WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 October 1922, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE APPROACHING ELECTION

OPENING THE CAMPAIGN. SPECIAL TO GUARDIAN. WELLINGTON, Oct. 4. The Prime Minister supported hy a large body of Reform members of Parliament, was at Levin last night firing the first shot in the election campaign. The ostensible reason for the gathering of the party forces was the “farewolling” of Mr W. H. Field, the member for Otaki, who has been deprived of the northern part of his constituency by the Boundary Commission and consequently will have to move perilously near to the city and the haunts of the wicked Socialists for the comfortable majority he lias enjoyed in the past. Mr Field is not a very impressive fig l I lire in Parliament, being a politician of the loaves and fishes order, but he j is a courteous, kindly gentleman, a ! persistent lobbyist and a master of the smaller arts of electioneering. His opponent in the approaching contest will be Mr G. M. McClure, the late Corn missionor of Crown Lands for the Wellington district, who has retired from tlie Public .Sendee while still a comparatively young man with all his energy and enthusiasm unabated.

“THE ISSUES.” , Probably it was a timely recognition of the nature of this particular contest which induced Mr Massey, in responding to the toast of his health, whioh was received with the utmost enthuiasm, to stress his belief that the December election would ho a trial of strength between the Reform Government and the forces of disorder. The Labour Party he told his sympathetic audience, was ready lo help the Lilterals put the Reform Government out of office, but the Labour extremists were then to dictate the policy of a Liberal Government, This is the story that lias grown out of the negotiations between the Liberal and Labour parties with a view to avoid vote splitting, and in the eiicumstances it is not surprising to find Mr Massey anxious to give it the widest possible publicity., But it is due to the Liberals to say that at the last general election it was their party that dared to enter the lists against extreme Labour, and so, as it happened, secured for the Reformers a number of seats they otherwise might i.ot have won. In Christchurch the Reform newspaper openly urged the Reform electors to vote for Labour candidates rather than for Liberal candidates and the result is seen iu the representation of the southern city in Parliament to-day. There is at times a good deal of humbug about the party politicians’ denunciation of tlie “Red Feds.”

“INDEPENDENCE.” This joint is aptly illustrated hy the number of Independent Reformers and Independent Liberals that are anno Hieing themselves ns candidates for ”nrlianient just now. most of them of course, pledged to vote with the Government mi a no-confidence motion. Even that once Liberal stalwart, Mr

Leonard Isitt, the successor of the late Mr T. E Taylor in the representation of Christchurch North, has become sufficiently “independent” to satisfy all the requirements of Mr Massey and to secure the bulk of the Reform votes in his constituency. Tie .declares him self as staunch a Liberal as ever lie was, and as ready to Labour and suffer for the great Liberal principles he espoused in the days of his political youth, but he will not follow the Liberal leader in the new Parliament, whoever he may he unless lie is absolutely indejiendnt of support from the Labour Party. This inevitably makes Christchurch North a safe vote for Mr Massey on everything that really matters. The growth of the Labour sentiment--most of it happily, sane—has made it impossible to satisfy Air Tsitt’s demands and no one is likely to attempt the task. TIMARU.

Air Crnigic’s announcement of his impending retirement from the Tiinnru seat was quite unexpected here and is being widely and sincerely regretted by l.is fellow members. Air Crnigio is not one of the big figures in the House of Representatives—of which,, hy the way. there arc very few in those days—hut he always is an interesting one. Sadly distraught at times by philosophic doubts concerning the soundness of some of his ear lier beliefs and ideals, he still holds, tenaciously to the basic principles of Liberalism ami concedes nothing bo mere expediency. Taken all in all he lias served his constituency and his country well. It was reported yesterday that Sir Joseph Ward had been invited to contest- the seat at the general election and that lie had promised to consider the proposition, but the prompt- appearance of Mr T. J. Rolleston, n. son of the late Hon. William Rolloston. in tho field, suggests that tho local Reformers have other ideas as to their representation.