WELLINGTON SOUTH

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1310, 13 December 1911, Page 8

WELLINGTON SOUTH

.ME.. WIGHT'S;MEETINGS. Mr.- R. 'A. Wright, Reform candidate for 'Wellington' South, addressed an opc.iiair meeting last oveniug at Mrs. Rodgers s store, .Vogeltown, and later spoke in-.l'nu-ford's". Hall, Brooklyn. At Vogeltown Mr. "Wright rcplied'to Mr. Hindmarshs cri: ticismi and outlined the platform of tho Reform party. Having answered a number of questions, Mr. Wright was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. At tho Brooklyn meeting, Mr. Cheeseroan acted as chairman. It had been urged against his candidature by Mr. Hindmarsh, said Mr. Wright, that lie would bo powerless to assist the Temperance party in the House, because the Opposition party, was not in accord with temperanco 'reform.- In answer to this he said that thero were several members of the Opposition party in the last House who favoured licensing reform; and if a majority of its'members were elected to the House advocating temperance reform, no Government. could prevent it being carried out. Certainly Mr. Hindmarsh's party, under any' circumstances, would be powerless to initiate legislation of any kind. Until they succeeded in' increasing their party to 41 they could; carry nothing. Therefore it was of little coriNeqnence what party a man belonged to; if a majority of members in the Hoiise agreed with him! on any lino of policy, it must become law; Mr. Hindmarsh had repeated a statement thai he (Mr. Wright) wrote his own .report for The Dominion - , This statement was. most misleading. The position was. that tho newspapers were, unablo to send reporters to "over v meeting. •' Every candidate was advised by the press to supply a precis of the proceedings, and as a matter of fact every candidate . did so. The present political light in the South electorate, said Mr. Wright, Tesolved itself into a question of whether the electors preferred to add one' to a small group of members who might hold, the; balance- of power between . the two contending parties, or whether they would elect a man pledged to a definite lino of • action. It seemed to him that if a small party did hold tho balanco of power it would cause considerable unrest in the political world. This party would practically be 'able to dictate the policy of the country. Such a position would be impossible. If a new Government came into power it was pledged definitely to deal with the problem of the cost of living. It was also pledged to grant women tho pension at the age of GO, instead of 65, and to launch a scheme of insurance against unemployment. This was something within sight, and should, he thought. Vanneal to the electors. Mr. Wrvht answered numerous questions. A voto of thanks and confidenco was carried, and cheers were given for tho candidate. THE LABOUE CANDIDATE'S MEETINGS. Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh, tho Labour candidate for Wellington South, addressed the Newtown electors in tho open air last evening, and also a crowded meeting at tho Newtown Library, which was presided over by Mr. Edward Trcgear, who opened the proceedings with a brief address on the land question, electoral form, and the aims of the Labour party. As Mr.,| Hindinarsh was late in arriving at the ball, Professor Mills, who was also pl'psont on tho platform, spoko on Hie land question. He said that the fight was now a duel between the Labour party and the Opposition party, and these two stood for opposito principles. The speaker claimed that tho future settlement of'the land question and of the adjustment of the conditions which couduerd to the present high cost of Hying could only be definitely dealt with by the Labour'party. '

When Mr. Hindmarsh arrived, his voice showed evidence of "over-strain, and he contented himself with a brief address on tho land question, with a reference to the rcqiiireniiiiit? of • education. 'The major portion ot his remarks, however, were directed against Tm: Dominion'. Theso an- separately reported. - -. In rciilyvto.fi questioner, the candidate said that he was not'in favour of State gru/its , to. Roman -Catholic schools. After;further- question?, the.:.candidate, who. received .an attentive hearing, was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, Carried with cheers and acclamation.