WELLINGTON CENTRAL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 310, 25 September 1918, Page 6

WELLINGTON CENTRAL

MR. H; ATMORE

CONDEMNATION OF THE GOVERNMENT

OTHER CANDIDATES Mr. H. Atmoro, one of the candidates for tho Wellington Central seat, addressed a meeting of the electors in tho Willis Street Schoolroom last night. Mr. H. A. W. M'Kcnzio was in the chair. There was a good attendance. Mr. Atmore referred first to tho death of the late member for the constituency, Mr. B. Fletcher as a cheery and indomitable worker with a fine record of service to the community. With regard §> the present contest, he had no feeling against any other candidate. Two of them, Mr. C. W. Tanner and Mr. L. G. Garmson, were present that evening. New Zealand had reached a critical period. The country had representative institutions, but it* had been deprived temporarily of its constitutional rights. The Conservative Cabinet had extended the life of Parliament without just cause. This action was not necessary to the winning of the war. He believed that 99 per cent, of the people of New Zealand were heart and soul for the winning of the war. But that was"no reason whv tho present National Government should retain offico in spite of its many failures. The welfare of tho soldiers had been guarded not by tho Government, but by private members and the community generally. The !m----pulse that had gained concessions i'or the soldier had come always from outside the Government. The statement that a vote cast against the National Government was a vote given for tho Kaiser was utterly stupid. That argument had been raised, at the time of the Wellington North by-election, and Mr. Luke had been pushed into tho seat. He was now showing, in connection with 'the tramway dispute, how impossiblo it was for him to understand the ideals of Labour. The war could not be disregarded in an election campaign at tho present time. But the winning of the war did not require the return of. a National Government candidate. He was no jingo himself, .but ho believed that the Germans had planned and organised" for the present var. Mr. Fraser suggested that he and Mr. Hildreth alone had a right to contest the seat. Voices: Hear, hear. It is Labour versus . Capital. Mr, Atmore said the electors clearly had a right to select their own member without the restrictions that Mr. Fraser would impose. He deprecated the. introduction of sectarianism into tho contest. (Hear, hear.) It would bo a great disaster if a spirit of sectarianism were brought into New Zealand politics. There were difficulties enough to he overcome without raising' religious barriers. He considered that his own sympathy with Labour had been shown by his actions in tho past. Labour needed help now more than ever before, and his own wish to aid Labour was no new thing. Mr. Atmore proceeded to state that when the National (.iovcrnmont was being formed he had suggested that tho Government should create cool stores in all centres and buy produco at the average price of the preceding four years, for sale to the people at fair prices. If this proposal had been adopted tho cost of living would not have reached its present high level. The cost of living now was the most pressing public question; and he believed that it would bring about a general election early next year, when tho composition of the House would bo altered almost out of recognition. Turning to the tramway dispute, Mr. Atmore said that the .demands made by tho men were legitimate. The reduction in tho purchasing power of tho sovereign meant that tho tramway men's real, weekly wage was £.1 17»., and not £2 16s. If the men's demands were granted tho real wage, on the basis of the pre-war valuo of the sovereign, would he £2 3s. 4d., although the money paid would be £3 4s. He did not believe that tho Wellington City Council interpreted justly the wishes of the people of the city in regard to tho tramway men. Ninety per cent, of the people were opposed to the. council's attitude. Dealing further with the cost of living the candidate said that a Galary of £120 a year was worth now only £81. The Government gave the Civil Servants a war bonus of £15, but that bonus was really worth only about £1.1. He beliovcd that tho ' Government. Statistician did not go far enough, and that the sovereign had really lost 50 per cent, of its purchasing power. Yet while the people were, suffering in this way, every bis commercial and banking institution, was making huge profits. The squatters wore reaping the harvest. Bank balances and dividends were swelling, and at the same time the plight of the housewives grew ever more serious. ■ The Government could have prevented this state of affairs. It could have protected the people from exploitation. It had failed to do anything, and yet the electors were being told that a vote against the Governmen would be a. vote against tho winning of the war. The plain fact was that the Government was showing either bankruptcy of statesmanship or culpable neglect in failing to control the prices of local products. The objected to wages being increased, yet it had assisted the patriotic farmers to push up the price of produce when the war hild created an opportunity to bleed the Mother Country. He realised that some increase in" the price of exported produce had been necessary to balance the increased cost of imports. Jlr. Atmore charged tho Government with having allowed the shipping companies to cNtort unfair profits from the pockets of the people. The Government had asked men to give their lives for the nation, bub it asked the wealthy people to lend their money free of income tax. Ministers who made this difference did not deserve public confidence. The Government's continued existence* was not necessary to the successful prosecution of the war. He afreet! that the Germans must be beaten. Tlie whole civilisd world was realising that. But while he believed the war must be prosecuted, hi; thought the Government should consider seriously the suggestion that the Dominions should concentrate on the production of foodstuffs and let the Americans use their ships to maintain the supply of soldiers. The candidate advocated ,•> system of taxation that would give tho State tho unearned increment of land' values. With 'oica'd to tho liquor issue, be was in favour of Stale control. This system had proved successful already in Britain's munitbn areas. It reduced drinking by eliminating the clement of private, profit. The question should be settled by the people themselves at a referendum, with all tho issues on the ballol-paper. Hi' advocated an extended .scheme of land settlement for soldiers, who should Ik; given traorl improved I:uhI. 'Hie graduated land lux should be innd" lionvy eunuch 1.0 brcrik up tin , hy> estates. Mr. J. 0. darn-ion .-'lili-cssivl Hujiiort.iiHi bri'-iy a! !k i-vniimi nl' Mr. Atwore, and was ;;ivi:i: a cnrdhl recent ion. Tu answer to Mr. Atmore said ho wan n R:»tli'':'!. svirl not- a nicinber nf the Labour I'.-rty. Tho NrdieaU and the workers had n common enemy to fight. Tho failure of workers to agree pmons; themselves aiul to show sympathy for other radical elements

was tho cliicf obstacle in tho way of getting what the workors wanted. Tho candidate was cross-examined at some length by labour electors. Mr. 0. W. Tanner also spoke brielly. Tho candidate was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.