CAMPAIGN NOTES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17735, 8 December 1919, Page 5

CAMPAIGN NOTES.

[By "Kaione."]

Mr Lewis Mcllvride spoke to about 500 people in the Opera House on Saturday evening. At the risk of it being alleged that I am in league with him, I will say that he had a very successful meeting. To give him his due, he is an excellent man on the stage. He dealt with his subject fairly extensively. There was no shilly-shallying about him. He answered all questions in a most straightforward manner. His candour was refreshing. Although Mr Mcllvride will not win the seat this time he is destined to go further in politics. Just now he is unfortunately carrying some big handicaps. His policy is too late, or too advanced, for New Zealand and he has undesirable associates in the Official Labour Party. It is all very well for him to make great lamentation about the condition of certain affairs in thp colony—the cost of living, housing, etc. We all know it to our cost. The Wardites blame the Masseyites and vice versa, while the Labour Party, standing afar off, heartily condemns both. It is in a safe position. The cure it suggests would revolutionise the whole working system of New Zealand. It might, and it might riot, succeed. Judging from the unemployment in Queensland the experiments there have not been an overwhelming success. The cost of living figures (as instanced by the prices of meats, which, according to Mr Mcllvride, are about half of what rules in New Zealand) at any rate show that these State farms may at present be benefiting the public. But it is probable that our State coal mine is a parallel. It is not a paying concern to the country. It is just like a trading company which pays Its shareholders dividends oiit of capital. How long would ft last? And it the State nationalised every industry, and lost on every one, in what condition would it soon be? The country would have to make up the deficiency in some way and as Mr Mcllvride says all taxes would be put on the land —every house and land owner would have to fork.out ad lib. But then, all land is to be nationalised! Well, the proposal is quite beyond the comprehension of the average voter, and as the Labour Party has no fit leader in' New Zealand to carry out such revolutionary changes the subject is hardly worth arguing about. At the*1 present time there IS no legislation that Labour could devise that could give New Zealand a, safe, easy and quick road to prosperity. The only thing that is of any use to-day is work. Cut out the go-slow policy. Production is what New Zealand is crying out for and It may safely, be taken for granted that there will be more production under private enterprise than under State control.

4fr ♦ ' 4fr ' Electors have three courses open to them on December 17. They may support a party whose platform would revolutionise the economic life of vNew Zealand at a critical time, which has no administrative experience, which is pledged to set the interests of one class against all others, and which, is alone to blame if its loyalty; be questioned. Or electors may return a decrepit oneman party whose administration has been, a failure but which proposes to throw upon- the State new and doubtful responsibilities. Or electors may return a solid body of men whose calibre has been tested, under a statesman of Empire repute, which places essentials first and will concentrate on maintaining the prosperity of New Zealand. It is for the electors to decide, whether the State should be further embarrassed with speculative schemes which will compete against already recognised State enterprises such as roads, railways and water power. Mr Massey faced the war in a brave and unflinching spirit and he tackles the peace problems in the same wa^y. He never appeared stronger or more capable than last session after Sir Joseph Ward had deserted the Cabinet. Even his opponents testify to that. When the Baronet scuttled -out for purely personal ambition, he failed to do what he tried to do. Is there any need to drop the pilot now and pick up the would-be wrecker? If Mr Massey cannot get a working majority there will be none.in Parliament. The alternative will be another general election or political intriguing. The country can ill afford either.

When dealing with the question pi land nationalising, Mr Mcllvride got one right home on to the Wanganui public when he referred to a piece of land adjacent to Wanganui, namely, the swamp at Balgownie. The Harbour Board had been given permission by Parliament to buy this land. Parliament had acquiesced because the land was said to be useiess and evil smelling. The valuation was at the rate of £3 an acre and the rates were about l£d in the £1. Yet the price at which the land was offered to the Board was nearly £75 an acre. Mr Mcllvride said it would be interesting to know at what price the land (when reclaimed) would be let for workers' homes, who were the owners and who were the members of the Board, and whether the member for Wanganui had been responsible for. Parliament understanding that the land was useless and evil-smelling—and the Board buying such land at £75 an acre.

Mr Mcllvride seems to have a hazy idea of the price of building [just now. While he praised Mr Massey's Housing Act he condemned the amount granted (£850) and the rate of interest (5^ per cent.) because it would mean £1 2/6 a week to the worker. He thought- more of Sir Joseph Ward's ridiculous idea that it could be done for 10/ to 12/ a week, (The same quality house is to be assumed, as a fair comparison.) But Mr Mcllvride said a Labour Government would go even better! It is just as well that Mr Mcllvride explained at the end of the meeting, when answering a question on the gold currency, that he had not gone very deeply into financial questions. Presumably he would leave that worry for Semple and Holland.

Mr Veitch is showing Wanganui that he has a lot of friends of a sort. Mr Sidney Smith, of Nsw Plymonth, is not the only one as he told a Wanganui audience recently. He is getting help from all over New Zealand in response to his S.O.S. signal. There is a fair amount of rather skilful propaganda work going on. A well known Labour emissary and late M.P. was in Wanganui recently to help Mr Veitch and it is probable that to him may be attributed some of the- long; range shots which are coming into the town. The two latest are the Manawatu Times and. now Sir Joseph

Ward comes to light. One can well' understand Sir Joseph being anxious, about his henchman and the Palmerston paper's attitude will also: be well appreciated when its political colour is realised. I would suggest to Mr Veitch's press agent that he get some Reform papers and politicians to give utterance to an appreciative "puff" or two. He might adopt the Herald's trick and send "special" telegrams. Mr Veitch wants all the "puff pars" he can get. His advertising? campaign is reminiscent of the tactics of a, cheap jack salesman. It will be interesting to watch whence the next boost for Mr Veitch comes Locally, he has the recommendation of Mr Jas. Aitken, B.A. (Prohibitionist), Mr Durham (Booze), and some others of diverse classes and creeds. It is quite expected that the Herald will before long receive flattering messages from Archbishop Redwood, Albert Edward Glover and Tau Henare.

There is a' ludicrous touch about a Palmerston paper trying to dictate to Wanganui concerning ita membership. It publishes an advertising "puff" (incidentally of course condemning the "Chronicle"), the Herald copies it, the "Chronicle" replies, the Times adds another "pufi"' (incidentally asking why thia paper did not publish the first one!) and the Herald, which has its eyes skinned these days for all these expected i boosts, duly publishes Jit. I have no doubt that if the Times would arrange with the local Herald to give the "Chronicle's" replies aa much prominence as the "puff" the editor of this paper would oblige the Times by giving space to the Veitch propaganda which issues from l?almerston North.

Sir Joseph Ward has come t»

light again. For over a week he has been particularly quiet. His press, agent was probably indisposed and a new one may have been obtained. Perhaps he was, as the Do-' minion expressed it, "stunting round his own electorate." However, all New Zealand can now cry "Joseph is come again." One of the first things" he does is to make a very belated and unsatisfactory announcement .as to k his relations with the Labour extremists and to clap the Wardite trade-mark firmly on to Mr Veitch. The prospects of Sir Joseph being returned with a working majority are not within the bounds of possibility just now. The danger is that he and the Extremists may together be sufficiently strong to unseat the Massey . Government. Now. the question for Mr Veitch is: "Would he accept a seat in the Ward Cabinet if Ward was dependent on the Extremists' votes to keep him in power?"

Mr Mcllvride rather scoffs at "the inexorable law of supply and demand" which controls prices. His idea seems to be that the little country of New Zealand —or rather the dozen Labour bosses who would run it—can dictate to the world what prices are to be.

Some interesting extracts: — There was no more hideous or colossal failure than the Ryan Government of Queensland, where the cost of living was higher and there were more strikes and unemployment than in any other State."—Mr Wilford at Petone.

"Right of recall," said Mr C. E. Major, Liberal candidate for Manakau, "is ridiculous nonsense." This evoked loud applause. The candidate added: "If you believe in right •' of recall vote for somebody else. Just fancy a House constituted of members who were afraid to move for fear of some crank going round with a petition to get them recalled." If elected to Parliament Mr F. Pirani, will not support a proposal to increase members' honorarium. Speaking at Wellington he expressed the opinion that £300 per year, special postal and telegraphic concessions, and free travelling on the railways was well enough without any increase. He added that on one occasion when the House had voted each member £40. additional he had returned his to the Treasury

[ "I am sorry," said Mr, Massey in 'the South, "that I am compelled to hoist the party banner. I have seen enough of party, with its extravagances and even iniquities—which is a strong terni—rand I trust we shall never get back to party Government as we knew it a few years ago. When we get back to normal times it will be my fault if there is not a great . improvement as compared with the party system of the past." .. ; Mr J. H. Qunson, Mayor of Auckland, who is apsent in America, and is standing for the Boskill seat, announced by cablegram that he is standing as a Progressive Independent candidate. He is not committed to or under any obligation to any political party, but is in accord with the political programme issued by Mr Massey as being in agreement with the principles for which he stands.

A correspondent writes to the Manawatu Evening Standard: —"At the meeting at Rangiotu, which was to have been addressed by the Labour candidate on Friday evening, the audience, after waiting patiently till nearly 9 p.m., got very restless. The candidate not having appeared at that hour Mr W. B. Pearce moved and Mr J. Donaldson seconded, "that as it was a go-slow meeting it be ad« journed till after the election." Thr audience then dispersed, more oi less disappointed.