Waitemata Parliamentary Election

MR. ARTHUR EDWIN GREENSLADE (Mayor of Northcote), who was recently selected at n representative meeting of - Liberals from various portions of the electorate as the Liberal car -""idate. for Waitemata in the forthcpr .ing Parliamentary election, is well known in business circles in the City of Auckland, and in many parts ol the Axickland Province.

He was born on the Thamos Goldfield 46 years ago, being a son of the late James Crreehslade, and a scion oi' an honoured Thames family.

After leaving his education having been received on the Thames under such well-known masters as the late Mr. Colqxihoun and the late Mr. R. B. Heriot (afterwards headmaster of the Itemuera School), Mr. Greenslade joined' the staff of the "Thames Star" newspaper (owned by Mr. Wm, McCullough). There he received an all-round experience of journalistic work, and; in every department of the newspaper and printing trade. It was only natural that in the course of such, duties in the stirring political periods through which the colony passed, that Mr. Greenslade should become keenly engrossed in the political vortex, and strongly imbued with the Liberal and democratic sentiment pervading the Goldfiel'dls population during his earlier life. The Goldfields' pioneers were men of a sturdy, self-reliant, enterprising, liberal and humane character, and it is not surprising that in this environment the young lad of those times should have absorbed in his composition, to remain with him throughout manhood, those democratic attributes characteristic of the splendid men and women who comprised the population of the Goldfield town in its earlier days. And Arthur was paxticuJarly fortunate, as we have already indicated, in being descended from parents so highly esteemed on, the Goldheld for their high senso of honour, thoir charitable actiqns, and who so conformed their lives to be of the service to their family and their low townspeople, and who well-meri-ted the high reputation they enjoyed amongst the kigh standard of character set by the "old school," where such modern arts as camouflage were unknown. . Td follow the example of such excellent parents, therefore, was easy and natural, and Arthur Greenslade can certainly be truly said to have inherited many ot the meritorious qualities of Ins nobleminded progenitors. He has always since boyhood evinced a -keen sense of the«responsibility of citizenship, of the duty devolving upon him oi taking an active interest and, share in the affairs of the district in which he lived, and of the wider sphere or activities of the Province and the Dominion. His. early journalistic career gave him an insight into many phases of human and" industrial and social activities, and he readily acquired an early experience of local body and municipal matters. He also took a keen interest in outdoor sports, and was a member of > the Management Committee or the Thames Bu<rby "Union m the days wtnthe Gollfields furnished several players to represent the Auckland Province, while he AVas largely instru nental in forming the Thames Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club oi which he was the first secretary. b0 " sides being an official of football ami cricket clubs. He severed his connection with the "Thames Star an 1896, however, to set up m business in Auckland City on his own account, which he carried on continuously until some time after the outbreak of war, his country then

claiming his for active military service as a ■<■ omber of the N.Z. Expeditionary Force, in which Private Greenslade did sterling work for about eight months, though he did not reach the firing line, the cessation of hostilities preventing embarkation to the front: Mr. Greenslade has lived at Northcot-e, in the Waitemata electorate, for learly 20 years, and, true to his early'trainIng, and his energetic nature, has alVays 'interested himself in the progress of thai district and has served on the Northcote District School Committee for most of the term of * his residence, besides taking active part in the many other activities ol the district and the North Short; generally. Ho was v member oi .the first Council when Northcofco Mas formed into a borough in 1908, and has been a member practically ever since, though he has flight several keen municipal contests, in which he was always supported by the "workers, whose confidence Mr. Greenslade always enjoyed. In 1911 Mr. Greenslade contested the Northcote Mayoralty, securing a majority of ten in the borough, but the poll-ing-booth in ■ Auckland, whore mostly absentee ratepayers recorded their votes,, registered a Majority of 28 against, so he was imsuecessful on that occasion by the narrow margin of eighteen votes. Hβ was elected to a seat on the Council a year ]ater 3 being .toy of the poll, and, when the Great' Wa- broke out was officiating as Deputy-Mayor.-of , Northcoto (the then Mayor, Mr. George Fraser, having been on a visit t.o Australia). The conclusion of the wax , saw

Mr. Greenslade in khaki, and before he could shed his military clothes lief was elected unopposed as Mayor of Northcote and obtained leave to come'to Auckland to be installed in Mayoral Office before final disposal by the military authorities. Mr. Greenslade possesses the confidence of the members of the NorthVote Borough Council as well as of its residents, and the full Council recently unanimously passed a resolution congratulating Mr. Green : si ado on his decision to contest the Waitemata seat, expressing appreciation of his long services to the borough and his valuable work as Councillor and Mayor, and in various other capacities, and wishing him success in the campaign. This "kick-off" must have been very heartening to the Mayor of Northcote, especially as it is generally supposed that "a prophet no honour in his own country.'^ Further testimony to the high <isteem in which he is held by the people of his own district and the confidence reposed in hini was afforded on the occasion of his initial political address at Northcote, when the people flocked to the JMatonic Hall (the largest hall in the district), the spacious building being filled, _ many securing standing room only in the porch without. At the meeting a vote of thanks and confidence was expressed in Mr. Greenslade by that large assemblage of residents by an 'overwhelming majority over an amendment of thanks only, but which also sought to convey the high regard for Mr. Greensjade- personally,

THE LIBERAL CANDIDATE

and of great appreciation for his past public services on behalf of the district.

It is natural that Mr. Greenslade should have political opponents, but it must be regarded as very gratifying that while opposing him on polit>al grounds, they should desire to assure him of their esteem of his perianal character and of his lengthy and valued work on their behalf.

Mr. Greenslade has held many public offices, including the Lake Takapuna Board |of Control and the North Shore Marine Borouglis Association, both of which positions he still occupies, "§ well as being a member of the- isorthcote District School Committee, and Mayor of Nor '\cote. Ho did strenuous work both on the School Committee and on the Council towards the establishment of the infant schools At and Birkenhead, and the provfsion of a Manual Training School at the main Northcote school. By co-operation with these projects, the Bixkenhead Borough Council helped materially to bring about these educational improvements, and the Hon. Mr. Hanan, the Liberal Minister of Education in the National Cabinet, was eventually sufficiently impressed with the necessity of the requests made by the School Committee, and whioh were backed up by the Boroxigh Councils and Education Board. However, for years Mr. . Greenslade consistently led the "pioneering" work with respect tol these requirements, and never flagged or wearied in his advocacy thei. %(p* util these benefits were secxired for the children of these districts.

Mr. Greenslade lias always taken a broa<3 outlook in public affairs, and has invariably displaced a tolerance towards the views and beliefs of others. In election contests, he is notorious as a clean fighter, though withal a vigorous and fearless exponent of his own views. He has always championed the Liberal Party in politics since the days of Balance, and was enthusiastic in his support of the Liberal and LaIxmr Party led by the late Mr. Seddon, and of the n-t; tarian enactments reco wWP;o the credit of that, party. v.or is -the. reason for such attachment hard to seek, for as Mr. Greenslade has told his audiences during his election addresses, he realised that that party stood for real progressive measures and legislation in the interests and welfare of the mass of the people, more than any other party, and strongly opposed to legislation tor the privileged few.

In his speeches, -Mr. Greenslade has shown a deep conception of the duty this country owes to its soldier sons, to the flower of our manhood who wont across the seas to do battle that this land might remain inviolate from the enemy, and who, through their noble suffering and sacrifice, preserved our country and enabled the triumph Of Justice and Liberty and the re-establishment of civilisation. The sacred heritage thus created by the purchase again, so to speak, of this country, with the lives and suffering of the best of its manhood, compelled serious thought regarding the land we lived in, and a deeper conception regarding its administration. Mr. Greenslade is a strong advocate that the way should be paved by the personnel oi the next Parliament of this Dominion for. the "new era," which, during the latter stages <xt the war some of the leading men of the Empire declared that the conclusion of the war would usher in—a new era wherein our social and industrial

life would be re-organised on lines which would lead to general content and happiness. The great mass of people (Mr. Greenslade told the "Waitemata electore) were longing for and looking forward to that new era—with Liberty and Justice as its cardinal features—which, he contends, should be our heritage as a result of. the Great "War, and of which it behoved the people to see they were not cheated.

Mr. Greenslade is a strong advocate of stable Government, progressing on constitutional lines, and has pointed gut this' was absolutely essential to ensure the continuity of the payment of pensions to disabled soldiers, and soldiers' dependents, and to meet the heavy expenditure incurred as the outcome "of th.iwar. He is*, a sympathetic support r of the aspirations of moderate and sane labour and advocates a return to the alliance of such under the banner of Liberalism as obtained under the leadership of the late Mr. Seddon. Only by such sympathetic recognition of the rights of the true- workers—whose labour )j essential to capital and the country for the. increase of wealth—and by the establishment of co-operative and profit-sli.mng schemes, can industrial content bo assured. The tactics of some of the "Reformers," Mr. Greenslade believes, would, if continued, alienate the best elements of the workers, and tend to drive them towards tho extreme section of labour. However, ho is optimistic that the Liberals an; the natural partners of all sensible, moderate, and .fair-minded workers." and such Labour interests should work hand in hand with the Liberal Party and the representatives ■ of the progressive political thought oi the Dominion in making New Zealand the most desirable place to live in, so that it could be truly said that it was once more "God's Own Country."

In education Mr. Greenslade supports the free, secular, and compulsory system, adv<y>a+.*>c '£y#e school books/ and requL.v*..,, and is not only in favour of medical and dental inspection of the school children, but maintains* all children of the Dominion should be provided with all necessary medical, dental, optical, and similar attention free by the State] In fact, Mr. Greenslade considers that, in view of the militarisation of the medical and dental professions during the war, that these services could with equal advantage be nationalised in times of peace in the interests of .suffering humar'jty. and the health of the people generally, as it is essential that the rising geng^stf, I - should be as highly as regards physical fitness ana educational attainments as it is possible to reach. Mr. Greenslade is also partial to the establishment of a State Bank, a State shipping line, to ensxire lower freights, and State coal mines and colliers; strongly advocates the supression of profiteering; coping with the bounding cost of living; the erection of adequate homes for the people to obviate undesirable social conditions; the elimination of industrial strife and social unrest by a more sympathetic and economic treatment of social and industrial problems, and recognition of the true sources of wealth; the encouragement of established and new industries, and increased production of our primary products ; State farms if necessary to absorb unemployed, and ensure adequate supply of wheat for the requirement of New Zealand, bread staff of life: every encouragemieSK being afford <>fi small settlers and fruitgrowers; facilities for the settlement of the soldiers on the land by various mothincluding the communal system'; the prevention of aggregation of large holdings of land; the acquirement of all land not being legitimately used, and its utilisation for soldier settlements, State farms, and closer settlement. Mr. Greenslade believes in a vigorous and comprehensive public works policy, and deprecates the wasteful system of small railway votes, which very often are only used for political ends. He holds firm

to the democratic principle of trusting the people, and ;in connection with the referendum on the licensing issue, pledges himself to abide, by the will of the majority of the people, as expressed at the ballot box, and to see that such expression given effect to. Any other attitude, he considers, would be undemocratic, and dangerous to the principles' -underlying the referendum.

Mr. Greenslade's work on- behalf of members of Friendly Societies for the past quarter of a century cannot be overlooked* His father, the late Mr. James Greenslade, was a prominent member of Court Pride of the North, Ancient Order of Foresters, jit the Thames, and young Arthur followed in his dad's footsteps when he became eligible for membership, by joining the same Order, and has been associated with the Auckland District of the Ancient Order , of Foresters for upwards of 20 years, during which time he has represented that Society on the Auckland United Friendly Societies' _ Conference, and in other capacities, while he is a Past District Chief Ranger, of the Order, and at present is District Trustee, and also Trustee of the Subsidiary High Court of New Zealand of that Society. He has always shown a'sympathetic interest with the aims o| all kindred Friendly Societies, and has emphasised the valuable work of such Societies in promoting good citizenship, and at the same time succouring a brother in sickness and distress, and has invariably extended to such that touch of human sympathy which' makes the wholo world kin. Tlio Greenslade family hafcje 'left "their mark on many walks ofS«<§c in tho Auckland Province. Mr. H. J. Grecnslade (of ton), tho eldest brother of the. Waitemata aspirant for Parliamentary honours, wrested the Waikato seat from the Conservatives after a continuous ran of a quarter of a century for the Liberal party, when Mr! Seddon was Premier, and held that scat for six years. The Youngest member of the family. Mr. Albert Ernest Greenslade. is Town Clerk of Birkenhead, while another well-known brother, Mr. Walter Greonslade. a commercial traveler, who Mt with the Fourth Reinforcements, paid the supreme sacrifice at Chumik Bahr. in August, during the Gallipoli campaign? . The many friends and admirers of Mr. Greenslade will be pleased to learn of the success of this, young 4 Now Zealander in the campaign in which he is now engaged, "and tho Liberal and Labour party of Waitemata are to be congratulated in securing .such a desirable candidate.