ON THE HUSTINGS

Southland Times, Issue 20772, 13 May 1929, Page 5

ON THE HUSTINGS

CAMPAIGN IN BRITAIN

PRIME MINISTER TWITS LABOURITES NOT AFRAID OF LIBERALS (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) London, May 10. Mr Baldwin inaugurated the Conservative campaign by addressing an audience of 10,000 at the Albert Hall. He said the great fight was beginning on the anniversary of the general strike, which Mr Ramsay Macdonald now disowned, but forgot that it was the direct and logical outcome of Labour’s propaganda of violence. Those who preached those doctrines sowed the wind, but the nation reaped the whirlwind. They challenged law and order. The Government of the country was thus headed straight for anarchy and despotism, but. an overwhelming mass of British people stood behind the present Government, whose policy for the past two years had been so successful that, even the Socialist leaders now preached a doctrine of moderation; but behind them still stood the people who believed in revolutionary methods. He did not. fear the Liberals because the brains, money and dynamic force of the leader were of no avail unless the soul of life could be breathed into Liberalism's drv bones.

Mr Baldwin enumerated the steps the Government had taken in the direction of social reform and increasing employment. i They were prepared to put their hands to i the plough again with the same energy. Illustrating the nation’s recovery since 1924, the Premier said that wholesale prices had fallen over 15 points and the cost of ■ living 18 points. The real value of wages, i therefore, had risen. The savings of small investors had increased by £170,000,000. Shipbuilding was improving and the iron and steel trade was better even than the coal industry, which was showing considerable improvement. More men were working and more coal was being produced.— Australian Press /Lssociation-United Service. PAMPHLET BY MR BALDWIN. VALUE OF IMPERIAL PREFERENCE. (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) London, May 11. In an election address issued in pamphlet form, Mr Baldwin stresses among the means of assisting the dominions’ co-operation and expansion the value of Imperial preference which, since 1924, had been stabilized and extended with excellent results. The Empire to-day was far the best market, buying nearly as much manufactures as all the : foreign countries together. “Our Liberal and Socialist opponents, by I their actions in 1924 and declarations since, j have shown determined hostility to the whole idea of preference,” states the pamphi let. “We, on the contrary, demonstrated ' the great possibilities, and subject to my pledge not to impose protective taxation on food we shall continue to promote it as an essential part of our policy of Imperial development.”—Australian Press Association. MR MACDONALD'S RETORT. (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) London, May 10. Mr Ramsay Macdonald, speaking at Seaham, said that if the present Government were returned to Downing Street it would get straight away into its political pyjamas and stay there for the next five years.—United Service. PARLIAMENT PROROGUED. London, May 10. There was a large attendance of members in the House of Commons at the closing session, particularly those not seeking re-election, headed by the Hon. W. 0. Bridgeman, who was making his last appearance in the front bench. Three minutes sufficed to conclude the business, the Black Rod then leading the procession to the House of Lords to hear the King's Speech. The dissolution of Parliament took place at Bognor. The King met. the members of the Privy Council on the lawn at Craigwell House. His Majesty, who looked particularly well, sat at the head of the tabic. The act of dissolving Parliament occupied only a few minutes. It concluded immediately the King had signed the document. Sir Maurice Hankey, Clerk of the Privy Council, had a hurried lunch, and then drove back to London at full speed to hand the proclamation to the Lord Chancellor.

To-day’s Privy Council is the first that the King has held since that on December 4, when, with his Ministers standing in the doorway of his bedroom at Buckingham Palace, he signed the document setting up the Council of State to act for him during his illness.—Australian Press Association.