MANUKAU ELECTION.

NZ Truth, Issue 75, 24 November 1906, Page 6

MANUKAU ELECTION.

A Sign of the Times.

The conduct of the Government Party over the Manukau election is a sure sign that the old order changeth. At the time of writing, the Opposition Party has gotten its . candidate into the field and he is making the- pace hot. Lang, who got badly bumped out last December, has been chosen once again to champion the cause of the moneybags and the landed persons, and he is galloping round the constituency at a great bat. Meanwhile the conduct of the "ejreat and glorious" Liberal Party m the matter of contesting the seat is something to marvel at. People who have hitherto, fought tooth and nail for the old Sed'donism, are flabbergasted and look on wondering.' Last week the great and glorious party's Onshunga branch sat m solemn, conclave assembled to. choose a candidate. The Hon. George' FowlcJs. Minister for Education and Shoddy Togs, was consultn\, but. evidently acting vnder orders, would not ontcr into the deliberations;. Every delegate at the meet-

ing, apparently had his own pet he wanted put up as candidate and a whole evening was wasted trying to find the most desirable individual to put forward out of a very scratchy lot. Things eventuated on Friday when a deputation of members from the various branches of the .iberal and Labor Federation m the Manukau electorate toddled along and interviewed that ideal personification of LIBERALISM AND LABOR, Arthur Myers. The very suggestion of Mayor Myers as a Liberal candidate shows plainly enough how low Liberalism m this colony has sunk ; for if there is one man more than another m Auckland, whose position and monetary interests necessitate his keeping m with the Tory moneybags and damning the workers all he knows, it is the Jewish gentleman occupying the Mayoral chair to-day. Fancy Arthur Myers as a representative of Liberalism and (save the mark) Labor ! It's enough to make a Liberal or Laborite of the old school slink away and . vomit m a quiet corner. The thing is incongruous m the extreme. Well, this lovely deputation of alleged Lib-Labs waltzed ut> to Myers to ask him to contest the, Manukau seat. Parnell's pride, Frank Lawry, M.H.R., whose ferry boat bunkum is a thing of beauty and a • joy for ever (unless a big storm arises m Waitemata and wrecks the whole concern) was put up as spokesman, and he slobjLered all over the Yid ; hinted that the Hebrew gent was just about as great a man as it was possible to think of, on the spur of the moment, and if he was elected for Manukau these tight little islands would knock the world, so to sneak. Several other delegates having supplied the few remaining laudatory adjectives Firanlc Lawry had forgotten, the great Myers replied. He didn't contradict their statements as to his being one of the choicest specimens of humanity hereabouts. Not a bit of it. But he > had thought, it over., and was obliged, to decline with thanks. He must consider Auckland first, and whilst . he >was • Mayor he couldn't go, into politics. Municipal life took all his spare time at present. He was> . "wholly and hearpily" a Liberal, and (evidently desirous of being eligible for the other tag) was a- working man and supposed' he would always remain so. Yes, raking m • the • 'dollars • at the rate lie does, must be pretty laborious, but if Arthur , wants any assistance at the job a..nf»t'. to "Truth" office will fetch an able-bodied helper . along ' m' tdoublequick time. Having" s,aid some more eaualß- interesting stuff, Mayor closed down by declining to; accept the position offered 'him. So the smoodginir delegates wandered out into' the fresh air and continued -their search for an opponent to Lang. They found him m a bloke. named Ballard, who tills the soil and wholesales cowjuice at Buckland. Nobody ever heard of Ballard before, and he hasn't a ghost of a chance against Lang,' but the Ward push don't seeni-f t 0 mind/ Genuine Liberals are comparing these doings with what would- have happened had the Grand Old Man been alive. Then there would have been a fight proper and a proper man for the fight. • ■ ■' • ' '