LABOUR DISSENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 839, 10 June 1910, Page 6

LABOUR DISSENSIONS

AUCKLAND ELECTION A GLANCE BEHIND THE SCENES. A CANDIDATE BREAKS DOWN "NOT CUT OUT FOR A ; POLITICIAN." " (By TelesraDh—Press Association.! : Auckland, June 9. ■ '■'•: Mr. M'Knight, one of the Labour candidates for Auckland East by-election, a-i- - dressed a meeting of electors' to-nighv. He described himself as a truo Labourite, and denied the statement that hart been made that, he was not in favour of preference to Unionists. He complained of, having 'been badly ' treated by that section of labour. that, had, after selecting him,'withdrawn their support and . put up a separate candidate. At the ■first ballot, a'private one. attended by eight delegates, he had been selected. Then the wire-pulling; began, and because it was held, that the meeting which jhbse him was not large or representa- : tiVe enough; "he had,, with the other candidates, , placed himself .in the hands of a fully representative ; meeting, and had been agajn selected, this time by ~ a majority of 39. The committee /which bad put up the second Labour candidate Davis) was only a scratch one, and had not authority to take, tho action it had. He complained -.strongly of ■ Mr. •T: E. Taylor's , interference. Mr. Canham, speaking in support of Hr: M'Kuight; said that the section.that had thrown Mr. M'Knight over and selected Mr. Davis in his stead was Tamjnany Hall. ! . ' "DID NOT FEEL,AT HO^E." V LABOUR CANDIDATE BREAKS . ; ' • DOWN. . ' y ■ (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, June 9. ' in addressing a meeting in the Orange Ball, •■ Newton, to-night, Mr. Geo. Davis, one of the Labour candidates; after speaking for a few minutes, broke do\£n. ' He confessed that he "did not. feel at home, and stated that on many occasions lie had. admitted that he was not cut out for a politician. A voice: You're too honest. . 'The candidate was not able to get . much further when be broke down 'altogether and retired to his scat. He will deliver his policy speech • in the Choral Hall on Monday evening. MR/ HILL'S CANDIDATURE, .•■'■ ■' HIS POLITICAL VIEWS. (By TelesrttDh—Press Association.!' ' : Auckland, June 9. Mr. R. W. Hill, the unofficial Opposition candidate, in the course'of an address at Newton, said he was in favour Df Prohibition, and believed in the bare majority. . Regarding Native land, he eaid that : the recent Commission, was almost entirely pro-Maori.. While desiring to treat the Maori with. justice, he thought titles should be rapidly individualised, and a large proportion of land , eold upon the freehold tenure. Half the money at least should be vested in a board of trustees for the education of Maoris, chiefly as formers. The Family Home Protection Bill, drawn by himself alter a careful study of the homestead laws of the United States, was introducedinto the House of Representatives by Mr. Massey last session. It enabled a man to make his wife a partner in the toine, and it protected the home absoJutely on insolvency ■or ' from sale for debt, until the youngest child attained the age of 21 years, and until the death ■of the widov:. •'Regarding the gambling evil,; he said the best way to deal wirtlh ■ bookmaker was to abolish the licensing system of the present Government, and to create.the offence.of "hahituaUy '•betting as a means of support." A man charged with it could escape imprisonment by showing that he had ample property to live on, such men being known. He. would give a right to amy , employer of a. defaulting clerk to recover the whole' amount on proof of betting transactions. The totalisator .under this system would be unnecessary, and ,Tio would favour its abolition. He was not in favour of continuing the taxation of .£200,000 per annum on the race-going people for tho sake of the totalisator. Let. owners pay for their own .sport. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Mr. Hill, who is standing as an unofficial Opposition candidato in City East, is a solicitor, 31 years of age, and has been practising in Auckland for over a year. He was admitted' to the Bar in 1905, and, afterwards acted as Parliamentary secretary to Mr. Massey, Leader of the Opposition, for a year. He was then, . for a, short time, in the office of Dr. Findlay, now Attorney-General. For two years he was secretary to Sir Robert btout, the Chief Justice, and during that time he -was also secretary of the Native Land Commission. -Later, he came to Auckland. Mr. Hill states that lie is in favour of small freehold and rapid ■settlement: Ho'believes that the acreage being settled per annum should be at least doubled, and land should be roaded us it ;s cut.up.. He regards the graduated land tax as inequitable, but he would vote for an increase if it were shown that it was absolutely necessary ior the breaking up of large estates. It is generally thought that the seat is a. certainty, for Mr. Myers. The circumstances are, however, unique. Mr Myers's personal popularity; his independent attitude, and the municipal services he has rendered will be the factors which ;.wjU probably, ensure his- election. ►At- the present time the temper ■of Auckland generally is against tho Gov- ; I eminent, and in favour of the Opposition. SPEECH BY MR. MYERS. AN INDIGNANT. DENIAL. . . , ' Auckland, June 9. In the course of a speech to-night Mr. Arthur 'Myers referred to statements that had been made to the effect that because he was a brewer Ire could not bo entrusted to look after private interests He indignantly denied this, and said that .when he was Mayor of AuckJand he had never allowed his private interests in any way. to interfere with Jus public duties. He challenged anvono ' to proyo to the contrary. He said that, if elected, ins duties as their representative would always come first. In reply ■to a question ho said-that he was iii favour of allowing the liquor question to be settled by the vote of the people every three years as already provided. STATEMENT BY MR. MASSEY. THE GREAT QUESTION.' Mr._ Massey, Leader of the Opposition, speaking to a reporter regarding .Mr. . Myers's speech at tho Choral Hall, said: "I am pleased to sec that on some important points he agrees with the Reform party, and T am oi' exactly the same opinion that I previously expressed. Apurt from local considerations, the preat question for tho electors to decide is whether the present Government is worthy of support or not. I am satisfbd that a huge majority of the people of Auckland are of opinion that Sir Joseph Ward and his -colleagues have outstayed their welcome, and in spite of the popularity and independence of Mr. Myers, the Opposition should have run a. straight-out Opposition candidate. It is small comfort 1o me that the Government are not putting up a man. Personally I would sooner Tight and be beaten than stand idly by and do nothing; and I can only hope tliaV « mors satisfactory spirit will be shown .when the general election oom«. round." THE LABOUR SPLIT. In connection with the Lalrour split, the claim made by the Waterside Workers' Union on the Central Committee of the Labour party, for n refund of the ,£lO 10s. contributed by them in support jf Mr. M'Knight's candidature, was acknowledged, and the money lelurnvti to the 'union.

ADDRESS BY MR. DAVIS. Mr. George Davis, Labour candidate, addressed a yell-attended meeting of ladies in the Primitive Methodist Schoolroom, Alexandra Street, on Tuesday. Mrs. Catley presided. The cundidate said that the high.rents and prices of foodstuffs resulted from private ' monopoly, and could, only bo cured by methods suggested by tho Labour party. He advocated that children should be given every chance ill life, and education should l>e free from the primary schools to the University, while the 'scope- of technical education should bo broadened. Mr. Davis advocated, in addition to the old age pension, pensions to invalids. Medical inspection of. children attending public schools was a necessary reform, as was also strict, attention to children's teeth. The candidate expressed himself in favour of Dominion option and a bare majority vote, in keeping with Labour, principles. Mr. .0. M'Laren, M.P., also addressed the meeting. A. vote of confidence in Mr. Davis's candidature was carried. '

MR. RICHARDSON'S MEETING. Mr. W. Richardson addressed tho electors in the Orange Hall, Karan&tahapo, Road,.on Tuesday night. There was a good attendance.. Mr. G. Wakelin, a delegate to the Trades and Labour. Council,' occupied the chair, and said that he ,did so because in his opinion Mr. Richardson's programme was superior to that of any other- candidate in the field from a genuine Labour standpoint. Mr. Richardson dealt chiefly With economic questions, and gave examples of tho benefits of protection in Melbourne, which city, he said, without any natural resources, became the manufacturing centre of Australia solely through her protective tariff. In Now Zealand we were, importing about ,£20,000,001)' annually, one-half of which were commodities that we could manufacture ourselves—under a genuine protective tariff. In iron and its various industries alone we were importing .£4,500,000. He also outlined Jiis views for the reform, of New Zealand administration. In reply to question's, Mr. Richardson said he was opposed to the. Ward Ministry for many reasons. He was in favour of Dominion option by bare majority, would, help ;to untie all publichouses, and would see that all liquors were inspected. He was in favour of a white Zealand. . While, not opposed to the Bible lesson .in schools, he did not favour secular teachers attempting to handle it. That should be done by the clergy. He would favour the. abolition of the totalisator. A vote of confidence was proposed by Mr. Wakelin, seconded by Mr. Kelly, and carried unanimously. •