“A VICIOUS FIGHT”

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXVI, Issue 97, 25 May 1938, Page 3

“A VICIOUS FIGHT”

AT THE GENERAL ELEGTION MINISTERS VERY CONFIDENT. Both the Minister of Railways (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) and the Minister of Labor (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) are confident that, far from the reverses predicted for the Labor Party after the municipal elections, the coming general election might result in the Government being returned with a greater majority. Expressing this view at a social function held by the Woolston branch of the party on Saturday evening both Ministers, however, told electors that the fight would be a vicious one states the Christchurch ‘ ‘ Press. ’ ’ Misrepresentation of their opponents by National candidates, said Mr Sullivan, was the kind of ethics that Labor had to meet. Things were no ■worse than in the days of R. J. Sedclon and John Ballance and, just as it took a long time to put Seddon out, so it would take still longer to put the present Government out. (Cheers). ENTHUSIASM AND LOYALTY. “Great enthusiasm and loyalty have been shown to both Ministers and members throughout New Zealand,” continued Mr Sullivan. “Meetings addressed recently by Mr Savage, Mr Semple, Mr Webb, and Mr Jones have all been croivded out, in spite of what the newspapers are saying, and, judging by this demonstration of loyalty and affection, it is quite possible that, instead of the Government losing seats at the election it will come back with more than last time.” Mr Armstrong said that the opposition of the Tory Press was nothing to what was coming. The Labor Party was better organised in Christchurch than anywhere else in New Zealand; but all its organisation would be needed in the near future. Instancing the downfall within 48 hours of Mr Ramsay MacDonald’s Government in England, the Minister said the Labor Government could easily he knocked down by the misrepresentation, slander, and forgery of its opponents. “FIGHT VICIOUS AND WICKED.” ‘This sort of thing poisons people’s minds,” said Mr Armstrong, “and the fight will be vicious and wicked.” M Armstrong added that the eyes of the capitalist empire and the capitalist world, as well as those of vested interests in the Dominion, were on the Labor Party. Speaking of the municipal elections, Mr Armstrong claimed that they had been a Labor victory. Newspapers were trying to say that Labor had received a setback; but it was nothing of the sort. Labor lost only a ferv seats on the Auokland, Wellington, and Dunedin City Councils and, as against this there were more Labor Councils throughout New Zealand than there had ever been. For the first time in history, Wanganui had elected a Labor Council, and Gisborne had also returned Labor councillors, he added. It is reported from Wanganui that Labor has lost its majority on the ■Wanganui City Cquncil as the result of the offieal recount.