UNFAIR FIGHTING.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2127, 20 April 1914, Page 4

UNFAIR FIGHTING.

While we have little respect for Mr. I). M'Labbu's claims to consideration as a candidate {or the City Mayoralty we cannot .refrain from entering a protest against the, treat* went bo is receiving at the hands of the supporters'--- of the SofiUl-Domooyatic-Bed Federation organisation. Mr. M'Larsn seems to have lost the confidence of in&By of his oM Labour supporters thr-ougb his seeming fondness for the "Liboral" Party. Like Mft. HinWiah&ji he- is classified as a Lii-bour-Socialisi candidate, but like tho member lm Wellington South ho has ken in tof close touch in Parliament with ft< Waho Party to rank as a- taboui loader with no thought beyond thi iutftrp&ts of Labeiif. Thai, his sym .pat-hies arc with Labour is recognis ed, and probably it is only as ; matter of expediency that lie has &■ times risked the siispieicm of tehf over-closely associated with thi Wardisfe. In any ease he seems to hare iacurretf the bitter aniniositj of,the Bed Federiition tod io par suancc- of ite methods it is giving htra a ba.d timo &% tho meetings b is holding in eottnecWon mih %\\ caadidatHro for the City Mayoralty I On Eevetal oecttsiofls when, be has ad '■ dressed street corner gatherings--hii favourite ifiethsd ef caftjpaigjiinghe hae. bees tpry uafiiiHy treated bj ■ a rowdy element bent on predentin] him getting e hear ing. The Soc-ial Domocfa-U-c Party pfofcsa to bo ver; c&gfideni; ttefc their candidate wil defeat Mr. M'LaWjj at the eomin} poll and it is po&ible he ma : y ge into second place bohind Mr. Luke bnt it- does not nay inueh fot.tbei: hold on the Labour vote when tije; so plainly show their fefer, of Mft M'LAftEN getting- g, hearing. Tk repufcable section of the Labeuy voti cm hardly fail to Msent tho tit tempted intimidation that is be.iij.( praetisel by. the militant torrorist! o.f the Eed Federation. Freb speed itppawfttty i? to be the privilege only of those who bend the kace U tho dictation 4of art which has so littlo confidenso in thi merits of its own. caiise that it ha to systehiatically howl down all wb attempt to eritieise it ot -oppose it wishes, \\% have no svra.pathy wit! Me. M'Larsn's candidature, but h< is at least ontltkd to » fair hearing ana we eaiinot too strongly ■condemi the cowardly attempts which' h ; a* beeft made to prevent him getting !'