WELLINGTON NORTH

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 120, 7 February 1918, Page 6

WELLINGTON NORTH

■ » MR. LUKE'S CAMPAIGN HIS OPENING ADDRESS REFERENCES TO THE "SPLIT" Mr. J. P. Luko opened his campaign as a candidate for tho Wellington North seat in the Concert Chamber at the Town Hall last evening. 'There was a hostile element in'the audience, and some noisy interruptions, but Mr. Luke was accorded a good hearing. Captain W. do R. Barclay presided. Mr. Luko said that he regretted exceedingly .the split that had occurred in connection with the election for the return of a member to -opiate Mr. Herdman, a gentleman who had done good service to the State as f. member of Parliament and''as a Minister. A split had occurred in the ranks of those amongst whom there -hould have been unity in the war period. (Hear, hear.) He had had no part iu tiio negotiations that had taken place in anticipation of this election. Ho had been approached with a request that ho should stand for tho seat some time ago, and he had had to talk caadidly to those who had spoken to him. Agaiii he was asked, and again he had spoken freely. He however, consented to stand. If he was not a proper person to represent Wellington North in Parliament ne was not fit to be Mayor of the city, for the position of Mayor entailed upon him more work and move responsibility than could be entailed by tho representation of Wellington North. As to his record as Mayor, if there was an elector in the city cf Wellington who could point to any Haw in his- administration as Mayor due to carelessness, lack of conception, or honest desire to do what was right, he would retire from this contest.

Someono called: What about the milk supply? A Side Issue. Mr. Luke said ho was very glad that the question had been asked. He had received a letter recently in which the statement was made that the election would be fought on the issue of the Wellington milk supply. He had been long pledged, and pledged time- and again to bring about municipal control of the milk supply, including the distribution of tho milk to the peoplo. He had tried to the best of his ability to get the scheme through, and he thought the people of Wellington could have confidence in the council to do all that was possible to see that in good time the Wellington milk supply would be distributed by the municipality. It was to be expected that there would be objections and opposition to the council entering upon this enterprise, and he know where the opposition came from. He had asked the council last week to go ahead with the distribution of milk by the council. Neither he nor the City Council had selected the site. It had been done by the council's expert, as also had been the plans and equipment of the building. The council made an honest endeavour to have the milk brought to a central depot. Ho went down to the depot on the second day, and refused to allow the work to go on under those conditions for another day. He thought the people should support him in that action. So long as he was in public life he would not rest until the people had a constant and cheap supply of pure milk.. Conscription. In order to ensure that New Zealand's war effort should be adequate the Government had adopted a system of compulsory service, and he believed that this was tho best system for the raising of an army to beat the enemy. A voice: No. Mr. Luke: "The man who says 'No' ought to go where my boys are tonight—in the trendies." (Hear, hear.) He went on to say that ho had volunteered long ago for any service that might be asked of him, and he had, he believed, given loyal service. He believed that the Military Service Act was the best legislation ever introduced and carried into law in this country. (Hear, hear.) Whatever the cost, we must beat the enemy, and so long as there was no graft we must •face the expense without complaint. He had the greatest respect ai'd tdmiration for the Defence Minister (Sir James Allen), who, in spit: of grave difficulties, had done much good work for the Dominion. We might have had a weaker man, full of" compromises, and this would have been disastrous to the country. The machinery for the dispatch of an army from this country had been wonderfully good, and ono of the results was that our soldiers at the front were amongst the best in the world. (Applause.)

Would Support the Government, It was no part of his duty to "boost" tho Government. Ho had had his own troubles with the Government, but ho supported the ' Government. (There was an Interjection from a man who said that the candidate had changed his coat.) Mr. Luke said that if any man could say that Johu Luke had ever made a pledge that ho had not kept, lie would not consider that he was fit to go on with, his election. As conditions changed a man could with propriety change his opinions. It was finite right to attack a man for hnvii g been unfaithful to a pledge given, but it was not right U> attack a mail for having changed hij opinions, in the company of many thousands of other people, as conditions changed. War Problems. Ho believed that the pension system of this country was on a fair basis, and when he got to Parliament, if he got more information and more knowledge be would do the right thing. The pensions were costing this country £1,-114,000. A very considerable increase had been made in allowances to wives and children of soldiers, and public opinion would compel the Government to give more if more should be necessary. Up till the end of September next the total annual amount would bo £2,037.000. The Government, he thought, had seen that the taxation should fall on the right shoulders, especially on the slioulders of those making money on account of tho war. We had a surplus of four .millions of taxation last year, and he thought most of this had come out of war profits. At present he did not think the Government had shirked responsibility to impose taxation on those best able to bear it.

Increased pensions had been provided for widows, and for miners suffering from pneumoconiosis, and the old-age pensions had been increased. The Cost of Living. He thought the Government had done a great deal to reduce the cost of living, and perhaps with a little pruning they might do more. .Some of the Labour men in the audience made a noiso with interjections at this stage. Mr. Luke retorted that in Australia there was a Labour Government. Voices: No. Mr. Luke went on with his point about Australia. It was that in spito of the fact that there was a Labour Government there the cost of living bad been higher there than in this country. Increases had occurred in the cost of living for reasons which no Government could prevent, chief among thorn heing the shortage of shipping and the great demand for supplies in other lauds.

Tho Board of Trade had done something to keep down the cost of living but ho very much regretted that at the beginning of tho war ihreo Ministers, say Jl,-. ainsscy, Sir .Joseph nard, and Sir James Allen, bad not been given absolute power to control all war activity, and to control also such matters as the cost of living. This would have obviated the necessity for so many boards. If returned to' Parliament ho would do his best to have the cost of living reduced.

Things to be Done. Ho stood as a supporter of the National Government, hut ho vould if elected, consider it his duty to criticise the Government if he thought that criticism was deserved, and if possible ids criticism would be constructive. One thing that he thought tho Government should give attention to was the encouragement of shipbuilding in steel and wood. More work of this kind was done in New Zealand -30 or 40 years ago than was done now. Other local industries might with advantage also be established or encouraged, fie would like to see the amalgamation of suburban areas into cities, and this should be made compulsory by Icislation. By amalgamation of this "kind there would bo increased efficiency in administration at less cost, tie thought the Government might show more energy_ in the planting out of trees to maintain the supplies of commercial timber. Ho was strongly in favour of the maintenance of the national ; ystem of education, and ho mentioned tliis because he believed that the establishment of denominational schools such as were springing up would lead to strong opposition to tho national system. It was a crying shame that teachers wero not paid more, that teachers were asked to teach such large classes, that children had to go to school in such ramshackle buildings, that schools were built on such small playgrounds. These problems should be tackled after the war. The main sources of taxation should be land and incomes. He was not iu favour of leaving all tho war debt to posterity. We should shoulder our own share of the burden. The Liquor Trade. He was in favour, of the National Efficiency Board's scheme, for the .purchase of the liquor traffic by the State. The liquor. trade could control this country, and tho sooner tho Government took control of tho traffic the better it would be for the •■ountry. He mentioned iu this connection that Mr. Philip Snowden, Mr. Lloyd Georgo, and other Prohibitionists had at length declared for State control. He would not care personally if the State closed all the hotels.

He hoped that the Governments of the Dominions would make all possible representations to the Imperial Government to see that when the peace negotiations came up for consideration Germany should be dispossessed of her colonies in the Pacific. He had always broil independent of anybody in all his life, and he was not beholden to the Government for anything. He would therefore be free to exercise to the full his right of criticism. The Real Issue, The chairman (Captain Barclay) made a few remarks on the election. He said that the election would determine the fate of the National Government as at present constituted, and the responsibility devolved on every rightthinking and earnest elector to see that nothing was done to weaken the position of tho present National Government. If the continuity of the National Government were to bo broken, tho result would be chaos. In Europe the enemy to-day was doing his best to create disunion among tho Allies. He was afraid that a spirit was abroad to create disunion in the constituency of Wellington North. He thought that it was the plain duty of all good citizens to back the Government in its efforts to win the war, and the war would not be won by creating disunion. This would be playing into the hands of the Germans. Replying to questions Mr. Luke said that if Mr. Massoy and Sir Joseph Ward went to England it would not be pqssible to have a general election until they e.nme back. He would, however, hail a general election : at the right time with satisfaction. He. declared that he was not in favour of wet canteens for the soldiers in iho camps or on shipboard. Replying to Another questioner Mr. Luke said that if the National Government were broken up, he would support the Reform Party. At the time of the strike in Wellington he had had to work a good deal with the Reform Government, Mid he had then learned to esteem the Reform Ministry.. A Challend on Conscription. After a number of questions, a young man, a returned soldier, went on to the platform and proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Luke for his address. "As a returned soldier," he said, "I claim to speak for the boys at ■ the front, and the hoys in the camps, and I say that Mr. and Mrs. Luke have been good friends to the boys at the front, and they are good friends to'dav." (Applause.)

Mr. H. F. Von Haast seconded the motion, and he also commended Mr. Luke for the splendid work he had done for the boys at the front. He felt that he had some right to speak in favour of the Government because he had criticised the Government as fiercely as anybody. But we were three-fourths of the way across the stream, and_ he did not think it was a good time to swap horses. The Labour Party had thrown out a direct challenge to the Government on its conscription policy. Those people who supported the Labour candidate in that policy would vote against the Government, but those who supported this Government and the British Government in the prosecution of the war to a victorious conclusion would vote for Mr. Luke. The support of any other candidate, even a supporter of the National Government, would mean a spiit in the votes which might let in the candidate who was opposed to conscription. The return of a. man opposed ..to conscription would be playing right into the. hands of the Germans. Tho Germans had made the most of tho unrest in Ireland and the most of the defeat of conscription in Australia, but as yet they had not had any change out of New Zealand.

The chairman rose to put the motion, and this ho did, declaring it carried.

Professor Mackenzie had been on his feet previously, evidently with the intention of speaking, and he protested that the motion should not- have bren disposed of without his having the opportunity of moving an amendment which he had. \

The chairman said that the meeting belonged to Mr. Luke, and the motion that had been before the meeting was a vote of thanks to Mr. Luke. Ho believed that the motion'which Professor Mackenzie had in bis mind was on other matters, and he would not receive it at that meeting. Professor Mackenzie, full of protests still against the ruling of the cVairmau, brought his resolution to the Press table, and gave to the Press representatives copies of a long resolution of several paragraphs, in which he asked the meeting to declare no-con-in Mr. Luko and the Government, for reasons set forth in detail, and at some length. Tho meeting dispersed while Professor Mackenzie Was making his protests. THEROLL Electors of Wellington are advised to make certain that their name is on the roll. It is stated that quite a number of residents of the district whose names should have been on the roll have found that they have been left off.

A PROTEST

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I must add my protest to those already received by the Press against the action of the noisy little coterie led by Mr. Sievwright in hawking the representatives of Wellington North around the highways and byways ot the city—first Mr. Skerrett, then Mr. Whyte, then Mr. Myers. All these gentlemen have been invited to contest the seat; also, I have been informed, Mr. Gray and Mr. Buddie, probably others. The thing is too ludicrous for words; then last of all Mr. Brandon, who has allowed himself to be made use of by Messrs'. Sievwright and Myers, and for whom I am very sorry. Mr. Brandon, though not' par- N ticularly well known to the rank and file of the community, is respected by those who do know him, and he should not have been placed in the position lie occupies to-day. I want to tell Air. Sievwright and Mr. Myers that they are doing the cause with which they are identified more harm than they can possibly imagine. Like many others, I am no "wowser," but anyone can understand what is taking place. And remember, this election will be watched even outside New Zealand. It will be looked upon as an expression of public opinion with regard to the Dominion's war policy, and, in consequence, I) rust the Dublin will not be misled by proposals which, if given effect 'to, may bring about a state of things such as unfortunately exists in Australia. At this juncture we must be right in supporting the candidate selected by the leaders of the National Government— any other course is wrong and dangerous.—l am, etc., GOVERNMENT SUPPORTER,

MR. BRANDON REAPPEARS

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Some years ago Mr. A. de Bath Brandon retired from Wellington public life in high _ dudgeon. He is now doubtless going to give us politics which, at all events, will have some historical interest. The reason for Mr. Brandon's retirement is so 'significant in its bearing on present-day politics that I feel impelled to remind my fel-low-electors in Wellington North of the circumstances.

The accommodation at the Wellington Girls' College was overtaxed, and Mr. Brandon, as the chairman of the College Governors, obstructed any extensions until the position became so intolerable that, in the interests of a large number of free-place students who were "being debarred from the advantage of secondary education which they had won for themselves under our liberal educational system, Sir John Findlay, then a 'Minister, had to threaten to use his official powers if the obstruction was not ended. This brought about a climax, and Mr. Brandon, foiled in his attempt to keep out the girls of parents who could not afford to pay the fees for secondary education, retired from the Board of Governors. He was quite frank in his condemnation of tho free-place system, but his views were too out of date to win svmpathv in such times, and he went into retirement quite unregrettcd. "Eoualitv of opportunity" does not appeal to Aim, excent when it conies to Parliamentary candidature.

May I presume—as disclaimers seem now to ho the fashion in connection with Mr. Sievwright's activities—to add a little disclaimer of my own? The Wheeler who was marshalled into the deputation to Mr. M. Myers was not Yours truly, CHARLES E. WHEELER. Grant Road, Wellington.

To-day at noon an open-air meeting in support of Mr. H. E. Holland, Labour nominee for Wellington North, will be held in the Post Office Square. The speakers will be: Messrs. J. Glover, national secretary, New Zealand Labour Party; J. Thorn, Labour candidate, Palmerston North; P. Eraser, Social Democratic Party; and others.

Mr. H. E. Holland, Labour candidate for "Wellington North, will open his election campaign to-night iii the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall. The meeting is advertised for 8 o'clock. Mr. W. Maddison, chairman of tho Wellington Labour Representation, will preside.

In our advertising columns will be found a formal announcement by Mr. Brandon of his entry into the campaign, together with a short resume of his platform, which will doubt!«ss bo read with interest by electors. A meeting of lrflies interested in Mr. Brandon's return is called for to-mor-row afternoon at 3.30 o'clock, at No. •145 Featherston Street.