POLITICAL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 11958, 2 December 1919, Page 7

POLITICAL.

I ME MASSEY’S WARNING. Speaking at Invercargill Mr Maasey ■ said he did nob imagine that; the Labour Party would secure a majority iu the country, but the danger was that it might link up with the Liberal Party, provided it received a promise of legislation that would suit it. “If you want to prevent anything of that sort happening, ” continued Mr Massey, ' ‘you must give the present Government a working majority sufficient to carry on without depending on the Bolsheviks, and it is in your interests that that should be done.", (Applause). He quoted the remarks of Mr Walker, a labour member, at Dunedin last week, to the effect that when the Labour members formed themselves into a distinct party they were ready at tbe same time to co- ! operate with the Liberals in opposing Mr Massey’s Government, and tiiat the Liberals in the House, in conjunction with the Labour Party, considered “what chance there would be of securing the reins of government.” (Laughter). This said Mr Massey, was the greatest giveaway he had seen for many a day. Those two parties were evidently aspiring at that time to secure the reins of government. Then also, according to Mr Walker, “when Sir Joseph Ward recognised that he could not attain to power, he accepted the overtures to form a National Government. I need not elaborate the point,” proceeded Mr Massey. “I have never read anything that threw so much light on that aspect in the setting up of the National Government as those words by Mr Walker. (Applause). Those two parties were apparently willing to join hands in order to seize the reins of government at a critical time in our history. Thank Heaven they did not get the opportunity. (Applause). We know, then, what happened in the past, and we know it would happen again iu the future, because Mr Semple say’s his party is willing to join with Sir Joseph Ward’s party in ousting the Massey Government if Sir Joseph Ward’s party will accept its policy from the dozen or hall-dozen members who form the Labour Party. I ask the electors to think of the country and of the people a s awhole. Think how we are going to meet our liabilities. I toll you there is only one thing to do, and that is to give the present Government a working majority. (Applause).”