LABOUR CANDIDATE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 212, 7 September 1899, Page 2

LABOUR CANDIDATE.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—The letter which appeared In your paper lust week speaks for itself, when we recognise the sore feeling which exists In a certain quarter on account of Mr Itegan being taken up l>y the workers themselves in place of the Liberal Association and the Trades and Labour Council. The whole tone of your anonymous correspondent goes to show the unhappy state he has got into. As to the work Mr Regan has done, he is not the man to advertise himself. His reputation as a labour leader and a man of will power and ability Is too well known not only here but all over the colony, to warrant further advertising. We know where the shoe pinches all right. I cannot believe your correspondent is a unionist, or If he Is he could only come under another definition according to trade union phraseology, and that is a "waster." He is not man enough to sign his name. We have too many of his class to take him seriously. This individual talks about the work the Trades and Labour Council and secretaries of unions have done without: letting anybody know, and asks us to join the Trades and Labour Council. No, thank you. We stand off this lot, for we are well aware what uses are made of It: and it will show what is thought of it when there are only about half-a-dozen half-dead unions in it, and some 15 or 10 live ones outside of it, notwithstanding their begging appeals to the unions to join them. As to the secretaries doing the work in their homes, I am secretary of one of the biggest unions in Auckland, and I am perfectly convinced that if Mr Regan were to take it" into his head to throw up the work of the unions they would collapse like a bladder. No, no, "Non-unionist," we are not going to have our champion shuffled about by the Liberal Association. He is now in the hands of the workers proper, and it will not be through lack of fighting power if he is not placed at the head of the poll. I hope

■•Non-unionist" win take this without making himself HI.—I am, etc.,

G. DAVIS, Secretary Carters' Onion

"Yet Another Unionist" champions Mr [Regan's claims to the support of the Labour vote at the approaching general elections. Replying to a correspondent whose letter appeared in our issue of the 31st ult., he says: '■There- is not the slightest, fear that the case is only a flash in the pan. There are twelve or more Unions pledged to Mr Regan; and as to the statement that the so-called Unions are defunct financially," such a statement clearly shows the hand of the writer. T will ask him who are the Trade and Labour Council? Two nights ago this solid body held a meeting- to decide on a Labour candidate. There were five gentlemen present. T was fit a meeting in the large room of the Tailoresses' Hall at the time, and the five gentlemen comprised the whole of the body, or Council; and as for blowing their trumpets why I clearly overheard all their business from their zeal to let us .know that such an important institution had met in Council. Again, who are the Liberal Association? Lately that august organisation met to nominate officers, and the full muster was twenty-two. Are the combined efforts of twenty-seven persons sufficiently strong to'return any candidate whom they may select? T think not. Tf Mr Regan is not a fit and proper person to represent the workers in Parliament, can "Unionist" tell me who is?"'