WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 12 October 1925, Page 4

WELLINGTON TOPICS

TILI-L SHirPINC HOLD-UP. LA BUFR SI DIES WI TH Tl 1 F STRIKERS. (Special to " Guardian.") WELLINGTON, October S. The best I'rietuTs of l.ahotir, though perhaps lor dilierent reasons, are regretting as much as are the producers and the business community the lailure of the Prime Minister's efforts to bring about a. settlement of the shipping dispute which is costing tie country many thousands a day, dislocating its trade- and crippling the greatest ol its rural industries. Mr Coates offered Itis mediation in the frankest manner possible, listened patiently to the statements from. Hut it sides and submitted suggestions towards a settlement which at least were worthy of serious consideration. But the strikers, who seem (o have limited tl'e. proceedings from the very lirst. made quite impracticable demands and rclused to advance one single step towards conciliation. There can he little doubt that they had been encouraged in this attitude by the leaders ol the Labour Par|v, who had made common cause with tlicii'. in denouncing the shipowners. tin- agreement respecting unionists, and tin- protesting producers. In this pass the only alternative to strike rule was the employment of free labour, and the Prime Minister acted promptly. Men are to he employed to till the strikers’ places and the Government is to guarantee their protection. The Prime Minister could hardly have done less in the circumstances and if the workers suffer Irom his action the responsibility must lie at the door ol (lie l.ahotir Party.

LA nones PUR POKE. The Labour Pnriy’s purpose in throwing in its lot with the British seamen who have renounced the contract made on their In-hall with the British shipowners can be only a matter of conjecture, t'nless tin* leaders of (he party are singularly ignorant of the trend of public- opinion, however, they cannot imagine their cause is going to he helped by provoking industrial strife on the eve ol a general election. The very reverse must lie the ease. There are thousands ol people in Wellington well disposed inwards Labour who will run no risk at tin- approaching general election. Two months ago the need fur a strong and stable government the Hclormcrs and the Li horn Is had been proclaiming since Mr Massey’s death was making no impression at all upon the majority of these people. They regarded it merely as another ruse on the part ol the older parties. But to-day tlu-y arcall attention and the voting strength of Labour has been materially iin pa trod. Ihe "Dominion" this morning, making hay while the sun shines, urges the electors, in ell'ect. to set till o|her considerations aside and give the Government a majority which will enable it to deal adequately with the machinations ol the wicked workers. The onlv way to escape national di-aster, it declares, is for all (In- sane lawabiding people to concent rote their support upon Mr ('nates.

A GRIEVANCE. Meaitwhie the Labour candidates, who. as usual, are the lirst to take tk - platform, are carefully avoiding any allusion to the -Hike. They are talking upon every ot her ■ uli-i - ( under tin- suii. Hut have in-ver a word to say. it would seem, in respect to the shipping irotihle. Mr W. Nash, one of the most eaualile of their number, who is contesting the flitlt s at against Mr T. Wtllord, makes a grievance of the Tae( that the Reformers have i-.i-t IHI t a ea iiili-la! e into the !'■«•!-1. '' Tin- Liberal Party," lie said at I’ctoiie tinother night. " ha- kept (he Reform Party in oliie.- against tin- will ol the mass of the |'eoph'. and now the I .ike ml Parly lias passed away and the National Party has route into cxis-t-'tue. .Mr Milford retires ami Mr Forbes takes 1-is place, hut there is p-> difference at all between the Liberal I’a rj y and the Reform Part v : they simply ate brothers in attic- to keep Labour down and the majority ol Unpeople out of their legitimate rights. The Reform Parly lias adopted Mr Mi I ford, tin- out-and-oiit Liberal, as its champion in tin- Null eonU-sj and so a Labour candidate lots no chance of being returned as member lor llutt." This surely is the open confession that is good for the soul. M'ithoul vote splitting the Labour e.-indi-laics have no chance of .success ! M'El.l.l XGTO.X CITY SEATS. The six Wellington Ci|y seats, ill which Unit i- included, all tire being I'c-coutested by their present holders. In Halt Mr M'ilford. having his Liberal majority supplemented by a con-st.h-rahle Reform vote, probably will tealise his solitary opponent’-; prediction and giro that gentleman no elianee. M'ellilig(ott North has four candidates and the multitude e.| his opponents is expect fit to nnike Sir John Luke's position secure: hut Mr ■I. .1, McGrath, who is standing as an I ndependetif Nationalist, enjoys widespread and well-deserved popularity and is easily the most capable of the lour aspirants for the seat. Su lur no one is definitely announced to oppose -Mr P. Eraser for Wellington Central, hut ii is unlikely the Government will allow the most aggressive of the Labour stalwart's to return to the House unchallenged. It will he in (lie -pirit of the saerilieial lamb, however, thal titty one ''ill undertake the job. There should he a close ei-Mc-1 ill M'ellingtoii East, it only the -ittine; Labour mouther. Mr Mein--,ih, and the Reform Mr Forsyth, enter the li-t ; Inti Mr Fer-.vih. who was the victim of vote splitting three years ago. should lie returned hv a modest nutr-

gin. In Wellington South tin- persona! element will eoiini for more than the party one and in these rirenmsfnni-e» the sitting Labour member may outvote his Nationalist opponent. Mr Wright, tin- -itling Pct.u-ln member for Wellington Suburb-, i- the “old dog for a hard road," Imt he has in Mr ('. H. Chapman, the best jvnc of a Labour candidate, a formidable opponent, and the veteran is sure to he hard pres-ed. The net result of the mx eon:e.-ts may lie the gain of one seat hv Reform tit the expense of Labour.