WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 September 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

WELLINGTON CENTRALTHE FIRST SHOT. I (Our Special Correspondent) Wellington, Sept 20 11 The official Labour candidate for the Wellington Central seat in the 1 House of Representatives, Mr Peter Fraser, opened his platform cam- j paign last night, when he expounded the principles of his Party to an l audience of 300 or 400 of his sympathisers. Of course he had < nothing particularly new to say, but he reiterated the old things with 1 considerable fluency and with very obvious earnestness. He roundly denounced the Government -for its failure to stay the advance in the cost of living and the Independents for their efforts to divide the forces of reform. His worst five minutes were when he attempted to explain the quality of his loyalty to “ King aud country ” and he did not emerge from a little controversy on this j subject with a discordant element | at the back of the hail with flyingcolours. On the whole, however he filled his role fairly well and appeared to give satisfaction to his friends. Jt remains to be seen how he will iare when he meets a more critical audience. THE COAL TROUBLE. The ballot papers in the recent reference of the coal mine-owners’ offer to the men were to be received in Wellington this morning and later in the day the result will be officially announced. In the meantime there is a general ieeling abroad that a majority of the miners have accepted the owners’ proposals and that the acute stage 01 the trouble is over with a*pro.spect of much better relations being established between the parties. The fact that the Minister of Mines went out of town yesterday and will be away till the beginning of ’next week is taken as a good augury for a satisfactory settlement of the dispute. Mr MacDonald evidently left with a sanguine view of the situation. The ballot at Kaitangata probably represents a larger majority in favour ot conciliation than will be found in some of the other mining centres, but it is an indication of the trend of opinion among the men tliemsel \es and so far is a matter for congratulation. COST OE LIVING. In his address last night Mr Peter Fraser referred to the increased cost of living as the cause of the industrial unrest that was spreading throughout the country, and if one may judge from the complaints on this score that are coming from all the unions he was. speaking with some authority. The tramway men, the railway men, the seamen, and a great bod}- of other workers are striking the same note and hinting at further trouble to follow if tliey 1 obtain 110 redress. The Government is receiving most of the blame for the existing state of affairs, but the Board of Trade is not escaping criticism and the wholesalers at: d retailers are suspected of makinghuge illicit profits. The cost of , living, indeed, is going to be the , predominant cry in the Wellington Central by-election and the candidate who lias not some royal road 1 to lower prices will tare badly at the hands of the constituency. * THE SESSION. L is reported now that the session of Parliament will not open till the 1 last week in October, and this is * taken to mean the absent Ministers * will not return so early as was ex- * pected a week or two ago. . This is > a subject on which public specula- , tion is not permitted and there is > no information to be obtained from - those in authority. It is understood, however, that if Parliament does , not meet till the end of next month . it will be impossible to get through , the absolutely necessary' business before the Christmas holidays and that after a short adjournment * members will be brought back in j January. What will happen then ‘ will depend largely' upon the course * of the war and the temper of the 5 House, blit it is believed that quite > a number of the members, perhaps ) a majority, are in favour of a cllsso- , lution and that if Mr Massey' and , Sir Joseph Ward are inclined - towards this step they' will meet ; with no opposition from their followers.