THE LYTTELTON SEAT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 5 December 1913, Page 5

THE LYTTELTON SEAT.

SPEECH BY REFORM CANDIDATE.

A NOISY ELEMENT PRESENT.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) OHKJjSTOHURCk, Last Night. The Methodist Schoolroom at Opawa was crowded, when Mr Malcoln Miller, the Government candidate for Lyttelton, delivered a lengthy address. The meeting was noisy, .many interruptions/coming from a section of men" standing at the rear-of the building, but Mr Miller's straightforwardness iaiid his abundance of good, humour prevented any real disturbance. f iMr Miller commenced his : address by a tribute to the late Mr Xaurensto. .Ho said that while th&ir late representative was, in Parliament lie had no desire to contest ,the seat which Mr' Lfeurensoii' had; stf ably Represented. .The speaker, felt, quite happy in his little ctfrner, taking his share in local government, and was not particulajrJly anxious to enter the wider political field. 7 The present election, he • continued, would undoubtedly show whether the action of the present Government in doing its utmost to maintain law and order was to be approved, or whether the action < of the Federation of "Labour had the sympathy of -the electors.

He was in favour of tile Arbitration *■ Act. Under it, the employers did not, and would not, take notice of any small breach of the award; but paid secretaries of unions made it their business Bo find out and light over similar breaches ,in - order to justify their positions. t p3i§alirife with finance, he the inheritance of a large', amotrni of loans had" so-embarrassed the Government tSiat if'Wa&ntft able to do all it desired in the way pilending money for the development of the country. The "stofcewalL" ha - strongly condemned, applause, and he proceeded to review; the past legislation. ' ' , Mr J. Longton then moved a hearty vote of fhanks to the speaker for

his interesting 1 and,? instructive address. " ' " -VyX. . A motion of ' 'no confidence'' Was refused by the chairman. .y' / On a show of Hands being taken, the body of young/ien in" the rear who had been interrupting So .strenu-ously'-managed to defeat the motion. The meeting closed amid cheers for the Federation of Labour and counter / cheers for the Reform candidate, Mr Miller's supporters > easily holding their own.

THE OPJ^^ONv^NE^TE.

ALSO FABES BADLY

OBERISTCHURCH, Last Night. Mr J. B. Laurenson, the Liberal candidate for Lyttelton, addressed » largely attended-meeting at Opawa to-niglit. After the address/ the folloKrinti question was put: "I want to know if you, as Vice-President of the Canterbury Employers' Association, agree with the Employers' Association of

New Zealand in maintaining their" own organisation, l and demanding that organisation for the benefit of tho workers he abolished." Mr Laurenson replied: "I do not agree!" Mr George Soott, chairman of the Heathcote CoSunty Council, who presided, refused to put the question, but ' was howled .down and compelled t<> vacate the cHair. 1 ; . ;i A working man was 'then elected chairman, ■ $ A motion'for a vote of thanks and;, confidence was proposed, , but meeting broke upwithoutnny tiiotion being adopted. ;