POWDER AND SHOT

New Zealand Times, Volume XLV, Issue 10450, 1 December 1919, Page 8

POWDER AND SHOT

THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN HOW REFORM DICTATORS PULL THE! STRINGS. Tho disclosures mado by tho Independent Reform candidate for Masterton concerning Reform secret diplomacy, as recorded by the Wairarapa correspondent of tho "'New Zealand Times" for Saturday's issue, appear to havo attracted some attention. At " his meeting on Saturday night Mr Oakley Browno'dealt with* the topic, which ho said was of considerable current interims:. Ho referred at length to tho report of Mr Mathoson's speech' at Masterton iu rel'ercnco to tho splitting ot cho Reform vote in that electorate. Mr Matheson had stated that Sir Walter Buchanan, tlio godfather of Reform in the Wairarapa, had requested him to stand aside and leavo the field to Mr Sykes, so as to prevent vote-split-,i;ig, but that he had refused, becauso ho objected to dictation of this sort, and because, in his opinion, the caucus and the "machine" were becoming too tyrannical and ho preferred more- democratic methods. Mr Browno pcSnted out that what was most, interesting to Liberals in this was tho admission by a Reform candidate that candidates, before they can get the party vote, have to satisfy Sir Walter Buoiianan of their litness and that tho management of the party is no longer in Mr Massey's control, but in that of tho big land-owning interests that ho has always defended. "The selection ol lioform candidates," said Mr Browne, "and therefore tiio dictation of Reform poiicy is now in tho hands of an elderly gentleman in the Wairarapa, who was beaten in his lasD electoral fight for the Lower House, and who is known througnout New Zealand solely as a big land'-owner, a very wealthy man, and one of the most narrow-minded and obstinate conservatives that tho country ever saw. Yet in spito of all this, tiie Reformers have tho assurance to say thai their policy is 'democratic.'" GOVERNOR'S PROCLAMATION. A Proclamation has been issued intimating to "all whom it may concern'' mat the (jovernor-General, "being desirous tiiat the General Assembly or iNew Zealand should bo holaeu as' soon as ouay be," has signed his warrant directing the ClerK- ot Writs to proceed with tho election of members of Parliament vo serve in the House ot Representatives. Xne same "(jazetto'' supplement in wmch the above Proclamation'appears gives the names of ail appointea returning othcers and regis (.rats or electors, . togaUier with all polling places in the several electorates. SAMOA. a About the indentures in Samoa— Mr .Browne, it will oe re-meinberea, at his first meet'ing, heavily countered the jibe than. s>ir Joseph Ward had run away from tho division on tho motion againso tho same. Ha said the whole jL-eace- treaty was av staKe, and bir 1 Joseph, kao ,had declared against t'ne j. principle of indentured labour, could i- iiui. eiiaanger the Treaty. Tho "Douuuion' piouiptly reminded Mr Browne with the statement—embellished sar-caat'ically*-thut the Treaty was m no danger at all, as only tnt> indenture clause was Hi question. But the tact Happens to bo tliat before the division Wilis talieu Sir James Allen said he would advise the Government; to reject the mandate altogether lr the indenture were forbidden. Ttie rejection of the mandate would nave endangered tho Treaty, and the defeat of "tne clause would tnereiore nave endangered the Treaty. Mr Browne's explanation, therefore, was penectly correct, and tho sarcastically- embellished interference was entirely wrong. "REFORM" ~AND~AGGREGATION. During the course of an address at Foston, Mr E. Newman, M.P., said ho wanted to refer to the question of tne aggregation of land. This brought the interjection: "Why doesn't the Government stop it?" Mr Newman said if wouldn't go on much longer, as the Reform Government wouid put it down. .The response from -the interjector was: ."Oh, rou! They said that six or seven years ago." AS "EFFEC^VE 7r AS ANTISHOUTING LAW. 'Referring to a recent address by Mr E. Nowman, M.P., tho "Manawatu Herald" remarks that except for a reference to tho proposed acquisition of the Urewera. Country for settlement purposes, it contained nothing original. "ilr Newman <adda the "Herald") suggested the acquisition of about 70,000 acres of the Urewera native-held country lor settlement purposes by soldiers, the isame to be made, accessible by -light railways. If such a proposition does come to pass, wq hopo tho fee simple of the .land will not pass from the State, and that the land will not he cursed by the hungry speculator and aggregator. There are people who would acclaim Mr Newman's proposal for the reason that it would divert' attention from, their nefarious practices in land jobbing. Mr Newman agrees that aggregation and dummyism exist in tho moro settled parts of the Dominion, and is of opinion that/ the recent 'drastic' legislation of last session will stop it. In our opinion it will*bo as effective a 3 the anti-shouti»g law, more honoured in the breach than tho observance. It would bo better for Mr Nowman and other politicians to perfect tho present land laws before attempting settlement in tho Urewera." "CHANCING THE WIND." Mr Hornsby created considerable amusement at his C'larevillo meeting when referring to the change of plan by Sir'James Allen in connection with his policy of camp training for our youth. "This thing reminds mo/' said Mr Hornsby, "of an incident at a great saJe of pictures in London. One of theso pictures was a verv fine- marino subject, showing in the middle distance a sailing ship, always a beautiful object. Tho auctioneer was expatiating and gaining bid?, when there reeled into tho room an old salt in tho characteristic garb of the Bailor ashore, with pipe turned upside down and not caring whether the tobacco fell out or not. 'Why, dammeo.' ho declared in a foghorn voice, 'if that thero ship aint comin' ashore .with the wind off the land I' The artist took tho _ picturo home to change tho wind!" Sir Jamos had changed tho four months' .camplife period to two months; but ho had added so many other demands upon tho

time of our boys that tho second proposal was worse than the original one. Let it bo said at once that the people of New Zealand would not sanction an I cxpensivo military system. That there i should bo somo training was quite true; that thero should be a great military establishment to dominate tho wholo situation would be distasteful to the great majority of the people. POINTS WORTH NOTING. Ferry Service.—Tho Lyttelton ferry -soi-vice should form part of tho railway sj-stom of the Dominion. Flour Mills.—. Now that the Government guarantees the price of wheat to tho grower, it should climinato unnecessary profit and purchase flour mills, where- desirable, paying for tho same in Government stock. Stimulation of Output.—lncreased production will cheapen commodities to tho consumer A dopartment of Industrial and Scientific Research should bo established, for the assistance of farmer engaged in the production, by providing cheap fertilisers carried in New Zealand-owned ships. Nationalisation of Coal Mines. —Tn tho month of December, _ 1916, L!oyd George said, when speaking of coal mines:—"Thero is only one solution. That is .that tho State should take over control of tho mines. Tho control of tho mines should bo nationalised as far as possible.."—Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P. LABOUR AND ITS MISLEADERS. The issue before the electors to-day cannot be detached or viewed apart from tho rocord of the Labour leaders duriug the war. Wo are sure that right throughout the. country, except where extreme Labour predominates, tho Labour party will suffer as the result of the -active opposition of its leaders to the country's chorea towards .winning tho war We do not suggest that Labour as a whole was disloyal to tho country in tho recent war. Wo know the reverse to ho the case Unfortunately tho leadership of the party was in tho hands of men who did uot really represent, Labour, but had contrived to secure control of the organisation. They did everything they could to hamper the raising of the necessary men to keep the Expeditionary Forces up to full strength. They were frequently openly disloyal in sentiment, and some of them belonged to the class whose miscbevious activities made it necessary lo send, them to gaol. So long as the extremists control the Labour organisation the bulk of Uio electors havo no option but to turn a deaf ear to the Labour candidates. There is a very general sympathy with Labour, and many of Labour's aims are worthy of support, but the cause of Labour must be refused syinpa'thy until it is under wiser and more reliable leadership. '1 ho electors could not possibly fun the nsK of entrusting the direction of tho country's affairs 10 men who would havo let it down badly in the greatest crisis tho Empire has ever faced, and tho Labour party has yet to prove that it is entitled, to the confidence of tho people." —"Southland Times." "REFORM" AND "RED FEDS." In his address on Saturday night, Mr Oakley Browne (Liberal candidate for Wellington North) touched on tlie charge brought frequently ngainst the Liberals that' by refusing to make a National coalition witn "Reform" they are endangering the country and opening the way to revolution and anarchy by letting Labour' extremists find their way to power. The speaker referred at Jength to the tactics employed by the "Reformers" in the 1911 elections, whon in three pr four con. stituencies a Liberal and Labour candidate were left alone in the second ballot. The "Reformers" in every case cast the majority of their votes at tho second ballot lor the Labour man; and Mr Browne quoted Mr Massey's famous tolegram to the Otaki "Mail," calling upon "Reformers'' to give their votes to tho "Red Fed" candidate, so as to secure the defeat of the Liberals. In this way ( tho "Reformers" mado uso of the "Red Feds" when it was convenient northern to do so. "And now," said Mr Browne, "those people or 6 demanding that the Liberals shall join with them so as to secure 'unity' against 'anarchy.' " In 1.911, where was t'he "unity" that Mr Massey is calling for to-day? It was "'unity'' with, the "anarchists" that suited "Reform" •then. ' MAKING HIMSELF RIDICULOUS. Commenting on the Primo Minister's attempted reply to Sir Joseph Ward's Winton speech, tho "Southland Times" (Reform), in a recent editorial, gives Mr Massey to understand that "the people have not forgotten his violent criticism of much of the legislation put on the Statute Books by Liberal Governments, not a little of it by Sir Joseph Ward himself, none of which ! has boon repealed since Mr Massey came into power"; and tells him plainly that "if he attempts to meet arguments by the freo use of contemptuous .opithets, the public will havo no difficulty in estimating the value toho given to his replies. Mr Massey is foolish to refer to Sir Joseph Ward as an 'irresponsible politician'—just as foolish as it was.to leave tho Advanced to Settlers' Act in the Statute Book, if haU the statements Mr Massey made in opposing it in Parliament were true." I We think that the "Southland Times" isi perhaps needlessly exercised about Mr Massey's language concerning Sir Joseph Ward (remarks tho Auckland "Star"), for no one who knows anything about the intellectual calibre of the two men, or their political records, will pay afiv serious attention to it. But, as his straightforward Reform organ lias said, it is indeed fortunate, from tho standpoint of his own party, that Mr Massey should make himself ridiculous by affecti/ig to treat with contempt a man of Sir Joseph Ward's proved ability and wide financial and political experience. EASY WINS! It is reported from the south that Sir Joseph Ward is sure to bo again returned with an overwhelming majority, and that tho Hon. J. A. Hanan (another veteran Liberal) is also likely to simply crush his opponents. THROWING THE COUNTRY BACK. Commenting on a recent leading artielo in tho "Southland Times'' (the Reform organ at Invereargill), tho Auckland "Star" -ftays:—After insisting thatj/'any leader who- attempts to throw the country back into tho heated personalities and scandalous recriminations of tho pre-war election campaigns will discover that he has entirely misjudged tho temper of tho people," our contemporary goes on to ask why Mr uVlassoy, instead of descending to vituperation, did not attempt to explain his own political programme moro clear-: ly and in fuller detail. "Mr Massey/':

sa.V9 this candid friend, "will serve his purpose better by devoting his timo to solid questions of policy—to tho land question, . for instance, in regard to which we would liko to know particularly how ho expects to bring about the subdivision of large estates by other means than increasing tho graduated land tax." Wo aro naturally pleased (adds tho "Star") to learn that at last ono honest 'Reformer" shows our own dou' t and bewilderment in regard to what ought to be ono of Masseyism's chief constructive proposals. THENEW ERA. The special intelligence branch of iho Ministry for Reconstruction in England states- in its report that the subordination of workers to industrial regulations for which they were not themselves responsible is ''inconsistent with the- rights and obligations which ought to he inherent in membership of any organised group within society." The report concludes with this prophetic pronouncement:—"A new era has come upon us. We cannot stand still. Wo cannot return to the old ways, the old abuses the old stupidities. As with our international relations, so with tho i-t>-lations of classes and individuals inside our own nation, if they do not henceforth got better they must needs get worse; and that means moving towards an abyss. . . . We have awakened to the splendid qualities that wore latent in our people, tho rank and file of the people. . . . Now wo see what potentialities lie in this people and what a charge lies on us to give ! these oowers full plnv."—Mr T. M. Wiiford, M.P. NO TAME STUfFwANTED BY EXTREMISTS. After an address at Gisborne, by Mr A. Cook (Labour candidate, and president of the New Zealand Workers' Union), a member of his audience delivered a 'ew remarks: "Get rid of the Red Feds," he said. "Get rid of the.men like Holland, Semple. etc., and you will go in.with a run."" Mr Cook's reply was that they would rather 6tay out their lives than do this. He did not want to see any tame stuff in. In \'iew of the fact that the extremist Labour leaders aro at present parading as "tamo stuff" in order to throw dusf in the eyes of the public (says the Wairarapa "Daily Times"), this indiscreet remark of Mr Cook's will come as a painful shock to thoso he admires. "REFORM'' LEADER WITHOUT A POLICY. Mr Massey's second speech to his constituents, and to i>iew Zealand peoiplo as a whole, was not much better (declares the "Lyttelton Times") than his first, bo far as it dealt) with the largo and pressing problems of tho moment. lit was, in fact, tho speech of a political loader without a policy. If Mr Massey can secure office by hook or by crook he is prepared to muddle along in tha old way and leavo the future to take care of itself. That is plain. On tho important and urgent question of taxation, for instance, tho country can obtain from the Prime Minister noithing but vagus generalities, meaning nothing—except that he is convinced that somo of his friends the landowners require relief.' On tne land question itself the Reform leader is hopeless. He told his audience last evening that "he did not think it tho best policy to put fit men on highpriced laud," which ho is doing every day. He said it would be much better for such men, especially if they were inexperienced, to go on to "virgin country lauds and gather experience." Mr Massey does not want to disturb his influential friends and supporters, the largo landowners, the people whom Sir Joseph Ward proposes to subject to increased graduated taxation. PREMIER'S PIOUS PLATITUDES. Uninteresting as Mr Massey'« speeches in tho North Island appear to havo been, his effort at Temuka. (declares tho Tiinaxu "Post") can only be regarded as oven less impressive. He paid the Temuka people tho compliment of leaving unsaid 6omo of tho things he said in his previous • speeches ' and of adding u. certain amount of new matter, to the apparent discomfort of a local newspaper that had expected a repotit'ioa of his earlier utterances, and did not take the trouble to revise its "copy." But t'he Temuka people would have had far more cause for satisfaction—though tho newspaper which wo have mentioned would probably have been still in tho sama awkward situation—if Mi Massey had really tried to give them a policy speech. When tho Prima Minister goes campaigning on the of an election It Is surely not unnatural to . expect him to expound his plans for tho future but so far as policy is concerned Mr Massey'e speech last night was nebulous. He talked in round terms- of the Dominion's heavy financial burden, tho need of increased production,, tho desifo for reduction of taxation, and so on, and no exception can be taken to hia pious platitudes respecting theso and ot'hor subjects. Tho country wants to know, however, whether the Primo Minister and hiß coljoagues ca-n bo trusted to tackle tho big problems of tho present, and the country can teat (their ability only by ascertaining how they propose to set about their task.' INCOME TAX PASSED ON. "Reform by its numorous journals (says tho .Napier "Telegraph") is asking tho poople of this country to be. liore that) the woalthy are being overtaxed because —we quote the actual statement being made—'"becauso there are companies paying up to 7s. 6d in tho £1 income tax." The suggestion horo is that the nominal payers of incomo tax are tho -real payors, and that income tax is not almost entirely passed on to tho consuiqor. - Hence it is important to consider the question ot incomo tax. Tho income tax collected by tho Government during the last financial year was nearly six and a quarter millions—actual figures £6,510,33 G. Does wealth "pay" this, actually pay it, or docs it merely pay it nominally and "passs it cm" on the consumer, who, if that is tho case, will pay not only tho six (millions, but two or moro trade profits upon it?" . Tho "Telegraph" maintains, and gives good reasons for its contention, limb tho great bulk of tho income tax ifc passed on, and that much of it is paid, with profits added, by tho workers, not by tho woalthy. HOPELESS TO LOOK TO REFORM. Mr Joseph Rea, Liberal candidate for Franklin, speaking at Manurewa on Wednesday, said that the Reformers and Mr Massey wore adepts in promising a reform of our olectora/l laws, hut it ended there. Ho strongly supported

the principles of proportional representation, and declared that ho stood as a Liberal because it ivaa hopeless to look to Reform. Whilst increased activity in 'every walk of dife was imperatively required in this fine littlo country," Reform, had always stood in the <wav of democratic reform. Old ago pensions and many other gopd Acts had been forced on tho country in direct opposition to the so-called Reformers. Contrasting Mr Masacy's housing scheme with that . proposed by Sir Joseph Ward, ho Btated that 10s 6d a week, about one day's pay, was quite enough for any working man to pay m rent, and -this rental could only be made possible by building in concrete, as Kir Joseph Ward proposed, and extending tho payments over 60 years, as opposed to the 32 years proposed by Mr M.assoy. ,