"Pack of Hypocrites”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 508, 10 November 1928, Page 10

"Pack of Hypocrites”

MR. F. BARTRAM DESCRIBES UPPOS REFORM DEFENDED The allegations of political bribery levelled against the Government by Mr. J. S. Fletcher, United Party candidate for Grey Lynn, were referred to as “colossal impudence” by Mr. F. Bar tram. Labour candidate for the same electorate, during the course of an address at the Newton West School last evening. “There seems to have been some trouble in getting an opponent for me,” said Mr. Bartram. “Mr. G. Baildon and the iate Mr. F. Brinsden were approached, and if either of those gentlemen had accepted, I would have had a fair fight.” Politics had been dragged in the mud. said the speaker, and a man was brought from Dunedin, via Re mu era. This candidate had said that up to three weeks before the end of Parliament. he (the speaker) had not said a word about unemployment. The statement had also been made that the Government had offered election bribes, which was a most unfair statement. Referring to Mr. Fletcher’s suggestion that the furnishing of Sir James Gunson with information about the Morningside tunnel savoured of political bribery, Mr. Bartram said the Government policy concernirig the work had been referred to in the House. He, himself, had asked a question and had been told by the Prime Minister that the survey \fras not finished. A few days later the Prime Minister had said the survey was complete and the Minister of Public Works had announced he ;vas considering whether some plant and labour could be employed. Mr. Bartram said he had twitted the Government for its dilatoriness in the survey of a work laid down for 1924. The Government then told Sir James Gunson what was intended. All the speaker complained of was the fact that Mr. H. G. R. Mason, the member for the district, should have been the first to be informed. “To charge the Government with bribery is a piece of consummate impudence. because if any party has tried to bribe, it has been Mr. Fletcher’s party. Mr. Fletcher said his party would find employment for 2,000 men in a few weeks if it got into power.” In reply to a question as to why the United candidates were condemning the Government, Mr. Bartram said it was because the Uniteds were a pack of political hypocrites, and were the most reactionary section of the Reform Party. Sir Joseph Ward was a sick man. and it was a tragedy that one who had left his name on the history of this country should become a catspaw. The Uniteds were using Sir Joseph and they would turn on him as soon as they got into power. A vote of thanks was carried unanimously.