The Dominion SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1919. THE LOCAL CONTESTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 68, 13 December 1919, Page 6

The Dominion SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1919. THE LOCAL CONTESTS

+ — ! Iktkiiest in the election issues is! probably at least as keen in the j local city and suburban electorates I as in any other part of the. Dominion, and there are good grounds for believing that they will witness a decisive triumph for the cause .of sound government. It is nowhere clearer that the chief danger to be guarded against is a division of strength which would play into the hands •of the Labour-Socialist extremists, and perhaps enable them to influence or even dominate, a weak and vacillating Government. Unfortunately, in some of the local seats party feeling and party ambitions have done what they can to complicate the issues' of the election, but everywhere it is open to electors to concentrate .on essentials and register a solid vote against those who evidently aim at stirring up discord and class hatred. ■ Obviously with those, who look to the interests of the countrv and nil sections of its people them can be no question .of purely yiarty advb caey in respect of the local electorates. The candidates in whom electors who take national welfare as their standard are bound logically to concentrate support are not all included in one political fold. It is possible on that account to emphasise all the more confidently the claims of those vrlw, on the face of it, are' best fitted to promote sound government and orderly progress. ■ _ , , Particularly intcrcstim; issues are raised in t-to- Hutt. The reception accorded to Mn. B.ishv.'ohtii makes it clear that a large proportion of (.he Hutt electors are in ten'; on a much-deeded change. The Reform candidate in a man of sound abilities who has given a good account of himself in affairs of local government, and has proved himself in the .present contest a man of broad outlook, independent' spirit, and progressive views. This earnestness and sincerity should be welcomed in these days of cheap and llashy insincerities Hi our politics. The prospective, change in the representation of Jlut'v is the more to bo desired since Mr Wii.ford is a politician of the type that seems unable to look at national affairs otherwise than through party spectacles. He is at. all times much involved in the intrigues for personal and party advantage, which are the worst feature of party politics. Men of bigger and broader ideas are needed in the new Parliament, and in Mn. Jvisinvoirat, a resident of the district, the Hult electors are offered a representative who meets these rpqu'ii ements and at the same time bus strong local claims to support.

In Wellington South tlio isßuo giilnnittnil to the ulrctors is an clear cut as could possibly b« d:sircc!. Coloxkl MiTfiHKi.i, is ii returned soldier, who played n gallant part in the war. His opponent is a member of the party winch did all that it could to hinder and impair the national war effort, and is now attempting to awaken class hatred and provoke sectional strife. Mn. Skmpix's persona! leanings are in(lici'.l'.'d in the st.il"inent lie mad; , , at Christi'hnrch «o:uo lime ago Hint if he had been '.torn in Russia he would be a Bolshevik. For all who

give loyalty its true place these facts in themselves arc sufficient to determine the merits of the contest in Wellington South. Colonel Mitchell's claims to support, however, are broad-based. All who have followed his speeches must 'know that he is n man of finer mental calibre and of a Doldcr outlook where constructive reform is concerned than his opponent. He disclaims party tics, but that he is not an opportunist seeking the support of all parties is sufficiently demonstrated in his downright and implacable hostility to the party of strife and disorder to which his opponent belongs It is manifest that tho electors of Wellington South arc in the. fortunate position of being offered direct choice between the best and worst tendencies in the political life of the day.

So far as the North, East, and Suburbs scats are concerned, the electors ought to have very little difficulty in making up their minds. In each case the .Reform member who represented the. constituency in' the late Parliament is opposed not* only by .a Labour-Socialist, but by a Liberal candidate- who is formidable only, if at; all, from the point, of view of splitting votes. Looking t at the broad lines of the 'present election contest, it is manifest that the intervention of these Wardist candidates cannot serve any useful purpose, and that only the good sense of the electors will prevent it from doing a great deal of harm. As regards each of these jjcats there is no doubt that in a straight-out contest the Beform candidate would have easily beaten his LabourSocialist opponent. An assured contribution' would thus have .•been made- to the establishment of the only kind of Government that will sorve the interests of tho Dominion at this critical stage in its history. With no better justification than the assertion of party pretensions, Sin Joseph Wand's nominees arc imperilling this result. In the Suburbs seat the position is perhaps not very seriously affected. The Reform candidate, Mr. K. A. "Wuicht,stands head and shoulders over his opponents, and has given such proofs of his quality in successive Parliaments as are bound to gain him strong support. No ono more ardently champions the legitimate aspirations of Labour, or is iiiore rVwinuieclly opposed to tins extremist tactic* which are as definitely ,1,11 attack on Labour interests as on those of the general community. Even vote-splitting will hardly prevail over a candidate who is so obviously abreast of tlie most enlightened political thought of the day, and has the additional advantage of having befn tried and not found wanting. Still, every elector should go to the poll and vote to place the issue beyond all doubt. As regards the North and East seats the intervention of Wardist nominees has had the effei-t of introducing an clement of doubt into contests which otherwise offered assured victory to the representatives of constitutional progress. The Wardist candidate in each case has iio prospect of winning the seat, but is simply'playing into the hands of the extremists, and in consequence is as little entitled as the extremists themselves to popular support. It is self-evi-dent'that the only safe Mid prudent course in these districts—the only effective way of casting a vote against the extremists who are , the opponents of sane methods and stable government —is to vote solidly! for tlic lleform candidates. The alternative is certainly to risk the unpleasant possibility of. encouraging the extremists under the guise of official Labour, and lend colour to their claim that they have the public behind them. It is nnneres sary to repeat tho views wo have expressed very recently .about the issues raised in Wellington Central. As between Mj:. Pusani and the official Labour candidate there should be. no hesitation in voting for Mn. PniANi. We are decidedly of opinion that tiic electors in the city and suburban scats will safeguard their own into cats and .contribute to the sound government pod progress of ilw Dominion if (hoy return Messrs. .Rishwohtu, Wiugut, . Nku'man, Luke, Pirani, and Colonel to represent them in the. new Parliament.