WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1918, Page 5

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

; THE BY-ELECTHat | » NATIONAL GOVEiiMEOT | (Special * -.;% „ ,„ m Wellington, SeptemtarM ' 1 Mr %V. TL Hildreth was not very efeatf J to take the field as the National <SS U ■ ernment's candidate for the vacant Wefc -W lington Central seat in the House o! J Reps. His selection seems, however, lo'M '■ be the best that could have been mafe J in the circumstances, Mr Ssenett hxf-., | ing declined the nomination and otbaf a gentlemen more ready to sacrifice 42W& S I selves on the alter of puWie duty comb- : 4 ■ manding only personal and seetkrtMJ *»• I port. Mr Hildreth. was chairmatf ol fltt M late member's election committee, aril J though possessing no striking platform $ ability nor wide knowledge of pofitiea,' -M he has shown himself a good and a shrewd man of affairs. The test of 1914 brought him into tact with the Labor Party, LiberAßtta!*l and Lcbor having made common elfeifyl against tlie sitting member, affii &e l«"''J sure to have the support of a densider* .|l able nunvber of workers in the apprdieV j§ ing election. ,<:| I THE OTHER CANDIDATfifi. „J ' At the moment it looks as if the antt' I Government vote would be divided be--.| tween at least three candidates. Tkt ,1 official Labor candidate is being selected M ■ by ballot to-day, the names of Mr John.. J Read, Mr Peter Fraser and Mr M. £ : M Reardon being submitted to the memberi of the Union, and the result will be an-,,-is noimced to-morrow, Mr M. J. Mack, v l the secretary of the Amalgamated 8o« 53 ■ oiety of Railway Servants, has beta to- "f. vited to stand, and should he consent to'' , do so he will receive the support of the j , prohibitionists and other sections of the g electors who are pledged neither to the *| Government nor to the Labor Party. Uf \ J. E. Fitzgerald and Mr Henry Atmore, ? both Independent Liberals with leanings ,£ towards Labor, are in the field, tot i thougili likely to make as good a show W S any of their opponents on tie platform ,c| they have no organised party behind 's i them and can have little chance of dk> Cja cess. '?«! THE LICENSWG ISSUE. . , -'$ Though it is generally understood tMai J in the event of Mr M. J. Mack contesting -f ' the Wellington Central seat be wotiH ;*4 have the sympathy and support of tt» ■'.% • prohibitionists in the conetituenej, fa M ■ respective of his views on general pWh 'M • tical questions, the promoters of fc» /j ■ "efficiency campaign" have not coimSft* 1 ted themselves to any definite action in A - the contest. Some of them, at airy rite* M ' feel it would be impolitic at this elfl^.J! < to raise, as their interference in the <P*\" J} • tion would, the party issue on betadrtfi || prohibition. They hope to secure bw|S"''-J| ■ anoe from all parts for their paitistt£ J ' aid towardß "efficiency," and as a maWV *E ! of fact are doing so, but plunging tbJjn* i selves; into a party fight at the prestefc if » juncture instead of showing tSfcitf i ,j ■ Strength might seriously prejudice tJMN.-. | ' cause in the ultimate appeal. ' 'ft \ THE COAL TROUBLE. ' J [ The negotiations in regard to fi*f-;s settlement of the coal trouble, as fßrf'l^i|| ' the public are allowed to know, st|wj|ilj ! just Where they stood at the end of ftShyl week. There are indications, howefag- 9 that they are progi-essing eatisfaetolte\J . and that "sweet reasonableness" *W^I both sides is making towards the desa*|v-j| result. Since the conference foininHS«l'-..J| ! the basis ot an agreement the rerpteieSl'i i: M tatives of the parties have been in com".;,| '. munication with their principals afid Hj; | is tolerably safe to say that in W- "| [ course of a few days sn official *JW",| . noiincement will remove all present' .| . cause for anxiety and establish a peace".. '| . that will endure at least till the conchy . : J sion of the war. In that case vhe resull i- r j will have justified the men's demand fot|, ,| \ a round-the-table talk discussion and t|JMji' '. employers' acceptance of this solution '•-% ■of the trouble. ' '.j ' ipEES ' v * ™1 News was received last week tw • .-J I Sergeant William Bey, only son of "B',<a| . Bey, Greytown, had been killed in Mtitf "3 in France on August 25. Sergeaw) Bej -A I gave up ihis farm and enlisted as <(„ , private, leaving as Sergeant with tM, ;jg 25th Reinforcements. .ii'-'^ Mr Charles Cooper, a well-known «gHJj zen of Auckland, dropped dead »OT ' walking to a train on Saturday monßß|i'-,« I Mr Cooper had suffered from < trouble for a considerable time, to sudden death was not, therefore, unexpected. He was born in Surrey, in 1842, and was, therefore, J3s£i ' years of age. He came to New Zeal»»l|| i when quite a yoimg man, and for , years was a partner in the fim--«i|| , Champtaloup and Cooper, bookseTtorMg Mr Cooper was a studious man, datpiql interested in scientific research, and '•■KH '. an enthusiastic member of the Institute, also a member of the '. of the Institute for the Blind. ■ ml Lieut.-Colonel J. E. Duigan, D-S£<j||| . has been in America on special connected, it is understood, with BritUU m propaganda. He is now baek in land, and is expected to return to New Zealand to resume duties on "•JH Staff-Corps. /3J