THE BY-ELECTION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 4, 30 September 1918, Page 6

THE BY-ELECTION

WEEK-END ADDRESSES

QUIET MEETINGS

MR. H. ATMORE'S MEETING

Sir. H. Atmore, one of tho candidates for the "Wellington Central., seat, addressed a meeting of electors in St. Peter's tin Saturday night There was a, fairly large attendance. Air. Atmore' spoke for over an hour on the lines of his previous addresses. I-Ie discussed tho cost of living in detail, and charged the Government with having failed to protect tho . peonjp from rising prices and exploitation. Prices would not have risen to their present level if tho Government had token a strong stnnd from tho first. Me considered' that comparisons between New Zealand and other countries were not to the point at all. There ,was a shortage of food in many other countries, but tho stores in the Dominion were bursting with produce of the kind required by the yhlif.. 1} tlu> Government could not deal with this situation, It was either bankrupt in Rtatt-r-'Tianphip or bankrupt m good will towards tho peoplo. Mr. Atmoro urged tha ejectors to vote against the ficveniretiit on the cost of living issiio. The 'vnr had .to be won, and no national tifort must be spared to that end, but the Government ought not to expect people to give all attention to tho war, and disregard the evils that existed at their own doors. The National candidate was asking tho electors to endorse the attitude of the present Ministers on. the cost of living question. The salaries of teachers ouglit to be improved, and the Government ought to make land available for settlement at reasonable prices, and take for State'purposes u share of the unearned increment ■>( land values. Mr. Atmore stated that liu had made up his mind to try for one of tho Wellington seats until ho succeeded in entering Parliament again. He considered that the polling was being taken too hurriedly, and that the candidates should have been allowed more time to place their views before tho electors. The candidate was accorded a hearty vote of thanks For his. address. , MR. TANNER AT ARO STREET

Mr. C. W. Tanner addressed a meeting of electors in the Mission Hall, Aro Street,, on Saturday evening. Thero were about fifty people preeent, and tho candidate was given a quiet hearing. In the course of his remarks the speaker criticised the Royal Coinmissions the Government had eot i>p," and said that they were useless. He declared himself to be a moderate. He believed m moderation in all tilings, and deprecated the giving of support to men who were faddists and had a particular hobby which they wanted to ride to death. He did not think religion should have been brought linto tho campaign. He stood for justice to our soldiers, and said that there wore many ways in which more could be done for them. There was a great deal to be done for the men who were returning, and care would have rto be exercised in putting soldiers on ibe land.

At the conclusion of his address he was questioned regarding his attitude during the 1913 strike. Waterside workers present' accused him of having taken a side against the workers and of having served as a special constable.

Mr. Tanner replied that he did not believe in tlio strike weapon at all. The candidate was accorded a vote of thanks.

A LABOUR RALLY

A meeting in support of the cnnilidaturo of the Socialist candidate (Mr. P. Fraser) was held in tho King's Theatre last night. Tlio big' theatre, was crowded,-, and so many people were standing before speeches began that the firemen on duty ordered that all doors be closed and no more people admitted. Mr. MvJ. Reardon presided, and the speakers were Messrs. W. T. Young, P. Fraser, It. Semple, H. Holland, M.P., and J. M'Combs, M.P.

The chairman submitted to the meeting a vote of confidence in Mr. Fraser ae a representative of Labour. Tho motion wjis seconded by Mr. Young and carried.

Mr. Fraser spoke of the coinjng contest, and predicted a win for Labour over its combined enemies. He said a fen- words about the "win-the-war" cry of the Government.- "Mr. Luke was going to win the war when lie got in," said Mr. Fraser, "but he hasn't dono it yet, unless starving out tl'e traniwaymen and calling them names is winning the war. Perhaps it is." Eeferring to the name "industrial rebels" used by Mr. Luke, Mr. , Fraser declared that with the present low wages and high cost of living the nrtm who would not'rebel was "not fit to live." Other 'speakers referred to . other campaign topics. Mr. Semple devoted liis attention to the Protestant Political Association, denouncing the organisation most strongly. THIS WEEK'S MEETINGS. Mr. H. Atraore will speak in Post Office Squurc at noon to-day. Ho will also address a meeting of women in St. Peter's Schoolroom at 3 o'clock this afternoon. Mr. M. J.- Mack will address a further meeting to-night in St. Peter's Schoolroom. '

The Labour Party will hold meetings at the Post Office Square at midday and an open-air meeting at Ghuznee Street to-night. On Tuesday evening a meeting will be held at the Mission Hall, Aro Street, when the Labour candidate and other Labour men will speak. On Wednesday evening meetings will bo held at the Alexandra Hall, Abel Smith Street, and the speakers ■will bo Messrs. J. M'Combs, M.P., It. Semple, and P. Fraser; at the St. Peter's School, Glniznee Street, when the speakers will bo Messrs. C. H. Chapman, M. J. Reardon, H. K. Holland, M.P., and P. Fraser; at the Mission Hall, Tory Street, tho speakers being tho candidate and Messrs. T. Young and J. M'Combs, M.P.