WELLINGTON SOUTH

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 37, 7 November 1919, Page 6

WELLINGTON SOUTH

The outstanding feature of the opening address of Colonel Mitchell, the Independent candidate for the Wellington South seat, was the nature of interruptions of that section of the audience which presumably favoured his opponent, Mr. Simple. The attitude_ and outlook of the people in question were evidenced by their comments on anv reference made by the candidate to war questions and their cheers at the close of the meeting for Mr. P. C. Webu, who went to gaol rather than fight for his country. The offensivenesi; of their conduct, was aggravated by the fact that the man against whom their potty disolay was directed hud been one of those who had fought and suffered and been out for special recognition for bis services on behalf of the very people who .were seeking to injure his candidature. That such conduct should be possible , should serve as a timely warning io the public, and more especially to the great body of the electors'of Wellington South, of the dangerous and degrading influences which are at work in our midst. The people who were guiltv of the derogatory references to the great services of our soldiers; the people who protested vociferously against any reference to the war: the people who cheered M it. P. C. Webb, are the people who want-Mr. Simple and Mr. Eraser and Mr. Holland and the rest of the extremists returned to Parliament. What the electors of Wellington South and the electors of all other _ constituencies have to consider is whether they arc going to encourage these extremists'to proceed along the road they have taken and which is threatening the country wi_th_ dangers quite as srreat as faced it in the war, or whether thev are going to make it clear in the most emphatic manner possible that their policy and methods are utterly repugnant to the people of New Zealand. Are soldier candidates for Parliament to he Tnadc the butt, of the slackers and dislovalists of the community while loyal citizens look on with indifference? We think not,. Cor,OCT,I Mitchell's war record is one, in which the country can take, pride, and his civilian record is one which justifies the, belief that, he is capable of rendering valuable service in political life. His speech last evening indicated a elear undo'rstnndinr of the chief difficult.;-"? and tasks which lie ahead of the Dominion and that he brinprs a nractic.il mind and shrewd judgment, to wist in the creat work «f reconstruction. The electors of Wellington South mft" with profit conmnrp his record with that of his opponent, and contrast his policy and methods those, of the extremists who are seekinc to pain the seat, for tlm forces which are already threatening the prosperity of the whole Dominion.