ORGANISATION WINS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 8, 4 October 1918, Page 4

ORGANISATION WINS

The Wellington Central scat has been won by Mr. Fraser, the Labour Representation Committef s candidate. Ths result of the contest is regrettable mainly because pacifists and defeatists may point to it as an indication that Now Zcaland's will to win the war is weakening, Such an interpretation would, of course, be .quite wrong, but it may deceive people at a distance, who do not know the real facts. It is true that Mr. Phaser secured more votes than all the other candidates put together, but it is equally true that he 'polled considerably less than a third of the total number entitled to vote. Of 9176 eligible electors only 4719 thought it worth while to go to tho poll. The result of the election stands out as an'impressive proof of the value of organisation. Me. Fkasef. s campaign was with a tlioroughncss that does him and his associates credit, and provides an object-lesson which deserves the close attention of other political parties. Mk. Mack ancl_ his friends also fought in a business-like way and with a. manifest determination to win if possible, and ''.consequently they secured second place. Those responsible for the management of Mr. Hildreth's campaign have nothing to be proud of. _ There was practically no organisation whatever. The candidate was lats in making a start, and never really got into his stride. He made one speech and then disappeared from public view. He appears to have been deserted by his Liberal friends, and received little or no help worthy of the name from those to whom he had every right to look for assistance. He seems to have been pushed into the arena and left there to win or lose by his own unaided efforts. Apathy begets apathy, and so over four thousand.electors took no part in tho contest. Many of 'them probably thought ' that thensupport was ,not really wanted for Mr. Hildreth, and the claims of nono of the other candidates appealed to them. It appears clear, however,' that Labour voted solidly for Mr. Fraseh—not because' of his war views, but in spite of them. No doubt the people who supported him felt that his election would emphasise their grievances regarding the cost of living and other matters without in any way weakening the country's war efforts. _ This is, of course, a mistaken attitude; but it is understandable. Mr. Phaser went as far as he could, without throwing consistency to' the winds, to conciliate tho win-the-war section of his supporters. As a matter of fact, he said very little about the war, biit Mk. Holland, in order to keep Labour solid, placed on record the statement that "immediately the Empire is at Avar we arc at war, and must.remain at war as long as the.Empire remains at war." The obvious intention of this declaration was to avoid a clash with tho patriotic sentiments of the majority _ of tho Labour Party. After making due. allowance for the fact that Wellington Central is a Labour stronghold, the result of the election may be regarded as a triumph _ of zeal over apathy, of organisation over unorganised effort, of unity over disunion. There can be no doubt that Labour polled its maximum, and it is perfectly reasonable to assume that if the other side had been united and well organised it could have won. A thorough and systematic effort would in all probability have induced at least 2000 of the 4000 abstainers 'to exercise their votes, and that would_ havo turned the scales in favour of its candidate. It is to be hoped that tho principal lesson taught by this election will not be forgotten. Unless the saner and steadier elomcnts of the population combine and organise their forces and put more heart into their politics they will only have themselves to blame if tho extremists exert a greater influence in the Government of the country than their numbers entitle them to. Experience is a good teacher, though her school fees are sometimes very high.