WELLINGTON EAST.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1309, 12 December 1911, Page 6

WELLINGTON EAST.

DR. NEWMAN AT EOSENEATH. Dr. Newman, Reform candidate for Wellington East, addressed a ■meeting in tho Roseneath .Schoolroom last evening. He remarked on the great upheaval there had been since he had last addressed the electors in that schoolroom. Tho tide, ho said, had turned, and it was clear that the Opposition wns coming back much stronger and tho Government much weaker. (Hear, hear.) At the second ballot the tide would probably be running even stronger in favour of "the Reform party. The fight of Thursday was not so much a fight of Newman , v. M'Laren as a fight as to whether the East seat was to join the lteform party or the Government. Whatever Mr. M'Laren might say. on tho quostion of whether he was a Labour member or a W.irdite it was an nndeniablo fact that if they voted for. Mr. ll'Larcn they were voting to keep the present Government in office. (Hear, hear.) A man was known by the company he keeps, and his opponent had kept company with the Government. His opponent might claim that ho was independent, but he (Dr. Newman) said that Mr. M'Laren had kept company with the Government on every occasion, and had been supported by that party. Henco he'said that every vote given for Mr. M'Laren was a vote for the present Govemiiient. If a vote of no-eoniiderico came along, would Mr. M'Laren votb against 'the Government or would he, as he had done before, find important business elsewhere? Since he (Dr. Newman) had been on the platform ho hnd not chosen to brag about what lie had done on local- bodies and for humanity, but lie could claim perhaps as much as his opponent if he was so minded. (Applause!) Tho • real question was, whether during tho . past 21. years the present Government had been satisfactory. (Voices: "No.") ■ He contended that tho Government hnd not been satis' factory during tho past few years with its increased taxation, the increased cost of living it had brought obont, and il.s reckless borrowing. Ff wo went on borrowing at tho rate we wero doing wo .would groan under taxation. Tho Opposition was pledged to reduce taxation, and the cost of living, and if they got in on Thursday they would carry out that pledge. (Applause.) A story had" been circulated that if tho Opposition got into power thoy were going to cut down the salaries of Civil Servants and others They had no intention of doing this. The Civil Service had lieen very unfairly treated. Numbers of people had been chucked in them by influence— (Hear, hear)—nnd promotion did not go on merit he was sorry to say. Tho Opposition would see fair play to the Civil Service and also to tho railway service. They would also see that the leakages and extravagance were stopped. Dr. New-

sunn proceeded to criticise the Government at some length. In urging that llih Government of stagnation should be get rid of, he remarked that many people Uad grown up with the jresoat Govern-

Mont, and had never known any other Government, so thai they did not .realise to tho full the .benefit that would arise out of a change. "1 advise you to make thn change," said Dr. Newman. "F-vcri tha novelty would bo ' interchliiig,, and anything better than tho present stag; nation." Continuing, tho candidate urged that no change of Government , could possibly do more harm than tho present Government was doing. If Ihe new Government did not do any good 'they could turn it out and get exactly what was wanted. (Laughter.) The first thiiig, however, was to , turn Ihe present -Government out of oilice. (Hear,- hear.). He hoped to be elected on .Thursday, but tho thing ho was even more sweet on still was a change of Government for the betterment; of New Zealand. (Applause.) Tho meeting concluded' with threo cheers for Dr. Newman.

Ur. Newman also addressed a meeting at Victoria Hall, tho huildiug being filled to the doors. The chair was occupied by Mr. C. Onyon. Dr. Newman sppko mainly on the lines of his 'Itascncutli address, and was given an attentive hearing after silencing a boisterous elector at the outset. After answering a number of questions, tho candidate was accorded a voto of thanks and confidence amidst prolonged applause.

MR. M'LAREN'S MEETINGS. Mr. D. M'Laren, candidate for Wellington hast, addressed three meetings of the electors yesterday. At midday ho 5R2 *° an "P Oll -*" - gathering in Post Ulhce- Square. Another opea-air meeting was held in the early part of tho ovening at tho corner of Tasm.an Street and Dock Street, and, later, tho candidate delivered an address in tho Clydo Quav : School. At all three tho speaker devoted a considerable portion of his time to a dissertation on the platform and policy, or tho Labour party, which he represent-.-ed, discussing that policy and platform in' its relation to those of the Government party and of the Opposition. Tho speaker condemned the present electoral system, and stated his reasons for supporting the principle of propirtional representation. Tho basis of true ■representation', in all elections, was one vote one value. The falsity of the. present electoral law was, V.e contended, nernonstrated by tho fact that at la-.t week's ballot, while the Opposition had received 173,000 votes, and won 23-' seats, the Labour party, which had received-56,000 votes, had won no seats at all. It "as just and essential, he added, that such interests as were Unmistakably evident in tile votes of 56,000 individuals should receivo fair representation. Again, an analysis of tho position as it affected towmand country, showed that while in the. city one voto might have one' value', tho country vote was equal to one and a quarter in valuo by comparison on a basis of representation. Hero was n distinct power given to agrarian interests over the interests of the city;dweller, and also a hidden danger frpni the-fact that dwellers in rural districts, in'tiieir natural surroundings, were likely lobe more' conservative. The speaker -tnu.i reviewed the progress of the Labour j-wly in Australia since coming into n wer, and claimed that the history of its administration had demonstrated that labour, so far from'being'wholly, lestrustivb of sound' principles of Government, 1-a'd proved its capacity for ■ .oustructive statesmanship. He also dwelt at seine length on tho land question;' and said that it should be tho duty of tho Stat,? to protect the men jn ■ the land iroin being exploited hy speculators who wcro walking about Lambton , Quay, 'at their case. In view of the fact, continued'the speaker, that in the coming Parliament the country's industrial legislation would call for careful review, it was necessary that in these legislative deliberations the representatives of Labour should be/present. He urge'd.his hearers to 'see to it that the Labour party was ' repte'seutod in the new House of Representatives.At each of his meetings the candidate was accorded'an attentive hearing, although ho was subjected to some pointed qyestions touching his support of the Government on a no-confidence motion. At his evening meeting at the Clyde Quay School he was more definite on tho point, and was accorded, on the motion of Mr. F;. Gallichan, a vote of thanks and confidence—with one dissentient.