IF MASSEY BE NOT RETURNED TO OFFICE, WARD WILL BE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17734, 6 December 1919, Page 5

IF MASSEY BE NOT RETURNED TO OFFICE, WARD WILL BE

Prohibitionists who put the liquor problem above party must have had their eyes opened. Mr Veitch would not say whether he approved of prohibition or not, and, most extraordinary of all, the . Booze advocate who is at present visiting Wanganui "put in a good word" for the candidate. It had evidently been arrangjed that the Booze advocate should second a motion of thanks and confidence, but someone got in first, so the Australian could only speak to the motion. Mr T. B. Williams, who proposed it, had wisely left out the reference to confidence, as he knew that a big section of the house would be adverse. Mr Durham commented with mild surprise on the omission. Mr Veitch therefore stands in a peculiar light to prohibitionists. If he is a prohibitionist he is frightened to say so. If. he is I not, will Prohibitionists vote for him? What can they expect from him in next Parliament, if he is elected? . He only stands for the bare majority, and new legislation will have to be enacted before next election. Prohibition may not. be carried this time, and if it is not there will be another fight in Parliament. Will Mr Veitch be a Prohibition advocate or not? He displays not the slightest sympathy with the movement, and, as he said on Thursday evening, he feels he carried out his duties to it when he votes at the ballot box. In answer to a question on Thursday night as to his attitude in regard to possible, legislation by next Parliament, he made some vague statements about treating clubs differently from hotels. Presumably, he would apply Prohibition to hotels but not to clubs! He attitude on the question will give good Prohibitionists—Prohibitionists who do not put Wardism above their principles—something solid to think about. Also note how the "Welfare League" has rallied to his aid. Prohibitionists need have only one guess as to who is the Welfare League.

Another alarming statement which Mr Veitch made on Thursday evening was in regard to "direct action." He said that dissatisfied men had attained their demands more often by striking than by constitutional means. He' then began a long tirade against the Labour Department, of which Mr Massey was chief, with the,obvious purpose of showing that owing to the state this department was in the men could not be blamed for taking "direct action." Not one word did Mr Veitch say condemnatory of the men. On the con-

Labour men in the new Parliament of ousting Mr Masgey (with the big gest party behind his back), and then supporting Sir Joseph Ward. If Sir Joseph is to believe Mr Veitch literally he will have very precarious support. Mr Veitch says he is not now tied hand and foot to the Baronet and the man who says so is a liar. Urn! And Mr Veitch is a politician. Perhaps, after all, he is literally correct. He is not tied hand and foot now. He is off the tether until the elections are over. If by ! any fate he should be returned he | will once more answer the shep- . herd's call and, on his own admis- ; sion, he will meekly lead (as would a decoy) his forlorn little flock into the Wardite fold. Of course he would get out again if he wanted to: Oh yes! If he couldn't get out he would sit on the fence. There can be only two parties to a no-confldence motion. Mr Massey will lead one, and Sir Joseph Ward, with Holland, Semple, and Co., will be in the other. Should the Baronet win he will have to rely on the support of the gentlemen mentioned that he would come to some firm bargain with them before he undertook to form a Government. Mr Veitch, as well as all the other "sane" and "insane" Labour men, would be bound hand and foot .

to the Baronet. What a grand lot of conspirators they would form. After Mr Veitch's declarations of undying opposition to Mr Massey, the Wanganui electors will have only themselves to blame for shortsightedness if Mr Veitch should happen to be returned. He declares he will ally himself with Ward, and Holland makes the same declaration. Their votes will keep the Baronet in power but the Baronet and the country will have to pay their price.

Because Mr Cuttle attended Mr Veitch's meeting on Thursday and asked if Mr Veitch could prove an allegation which he had made concerning Mr Cuttle, the Wardite candidate declared that Mr Cuttle was interrupting the meeting. It was question time! The Herald says Mr Cuttle asked a question and tried to make a speech. Such are party politics.

By the way, isn't it very significant that the Herald carefully suppressed any reference to that muchboomed "booster" of beer?- "Mr T. B. Williams proposed, etc.," but nol a word about Mr Geo. Durham, the defender of the liquor traffic, whc spoke so eloquently of Mr Veitch