THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LI, Issue 16869, 26 October 1925, Page 8

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

NOMINATIONS. (Per Press Association.! NELSON. last iiii^lit. -Messrs 11. Atmore (N) and T. Brindlc (L) lmve been nominated for the Nelson seat. UIII!TSTCiIUHOII, last night. M. Lyons has been nominated for Lyttelton, and 11. Holland for Christchurch North. LABOR LAND POLICY IN PRACTICE. “Put into practice the new Labor land policy,” said Sir James Parr at Swanson, “and you would have one farmer with a freehold and complete right to sell, mortgage, or lease it to anybody and at his own price, while next door the unfortunate farmer with a State loan would be tied up with no right to sell, mortgage, or lease his land. If he wanted to leave his property he would have to take over for his interest a scrap of paper promising to pay the Government valuation of his land in 20 years’ time. The same result would take place with city properties side by side. In claiming this, even tlm ekventn hour and watered-down version of our friends, Messrs W. J. Jordan, M. J. Savage, and H. G. It. Mason, there would he differentiation without sense of reason, and chaos in land tenure, both in town and country.” A LITTLE SPECULATION. The Government candidate for the Auckland Central seat, Mr C\ A. Wilson, has been unearthing some interesting facts about his Labor opponent, Mr W. E. Parry. “In curiosity,” he said at a recent meeting, “1 looked Up certain land titles, an^Af*'ftVUtid that Mr Parry had purchased, in the name of his Wife, Sections 61 and 112 of the Onetangi reserve, at a/ total value of £172. Then Mr Parry later sold one section for £l6O. I do'.ftot object to Mr Parry speculating in land/ hui when, in his political speeches, lie denounces land speculation, 1 think it is about time the electors know where he stands.”

CLOSER SETTLEMENT. The Government proposes, as soon as prices are sufficiently stabilised, to acquire estates for closer settlement. “It might be,” said the Prime Minister in one of his speeches, “necessary to employ the compulsory clauses of the Act. I hear some people ask why we do not employ these clauses now, and they say it is because we are frightened of the big landowners. We are not frightened at all, but we realise that it is not a hit of use putting men on the land except at a price at which they can make a living off the land. AN UNCOMFORTABLE FACT.. “No one knows better than the Labor party that the strike has put them back ten years,” was a loudly applauded remark by Mr J. A. Nash in the course of his address at the Palmerston North Opera House. LABOR LANDPOLICY. “The Labor land policy has been drafted by men inexperienced in land questions and who don’t understand the temper of the fanning people,” said the Prime Minister. “No man who has any pride in him is prepared to become a pawn of the Btate.” HELPING THE GERMAN. “I was told by a Labor candidate that I ought to buy German goods,” said a member of the audience at one of the Prime Minister’s meetings. “It is an extraordinary thing,” said Mr Coates, “that you are told by these internationalists that you must do more for some foreigner than for oUr own people who are in dire distress. It seems to me they are more concerned about Germany and Russia. ’’ FOREIGN INFLUENCES. Some straight talks respecting the undesirable forces which have been at work of late was indulged in by the Prime .Minister 1 at Melonsville. “I believe there are elements at work that are not of our making and are entirely foreign to us,” said Mr Coates. “It seems to mo there are elements at work which been put across our paths of progress and that those infill* ences are foreign, hut T am afraid there are quite g number of our people who nre being misled, weak people, who are not proud enough of the stock to which they belong. If they would stop for a moment and 1 think they would realise that these people are no friends of ours, and would Wreck every British institution we have.” A voice: You are guessing that. Mr Coates: lam not guessing, and so far as the Government are concerned, if they are returned no opportunity will bo lost- of stamping out these, influences for ever. (Applause).

WARp HITS OUT. RUMOR, THE LYING JADE. Addressing - a crowded meeting at South Invercargill, Sir Joseph Ward delivered a great lighting speech, and dealt with the lying, malicious rumors circulated.

The latest, about the eighth one, ■was told by a supporter of his of high standing, who had been aslcod to take part in a meeting of Col. Hargest’s. The supporter was told even now that there was a. possibility that Sir Joseph Ward would not go to the poll, and that Ward would pull out because Mr. Coates had been approached to offer Ward a seat in the Upper House. He gave a straight dcjiial. Ten thousand Coates would not send him there. It was well known that he could havo gone there six months after his retirement. No friend would make such a statement. He did not object to criticism, but detested untrue rumors.

Correcting Colonel Hargest, who said Ward wanted to eat. the cake and keep on opposing loans, at the same time proposing completion of the gaps of the main railways, Sir Joseph said he would complete the railways in three years, and would pay by the issue of Government stock, as in Canada and America.

He appealed to all to consider it, or the lines, would not be completed when all there were dead and buried.

If Colonel Hargest asked he would give him honest information, instead of the amazing statements and figures supplied from the North, with orders to tire them; and the Colonel fired them. At the conclusion a vote of confidence was carried with acclamation, babiebTn politics. A CANDIDATE’S MASCOTS. “Although t believe New Zealand needs to entry a greater population," said Mr. YV. 11. Lcadhy, Government candidate for Avon, at a meeting in Chrisfehuich, “j believe that the lm>t

population is New Zeulaiicl-lior i boys and girls. During the war 17.046 of mu' lies! young men lost their lives, and you cm >ec the necessity of that slogan, ‘ Keep New Zealand cr idles

i l .ill.' 1 would like to show you a sample. May !.’” Mr. Lend Icy disappeared oil' the stage by a side door while the audience tillered. Loud applause broke oal when (ho candidate reappeared with small boys (twins), one under either arm. The buys were barelegged, ami wore lillle blue jumpers. “Allow mi:, 1 ’ said Mr. Lead ley, “lo introduce my mascots during' the coming election. The little fellow on your right is Bill, and the little chap on vour left is Jock. And my wife tells me that Jock lakes after Ids father. He has the gift of the gain If they please you, the best way you can please them is by sending their daddy to Parliament on November 4.’’

Then the candidate disappeared again, came back proudly, minus the twins, throw out his chest, took a drink of water, and proceeded to speak of the delights of the hearth and home.

(To the Editor of 111© Herald.) Sir, —The New Zealand Labor party candidates have pronounced against a vote of people being taken- on the Bible in Schools question. This action proves that- they do not represent true democracy in New Zealand, because they are afraid to trust the people. Sir, the home of the Referendum is in Switzerland. and in 1882 that country took a referendum on the' proposal to remove religions instruction from the schools, but. the proposal was rejected. Catholics and Protestants united to vote “No, ’ the minority being German Radicals, Freethinkers, and Socialists. In South Australia, Victoria, and Queensland the question of Bible reading in schools was submitted to a referendum. This year one of the Baltic States decided the question of religious instruction in schools by a vote, of the people. In 1901, 1903, and 1904 the Right- Hon. R. J. Seddon, the leader of the Liberal party in New Zealand, introduced a General Referendum Bill, which would include the Bible in Schools question. In 1905 a Bible, in Schools Plebiscite Bill was also introduced by Mr T. R. Sidey, M.P. What is the matter with the Labor party when it wishes not only to prohibit, as in Russia, the Bible in the schools, but it also desires to prohibit the people from having a vote on the same? It is a sign of weakness, and also ignorance of the referendum principles, for the Labor party to take refuge behind the excuse that a vote cannot be taken on a religious question. What will Bible rending in schools mean? It means letting the children know it is wrong to steal, to lie, to dishonor the Sabbath, und right- to honor their parents, to love mankind, to care for the sick, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked; since that is the Bible religion, I say we want a little of if, as it is true Socialism. In the United State of America, under the Initiative, Referendum and Recall Ads, a vote may ho taken oit Bible reading in schools. Ti-psting voters will spurn candidates who avo afraid to allow the people a vote on Bible in schools, which would mean much for the children's inoral Welfare. —I am, etc.. A NEW ZEALANDER.