would bo iho. casa,