LIBERAL-LABOUR CAMPAIGN.

Otago Witness, Issue 3662, 20 May 1924, Page 25

LIBERAL-LABOUR CAMPAIGN.

THE LEADER OPENS. NAPIER. May 12. Mr Wilford, in opening- the LiberalLabour political campaign in Waipukurau, said that the party had decided to visit all electorates represented by Reform members. He declared that his party did not stand for any class, but the charaeterished Reform as the docile, servants of the wealthy. The Liberals agreed with the remark of Mr Massey in 1912 that it was a. good thing for a Government to feel another coming along to look into the pigeon holes and see if the administration had been all right. The time had arrived for the cleaning of the stables. Mr Wilford complained that when the Liberals left the National Government in 1919 the. expenditure from the Consolidated Fund was £18,673,599. but three years later it had jumped to £28,465,835. The economies the Prime Minister claimed to have effected were forced on him by the extravagance of the Government. The speaker said that the Advances to Settlers Department was put on the Statute Book by the Liberals, but to-day the Reform Party “walked it about” as if it were its child. From the funds of that department the Government had collared £'2,'000,000 for investment in war loans. The money had been taken from those who wanted it, and should have been repaid. He had charged the Prime Minister in the House with taking the money from the department. He would like to know whether a portion of the recent £5,000,000 loan for State advances was to repay this money, or was fresh money. Mr Massey’s love of the State Advances Department was due to the fact that he saw the merit of the Liberals’ proposal for an agricultural hank, the chief point, about which was the long-term mortgage ana repayment of principal and interest. They (tne Liberals) advocated a' State bank to work in conjunction with an agricultural bank. Mr Wilford referred to the market for New Zealand’s produce in the East, but said that the Government was cold to the proposal. He said that the Government’s soldier settlers’ scheme had been carried out. in a wasteful way, and now it was necessary to write off millions of pounds to bring values down to a reasonable, figure. Referring to the Imperial Conference, the speaker said that Mr Massey on previous occasions had represented the country with dignity, but on the last occasion he lost both dignity and his temper. Mr Wilford was accorded a vote of thanks and was given a sympathetic hearing. MR-WEITCH AT NAPIER. NAPIER. May 15. Mr W. A. Veitch, M.P. for Wanganui, addressed about 800 people here last night in continuation of the. Liberal-Labour campaign throughout New Zealand. His iernarks consisted of criticism of the Massey Government, in numerous matters and advocacy of his party’s policy During bis address Mr Veitch received a good hearing, but at the question time he was peppered with hostile questions from a strong Labour section and repeatedly had to appeal for a fair .hearing when giving his answers. The following motion was declared carried amidst Labour enthusiasm“ That this meeting of Napier citizens is disgusted with the palpable hypocrisy of the Official Opposition. which, styling itself the LiberalLabour Party, voted 131 times in support of the Massey Government it was elected to oppose out of 219 divisions; and condemns its policy and the. attitude of Mr Wilford and his followers. The meeting expresses its continued confidence in the

New Zealand Labour Party with Mr Holland as its head.” A “BOOMERANG” RESOLUTION. WELLINGTON. May 15. Speaking at a meeting of the executive of ibe Wellington North branch of the Liberal-I.abcur Association to-day, Mr Wilford made two interesting statements, one dealing with proportional representation, and the other with Mr Veitch’s meeting at Napier. In regard to proportional representation, Mr Wilford stated that there, was an Electoral Bill in the air which proposed proportional representation and preferential voting for the country. He had not much faith in the likelihood of the. Government persisting in the direoton of electoral reform, but he a.sked the executive to increase the membership as much as possible in the next few months, so that it would be ready with ether branches of the party for federation if proportional representation were passed shortly. Speaking of the resolution passed at Mr Veitch’s meeting, Mr Wilford said: “It will help us a very great deal. We have to fight two sections in this contest—first, certain of the newspapers, which say that we are hand in glove with extreme Labour; and, secondly, some of the, small farmers, who toll me that if they could be sure that we were not standing in with extreme Labour they would do the.ir verv best loins. I met some instances of both these phases in mv trip through Sir George Hunter’s electorate this week. I assured those farmers who spoke to me on this point that we are not allied with extreme Labour. I am assuring tbe, small farmer throughout New Zealand every week that we are not in any war- allied with extreme Labour. This resolution will help us, and will, I am quite, certain, n'ove to the -mail farmer that extreme Labour is tar, far awav from the T.iheral-T ahonr l’artv. T hone that this resoluton. which we will christen the ’Napier resolution.’ will be broadcasted through New Zealand, so that the party I lead may no longer be misrepresented to the small farmer. bane Labour in the towns understands the position quite, well, but I find from my correspondence that many small farmers throughout New Zealand have, up to now, been misled by being fold that we are riot opposed to extreme Labour. There is no better friend to the workers of New Zealand than Mr Veitch. and they know it. This is not the first time in politics that a temporary win has become a permanent, loss to the mover of the resolution and to his party.” EXPLANATION BY MR VEITCH. . GISBORNE, May 17. Mr Veitch, M.P., addressed about 200 electors, dealing with the Liberal-Labour policy on agricultural matters, banks, industrial development, the moratorium, and land settlement Mr Veitch referred to the Napier meeting, where a hostile demonstration had been made against the chairman and himself. The Napier people were justified in feeling angry with him. He was a past president of the A.S.R.S., and owing to false information the people believed that he voted against them. He explained that the Government introduced the Bill to reduce the salaries of all in the Government service. His party agreed to support the Bill to a certain extent, opposing any reductions under £320 a year. The Labour Party opposed the Bill altogether. The Liberals therefore took a middle course, knowing that if their proposals were not agreed to they had their remedy on the third reading. It was untrue to say that he voted for reduction of the salaries of the lower-paid men. In regard to raihvaymen’s hours, he thought these should be kept to 44 a week. He did not approve of the strike method, and neverhad done so. At the conclusion, after answering a large number of questions, a motion of thanks and confidence was carried amid prolonged applause. ADDRESS BY AIR E. RANSOM, M.P. TAUMARANUI, May 17. Mr E. Ransom, M.P., delivered an address last night in the Liberal-Labour interest. There was a fair attendance. He condemned the Reform Government’s land policy in reference to State advances. He criticised the legislation that compelled the farmer who required to pay off his existing mortgage to pay one per cent, more than the borrower with unencumbered security. He affirmed that the moratorium could be lifted if a maximum tax were imposed of 3s 4d in the pound, which would give the borrower t.he money at not more than 6 per cent., and would return a clear 5 per cent, to the mortgagee. A vote of thanks was passed.