WELLINGTON NORTH

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 58, 2 December 1919, Page 8

WELLINGTON NORTH

Mil. READ AT KHLTH'UN. Mr. J. Head, Labour candidate for Wellington North, spnke in theKelbnvn Kiosk last night. Professor T. A. Hunter was in the chair. Mr. Read snid lirst of all that the Labour Party did not stand for interruption and disorder at public meetings, and were not responsible for such disorder as had occurred. Labour stood absolutely for froe speech, iteplyihg to tho

charge that the Labour Party if returned to power would squander money, he said that it was not very likely that men who had had to work hard for their living, who had had to watch closely every penny of their own expenditure," would squander public money if given control of the Treasury. Discussing voting reform and proportional representation, ho condemned tho 2S per cent, country quota, saying that the quota could not 'be sustained on the plea that the country voter was more intelligent than the city dweller. His own opinion was rather in tho opposite direction—that the city dweller generally exercised his vote more intelligently. Neither tho Government Party nor the Wardites were willing to touch the country quota, and the Wardites for this reason wore not willing to try proportional representation except in tho cities. He said that this system of proportional representation hud been a success in every country in which it had been tried. Mr. Read said that much of the increase in tho cost of commodities was duo- to extortionate freights charged by shipping monopolists, and ho urged that the State should own its own ships, especially for tho coastal trade of Now Zealand. Replying to a question, Mr. Read saw lie was in favour of the early removal of the women's prison from Point ]Inl«well. and the establishment rf a selfsupporting farm colony for women prisoners in the country. He al?o said I hat he was not in favour of Now Zealnnd taking on any obligations regarding Samoa. A. vote of thanks and confidence was carried on a show of hands. The resolution was declared carried bv about -fl votes to ,1. Not more than a third of the people voted. MR. H. 0. BROWNE'S CAMPAIGN. A. meeting of Mr. 11. Oakley Browne's main committee was held last evening at his committee rooms, Woodward btrect. Details of the campaign to take placo botu-eeu now and election (Into wero diseussed' and settled.