WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 6 November 1928, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

AN ELECTION DIVERSION

INDEPENDENT LADY CAN DIDAT!

(Special to “ Guardian ”.)

M ELI.I NOTON, November i

It Ims been left to .Mrs .Margaret Voting, tlie wife of Mr W. T. Young, ;i former .secret;iry of the New Zealand Seamen’s Union, to impart some little zest, to the sadly lagging Wellington election campaigns. 'fliis enterprising lady sprang a surprise upon‘her husband and tlie rest of the community l>v getting herself nominated for the Wellington Central seat and this morning in the columns of the ■•Dominion'' she gives her reasons for taking tin's stop. Her first reason, of course, is the very laudable one of wishing to see women represented in Parliament hv members of their own sex. and her no-t. of desiring to expose the machinations olf .Messrs Holland, Fraser and Semple, whom she regards as “ RcdKeds ” without warrant to represent, the ideals embodied in the original labour movement. Mrs Young is “hilled” to make her first appearance in public on Monday next when she will essay to justify the indictment she has launched against the Labour leaders. ANXIOUS FRIENDS. Mr W. T. Young rose from a sickbed to announce publicly that he had not known of his wife’s intentions and that he wholly disapproved of her attitude towards M.r Holland and his colleagues. No one doubts his sincerity for a moment, and Mrs Young herself has corroborated his statement. Tt might seem, however, that Mrs doling most have taken someone into her confidence. as the arrangements for her campaign have since been disclosed as well ahead; but she denies positively any such suggestion. ‘ I wish to slat'* that no one knew of it until Monday, the day nominations closed,” she stales in a leader-page interview appearing in the “ Dominion.” 1 am not 1 >:c 1.-• -’ by anyone hut my own resolution.” Mrs Young’s appearance on the scene at this stage in itself will not greatly affect the voting in the constituency: hut the promised disclosures concerning the La hour leaders are being o"gorcrly awaited by the Reformers and are occasioning the friends ol the Opposition some little anxiety. AN APATHETIC PUBLIC.

Apart from the mild sensation created by Mrs Young’s enterprise little local interest appears lo be takiGi m tlm approaching elections. r l he Hon. K. S. Williams, the Minister ol Public Works, who three years ago was allowed a “walk over” for the Ray ot Plenty seat, probably had occasion lor his warning to his constituents the id her night that their apathy in regard to puML a flairs might cost him his scat. Mr Will in ms probably has a big enough margin in the estimation of the Bay of Plenty people to maim his position perfectly secure; hut there are less popular candidates among the Reformers and the Unionists that might easily be defeated by the sheer indolence of their over-confident friends. An active worker on the side ol Reform stated this afternoon that, while he was quite satisfied there were sufficient Covernmeut supporters in I lie country to give the Prime Minister a majority at least equal to that ol !!>_’•>. he would he well content il Mr tonics came out ol the present melee with a lead of ten seats in the new House. THE OTHER CENTRES.

News li-oni Auckland, which may be no more relinhle tlimi is news from otlier plates, suggests thal l.alimir will hold its own in the “ Ouecn ( itv ’ and that the northern rural electorate will make no fire at change in their representation. I lie West C oast ol the North Island is expected to turn the balance ol its over-shifting semes towards the Opposition and the Last Coast to remain generally lavourahle to the. (Government. Nelson and Westland. it is predicted, will remain faithful to their present loves, hut Westland by so small a margin through the combination ol IColorm and I nionists votes'as to make the defeat of Labour no achievement to boast about. Ihe Unionist’s candidate is thought |o he safe in llurumti. and high hopes are entertained for the success of the lads Labour candidate in Kaiapoi, wlm would he a distinct acquisition to the party to which her husband has been attached for many years. Independent reports from Canterbury and Otago suggest, a maintenance of the status quo" with a slight inclination against deform.