ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20086, 25 October 1928, Page 15

ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

dangers op labour. MR. COATES' WARNING. party aims revealed. "COAL OF SOCIAL REVOLUTION." [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. J DAKGAVI LLE, Wednesday. "It is well that the people of New Zealand should know exactly whero the Labour Party stands, and what its objectives are," said the Prime Minister, Mr. Coates, at Paparoa to-day. The Prime Minister said Mr. 11. E. Holland, the leader of the Labour Party, had devoted :v considerable amount of time to attacking him and the Government generally, and Mr. Coates made no apology for dealing with the attacks at that meeting, the first in his own electorate, for he had noticed that his opponent had pinned his faith to the Labour movement. "Let us go back to 1913 and see where Mr. Holland stood then," said Mr. Coates, as ho proceeded to quote from an article entitled ''Labour Leg-Ironed," which Mr. Holland had published. Mr. Holland had then said that the Labour Party maintained its attitude of uncompromising hns. tilitv to tho Arbitration Court which, Mr. Holland said, really existed to say how much tho workers slronKl bo legally robbed of and to see that they were penalised if they objected to the robbery. The Red Flag Emblem. Tho Labour Party proclaimed that the workers should not bo satisfied with a portion —they should demand all the wealth from nature's sources. Mr. Holland had counselled tho workers to fight with every weapon that would serve the working class interests to wrest from the exploiters every temporary concession that jnHit be wrested, but ever to keep their eye turned toward the goal of social revolution. His article had closed with tho remark that '.'so organised, with no divisions of race or creed, colour or sex, we might well laugh our exploiters to scorn, smash through the awards and penalties of their Arbitration Courts, tear down tho superstructure of their legal power to oppress, and swiftly plant tho red flag, emblem alike of working class revolt and of humanity freed, on the world's citadel of industrialism." "Give lis something of our own stuff," interjected a young man. "I am going to give them back something of their own stuff so that those associated with Mr. Holland will knowsomething about him," said the Prime Minister, amid cheers. He said that in Dunedin Mr. Holland hail expressed his dislike of comparisons between New Zealand and Australia, stating that New Zealand should look after its own problems and Australia should look after Australian problems. "I do not wonder that they do not like comparisons," Mr. Coates continued, "but they are going to get them all the same." Affairs Outside Dominion. '•As for Mr. Holland saying wc should stick to New Zealand, let us have a look and see how he has interfered in the affairs of people outside of this country," continued tho Prime Minister. Did Mr. Holland recall having acted as a delegate from New Zealand in 1921 to the conference in Australia which had adopted the notorious ''red ride" resolution, which had been the curse of Australia and New Zealand ever since? 'lhat conference, Mr. C'oates said, had agreed to admit Communists into its ranks, and one of Mr. Holland's associates on that occasion was Mr. dock Garden. Did Mr. Holland remember his active participation and sympathy, toward the British seamen in their unofficial strike of 1925 ? Mr. Coates said he hardly thought the memories of the people of New Zealand were so short as to forget Mr. Holland's attitude on that occasion. Hid Mr. Holland recall bavin" forwarded n message to the British Labour Party when they formed a Council of Action, a movement which Mr. J- 11. Thomas disowned as it was in his opinion definitely against the Constitution ? Did Mr. Holland also remember opposing tho sending of British troops to Shanghai last year to protect British subjects ? Tho Prime Minister further nsked if the public would forget Mr. Holland's attitude toward those who were concerned in the intrigue to undermine the Administrator in Samoa. Mr. Holland hail always associated himself with anything that savoured of revolution, and if anyone had any doubts whether the Labour Party had changed its altitude they had only to note the statement of Mr. ,T. A. Lee, the l.al wir undulate for AiK'klmd Keist. \vli."> on Tuesday night said tlie Labour Party had had rm change of heart. Mr. Holland was the lender of tho party with which his (Mr. Coates') opponent associated himself. They might say they had changed, but the Prime Minister asked: "Could a leopard change, its fcpots?" There was no doubt they had both feet on the soft pedal. " FATHER OF THE BRIDGE. WAITEMATA CAMPAIGN ISSUE REJOINDER OF MR. CREVILLE. "I will tell you how Mr. Harris got his vole of confidence at Bayswater last night," said Mr. R. H. Greville, I nited Party candidate for Waitemata, in addressing an audience of about 150 at the Masonic Hall, De.vunport, last evening. were 100 at the meeting, and only 12 were Bayswater residents." asserted Mr. Greville. "Mr. Harris took down a bus-load of his Takapuna supporters to get a vote of confidence at Bayswater, which is regarded as my stronghold. In fact, he took down four car-loads. "Mr. Harris says ho is standing as an Independent candidate. I wonder who pays his expenses?* He. says lu> will vote for Reform on a no-confidence motion .Why doesn't he stand as an official Reform candidate, then ?" A Voice: They told him to go honip Mr. Greville: And the electors will tell him that, too, this time. .Another grievance Mr. Greville had about Mr. Harris concerned the parentage, of the Waitemata bridge scheme. "Mr Harris says he was advocating the bridge when I was at school." said Mr. Greville in aggrieved tones. "Well, in that case. Mr. Harris must, be New Zealand s champion political Rip Van Winkle- He says he is father of the scheme, but he only joined the Bridge Association on May 2.6. 1928." "Mr. Harris certainly advocated a bridge at Kauri Point," conceded Mr Greville. 'Vile might as well have put it at Riverhead. Mr. Harris also claims tho 'kudos' for the £SOO grant for tho preliminary investigation in connection with the bridge, but he knows jolly well I've done all the hard graft. It has taken him 16£ years to find cut we want a bridge, and, if he is returned, it will take him another 16j years to get it. I brought tho movement for the bridge to a head. 1 am almost tho author of the scheme, an any member of the committee will tell you. Now, Mr. Harris thinks he can steal my thunder. He merely introduced the deputation in Wellington." Tho candidate, who reproduced with minor varieties his opening speech at Northcote, was given a patient hearing until Labour inlerjectors niado their presence known toward the close. After answering several questions Mr. Greville ro ceived a voto of thanks and confidence, described as unanimous by the chairman, Mr. J, Hislop. The ineeting broke up with "cheers for Greville," "cheers for Osborne," and half a bar of "For He's a Jolly Good Follow.'l