PATEA BY-ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 April 1921, Page 7

PATEA BY-ELECTION.

LABOR CAMPAIGN. (Contributed.) A meeting of Post and Telegraph employees was addressed by Mr. Lewis McIlvride, Labor candidate for Patea, and Mr, P. Fraser, M.P. for Wellington Central, at 5 o’clock on Thursday evening. Mr. Fraser stated that be was conversant with conditions in the Post and, Telegraph Service, and that the attitude of the Labor Party on all matters affecting the Post and Telegraph workers was that it at all rimes would strive to carry out the wishes of the Post and Telegraph Association as expressed by the conference of Post and Telegraph workers, and the executive of that body. He referred to the bonus which had been promised the postal workers by! Sir Joseph Ward on behalf of the National Government, and the subsequent repudiation of that promise by Mr. Massey. Mr. McUvride warned t-he Post and Telegraph employees against the present cry about economy, retrenchment and cutting down in the Public Service. Such a cry often preceded an attempt to either cut down wages or to dismiss tried and trusted public servants who had given the best years of their lives to the service of the public interest. The Labor Party would resist with all the force and determination at ite command any attempt on the part of the Government to cut down the already inadequate wages of the Post and Telegraph employees. Indeed, he would pledge himself and the Labor Party which he represented to do all in their power to raise still higher the standard of living of the members of the Public Service generally. The candidate’s remarks were greeted with rounds of applause. Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., addressed a meeting of the (workers at the Patea Farmers’ Freezing Company’s works during the dinner hour on Thursday. Mr. T. Carter (president of the Freezing Workers’ Union) presided, and introduced the speaker. Mr. Fraser dealt with the Labor Party’s method of selecting its candidates. He urged the workers present to join the party through their union, so that they could have a say, not only in the selection of a candidate for the Patea electorate, but in the affairs of the Labor Party generally, including the work of the Parliamentary Labor Party. On all industrial matters the Labor members of Parliament were always willing to take their instructions from the industrial unions and organisations, so long as these instructions were in conformity with the objective and platform of the party. On all questions which might arise in Parliament concerning the freezing workers the party would look to the Freezing Workers’ Federation to give it instructions. The function of the Labor members was primarily to represent the interests of the industrial workers and the working class

generally on the floor of the House of Representatives. Mr. Fraser, in conclusion, referred to the Labor stonewall in the 1920 session against the Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, which was directly aimed at smashing the industrial unions of the Dominion, and said that in that fight Labor had to carry on alone, while the majority of the Liberal Party united with the Reform Party in their union-smashing efforts. Owing to its plucky and persistent fight Labor had succeeded in getting the worst clauses of the Bill withdrawn, and the party had been cordially thanked by the Labor organisations all over New Zealand. The workers of the Patea district must vote Labor in the present contest against both their Tory and Liberal enemies. Mr. Fraser was accorded a most enthusiastic vote of thanks for his address.

LIBERAL CAMPAIGN.

Mr. Morrison, the Liberal candidate, addressed a large meeting of electors at Whakamara, where he received a fine reception. He dealt with the leading questions concerning the electorate and the Dominion, and on the motion of Mr. J. Dobson and Mr. J. Hamilton, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the candidate. A strong committee was formed on the speaker’s behalf.