A MANIFESTO.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 25, 16 December 1919, Page 2

A MANIFESTO.

TO THE ELECTORS OF NEW

ZEALAND.

(Published By Arrangement). Napier, December 15.

On the eve of an election in which you are called upon to decide the most important issues ever placed before the electors of this country, it is my duty and privilege/ as Prime Minister of the Dominion to remind you of the grave responsibility that decision entails, and to seek from you a renewal of the confidence ybu were good enough to bestow upon myself and those associated with me in 1914.

We have passed through strenuous times; since then and have weathered the storm, stress, and perils of the great war, from which we> have emerged in triumph, not without many sacrifices and much sorrow, but with less dislocation to our national life than possibly any other country that entered the war, and certainly with less internal strife or industrial trouble than has been witnessed elsewhere, and next to the patriotic impluse and devotion of my fellow citizens, I attribute this result to the unity of council and effort which was mode possible through the coming together of the great political parties, New Zealand thus presenting a united front to the world and its public men sinking all party differences of opinion to concentrate on the one supreme object of winning the war. In its aftermath the war has left us to face many pressing problems which call for attention and solution, and it is to be regretted that as a people we are not facing them in the same united fashion that we met and successfully grappled with the problems presented by the war itself. It is not through any wish or failure on my part that the party barriers which were flung down - during the war have been again erected. T had ventured to hope that those purely artificial divisions which separate the men who believe in constitutional action and who loyolly support the State as an integral part of the British Empire (to which I feel sure the great majority of New Zealanders are proud ; to belong) had gone once and forall,, butsinoethe parting has come,.it, is,, that I .should:, appeal teethe electors 11 for the -return of the: Government of which Pain the. chief representative ' with an '. even riibfe solid 1 support 'than it received frl 1914, and' I make that'; appeal in what I conceive to be the best interests of the. country, quite, apart from consideration of party or'self. At no time in its history has the Dominion been confronted with greater or graver problems than those which must be settled in the immediate future, nor has there ever been such a well organised attempt on the part of men professing the most .'revolutionary principles to capture the Government of the country. The danger is that the factional fighting that is proceeding between the Liberal and the Eeform Parties may result in the return to Parliament of men who by no means represent the true sentiment and patriotic ideals of the people of New Zealand, and which were so magnificently demonstrated during the great war. Disclaiming all responsibility' : for"tffii unfortunate state of Affairs, I would remind the electors that the imperative need of the) day is a strong, capable, and re.solute" .Goyeynment of proved admin* istrative capacity, able and wiling to legislate for the good, not of one particular class, but of every class in the community, and to sympathetically and successfully adjust on equitable lines, those differences that unfortunately; -mar the relationships of capital and labor, and that interfere with the good feeling that should exist between workers and those who undertake their employment.

The record of the past session alone demonstrates that the Reform Party, which I have the honor to lead, possesses the necessary capacity to govern the country on such lines, and its records from 1912 on to the present time have shown it to he every whit as liberal in itß legislation as any Government that has preceded it. As a party it has clear-cut ideals making for sound, progressiva and stable Government. It aims at promoting political unity and seeks to' work in harmony with all loyal citizens and thus offers a rallying centre to all who are prepared to place the interests of the State above those of party. While it stands inflexibly opposed to the revolutionary Socialists. who would wantonly destroy the existing order of society with no clear idea of what should replace it, the Reform Party is only too anxious to co-operate with all who are honestly intent upon, making New Zealand and its people contented, happy, and prosperous. To achieve this it recognises that the legitimate aspirations of Labor must be satisfied, and wage earning class must be remunerated on lines making tor decency and comfort, and housed under improved sanitary and better conditions generally. The strong Government New Zealand needs for this purpose can, I submit, be best secured on the Reform side of politics. The Liberal vote is being everywhere! cut into and must suffer at the hands of the Labor candidates, of whom the greater number belong to the extreme revolutionary class, all but two being tied hand and foot to the party machine. They make no secret of their intentions to vote against the Government on a noconfidence motion, and then to squeeze the Liberal Party should they thus succeed in putting tliem into power, tinder the most favorable circumstances, therefore, th e Liberals can

only hope to govern the country with the help of these extremists, and under such a combination the nation would inevitably suffer. The wisest course the electors can therefore take is to strengthen the hands-of the Government by returning the Reform candidates who are standing for election, thus giving it a good solid majority over both parties in the State. The Government stands for a policy of sane development along sound progressive lines, economical- administration, fair play to every section of the community, increased educational facilities for the people, a vigorous public works policy including the speedier construction of railways, improved roading facilities, the vigorous prosecution of the hydro-electric schemes for which it has taken power to borrow the necessary moneys, improved shipping facilities both coastal and overseas, the opening up of new coal mines, the elimination of the profiteer, the greater encouragement of local industries, including fruit preserving and fishing industries, comprehensive housing schemes for all parts of the'Dominion, and generally improved employment conditions. It appeals confidently for the suppoi-t of every loyal citizen in the State, so that New Zealand may more efficiently play her part in the great work of industrial reconstruction following upon the repatriation of our gallant soldier citizens and an indispensable unit of the Empire.—W. F. Massey.. Prime Minister.