LABOUR POLITICS

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 190, 20 August 1935, Page 8

LABOUR POLITICS

MEETING AT NORSEWOOD MR CHRISTIE WELL RECEIVED Mr H. M. Christie, Labour candidate for the Waipawa seat, began his campaign at Norsewood on Friday night, accompanied by Mr W. E. Barnard, M.P. for Napier (states the “Danneviirke News”). The addresses were delivered in the Town Hall to an audience of about 70, which listened most attentively and several times signified aiptproval. Mr Christie proved to be a fine speaker, with a thorough knowledge of political and economic affairs. He was one of the original delegates who urged the formation of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, being a returned soldier himself, and for some time was a member of the Patangata County Council. Mr H. Stratford presided and introduced the speakers. The Candidate

Mr Christie first dealt with existing' conditions. He said it was reasonable to state that the coming election would be the most momentous one in the history of New Zealand. Conditions were ve|ry similar to those of 40 or 45 years ago. when the great Seddon-Ballance Government! had come into power. Some would remember the enormous amount of propaganda issued; the public had been warned of the terrible catastrophe that would result if that Government was placed on the Treasury benches; the Seddon Government had been characterised as the seven devils of Socialism. Most' people knew the result of that party being elected, and they knew that it was probably exactly opposite to what had been predicted. Much the same state of affairs existed at present. Recently people had-told the speaker that they were Liberals. Ho had been a Liberal for many years, and he thought that he still was; but it was hard to say what was Liberalism. Some said they were Conservatives; and it was hard io say just what was conservatism. Tt was an ideal, Irut it was the degree of conservatism which was important.

“The fact of the matter is thati every Government to-day is compelled to introduce a measure of socialism. In most cases so-oalled Conservative Governments have introduced socialistic legislation just to a degree to which they have been forced. Much Propaganda

You will have realised already that there is a great amount of propaganda in use. We have such classes as that f which has been going through the Dominion recently in the form of a story, “Without Defeat.’’ Tt is plain, straight-out propaganda and pretty ridiculous propaganda at that. No intelligent people will be misled by it. This propaganda will increase and you will hear .a great number of statements as to what the Labour people stand for. “I find it hard to compare the statements of our policy appearing in the newspapers with what I know to be the actual Labour policy. I had the pleasure of attending a conference a short time ago and I was more than favourably impressed by the type of man represented in that conference. Manv people have the belief that if the Labour party is returned to office it will he controlled by leaders of labour unions. I can only say that this is quite contrary to fact. The leaders of the party to-day aire very capable, sound men. It was quite obvious that, the candidates at the conference were there definitely to work up and sort out a policy which they knew was sound and practical, and they were quite prepared to thrash out and criticise points which appeared to them to be unsound. Various questions of policy wore dealt with by Mr Christie, who was followed by Mr Barnard, who also met with a good reception. After a number of questions had been answered by Messrs Christie and Barnard, a vote of thanks to the speakers was moved by Mr F. Heasman, seconded by Mr C. Neilsen, and caitried with (acclamation. A vote of thanks to the chairman also was carried with acclamation.