LEADER OF OPPOSITION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 15091, 13 December 1919, Page 5

LEADER OF OPPOSITION.

CROWDED AUDILNCE AT AUCKLAND. , A STRIKING SPEECH, {Social to the Herald. J AUCKLAND; this day. „ What was. probably the most striking speech yet delivered m the present.Campaign was made by Sit Joseph Ward last nliglit when addressing a, crowded audience m the Town Hall-. The Liberal leader was given ft. ittmarkable reception when entering the hall, and again at the close of the meeting. Dealing first With the National Government, Sir Joseph said he was very glad to get out of it. The National Government was formed aft^r the last 'general election because 'the' Reform Government did not li^.a sufficient majority, to carry on. .Xt.. was nwtaiallr.:' agreed • that . th> two partites . would sink all political differences .and .. unite oiu even terjna, and light through th© whole war thY National Government did its duty, and did fine work for- the country 'in the war. : (Applause.) ,But part of the agreement was that the National Government should not continue after the .Wuv. Mr Massey professed that he was s\irprised when the Liberal party withdrew from the National Government, but he'.kneAy something about it m Paris, and w.as,;not as surprised as some people hail bee^n' led to believe when the Liberal part Hr. exercised itg right to wifch&?s&!■?-. .AW the Liberal Ministers' De})ar'tmejrtit9 a.t,that time were up to date He told the" House when it assembled tiidt- .thj> liberal party would do everythingit : could to help the Reform Gov©rhmeAt to carry out the work of the session. They did so, but what did they get,, for it? In, fairness to the Liberal party'- 'and the Liberal members of the House. Honor should be given to whom honor was due. He was not trying to disparage the. work of the session, for it was a good session for work from the Reform: party's point of view. The Frinie ..Minister had said that the Pro,ftteering Act, was placed on the Statute Book; by- .'the Reform "Government, and he hiad saidl.it was one of the fittest and m?fst drastic; Acts m the world. The Act. 'had been prepared by the Liberal ■Miijwtct : the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald. "•-- ", ... :/.." ;, MAJORITY RULE. . "Owing, to the refusal of the R«form trovernmeht we were not to have ma{?s& ru-e.in^New Zealand," continued Sir.* Joseph Ward. He had pressed' m .the, House for the of an undertaking' given by \the Reform Government whe< the latter repealed -the Second! ballot, thp ..undertaking being tliat some alternative* woutd be provided for the second' ballot. MrK Massey had not provided tliat /alternative, and the present position m; connection with the elections of Pariiam,entary 'candidates was the system of , first-pasWhe-post. I hat was a, horrible', policy, to allow minority rule when the majority, had tht right to- have a full say as to' who^hould represent them m Parliament ■ ■' ATTITUDE TOWARDtS .EXTREAIISTS Reference Avas mado to the- statement '■by-Mr;Massey to the effect that judging by the utterance of 'Mr H. HoUand, leader of tho New Zealand LaborpArty tljat/party join with tlie .Liberal „party the purpose of oustPfg 'W Reform Government. It was Welcss' fpi« :the P\'|me. to camouflage the-pflsitfon whei-6 plain matters, of facts were concerned. Tho Reform Government was on its trial, and if the ¥!? 6 $S returned a stronger party than 'Mr .Maasey's im-ty,then tlie Reform party had to go out of office. Sir JosepJWard said he had made it clear thm 1 unless he could hold office without the dfctatiottSf tlie extVente party, he wouW Refuse :.%.; hold office. (Applause.) He had said tliat m the House long ago. aaid ho issued a manifesto to the peopl t . m which he said he was against direct action or any t king. of that sort. Sir Joseph Ward then referred 'to tho party issue. He declared: tliat ,I'ast election Mr Maasey had telegraphed to an electorate wherd'a^Tlsd Fed" candidate was stand. lffl £ in^;9PP9^it' : on to a, Liberal candidate, asking the electors to vote for Labor. Mf, the present time, Mr Wilford, thar whom there was no more loyal man ir the Dominion, was being- opposed by an extremist. The Reform party had pu^ up a candidate, with the result that the extremist > might get- mr - thoualv -hr thought Mr Wilford would beat them both. This talk about dunking party djifferenoea was I 'camouflage. In the SoutJIsland two Refowners were opposing two extremists. If two Liberal candidate* had' been t put up the. extremists .would gfet' ih; "biif mb Liberal 1 candidate had .S&^-IW.MU?- . "We ai'e appealing to the moderate section of every class of thp community," Joseph Ward said. say tha,t. Labor should, be represented m the ! mexf • G6vernWnt-i-(a]spl'i,yse)---,and'l;,sayi. that Mr; Veitcli, of 'Warigdnoii, is as fine a representative Jof.Labw as could be got .in' • this country ." (Applause.) The men who- are. crying out to stop these men from gelling into Parliament are the class who did their very b ,e. s »t ta.sow discontent among- tlie workers. Two-thirds of the men who fought for the- British flag were workers. (Ar plause.) And the employers and capitalists would be foolish: toTdeSny these -mer their rights. (Applause.) That bs one of the things we ai-e out for. We are pu+ to see that ',tho large landed of this couiitry/ are cut up.