MR. HOLLAND'S ADDRESS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 133, 22 February 1918, Page 6

MR. HOLLAND'S ADDRESS

THE UNION COMPANY DISCUSSED. Mr. H. E. Holland, the Labour-So-cialist candidate, addressed a meeting of electors in St. Paul's Schoolroom, Tinakori Road, last night. Mr. E. Howard was in the chair, and in some introductorv remarks said that Mr. Holland would be willing to answer "reasonable questions" on political topics. He hoped there would be nono of the questions that appealed to some superior people. Mr. Holland dealt particularly with the dealings of the Government with tho Union Steam Ship Company during the war neriod. He said the law should be amended' to make the company responsible for accidents happening to travellers. The company at present avoided liability by the conditions it imposed on persons using the steamers. The Government up to March 3, 1917, had paid over £2,300,000 for the lure of some of the U.S.S. Company's ships. It had paid £131,000 for the hire of one ship valued at £60,000. The company out of its profits had lent the Government £250,000 for war purposes, on bonds free of income tax. The whole of the company's fleet, according to Fir Joseph Ward, could be bought for £LPOO,DOO. An elpctor: ''Beforo the war. ' Mr. Holland: "They are the samo boats now." The Government had put up the values bv permitting huge war profits. Mr. Holland stated his objections to conscription. He considered it would he a crime to denude the Dominion of its fit married men after sending all the fit single men. The Defence Department ■ should depend upon volunteers and pay to soldiers more money. The Second Division League, he said, ought to join up with the Labour Party and vote down conscription. Mr. Holland referred tq_ the conscientious objectors, and reaX a letter from one man who stated he had accepted a staff job in the Army because he could not stand anv more imprisonment. He described this as "atrocious cruelty." and quoted the case of an Auckland man who had boon given exemption on the ground that financial interests would suffer if he went to the front. He protested ai'.ainst the conscription of the Maoris, who were •"a conquered and dying race," and asked if it was true that the Government had offered Eua his freedom on condition that he did recruiting work among his own people. In conclusion, Mr. Holland warmly denounced the conscription of married men, and added that he did not believe the Wellington North by-election had any bearing upon the war. No questions were asked, and after I several appeals by the chairman a vote of thanks was moved. The motion was carrietl without dissent.