POLITICAL POINTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16906, 4 December 1922, Page 6

POLITICAL POINTS.

WHAT THE CANDIDATES ARE SAYING. “Do you call yourself a worker, Mac? i don’t thins you’ve done a hard day’s work,” was the somewhat embarrassing interjection at one _oi Colonel M’Donald’s meetings in Wellington. The candidate replied that, when he came to New Zealand first he had half a crown in his pocket. He took the first work that offered —busfifelling on the East Coast, and «»« challenged anyone present to take hi n on at bushfelling, ploughing, or ev*n at pick and shovel work. “ Who are the Labour candidates?” asked Mr R- A. \\ light. ‘They are mainly trade union secretaries—not a bona fide worker amongst them. Thu Labour candidates for Wellington Noit-h, Wellington East, Wellington South and Wellington Suburbs are trades union secretaries. There is not n bona fide working man in the crowd. These are the men who stand for La hour and who are willing to shed the last drop of their blood for the poor working man. Has there been collusion here, or do great minds think alike? The Wanganui Farmers’ Union submitted a question to the four candidates in the district. The question and answers rewere ; That you will vote for radical reduction of taxation consistent with efficient administration. Mr Coull; Yes. Mr Dixon: Yes. Mr Ross: Yes. Mr Veitcli: Yes. This is splendid news for a country oppressed by excessive taxation. Could any have replied otherwise without poking his tongue in his cheek? “ If work is the curse of God, I would like to know what His blessing is,” stated Mr Wright at Miramar. “As soon as we stop working we are going down and out like Rome did. It fell because its people became lazy, glut tonous and indolent. Finally the barbarians rushed upon them and wipeu them out.” A voice ; “ Oh, give us politics. Never mind about a prayer meeting.” Mr Wright: “Of course you so seldom attend one, I thought it might do you good.” (Collapse of the interjector amid laughter.) I maintain this question is one on which the present election is really being fought.” There was a touching incident of childlike simplicity and faith in the word of a Parliamentarian at Gisborne the other night. Mr W. D. Lysnar, the Independent candidate “with a leaning to Reform,” was speaking. He proceeded to refer to the immigration question and other points raised by the Labour candidate. A voice: Why doesn’t the Government provide work for the unemployed ? Mr Lysnar : It does. A voice: That's all right, then. Mr Lysnar: There is work on the various roads in the district, and a man can get work at Wharerata tomorrow. A voice; That’s all rights then. If he can get work and decent condi tions. “Don’t you tbiuk,” asked an elector' at a meeting addressed by Miss Melville (Auckland) “ that you would be better employed learning to coo.c and sew instead of trying to get into Parliament ?” Miss Melville replied : “It is rather unfortunate for the questioner that he should have asked that question tonight. As it happens J made the dress I am wearing, and while I do not make any pretensions to style, still it is a dress.” The chairman: “Some dress, too.” Miss Melville said also that she could give the ladies in the audience an original recipe for a nice jam if would like it. There seemed to he an idea in the minds of some people that a woman could only learn to do one thing. Speaking of widows’ pensions during an address, Mr A. E. Glover (Indeper? dent Liberal, Auckland Central) sail that formerly these pensions were aetu. ally children’s pensions. He had assisted in having the anomaly removed so that the widows themselves received payment. “ That is not so.” interjected a member of the audience in emphatic tones. “I’ve known a case where the widow was refused a pension.” “Oh!” returned the candidate eagerly. “ Well, come with me to the pensions office.” “Too late.” said the interjector; “ she’s married again.” After the laughter had subsided fch? candidate remarked that a husband was the better choice. Down Dunedin way, under the tegis of the P.P.A., there was “a denuncia tion of Labour politicians.” at which the chief speaker was Mr S. G. Grif fith, the Otago district organiser of the P.P.A. It was a chaste and elegant slaughter, according to accounts, but the ending was pathetic, rather. Mr Griffith referred to the Candida ture of Mr Gilchrist, the Labour aspirant for Dunedin Central. He was a man to whom, the speaker declared, he Lad spoken once, but “ I soon found out what kind of a man Mr Gilchrist was, and my time is too valuable to

waste on such as he. I have studied too long a book which tells me not to cast pearls before swine.” Later Mr Gilchrist, who chanced t.o be present, rose and asked Mr Griffith if he had seen him before. Mr Griffith said he had not. Mr Gilchrist: “ Well, how could you have had the conversation you spoke of with me, for I am Mr Gilchrist?” Mr Griffith: “Well, then, you are not the man I thought you were.” Mr Griffith remarked later that he very much regretted having misrepresented Mr Gilchrist, and that he might have been mistaken even in the name. There was, as it seemed, a persistent lieckler at one of Mr Massey’s enthusiastic meetings in his electorate this week, according to a north©; l paper. The interjections were something of a mystery. The Prime Minister is not easily disconcerted on a platform, but clearly in this case he was nonplussed. The interruption was exasperating, it was peculiarly shrill and indistinct, but so frantically eager that the audience rocked wi'n merriment. No one could locate exactly the source of the “small voice ” that was not “still.” It was like ventriloquism. Mr Massey courteously asked if it were a lady w r ho desired to put a question, hut it was not a lady in distress. Bo went on again until, during a pause, the audience was once more convulsed, and the mystery was solved. The interjeetions had come from a small hoy outside yelling through the wall ventilator. His trouble was not political. : Bill.” he had yelled to a pal inside, ' your mum says you have to come home at once."

Because Reform at present- is in power Mr W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) likes to be associated with it. He has a sneaking regard for Liberalism apparently, but he likes the political ship he is on to be gaily befiaggecL an impressive iri the publio eye—even if the re is an excess of evil-smelling bilge-water in the hold. He said the other evening at Gisborne that lie was standing in exactly the same position as at last election —he was an Independent with a leaning to Reform. He letained the privilege of opposing the Government if he thought it right he should do so, and of supporting a good measure brought forward by any one, with the reservation that nnder no circumstances would he support extreme Labour. In the three-cornered contest which they had to face next week three parties would be represented, and this ivould make the position more difficult than would otherwise be the case. In regard to the Liberal party, it w r as well known that at one time he had supported it. Since the death of Mr Seddon, however, the strength of the party had been diminishing and he was ultimately forced to realise that the district would, not be served properly a “ Lib.-Lab.” Government. To link up with such a party at the present- time would be analagous to linking up with a bankrupt.

Up in Wairarapa they’re having a heated discussion on public platforms as to who is the “ machine member.” Mi J. L. Card said on Friday night that Mr McLeod (the sitting member), had charged the speaker with being nothing more than a methodicallyclicking automaton. Mr Card replied that if you wanted a sample of the machine or automatic member, you would not have to go past the record of the Wairarapa member during the last three years. He had looked through Hansard to find out if the member had ever voted against or criticised the Government on any matter, and through his election speeches for anything he had said that had not previously come from Mr Massey or from the columns of the “ Dominion ” or the Sydney “ Bulletin,” bnt in vain. Mr McLeod stood out as a machine member if ever there was one. Where did ho stand on the question of the alliance with the Labour Party ? Tn every speech he was fulminating against Mr Wilford and the Lahour alliance bogey. When it was reported that he had stated at BrancepetH that he would vote with Labour to put out the Liberals, he rushed in with a hurried denial that he ever said so, and stated on the other hand that he would vote with the Liberals against Labour. Now. following the cry of Mr Massey about three days before, b* says. “Unless there is a clear ma' 0r. L v for the Reform Party oxer the other two there will be another election in six months.” Since this would be impossible without the combination of Reform with one of the other parties, what is the value of his denial in connection with the report of the Braneepeth meeting ?