THE COMING ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 313, 28 September 1908, Page 6

THE COMING ELECTIONS.

THE LABOUR CAMPAIGN. The political campaign, so far as the local Labour candidates are concerned, was opened on Friday night at Victoria., Hall,' Neivtown, there being a good attendance of the electors. . Mr. D. M'Laren is to contest the Wellington Bast seat, Mr. C. H. Chapman, Wellington South, and Mr. W. S. Young, Suburbs. The chair was occupied by Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh, who made an attack on the publicans, who, ho said, had voted for the Liberal party at the previous election. He took exception to certain statements which, he alleged, they had made regarding the motives of the Labour candidates in coming forward. • Mr. M'Laren was the first speaker, and he said that the reports circulated in regard to Labour candidates were simply scandalous. He' had personally been accused of receiving a .consideration from another candidate for coming forward. Dealing with other matters, he' mentioned that he had fought consistently for direct Labour representation in Parliament, but there was a great prejudice against a Labour, party, which was deserving of'consideration. Too little attention was paid the workers, and he asserted that Labour was _ superior to Capital, and was more descrying of consideration. The speaker complained of the manner in which the electorates had. been split up, and he expressed the opinion that this was done in order to ■split the forces of Labour. A Labour party was necessary, as .the' present parties did not adequately represent the democracy, but only somo of the classes, and the two-party svstom was but a delusion and a . snare, prepared to _ keep those in power still in that position, nothing "being more conspicuous than the manner in which the two parties united when it was a question of voting what was' opposed to the general feeling of the people. He remarked .that' the Labour movement was universal because the interests of the workers were universal. In this country a true national sentiment wan required, instead of parochialism in legislation;, this was the reign of political sham. The land was being talfeh 'out of the hands of the whole people, and the country was an . the nght's'of' tfie"people as a' whole the . land, tax should bo increased. He considered it remarkable that tho people had not risen in indignation at the restriction of their liberties caused by the gag clause in tho Second Ballot Bill. He considered that this country had a strong tendency in the-direc-tion of monopolies and trusts, and 'it was for, the salvation of New Zealand from this fate that he had decided to come forward as a candidate for their suffrages. (Anplause.) A short address was then given by Mr. Chapman on the same lines as that of his predecessor. .'A number of questions were answered.by the candidates, who were accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. Mr. J. W. Braithwaite, Liberal candidate for the Wellington Suburbs seat, announces in our advertising columns the opening of his campaign to-night. His address should be .of special interest to tho workers of this country, as lie claims to lay before them a practical, common-sense solution of 'the greatest question of the day—our unemployed. Mr. J. P. Luke, a candidate for tho Suburbs seat will address the electors at O'Donnell's Hall, at eight o'clock to-night. THE BRUCE SEAT. (BI TKLEGEAPH—rEESS ASSOCIATION.) Ounedln, September 27. Mr. A. W. Tyndall, candidate for Bruce in, tho' Liberal interest,, addressed tho electors at Lawrence on I riday evening. Ho reviewed the principal questions of tho day, and generally supported tho policy of the Government. With reference to. the birthrate, ho advocated a bonus to the mother of every healthy legitimate child, payable when the child received a school certificate of competency. The candidate was a6corde'd a voto of thanks. .