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Otago Daily Times, Issue 19615, 20 October 1925, Page 8

A DESPERATE PARTY. The shallowness of the tactics of the Labour Party in endeavouring to convince the electors that the Reform Government’s return would lead to a reduction of wages for the workers has been adequately exposed by the Prime Minister in his speech at Dargaville. The Minister of Lands has also dealt trenchantly with the subject. A certain amount of political license is expected at election time, but for deliberate misrepresentation there is no excuse. The front page of the issue of th© New Zealand Worker of October 14 is taken up with a “Message from the New Zealand Labour Party,” effectively displayed, the tenor of which is indicated in the headlines “Mora Wage-Cutting Plotted,” “Another 7s 6d a week off if Tories elected.” In the body of the “message” it is stated that the Tories—meaning, of course, the Government—have prepared a scheme under which the workers’ wages are to he reduced by 7s 6d a week, the amount of the reduction to be used to subsidise wages to married men. It is added: “As the Tories state, this will not cost the employers a single penny extra. They are going to . feed the dog on its own tail.” Nothing could he more explicit than the appeal made to the workers to support the Labour Party “if you don’t want your wages cut another 7s 6d.” There could he no clearer allegation of a definite intention on the part of the Reform Government to reduce wages to the extent indicated. To this allegation Mr Holland was indiscreet enough to give his endorsement at Auckland last night. What the Labour Party has seen fit to do, as Sir Coates disclosed at Dargaville, is to make a cunning use of an extract from the report of the Labour Department in which, under the heading “Family Allowances,” the trend of recent experiments in connection with this question in other countries is outlined. Among other references is one to ft scheme propounded by a Commission in New South Wales, upon which Mr A. B. Piddington, K.C., who was chairman of that Commission, lectured in New Zealand some months ago. There follows immediately on this a paragraph beginning, “One possible solution of the question in New Zealand,” which was quoted by the Prime Minister at Dargaville. It is perfectly obvious from the departmental report that this paragraph, if it does not actually reproduce Mr Piddington’s own words, is a commentary upon the scheme propounded by him, an account of which immediately precedes this paragraph. Mr Piddington, be it remembered, isan authority for whom the Labour Party ' in this country has professed a profound . admiration and respect. The very opening words of the paragraph upon which Labour has sought to place a timely “political construction,” to use Mr Coates’s magnanimous phrase, though Mr M'Leod has employed a more forcible expression, indicate how purely suggestive is the outline given as to how the scheme expounded by Mr Piddington would operate in this Dominion. But the Labour Party has made no difficulty whatever about the transition from the sphere of academia discussion to that of established determination. A more unwarranted assertion based on the report of the Labour Department than that the Reform Government intends to reduce wages by 7s 6d a week it would he hard to discover. The Labour Party will certainly have no ground for complaint if its attempt to gain votes by misrepresentation of this kind recoils upon it. elf.

From the north comes a striking contribution to the amenities of the election campaign. The Minister of Internal Affairs was addressing an audience of miners at Pukemiro. Ha had ventured, not unwittingly, into the camp of the enemy. And at the conclusion of iris speech up rose the enemy, personified in the local secretary of the Miners’ Union, who moved a vote of no-confidence in the Reform Government. and its representative in terms which, for brevity and force combined, surely establish a new record, though we trust no precedent, for political meetings in this country. “That we have no confidence in the Tory Government or Mr Bollard as a member 1” What could bo more explicit, more uncompromising, more, crushingly expressive of repudiation '{ It is not usual for those who propose resolutions ' at public meetings to embellish their with words which are commonly regarded as unprintable, or, as the embittered miners’ secretary at Pukemirc is reported as doing, to warm up to hR subject to such an extent as, with s delicious contempt for our population statistics, to accuse the Government ol murdering thousands and millions of men, and women, and children, and to conclude upon so rich a note of denunciation as this—“To Hell with them 2 1 would shoot them and him.” This was unnecessarily hard upon Mr Bollard, for it was surely no fault of his if a member of his audience lost hir mental balance, succumbed to frenzy, and seemed to hanker after firearms. By virtue of its very extravagance an episode of this kind becomes diverting as well as deplorable, and loses soms of its significance. And all who read this account of Mr Bollard facing the odds at Pukemiro will appreciate the excellent point and courtesy of the Minister’s reply. Even the ranks of Tuscany, it seems, could scarce forbear to cheer. Mr Bollard carried off some of the honours of the day after all, and he will have a good tale to add to his record of election reminiscences. As for its reflection on the style of oratory that is apparently favoured in the Pukemiro locality, that is another story.

A suggestion of “Nevermore,” the word which inspired Edgar Allan Poe to pen his ghostly verses about the raven, was noticeable in a letter produced at the Arbitration Court yesterday from a lady of South Otago. It was in reply to an endeavour to include in the great family of private hotel-keepers a fairly large number of those who provide bed and board for the weary and the hungry, and this, of course, would necessitate her employing union girls. But she had had a union girl once before, and her letter was couched in outspoken terms. “I wish to state,” she said, “that my daughter and myself have managed without a girl for six months. This last fortnight we have had a girl to wash up, eto., while we do the spring cleaning. As for union girls, they are no good in a little business like mine. I had one union girl, but never again. It is better to -keep fewer boarders and do the work yourself; it simply means I could not afford to do it. My opinion of girls is they want the pay, but don’t ask them to work. They just get dressed up and go out. I am not the only one that has that opinion of girls nowadays. Of course, there are exceptions. You will get a good girl occasionally. I am only expressing myself in the matter, and you will understand it will not suit me to join any union, as my business is not Ijrge enough.” As Poc might have said: “Quoth the lady, ‘Nevermore.’” Several stokehold hands from the intercolonial passenger steamer Manuka spent a merry time ashore at Dunedin yesterday. Late in the afternoon five or sis of them were reported “among the missing.” They were not deserters, but simply came ashore for a “reviver.” The warm weather probably accounted for them partaking of several revivers, as they did not put in an appearance until about 6.30 p.m. They then drifted in twos and singly back to the ship. The Manuka finished working cargo at 5 p.m., but she was compelled to wait until .such time as the stokehold hands chose to return, with the result that she did not sail until close on 7 p.m. for Bluff and Melbourne —about an hour and a-half later than schedule time. Some amusement was caused about 6.50 p.m. by one big stokehold hand, who was seen staggering along the wharf with a well-fihed sack over his shoulder. The weight began to tell, and he deposited his burden on the wharf while he went abroad the Manuka to get assistance. A few minutes later one of his mates came ashore, and, heaving the sack over his shoulder, after a strenuous effort, carried it on board to the crews quarters. The sack was sodden, as some of the bottles which it contained had broken, with disastrous results to the contents. In the course of a notable tribute to his late chief, Mr Massey, the Hon. W. Downie Stewart, speaking in Burns Hall last eight, recalled two pleasing incidents showing the humane and kindly nature of Mr Massey in private life. Mr Stewart sought to correct the popular impression that a man so immersed in grave public affairs as Mr Massey was tended to ioso the personal and human touch. On one occasion Mr Massey suddenly rose and left an important Cabinet meeting without explanation. Mr Stewart learned the reason later. That morning Mr Massey had met in the street an old man, poor and very thinly clad. During tho Cabinet meeting Mr Massey suddenly remembered that be had told tho man to call at his office at 3 o’clock to get a warm overcoat. So ho hurried from the Cabinet meeting to fulfil hia promise. On another occasion Mr Massey found a man with his wife and six children homeless in Wellington. Mr Massey sent them out to one of the Government houses at Miramar. “Who will look after the rent?” a Government official asked later, Mr Massey thumped tho table as ho retorted that he would look after the rent if nobody else did. In any case he was not going to have a man and bis family left out on the street. Mr Stewart spoke for over an hour and a-half with a vigour and ease that delighted his friends, who were most pleased to note for themselves such strong conformation of the medical report of the Minister’s improved health. Mr Stewart received many congratulations at tho close of tho meeting.

Fire protection for the Exhibition buildings will shortly be an established fact, as it is expected that a machine and a permanent staff of four men will be drafted this week to the special station in one of the largest buildings. Tbe men will be picked from the Central Fire Station, the officer in charge to hold the rank of senior foreman. The men will be provided with comfortable quarters, and will remain there during the period of the Exhibition. In order to maintain the normal strength of the City Brigade five new recruits will bs placed on the pay roll ns probationers. With the addition of these men, the accommodation at headquarters will be fully taxed, and in order to provide sleeping apartments for them- it has been found necessary to utilise a room on the ground floor which was used as a rest and recreation abode.

The monthly meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children was held yesterday afternoon in the Town Hall. Dr Siedeberg presided. The committee wished it to be again emphasised that Sister Nora’s advice was always available to any girl requiring sympathy or practical help. It was decided to instruct the secretary to write to the Minister urging the need of women patrols. The usual routine business was transacted.

It is rumoured that a case presenting some interesting features will shortly come before the Magistrate's Court in connection with a building recently erected in Crawford street. It is alleged that a building permit was issued by the City Council without a plan and specifications of the proposed building being supplied by the builder, and also that the building which has been erected is not in accordance with the city building regulations. On Friday the Dunedin public will have an opportunity of expressing in a tangible way their sympathy (and surely there are few who are not sympathetic) for the Girl duidas’ movement. Stalls will be posted in several of the streets, and to assist in th© equipment of these it is desired that contributions of produce should be offered. Unquestionably the Girl Guides’ movement is a deserving one, the aim being to train the girls in such a way that they will become good housewives and mothers. A meeting of the committee of the Southland Radium Appeal Fund, held in the Invercargill Y.M.C.A. rooms on Friday evening, was fairly well attended. The president (Mr Thomas Hide) occupied the chair. The Chairman explained that the meeting had been called to report progress and to let the people of Southland know how things were progressing. A good deal of correspondence had come to hand concerning the handing over of the money cohered to the Otago Board and the subsidy thereon, but this had disclosed the fact that the position was totally unsatisfactory as far as Southland wag concerned. It was eventually reso'vcd that the correspondence before the meeting bo forwarded to tbo Southland Hospital Board with the suggestion that the three boards concerned in the proposal—Southland, Otago, and Waitaki—take concerted action in approaching tho Prime Minister in regard to the matter of tho limited subsidy. It was also decided to circularise all candidates contesting the Southland seats at the forthcoming elections, explaining the position and asking for an expression of their views on the subject of tho subsidy. The secretary reported that tho fund was at present deposited as follows: —In the Post Office, £600; in the Building Society, £2000; on hand, £35; interest, £l2ltotal, £3756.

A Wellington Press Association message states that tho Customs collected at Wellington yesterday amounted to £35,575, tho largest sum ever taken in one day, and it is also believed to be a record for the Dominion. There were 800 passes in the Customs long room, and as each entry means five sots of papers the officials had n very busy time. Tho great rush of business is probably owing to tho strike holdup and the arrival of ships during tho week-end. At 80 miles an hour a Do Haviland aeroplane sped from tho Sock burn aerodrome, Christchurch, to Dunedin yesterday morning, landing on the foreshore after 136 minutes’ travelling. Captain L. M. Isitt and’Sergeant Simpson were in charge of the plane, which loft Christchurch at 9.30. Favourable weather conditions attended the flight. Captain Isitt will taike photographs of the Exhibition from the air. Ho hopes to complete his work by Friday, when he will fly bock to Christchurch.

An interesting temporary addition to tho pictures to bo seen at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery is a landscape in oils lent by Mr P. L. Halsted. This work was recently secured 'by Mr Halsted from the Old Country, and is from tho brush of Jose Weiss, an artist of excellent repute, and exhibitor at the Royal Academy. Tho picture is entitled “Across tho Fields,” and conveys the impression of a typical English landscape. Tho -quiet harmonies of colour, and tho treatment of the spreading trees upon which the attention centres, are much to bo admired. An attractive permanent acquisition to the gallery is a delicatelysculptured head, bearing the title “Heart’s Ease,” which has boon presented by Mr D. E. Thoomin.

The Dunedin Burns Club wil celebrate its Hallowe’en in His Majesty’s Theatre on Monday evening, after which a dance will bo hold in tho Victoria Hall. Euchre will be played at the Town Hall, South Dunedin to-night, when 12 valuable prir.es will be given. At tho meeting of the Brighton Advancement and Amenities Society held on Saturday afternoon tho secretary reported that everything was in order for tho social which is to bo held in the Brighton Hall next Saturday evening, tho occasion being the inauguration of the electric lighting system in the district. The Ladies’ Committee has arranged for refreshments and a largo attendance is anticipated. An excellent concert programme will bo provided. By special arrangement motor buses will leave Manse street and will return to the city after the function.

Tho Railway Department announces excursion faros and train arrangements in connection with Labour Day. Oamaru races, and Gore races.

“ Never lets you clown.” Be sure to use genuine Kodak Film—tho dopondable_ film in tho yellow box. Solo by all Kodak Dealers. —Advt.

Eyes are precious. At first sign of weak ness go to the qualified and experienced (23 years) optometrist, W. V. Stunner, D. 5.0.1., G.A.0.C., Octagon, Dunedin. Most up-to-date equipment, including latest electrically-lit testing charts, installed.— Advt.

A. E. J. Blakeley and W. E. Bagley, dentists. Bank of Australasia, corner of Bond and Rattray streets (next Telegraph Office). Telephone 1859. —Advt.

Save Your Eyes.—Consult Peter G. Dick, D.8.0.A., F. 1.0., London, consulting and oculists’ optician.—“ Peter Dick,” jewellers and optometrists, Moray place, Dui.adin.Advt.

Another victory for Now Zealand women—first in the world’s laundry championship. “No-rubbing Laundry Help” responsible.— Advt.

Barth Electrical Supplies (Ltd.), 61 Princes street, Dunedin. Tho most central and up-to-date house in Dunedin for every description of electrical appliances. Wireless apparatus a specialty.—Advt. Ladies! We have tho finest assortment of perfumes. Bottles from 9d to £3. Send postal notes and wo will do our best to please you.—Sprosens - (Ltd.), cash chemist. Octagon, Dunedin. —Advt. Exceptionally heavy voting in favour of tho “No-rubbing Laundry Help” issue anticipated at tho coming elections. —Advt.