POLITICAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXV, Issue 292, 8 December 1914, Page 8

POLITICAL.

MANIFESTO BY THE PREMIER.

Pee Piiebs Association. Auckland, December 7

The following election manifesto was issued by the Prime Minister to-night:

“The people have to choose between a Reform Government and a Ward Government for probably the next three years. The first important question for thoughtful electors is: Which will be the stronger, better, and more reliable Government from a national and Imperial viewpoint during this great crisis of Empire? People have proof that the Reform Gov. eminent has conducted the country’s business with a clear mind and steady purpose ever since the war’began, the Opposition agitated for a cessation of ordinary legislative procedure a course which would have disturbed the public mind, but the Government wisely decided to do the work for which Parliament was appointed. By preparations made in time of peace by the Reform Government, despite the persistent allegations by the Opposition journals that the objective was a “standing army,” New Zealand was able to be the first of the Dominions to send out a fully equipped Expeditionary Force of trained men. This face, and other' facts, show the public that, from a defence viewpoint, New Zealand cannot possibly expect any advantage from a change of Government.

“On the .contrary, people have strong reason to fear a distinct disadvantage from a change. According ' to statements of the Opposition Press, and other unshakeable evidence, the , Ward party relies on the aid of the Red Federationists and Social Democrats, who are bitterly hostile to the Defence Act. On July 22nd of last year, only a few months after the Waihi strike had revealed the extreme character of the Red I*ederation, the Now Zealand Times, one of the Ward party’s principal supporters, declared editorially. ‘Mr Webb (the Social Democrat candidate for Grey) is something more than a syndicalist. He is president of the Federation of Labor, which aims at the same ultimate political objective as the Liberal party. It may be disposed to make the pace hotter than the Liberals have hitherto been prepared to proceed, but what of that so Ibng as the two parties are traversing parallel progressive lines: ft may be true that the Federation of Labor is working to destroy the Defence system, but it does not follow that Mr Webb will destroy it.’ The Lyttelton times stated, in an editorial of July 31st, 1913, that if the Liberals supported Mr Webb, it was because they knew that nine-tenths of his pol. icy was their own. The Maoriland Worker stated, on August Ist, 1913: ‘Those who voted for the candidate tMr Webb) of the Social Democratic party did so knowing that his color i was undiluted lied. They voted for him i knowing that he stood for revoluntary Socialism in politics. The Socal Democratic party stands first and foremost for .the transformation of the capitalist state into the co-operative commonwealth, which is the Socialist republic.’ Yet towards the close of last year’s, strike, when Red Federationists and Social Democrats were running Mr McCombs for the Lyttelton seat, tlie New Zealand Times stated, on December 10th: ‘The be won by the Federation of Labor. In deciding between the two candidates, the Liberals may be depended on to vote for progress.’ The Lyttelton Times, an. inveterate supporter of the Ward party, stated on December loth, that the, platform of the Social Democratic party was ‘plainly based on that of the progressive Liberals.’ Electors have also the fact that the Red Federation, of which the Social Democratic party is known officially as the ‘political expression,’ is unreconciliably opposed to the Arbitration Act, as well as to the Defence Act.

“The second great question for electors is: "Which will be the better toi our domestic policy? The Reform Government came in for a legacy of financial difficulties from the previous Administration, and there were other troubles for which the new Administration was not responsible, but the Government came through the ordeal with credit. That is acknowledged by unbiassed people here and abroad. In the .Departments of Finance, Lands. Agriculture, Railways, the Public Service, social legislation, trade and commerce, Labor, Education, and National Defence, exceedingly important reforms beneficial to the whole public have been effected. It is true that additional expenditure has been incurred by more liberal provision lor pensions, and by increases ol salary for the Public Service, railway service, teachers, and police, but this has been done without a single penny of increase in the rate of taxation of the general mass of the public . The only increase has boon on the comparatively wealthy classes. Stability for industries has been assured by the check given to the Red Federation, and every man has a right to work in peace, with fair and free opportunities. The Reform policy is on a common-sense basis, to ensure that good use of the land,, with a corresponding increase of national wealth for the benefit of all classes. “A calm and serious study of the situation cannot fail to impress on New Zealanders the supreme importance of the national factor in this time of Imperial crisis. This is not the time for tho personal element to prevail against New Zealand’s need, which is a Government firm and free to act for, 'the good of the whole Dominion andi the Empire. The Reform Governmentj has proved its ability in times of groat, difficulty to legislate and to.administer t for* the benefit of all classes. The Ro-j form party, has thoroughly earned tlm people’s confidence.” !

AN UPROARIOUS MEETING.

Wellington, December 7. The Hon. A. L. Herdman met with a lively reception at the Town Hall tonight when he replied to the speech delivered by Sir Joseph Ward on J'riday. He was frequently “counted

out,” and the meeting was an uproarious one. A motion of thanks to Hon. Herdman and confidence in the Government was defeated by a substantial majority, and the meeting ended with cheers for Sir Joseph Ward and Mr Fletcher, the .Liberal candidate for Wellington Central. MR WILKINSON’S CANDIDATURE Mr C. A. Wilkinson will close his campaign for the Egmont seat by addressing the electors in the Town Hall, Eltham, to-morrow evening, December 9th. MR HINE AT TUNA.

At Salisbury Road, Tuna, on Saturday evening, there was a good attendance to .welcome Mr Hine, the chair being taken by Mr A. Thomas. Mr Hine, who was in good form, gave an excellent address on the leading political questions of the day, with special reference to tiie aims and administration of the Massey Government. At the close a unanimous vote of confidence in their candidate, Mr Hine, was passed, and also a vote of confidence in the .Massey Administration. All at Tuna are strongly in favor of the Massey Government. DISORDER IN AUCKLAND.

DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST THE PRIME MINISTER. MEETING SMOKED OUT. MISS BRADNEY INJURED. Auckland, December 7. There were extraordinary happenings in connection with Mr Massey’s meeting at Ponsonby this evening. Recent events have made the violent partisanship of those interested fairly obvious, but during the evening the matter was placed beyond all possible doubt.

Mr Massey left the Grand Hotel in a car belonging to the hotel, and proceeded to Ponsonby, vip College Hill. When the car rounded the corner, and neared the theatre, a howling mob was encountered, stretching right across the street. The engine had stopped, and the car had almost come to a standstill, when one of the tyres was slit, apparently by a very sharp knife. The tube in the tyre was also cut, and ■both were ruined beyond repair. The value of a new tyre is £l2, and of a tube £3. The hood of the car was damaged, and two of the ribs were broken. Someone seized the mudguard, but did no damage to it.

While the meeting was pi weeding, the driver got the car repaired, and secured the services of two policemen to prevent further injuries. The meeting proceeded fairly placidly for about an hour and a-half. Just before 9.30 p.m. a gentleman walked on to the platform, and had a hurried consultation with Mr Massey, who turned to the audience and expressed his regrets that all would have to leave the hall in about ten minutes. Before the speaker could complete his sentence a number of women rushed madly to the exit, and there were indications of a panic, the audience by this time observing that the room had become very smoky. Mr Massey pacified the crowd by explaining that the loss of the lights was the worst that could happen", and that there was not the slightest cause for alarm. Thereupon a motion of confidence in him as Prime Minister was put and carried, and the audience commenced to disperse,- which they did hurriedly, ouiug to the increasing smokiness. A Herald reporter went to the e.i-gine-room with , the engineer. It was impossible to breathe in the room, and "V hasty retreat was imperative 'by reason of the smoke. The lubricator connected with the crank of the engine had been taken away, and the requisite oil had not been supplied to the works. This led to squeaking, and then came the smoke. Mr H. Smith, fireman, had also detected the smokf?, and ho made an examination. Jt was agreed that the trouble could not have occurred accidentally, the opinion being that someone had deliberately taken the lubricator away. Mr North discovered an old one, and placed it in position. Outside the hall there was a scene of wild excitement. Several thousand people, obviously of the Federationist element, crowded round the building, and the police--there were twenty-two of them, under Sergeant Rutledge—had all their work set in keeping them in order. The mounted police had to lie called in to clear a passage for Mr Massey’s car, and when he appealed howls of execration were hurled at him, coupled with intense booing. The Prime Minister was not perturbed in the slightest degree, and, took off his hat and smiled cheerily at his opponents. The mounteds again cleared a way for his exit. Being ii an angry mood, the crowd looked round for new victims.

Mr . M. Bradnoy, the Government candidate. for Auckland West, in whose electorate the Premier had spoken, seemed to lie chosen hy mutual consent to till the hill, and the crowd made a rush for him. Somebody threw a stone. The police effected a capture, hut the man was eventually released, as there was donht as to his identity. Mr Hradnoy came out of the hall with his wife and his elder daughter on Ins arms, and essayed to cross the street. There were cheers for Mr Bradney from his supporters, and a great volume of booing from opponents. The crowd gradually closed in on the candidate. He got away without injury, but just as he reached the opposite corner he heard it id that a young lady had fainted.

He returned to investigate, only to discover that it was his own younger daughter, Hiss Beatrice Bradney. Ihe crowd again threatened Mr Bradney, and were clearly in an extremely ugly mood. He only escaped injury hy waving his stick in a vigorous manner. Mr Arthur Rosser came up and apologised to him for the actions ot the crowd. Every attention was given to Miss Bradney, but it was too late to prevent her being trampled upon alter] she had fainted. Dr. Shannon offered Ids services, and the young lady, who is rather delicate at the best of times, was carefully conveyed to a room in the Ponsonby Club Hotel, where all that was possible was done to restore her to consciousness. After she 'had rested, her father ordered a motor-car and took her home. Interviewed later in the evening, Mr Bradney said that his daughter was in a low state. She had worn a wristlet watch, and this was subsequently picked up on the pavement. It had come off whey the crowd trampled upon her, and had got broken. “I should like to say,” declared Mr Bradney, “that the occurrences were most disgraceful to any constituency, and it shows plainly what a gang of hoodlums is trying to put the present Government out of office. At the same time it is part of an organised scheme to break up Government meetings, and carry votes of nb-confidenee in < order to make the people of the Dominion believe that the ‘great Liberal Party,’ of which Sir Joseph Ward is the leader, is in the ascendant. I have far too much respect for my constituents to think for one moment that that class of people are the electors oi Auckland West. I have always been proud of the fact that I have represented one of the most respectable constituencies in New Zealand.” One man was seen to strike a constable, but was not apprehended ; another, in Territorial uniform, was arrested on a charge of resisting the police in the execution of their duty. It is alleged that he kicked one of the mounted constables’ horses. The crowd did not break up for a long time, and discussed matters in knots. TAUMARUNUI SEAT, v (Special to “Post.”) Taumarunui, December 8. The Liberal and Labor candidate for the Taumarunui seat, Mr Wm. T. Jennings, addressed two largely attended meetings yesterday, one in Taringamutu Valley and the other at Okahukura. The latter was an overflow meeting,the candidate being cheered at the conclusion. This evening Mr Jennings replies in' Taumarunui to a recent speech delivered by Mr Massey, and finishe his election addresses a I Te Kuiti to-morrow night. Mr Hawkins notifies by advertise ment to-day that in order to give hi: opponent an uninterrupted hour fo his meeting in the Theatre to-morrov evening the Liberal open air meetin; will not start until 9 o’clock. Thi open-air meeting will be held in fron of the fire station. Mr Hawkin 1 speaks at Ngaere this evening.