POLITICAL SNAPSHOTS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15973, 15 November 1919, Page 7

POLITICAL SNAPSHOTS.

Political candidates are now getting into stride, and the fight for honours is growing more intense each day. It is wonderful the value some of the Reform candidates are placing upon their ability to save the country from ruin. One candidate in the Patea electorate said if ever there was a time in the history of the Dominion that this country required the best brains at the head of affairs it was now. Moral: send him, of course.. Most of his hearers soliloquised thusly: "I don't think!" Some of the Reform candidates who say they want to put this country on a good financial position have not yet displayed their magic powers in respect to their own businesses. The main theme of Mr Wilford's address to his' supporters at Lower Hutt last evening was the relations between the parties in the National Government and after. He maintained that fee Liberal Party had not broken, faith. He warned the electors against electing men who had no love foj their country, and stressed the point that during the next three years strong hands were required. Every vote cast for the Reform candidate would help the Labour man. Tbe Reform press complained against the Liberals in anything but complimentary terms. If the Reform press would admit as they might with fairness that the Liberal Ministers were strong and full of initiative, then one could understand the wiling at their leaving. The liberal remained loyal to the National Government during ifoe term of the agreement. They stood together on all Imperial matters, and placed Empire before everything. Contentious party legislation was barred in the National Cabinet, and all domestic legisation was a matter of compromise, a questions being settled by mutual agreement. Now, little domestic legislation under such a contract with different parties could be dealt with. He never had much faith in party Government until he joined the National Cabinet. Westmere fold are evidently not much interested in the Reform candidate. When Mr Pearce spoke a listener counted heads, and the "big enthusiastic audience" reported consisted of fifteen men, "■four women, and one boy with two dogs. Brigadier-General Meldrum is receiving a great hearing in the Main Trunk districts, and he is a sure winner for Rangitikei. ' When dealing with education in his address at Oriental Bay, Mr A. L. Monteith stated that the average number of pupils per class in our schools throughout the Dominion was 33, and in schools with six or more teachers the average was 46. T&at meant, said the speaker, that the country children received more attention than those in the cities, as the large majority of our city schools employed more than six teachers. Large classes were a-gainst the interest-of both the teacher and the pupils, and aJiouki not be tolerated in a day when education meant so much. He "remarked that the voice of the member of the district [had not been heard to protest against j such an evil. Mr T. A. H. Feild, M.P. for Nelson, was heckled over a local grievance that railway material was moved from Gleniope to Mr Massey's electorate after Mr Massey came into office. Mr Feild said he thought it was purely imagination, but a chorus of voices yelled, "It's true." Robert Semple is now finding that he is up against something solid in public opinion concerning the attitude he and his few Red Fed pals adopted in connection with the war. He tried to defend his position at Wellington. In trying to excuse himself at one of -his meetings, he said: "I did not go thumping over the country urging men to go to the war; I could not go myself, and therefore I would not ask others to go. Before ever a man got on to the platform to ask other people to go to the war he should have been in a. position to'say 'come,' not simply 'go.'" * Mr Hewitt, candidate for Rotorua, considers that the Eeform candidate did as Siuch. to force up the values of land a* anyone or anything by a policy of drift so far as idle lands were concerned. In both Crown and Native lands Tyin-» idle there were large areas held by private owners. No man should be allowed to hold land if he did not do something towards improving it, but as the State"w* the largest landowner, it was the duty of the State to set a good example.. The abolition of trusts and combines allegedly connected with the buildin* trades was urged by Mr A W Cro£ kcry, Labour candidate for Wellington Suburbs seat, when dealing with the housing problem in his address at Island Bay. Mr Croskery pointed out what the Queensland Labour Government had saved the people by the adoption of State sawmills, and the system of wholesale purchases in connection with building. Mr Ryan, ex-Premier of Queensland, had published a book on the important question of State enterprise, and had shown that his Cc~ vernmsnt had been able to effect a saving of 25 per cent, on building. If that could bo done in Queensland, 'why could it not be done in New Zealand? There was only one answer to the question; the Government was the nominee of the men of large vested interests in this country and would do nothing itihat would interfere with their businesses. That was only to be expected, but! tha public must remember that it also had a say m the matter. Mr T. A. Field said the question of the coslti of living was a very difficult one. A wholesale cutlery firm had written out that, pocket-knife steel waa now costing ,£145 per ton as against £45 per toa before the war, and wages had increased 30 per cent. These firms were full of orders for years to come, and there waa no prospect of prices coming down. In regard to clothing, in Bradford rfihe workers had adopted the "go slow" policy, which in his opinion was the most foolish 'thing that had ever happened. Mr W. C. Hewitt, candidate for Roto•rua seat, strongly denouncod the Reform Government for not providing the farmers with cheaper fertilisers. At present, he said, it cost fully £2 per acre with freight charges to top dress a piece of land. He considered the Government had done nothing to ease the burden of the fanner. Mr Hewitt, speaking at Putaruru, in tin Rotorua. electorate, said he was a great believer in reducing railway fares and {reighfe, and the man who went to the backblocks should not be penalised to benefit the man of the oity ———■—■ l """''j l " MM——«

who was 'milking; tlio cow all the Discussing the housing problem at Wellington, Mr Luke said that he considered the Housing Bill was as good as they, could have expected with such a Conservative Government in power. Six Joseph. Ward had promised workers houses at a rental of 10s 6d per week. What right, he demanded, had the Government to lend money to the' employer out of the public purse with a view to giving the employer a further grij over the worker, through owning tfcho worker's home and being in a position to evict the worker if he became "impudent" or went on strike? Why not lend the money to the worker direct and let him own his own home? (Applauaj.) If we wanted an independent people, he said, we must have men and women with a stake—not "a kid stake," but a real stake —in the country. (Laughter and applause.) Give each' of them a home over his head, give them security in that way; and we should have an independent people. (Applause.) But the Government was so wedded to the Employers' Association, thait it passed a measure to give loans to the employers so as to give them a further grip over the workers' (Applause.) One of the difficulties the Government complained of in regard to bousing was that of getting labour tto build the houses The Labour Party suggested that the Government should approach Ore Trades Hall to find the necessary labour. 'Mr Massey said that be would give it consideration, and it was still receiving consideration. In other words he w>js "keeping it steadily in view." (Laughter and applause.)