A BLUDGEONING POLICY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 45, Issue 13985, 22 November 1919, Page 4

A BLUDGEONING POLICY.

The campaign for the repression of the freedom of speech is being carried by the supporters of Labour into every opposition political camp in New Zealand. We find in the north and the south that attempts are being made to break up Reform,. Liberal, Moderate Labour and Independent meetings. No discrimination is shown by the Labour supporters. It matters not if the candidate is one of the most genuine supporters of Labour in the Dominion; his refusal to bo bound down by the political shackles of the Labour Party is sufficient to earn for him the hatred of the "official Labour" supporters. New Zealand has probably ,no greater Radical than- Mr Vigor Brown, M.P. for Napier, and certainly no one has done so much for that electorate in or out of Parliament than Mr Brown. Yet we find the Bolsheviks of Napier howling him down. The same with Colonel Mitchell, Mr L. M. Isitt, Mr J. P. Luke, the Hon. G. W. Russell, and many other Reform and Liberal candidates. Are such tactics those of the Britisher 1 ? We do not think that the "bludgeoning policy" of the extremists has any support from the bulk of. Labour. It must be said to the credit of the local Labour Party followers that the political candidates who have addressed meetings at Masterton have had a fair and impartial hearing from them. Masterton has a clean reputation in this respect, and we think we may say with confidence that this reputation will not be sullied during the present election campaign. :