WELLINGTON SOUTH BYELECTION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 68, 14 December 1918, Page 10

WELLINGTON SOUTH BYELECTION

MR, SBMI'LE REPLIES TO MR. FROST'S CHALLENGE. Spenking in the Newtown Library last night, Mr. I?. Semple, Labour candidate for tin , Wellington South sent, replied to n- challenge issued by Councillor Frost with reference to the question of trainwaynien's union. "Councillor Frost say's that h< , never voted against the tramwaymen receiving Is. 4d. an hour," said Mr. Seraple, "and if I can prove my statement that he voted against the men he is prepared to withdraw from the contest. If I cannot prove it, ho calls upon me to withdraw. In order to bo quite sure, I made myself familiar with the doings of the council during that time, and 1 discovered that at one period in the game the council decided to offer the married tramwaymen ss. per week extra, and the single men nothing. . . . What did Councillor Frost do? When the men had discussed the proposal and had decided to tyrn it down, the council met, and a motion was moved to reaffirm their previous decision; that was, to stand, still, and not concede the Is. Id. an hour. Now, Mr. Castle, the other candidate in this fight, moved an amendment that, the council should concede to the men ten per cent, on ordinary time and overtime. He could not find a seconder in tho council. The minutes of the council show that Mr. Frost was in the hall that night. • If he did not vote for Mr. Castle's amendment, he mii*t have voted for: the motion to reaffirm, the decision of the council. The' next time 'he comes here, ask him where he was when Mr. Castie moved his amendment The minutes prove ho was there." Mr. Semple replied at some length and with some considerable heat to statements that Wellington South was threatened with a Bolshevik and revolutionary victory. "The people who throw mud and indulge in falsehoods are bankrupt principle and destitute of logic," he said. He ; did not want the electors of Wellington South to vote for an individual, but, for principles. Some of the electors might not like his manners or his industrial record. They might not caro for bis way of presenting his opinions, or for all of his opinions. But he wanted ,them to vote not for him, but for the party he represented. The Labour party asked the electors to vote for a freer, better life for the whole nation, for the suppression of all vested interests, and for the national ownership of the things necessary to the life and welfare of tho people. Mr. Semple was heartily cheered when leaving the hall on his way to another meeting.

A. meeting in support of the Labour candidate, Mr. R. Semple, will be held in the Library, Newtown, to-night. The speakers will be Mr. J. M'Comns, M.P., Mr. W. Parry, and Mr. J. Read. Openair meetings will also be held at Chilka Strei-t, Berhiimpore, and Green Street, Newtown. On Sunday night in the Star Theatre, Newtown, a Labour rally will br held. The speakers will be the Hon. J.' T. Paul, M.L.G., Messrs. H. E. Hollnnd, M.P., J. M'Coinbs, M.P., W. Parry, M. J. Reardon, and R, Somple. The Waterside Workers' Baud will play selections outside from 7 p.m. to 7.45 p.m. A notice to all supporters and members of the Labour Party appears in this issue. Mr. G. Frost invites the ladies who aro interested lir-his candidature to meet him at 7.30 to-night in the Methodist Church, Cleveland Street. Brooklyn. Mr. John Castle will address the ejectors at Newtown Library Hall on Monday, at 8 p.m. Other meetings are advertised.