TOWN HALL AND LABOUR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 175, 13 April 1918, Page 9

TOWN HALL AND LABOUR

AN APPLICATION REFUSED, labour as it is represented at tho Trades and Labour Council disagrees entirely with the prolongation of Parliament for another year as proposed by the Government. Desiring to say eo out loud as effectively as it knows how, steps wore taken to engage the Town Hall for a moetin" to be "hold at an early date. As tlio result of a tolophonic inquiry to the Town Clerk's office a booking was pencilled for .Monday evening next, which was tho only suitable evening available. Following that up a deposit on the rent was about to be forwarded, and advertisements and .posters wore being drafted for the printer jvhom the seorotary, Mr. E Xennedy, received a ring on the tolepliono to say that tho application would have to bo in writing and the full nature of tho subjects proposed to be discussed set out, as tho council had decided not to lot tho hall for any purposes which might embarrass the National Government. The request was complied with and was considered at a special meeting of tho Finance. Committee held yesterday afternoon.' After careful deliberation -the meeting made its decision, as tho result of which tho Town Clerk forwarded tho following letter to Mr. Kennedy:— ".Replying to your application for tho use of tlio Town Hall for Monday nigTlt next to protest against the prolongaSf.il of Parliament, I am instructed to inform you that your request was submitted to a special meeting of the Finaiico Committeo of tho council, and after very full consideration it was decided that it was not desirable at the present time-to grant your request."

It is understood that the Labour Representation Committee will hold a meeting elsewhere early next week to air their views on_ the subject mentioned^ Mr. Kennedy, secretary of the Labour Representation Committee, in his reply to the Town Clerk's letter, .said:

"I note that the Finance Committee do not thinkj it 'desirable' to grant tho use of the people's Town Hall to discuss a political issue of the gravest concern to the citizens of Wellington. It is worthy of note that the City Council had no diffidence in letting the Town Hall to the Protestant Political Alliance. Why this partial treatment to Labour! And may I ask who has set up the City Council to bo a tribunal to judge whether the. citizens of Wellington shall or shall not discuss political questions? Am I to understand that the Mayor, and his confreres are the dictators as to when and what the citizens aro to discuss as political questions ? I venture to point, out to yoiir council that the Town Hall is the property of the citizens of Wellington, and not cf any_ particular political coterio, and in view of . the major part that Labour has taken in the great struggle in Europe, I deeply regret the distinction shown when it is the letting of t'ie Town Hall to the Labour Party."'