LIBERAL CAMPAIGN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8740, 23 May 1914, Page 7

LIBERAL CAMPAIGN

MR ATMONE AT WIKTOfr STIRRING ADDRESS EVOKES OK EAT ENTHUSIASM. Special to th 6 “ Times.” INVERCARGILL, May 22. Though tlio night was cold a magnificent reception awaited Mr Atmoro, IVI.F. for Nelson, at Winton last night* Tfio rink hall was crowded to tho doors, there being about a hundred more thart attended Mr Fisher’s meeting. Mr Atinoroh appearance on the platform was tho signal lor prolonged cheering, and throughout tho meeting the audience . was entirely with tho speaker. Each, point ho made against tho Government was received with enthusiastic applause. The bold yot frank nature of the address met with tho success which so often is the reward for straightforwardness and courage. Mr Atmoro prefaced his remarks by saying that tho Government followers, instead of busying themselves in tho worthless occupation of manufacturing excuses for unfulfilled pledges, should take tho political conditions of the country into consideration. He denounced tho Government’s conduct where its supporters through political influence attained certain promotions and appointments. Tho audience were 1 certainly surprised to hear the lengthy list of exposures brought to light by Sir Atmoro. Tho , Government, he said, nad been scattering political largesse for over two years to secure the goodwill of the people. It had deformed electoral law to suit its own party purposes; yot he declared it' would be defeated and would ho replaced by a party determined to pass measures genuinely in accord with Liberal as well as to manage the 1 a hairs of the Dominion on prudent, progressive lines. REPREHENSIBLE " REFORM ” WAYS. Mr Atmoro referred to the unprincipled action of the “ Reform ” party | in associating Sir Joseph Ward with. tho strike. The utter insincerity of the' whole thing was quite palpable to anyone who remembered the despicable at-' tempt made by means of the notorious James circular,” asking public bodies to pass resolutions lor tho purpose of discrediting Sir Joseph Ward. Dealing with the unscrupulous tactics of tho “ Reform ” newspapers to, us ho said, gull tho public by false press reports, Mr Atmoro oited two examples which had recently oome under his notice. One was in regard, to Mr Fisher’s speech at Winton. The Press Association agent on tho local JR-ssey paper had sent out a report i, at Mr Fisher was accorded a hearing by 1200 listeners, while, as a matter of fact, the hall, when packed to overflowing, would not bold half that number. .Mr Atmoro stud that his audience, knowing the hall so well, would recognise what an outrageous exaggeration the Press Association message was. Equally misleading was a statement published in tho Massey papers that rue result of the Mayoral election at Invercargill was a blow to the Warditos. Mr.--Atmoro said:-’ 1 1 have spoken to the successful candidate, Mr McFarlane, and he absolutely denies the statement that tho Moyoral election was a political contest. What do you think of such methods to gain political advantage?” uie audience showed its strong disapproval of these methods. , FINANCIAL JUGGLING. Mr Atmoro dwelt with deadly effect on. tiho “Reform” Government's financial methods. When in Opposition Mr Massey had denied the existence of any real surpiUs, stating that tho surpluses of the IS widen and Weed Governments were only paper ones. When the ‘ “Reform” Govcrament issued a loan prospectus in London it claimed, with a-view of inspiring British inventors w.'vh confidence, that every surp.us during the last twenty years was a genuine one; and that the money borrowed was invested in reproductive works. Mr Atmoro contended that tho Miassey party had deliberately distorted the facto either in denying (when in Opposition) the existence of the Ward and Seddon surpluses oi in tolling tho British investors that they were all genuine. In other words, tho Hon. J. Allen, “the alleged Wizard of* Finance,” had deliberately oaten all his criticism uttered when in Opposition. Anoi, or strong point gained by Mr Atmor, was in reference to the public debt extinction fund. Ho said: '‘Altlior nearly all Mr Massey’s partv vot .. against Sir Joseph Ward’s Extinction Bid in 1910, in Mr Allen’s prospectus, issued in London, ho extolled it as a wise provision.” Mr Atmoro .Illustrated his condemnation by saying that if a similar scheme wore applied to the repayment of the British national debt of over £700,000,000. the whole of that huge sum would he paid off in less than fifty , vears. THE PUBLIC TRUST. Dealing with tho Public Trust tho speaker said the country had a fine institution in this department until “Reformers” made an attack on tho Trustee. THAT “CRUDE REPORT.” When it was asked in the House if a report had been made by the Public Trustee, . to Minister had denied that I he had, but later ho admitted there was a report, hut it was not for publication. Ho had said that there was a garbled report obtained through the “New Zealand Times,” one of the Cutest papers in New Zealand. Mr Vld-dmau would not allow wealthy lawyers to be taxed. People would Vi vr have their law department aght in while tho Massey Govern,v •«-. was on the Treasury benches. A Norm of applause arose when Mr At more ridiculed the idea of “our toy navy” defending the country. Wo wou'd liav;,, tho cruiser Philomel and a Bristol cruiser. There was not a - irsliip hut could blow tho two of v..om out of the ocean before they could fire a gun. LAND DEFENCE FIRST. What was most necessary was to. perfect our land defence, because we were near foreign countries that must have a larger acreage for their popD lat'ona. The Japanese and Chinese were going +o do what we would do if we were c ,‘rorowded. If wo did not use the graduated land tax to break up the big holdings, some other nation would come and break them up for usJ The matter of defence was the work-! ini; man’s question. If tho Japanese; came hero there would ho nothing tej prevent them, as they had a stronger navy than all tho others in the Pacific ‘put together. Ho advocated a

■i one land defence and support of 1 .f I aerial navy. So far as the cost v. if ;i. rued, ho believed in treating - 1 !■ mi insurance policy against natior ) Crxitor. Let a man pay towards Cf> •'■ice according to what property .if; :i id. A man or youth who had to fd I; do camp should be paid tho_ wag -<j ‘■c would lose on account of being nh» sent from.his employment. On no re - * bunnt should territorials be called o A fn quell industrial trouble. THE STRIKE BLUNDER. Mr Atmore blamed the Government? lor the diastrous and deplorable strike#' because it had blundered in not endeavouring to stopj the trouble at its tommcucemont. .Mr Massey had presided at a conference, but he had not settled tho strike as it was h*s duty to do.

“What would you say to a judge ol tho Supreme Court,” Mr Atmoro asked, “who did not give a decision in » dispute between two parties?” It was his duty to settle the strike. Yeti tho farmers had to como down and' do it for tho Government. In this connection Mr Atmoro said Mr David Nathan, one of the leading merchants! of Wellington, who was recently inter-' viewed in Sydney, said that tho strike! appeared to be manipulated by the, Government for political purposes.. Mr Massey had tried to associate! .Liberals with Red Feds, but Air Mas-i Bey himself was solely responsible at Itbe last election for the only two Red feds returned. Before the election ho, had sent telegrams to these members’! (electorates asking “Reformers” to support the Labour men against the Liberals, This resulted in the return '«£ Messrs Robertson (Otaki) and Payne (Grey Lynn). “SPOILS TO THE VICTORS.”

Dealing with railway construction, and spoils to victors, Mr Atmore point-1 fed out that the present Government was! harrying on four new railway under-j takings in four miners’ districts at the: expense of other portions of the Dom-( imion. including Nelson. Napier, and! Southland. Referring to his own elec-l torate, Mr 'Atmore said that two hun-i dred men who had been kept on.railway construction work had been dismissed by the Government, while the! Prime Minister had started a new, Railway in his own electorate.

Mr Atmore then dealt with taxation. Mr Allen had brought in a Land and Income Assessment Act 1 Which relieved men getting between £ft and £l4 a week by exempting income tax for each child above four in number, That slight release in taxation showed where the “Reform” Government's sympathies lay. It bad dona! nothing for the people who paid the Customs taxation. FOR THE BIG MEN.

Mr Atmoro strongly criticised the Government for having entered into a further agreement with the private shareholders of the Bank of New Zealand, tEiis encouraging a hug© banking monopoly. Whether it was banking, land, or shipping tho people had no reason to believe that the Government was going to give up its policy of helping the monopoly. Ministers had had twenty-three months to look through tho pigeonholes, and the fact that they had found nothing was proof of their wrongful and false charges. Mr At> more looked upon this search during twenty-three months as an extended audit of the Wand, party’s accounts, and they had been found in order. Sir Joseph Ward’s administration had been a clean one. This was proved by Mr Massey’s failure to substantiate his charges. Tho speaker believed that when the election came there would be a union of all the progressive forces to bust the Government of privilege and monopoly. He ’finally said that it was a pleasure to speak in this district, because it was the electorate of Joseph Ward —by far tho foremost statesman in New Zealand —who would at tho next election be returned as head of the Government. At this statement a storm of applause broke forth, and continued for some time. Tho fallowing motion was proposed by Mr Walter Taylor, auctioneer, and seconded by Mr James Tobin, a small farmer, and carried by an overwhelming majority“ That this mooting thanks Mr Atmoro for his able address, and expresses the utmost confidence in the Liberal party; that it is in the best interest of the country that the Liberals should be returned to power at the forthcoming election with yir Joseph Ward, member for Awarua, at its head.” The meeting closed with vociferous cheers for tho fender of the Opposition, and hoots for Mr Hamilton (his opponent). . ,