MR. PAYNE'S PLEDGE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1371, 23 February 1912, Page 5

MR. PAYNE'S PLEDGE.

INDIGNATION IN GREY LYNN. ELECTORS WILL HAVE SOMETHING to sax (By Tc.Vgrapn.—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, February 22. The sugges'tiou that Mr. Payno is going to voto with tho Government on the nocontidencu motion is occasioning intense indignation in Grey Lynn. A (locuiiiont has been drawn up calling upon Mr. Pavno to resign his seat, ami if ho voles against the no-confulcueo niotjon tho document will be forwarded villi probably throe-fourths uf his supporters sirnatures attached. Mr. Payne was definitely pledged to vote with Mr. Massoy on a no-eoniideiico motion, and on that pledge lie secured the votes and interest of all the committees that had been working for Mr. Murray, tho defeated Reform candidate. The whole tenor of Mr. Payne's speeches was against tho \\ aril Government, which he,condemned in emphatic terms, and he was elected in preference to Mr. l'owlds, with that ono aim on tho part of tho olectors-the defeat of the Ward Government. Tho meeting, which carried a mofion asking Mr. Payne to support Sir Joseph Ward, is not taken seriously here. It was called b.v one or two committeemen, who felt hurt at receiving no replies to their letters and telegrams. Tho electors as a body knew nothing about tho meeting, but a section of the Socialist Labour parly heard of it and attended. They wen; composed largely of men who had taken a prominent part in tho endeavour to secure the return of Sir John Findlay I for Parnell, and were not Grey Lynn electors. . , Since the elections tho feeling m favour of the Reform party has grown very rapidlv in Auckland. This is a matter of everyday knowledge here and generally throughout the province. It is a common saying in Kaipara. for instance, that Mr. L'cates's cnly hope of political salvation is to do what ho was reallv elected to do, voto against tho Ward Administration. However, Grey Lvnn is feeling very sore, and if Mr.'Pavne does voto against the no-confi-dence motion, nml a dissolution occurs, there is ono Seat that he will not have the faintest chance of being relumed for, and that seat is Grey Lvnn. "I can't believe it, said one of his supporters this morning. "I personally secured him over two hundred voles on the distinct understanding that he would voto against the present Government, and I worked night and day to get them. Evorv ono of those voters will be a bitter opponent if he dares to break his pledge. Hut it is unthinkable, surely. How could a man elected ns he was go down (o Wellington and there, turn * somersault, and vote for Sir Joseph Ward? He has a solemn duty east upon him by his supporters, the duty of voting for the no-confidenee motion. Jf ho neglects that, duty then 1 and many others will have something to say;' ]t is understood that a meeting of Grey Lynn electors was privately held this' morning to discus), the course of action to be taken if Mr. Payne does vote against the motion, and it was decided to await: the result of the vote, trusting to Mr Payne's sense of honour to keep his pledge,' It is well known that emissaries of the Government have been drafted inh Grey Lvnn, to endeavour to induce supporters of Mr. Payne to rcquclit him to vole against Mr. Massoy, but the requests have bren met by point blank ami indignant refusals. The story is (old of one indignant lady who turned n lioso on a canvasser, and hosed him ofl the verandah. . MR. ROBERTSON'S POSITION. MEETING OP FLAXMILL HANDS. (By Telegraph—Press Association Palmerston North, February 22. From seven to eight hundred flaxmill hands assembled nl the Municipal Hall at 11.30 o'clock to-day, to consider the dispute between the Flaxmillcrs' Association and the Flaxworkers' Union. The present political situation was also considered, and it was resolved to free Mr. J. Robertsou, the member for Otaki (who was nominated by tho Flax Employees' Unions), from his pledge to voto against Sir Joseph Ward, and to strongly urge him to voto for tho Government on the no-confidence motion. The motion was carried by acclamation, with only two dissentients, both of whom, it was e.v plained, had no votes in the Otaki elec. torate, while the others had. Tho meeting closed with cheers for "Mr. Robertson and Radicalism." The meeting was not open to the press. The men returned te their various districts to-nisht, and resume work at the mills to-morrow.