WELLINGTON CENTRAL ELECTION

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 415, 4 October 1918, Page 2

WELLINGTON CENTRAL ELECTION

The result of the Wellington Central by-election, in which Mr Fraser, the official Labour candidate, was successful, must be regarded if not as an expression of loss of public confidence in the National Government at least as a decided indication of dis-satisfac-tion in its administration. Not only did Mr Fraser have an absolute majority of 617 over all his five opponents but Mr Mack, the Independent Labour candidate, ! figured as second on the list, | whilst the Government nominee (Mr Hildreth) could only occupy ' third position, his total poll being . not more than 784 votes. That the Government's representative could only poll this number out of 4719 votes cast is a matter of I great significance and cannot be explained away by the suggestion that Mr Hildreth was personally a weak candidate. It must not ■ be overlooked too that at the 1911 election the seat was won for the i Reform party by the Hon. F. M. ■ B. Fisher, who in a four-cornered contest headed the late Mr • Fletcher by four votes at the first ballot and then at the second bal- ; lot defeated him by 3813 votes to 3682. Mr Fisher, it is true, lost the seat to Mr Fletcher at the 1914 election but even then against Mr Fletcher's total of • 5208 Mr Fletcher polled 2879. i The fact therefore that yesterday . the candidate chosen by the National Government only had 784 followers provides food for thought. Wellington Central is essentially what is known as a labour constituency and Mr Fraser undoubtedly scored by suggesting that the Government was to be blamed for industrial unrest and for the profiteering that he alleged existed. The feeling of the people of the Dominion as a whole, however, Is more that the National Government have pursued autocratic ways, The Defence Department refuses to acknowledge that its management is capable of improvement but the reports of whitewashing Commissions fail to allay public distrust. The Minister of Public Works pursues the even tenor of his way without paying due heed to the views of local authorities. The Minister of Railways turns down all requests made to him by public bodies or representatives even though backed up by strong local opinion. He apparently never strikes out on his own but submissively adopts every recommendation made by the General Manager (Mr Hiley), who since he has come to the Dominion has been out of touch not only with the people but even with the general body of railwaymen byIlls failure to recognise that railways as owned in New Zealand by the people are not to be con- ! ducted on the same lines as in England, where they are run in Company interests. Then again the dairying community bitterly complain that payments for their produce have been inadequate. Further, it is generally resented that the Government refuses to remove foreigners from positions of control It would in our opinion be a calamity if a Labour Government were to succeed to office but discontent amongst all classes of the people is so marked that even that form of administration will probably receive preference unless the Government in office recognises the handwriting on the wall and alters its ways.