WELLINGTON'S ANSWER

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2136, 30 April 1914, Page 6

WELLINGTON'S ANSWER

The voting for the City Mayoralty yesterday may be taken as this .ansvrer oS: the citizens of Wellington to the challenge thrown clown by-the wild and reckless people who call themselves Social-Democrats, but who arc for.Uio most part better known for their association, .with tho lawless methods of the Bed Federation. For weeks past they have been talking ii.» their aggressively boastful fasHion iiboiit the "rr-cmendpus surprisn" which the polling of their candidate would occasion. They have made- «ec of their public meetings to preach their reckless doctrine, and to foment class hatred; they have, missed no opportunity to abuse those who did their duty during the late strike and saw to the suppression of rioting and mob violence and to the upholding of the law iind the protection of peaceful citizens. The CiuEF Justice, Ministers of the Crown, Mb. Luke, and others have been attacked by them from the public platform in language, which must have shocked find disgusted every decent; citizen who heard it uttered" or read it in print. As was the ease during the late striko many of their speakers have behaved as blustering braggarts noisily proclaiming" thenprowess and -tho might of their organisation and fooling their following to the top of tholr beat, And what their boasting and their vulvar offensive-ness, brought them? Their nominee was at the bottom of tin; poll. Not only that, bnt he was actually 7000 votes below the man who. bunded t.lic ik>ll—tho nun they bail insults! and reviles!. Tllfi nice*tors of Wellington yesterday afforded tin; people- <.f New, Zeal and an op-[jorf-iinity of judging wlmfc Wei Hilton think!] , of ills: 'Rod Federation-Hocial-D-onioei-nuc organisation and its mcthoilß.;' !t was the first opportunity they have had of -showing through thi; Ualiitt-Wx ihi-ir upiniun of tho !ivpinisa(.ion : .'which sought to bi-ing t!m Cit-yi.' undnr the dominnlion'i'f 'nuili ,, rnlr—it, was, not- merely (he voice of--We'llinßlon in a. nuniicipal cmitcst. ; '')nt, the' , verdict of (lift community ,t>n the melhotb pm-sucri by. the Hed : ;-Fcderdtion 'and its al-

.n<'!;;,<iuviuK,ih<' Irttf strike. H wan .;in,':iiis'.v('r, ion, t<> (.he impudent lU'!I!H JUJK. <)f ■ I }]<> 111 wl'.'KSfjCMfltl wllitll is Hiriviiiß liy iioisi; ami Miiskr In nrui:iUT Jim rc|p(]Ki>. of the Inw-Wnkcrs now in , gaol paying Iho jsisl, penally of (hciv (iffcndiiig law. ami oniri" (hiring tlin strike. Tlie figures i>f Ihi! polling, v-!icn coinpiiretl with Um fifdirm of last year, lrave no room for rtonhl, m Id the awakening of llw public to liifl riHCi'.ssii.y for thn sinking of petty differences' and the combining of motknile peopk to plaw soiiio check on the aggression of the Sociiiiisit-Annvcbisfc Hinveincivl;: in our midst .'incl ensure the conduct, of Use business of Use community on sanr mid reasonable lines. It) V.)\:\ Mn. Luke had a imtjpfity of only 508 votes over Mb. M'Lakek; ycslmiay Ik; hail a majority of nearly 7000 over the same candidate, and ;i- majority of morn than 2000 votes over the total conibinctt votes of his two opponents. The Jigtirra for the two elections are worth quoting: 16113. IDH. Mr.T.iilso ~, fI.SM Mr. T.nlio ... II.OT Mr. M'Lareii 9,-JSG Mr. M'l.arpn i.sn Mr. Glover ... 4.337 ToU! ISUSfI Total 20,377 Mr. Li.-ke's voff! increased by 3507 while Mb. Al'Lahex's decreased by 49)7, and the ioL.-tl Lahnur-Soeialisi votn, notwithstiiiKlirig tho fact that tlieri; were Uvo candidates in Iho field, and despite the strenuous efforts put forward by both, decreased by over GOO votes. Tlieso figures speak for tlreniselvcß. Mr. Luke is to be congratulated on has splendid victory which was well deserved ; and thy City is to be congratulated n<4; only on securing the services of a Mnyor who caa be trusted to act on sound and reasonable) lines, but especially on the inanuei' in which it has taken advantage of tho opportunity to express its disapproval and resentment of tho-methods of the organisation which is seeking k> undermine the -foimdatioiis of our existing social system by playing on. the passions of the- ignorant, 'pvoraoting das hatred and encouraging a. Epirit of lawlessness and contempt for established authority inimical to the interests of all.