THE LABOUR PARTY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19527, 9 July 1925, Page 10

THE LABOUR PARTY.

AND THE MAORI EILECTOR AN ARDENT WOOING. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON. July 8. Sir Maui Pomare, a member of the, Ministry, was the last speaker in the Address-in-Reply debate to-night He hold the attention of the whole House, and was critical and most amusing in his recital of the efforts of the Labour Party to woo the electors in his constituency Eight Labour members had invaded his electorate of late, and had made love to his Maori constituents The Minister devoted some time to criticising and ridiculing what Mr Holland bad said. Sir Maui went on to deal in the most amusing manner with the promises of the Labour members to the Maori people. They had promised them representation on the Education Boards; hay they not representation on them now? —(No answer from the Labour benches.) There was to be provision for settlement on the lands. Were they not settled now? asked Sir Maui. , A Labour Member: Well settled! Sir Maui Pomare: Yes, and they won’t have any land left at all if these gentlemen come in.—(Laughter.) Then, added the Minister, the Labour Party had promised that if it got in money would bo advanced to Maori settlors to help them with their lands. Did they not know that already £250,000 had been advanced to young Maori settlers to help them on their lands? No, the Labour members forgot these things when they went wooing in a Maori constitutency. (Laughter.) , Sir Maui cited one after another promise made in the wooing, raising general laughter as he showed the spaciousness of these promises. . A Labour member interjected: Don t get angry 1” , Sir Mam Pomare: I never got angry. The hon. gentleman will know when I get angry.—(Laughter.) Dealing further with the land policy of the Labour Party, he said it would mean absolute confiscation to the Maori. One of the Labour Party had extolled the yirues of the Labour Maori candidate for his (Sir Maui’s) district. The candidate, Hairangi Moffat, was once a Liberal. A Labour Member: No. Sir Mani: Well, a pseudo-Liberal. If he were elected all the Maori grievances would bo cured.— (laughter) “Well, added Sir Maui, “if that were so, there was no need for the Labour Party Hairangi Moffat would do it—(Laughter) In conclusion, he said: “Woo betide the Maori race if ever the Labour Party got into power.” _