LABOUR CANDIDATES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1091, 1 April 1911, Page 7

LABOUR CANDIDATES.

MUNICIPAL AND HARBOUR BOARD. MEETING AT KILBIRNIE.

Sixteen persons wcro present at O'Donncll's Hall, Kilbirnic, last evening, when Messrs. M. J. Roardon, AV. J. Jordan, and AV. T. Young delivered addresses. Messrs. Rcardon and Jordan aro Labour candidates for municipal honours, and Mr. Young for election to the AYellington Harbour Board. Mr. AY. AYhito was in the chair. Mr. Reardon wished to mako it clear that the Labour candidates, come what may. would not deviate from tho party's platform. Last election, he proceeded, a newspaper had run a "young Now Zealand ticket.'' Tho Labour candidates at that election had spent the best years of their lives in New Zealand, but they could not bo accepted under ' the category. The newspapers, however, had supported a gentleman who had only been in the Dominion two rears, but who had made himself agreeable at social functions. Ho eulogised the patriotism of Auckland, and instanced the way ho (the speaker) had bgcn shown over tho place by an enthusiastic Aucklander. The Wellington' newspapers, however, had decried tho Hutt electrification scheme, which was essentially for tho benefit of thiu city. Ho described this action as unpatriotic. Under the present Mayor, ho declared, there had beeii no progross; tho citv was in a worse state than it had becli for fifteen yean. Old offices were being vacated and new ones were being put up without tenants. This was not general over New Zealand, and therefore something must be. wron" with 'the government of the city. Ho also "drew attention-to the fact that, the formalities necessary to give effect to Councillor •Hindmarsh's proposal regarding workers' tickets for trams, were not yet completed, notwithstanding that the original motion had been.carried in October, 1910. Referring to the ■ tramways dispute ho said the position now Was that tho council said that-if the tramway men could show the present system was bad, then to the extent which they could prove this would : their salaries be improved. _ This, ho said, was not tho proper principle to go on. It should not bo necessary to .show tho defects of tho system ,to secure improved wages. He had been against publicity in this matter, but isinco publicity was chosen tho men would see tho thing out to the bitter end. In view of the promise of the Mayor to allow liim (tlio speaker) to meet representatives of the City Council on Monday evening next, in connection with the council's treatment of labour, ho would not go into council labour matters now, except to refer to ono or two instances. He recalled that after the award of 1907, men—old and tried employees—had been discharged at a'moment's notice and tauntingly told to go to the union for redress. He, quoted three cases of alleged brutal treatment by the council of its employers —two cases of injury sustained in...tho council's service .where the employees were told subsequently to got, underrate permits from the union, if they desired to continue to work. In conclusion he contended ho had shown that there was good reason why tho workers should have their say in municipal matters. Mr. AY'. J. Jordan followed. He dealt with some of the planks of the Labour municipal chartffi . 1-tb' 7 6inpiiA : 's.Tsbd;;tfio' necessity for a laßdtir bureau. f a'rid'tho da3--lal)our/sys^rH"r^t0Aolie'a\\^^8M' : . his. main • argument to say th'a't'tf'mail' in ' AYellington charged "Is. a Week .for'sunshine"—which he explained by saying that this man charged Is. 'a week extra for the-.houses on the.side of. the street which caught tho suii. ■Ho drew' upon a fund of varied experiences tn show that intellect and not social position was going to rule in the future.' After this the speaker's remarks wero 'mostly a comprehensive dissertation on Socialism. In conclusion, he said the Labour candidates, if elected, would sit only so long as they adhered to the Labour paltform. HARBOUR BOARD CANDIDATE. Mr. AY. T. Young advocated his candidature for tho AVellington Harbour Board. Ho traced the history of the dock and patent slip affairs. He contended that the' £32,000 spent on thedock waß a dead loss. Ho noticed that the nine acres of land into tho possession of which the board had now come was valued by tho chairman at £80,000, which sum tho chairman had set against the £32,000. But there was a loan of £250,000, which had been secured at £94 to tho £100. Tho board, however, had to pay interest on the full £100, AVhen the principal was repaid they would bo required to pav at the rate of £100 to tho £100. His point was that if the dock had been constructed they would not only have had the land, but tho dock also. He criticised tho action of tho late chairman of the Harbour Board and said the results of his administration would bo to mako AYellington the dearest port of New Zealand. He gave Mr. Fletcher credit for what he had done for the board, especially in bringing it out of "Star Chamber methods." In conclusion, he urged the labourers also to vote for the Saturday half-holiday at tho polls. A voto of thanks was passed to tho speakers, and' stops were taken to secure their election at the poll.