LIFE OF PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 31 October 1935, Page 12

LIFE OF PARLIAMENT

LABOUR CRITICISES EXTENSION. ADDRESS BY THE REV. F. L. FROST. “Why did the Government extend its period for an extra year?” was the question put ty the Rev. F. L. Frost, Labour candidate for New Plymouth, at a meeting of electors at Frankleigh Park last night. Mr, Frost said the Ministers of the Crown were being placarded by the Press and sometimes by themselves as “strong, fearjess men.” Their reluctance to face the electorate a year ago was certainly not a sign of strength, and less still of courage. “The fact is that they saw the writing cn the wall and knew that the days of the Tory Governnvnt were numbered,” he continued. “That writing is still on the wall, and has been more deeply engraved by the bitter resentment of a fl- :ted electorate. The people of this country have not forgotten the insult that the Government’s action offered to their intelligence. “Why did they not trust the people? Was it because they thought a few men in Parliament were wiser than 400,000 people outside Parliament? They reply that it was because of the sorry condition of the country, which could be r—'edied only by the completion of their plans. The people of this country were the best judges of that, and were fair and just and wise enough to have been trusted with the decision. “The Labour members of the House resisted this unheard-of encroachment on the franchise of the people with the utmost determination. They were blamed for wanting to take political advantage of the situation. But the Government cannot have the argument both ways. If Labour was willing to appeal to the people it at least showed it was not lacking in courage and was 1 not afraid to assume the responsibilities of office if the electors so decided. “A year ago the present Government sr' in effect to Labour: ‘You are shrewd, calculating opportunists, and wish to tike us at a disadvantage. Wait until we are around the corner. To-day they would like to make the people believe that their far-sighted plans are bearing fruit and that Labour is straining to take advantage of the unwonted prosperity into which the Government has led the ro"ple. “This ‘strong, fearless’ Government seems to be afraid of being caught at a disadvantage all the time. Behind all this futile boasting of strength and courage there is peeping out a real fear that the people have had enough and are | willing to put in a Labour Government which will repeal the law extending the life of Parliament to four years and will face the electors again in three years’ time, regardless of circumstances, to give tn account of stewardship. The Labour Government will never disfranchise the people of this land as they were disfranchised twelve months ago by Messrs. Forbes and Coates.”