WELLINGTON EAST

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 70, 16 December 1919, Page 11

WELLINGTON EAST

DR. NEWMAN AT CLYDE QUAY. Dr. A. K. Newman, Reform candidate for the Wellington East seat, addressed a meeting in the Clyde Quay School last evening. Mr. W. H. Edwards presided. /Hie candidate said ho thought the Reform Party would como back after the election with a email majority. It was very, difficult to say, however, what would happen. At one time he was regarded as a "sporting prophet" and ho was able to give "tips' vory often as to tho probable results of elections,. but nowadays the population had grown to Buch an extent that, it was imposjiblo to forecast what would happen. Ho believed that the new Parliament ought to bo called together either in February or March to get on with the work that had been left over from last session. There were very many urgent, matters requiring attention; for one thing, tho Civil Service required to be placed on a proper footing. There were dangers about any system of promotion by merit, for heads of departments could promote those who were their favourites; Tho only fair method of promotion b" merit was for applications from individuals to bo reviewed by a board. ThJB would overcome the possibility of favouritism entering into the selection. To meet the housing difficulty the Reform Government had placed JCt,500,000 on tho Estimates to lw spent on building houses over a period of about three years. "This is not merely talking," said I)r. Newman, "we are absolutely doing it, and we hopo that in a few years the whole of the people will be decently housed." The Reform Government had placed on the Statute Book a very drastic anti-profiteering Act that would do a great deal of good. This Act would not hurt anybody who wanted to trade in an honest manner. Dr. Newman spoko in favour of a gratuity being paid to homo service, men. He considered that this was only fair because some of the men wera unable to go to tho war, although very keen to do so. Although the' gratuity might run into an enormous sum of money, he considered that the men should be treated very much more fairly than had been the case up to tho present. Every possible help should be given to tho disabled soldiers, who should receive such training that thev would ultimately be •able to look after themselves. After ur»in» that the burdens of taxnhon should be taken off the shoulders of Iho married men with families and reviewing the labour unrest in tho country, Dr. Newman emphasised that he would remain loyal to his pledges as he had done in the past. He hoped that as a result of the efforts of tins new Parliament tho life of the people of New Zealand would bo made happier and more pleasant. After answering questions, Dr. bowman was, on the motion of Mr. T. Forsyth, seconded by Mr. C. M'lntyre, accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence, and cheers wero also given for him.

in?,. MONTEITH'S CAMPAIGN. Tlio labour candidate for Wellington ! EaSt '■}{!■:■ l \:<L.i Jtonteith, .addressed metiite in *ho oycrrnir lust evening, at llriimniolid Strut and Kilbirnio Post Offie*-. Tift said that Hie Welfare Loagne was fiirlitinK the Labour Party, and that Hif IcaeiiD was baeked by vested interests. T!ic Welfare League, he said, was out to look after the welfare of the eeotiou of tho community that received

more from the people than their services were worth. This might bo good business for the league's members, but for the working people who suffered by having their standard of living and comfort lowered it could not Ix 3 said that it was their "welfare" that the league was looking ofter. The question that Iho | electors had to answer on .election day was: Wero they in favour of the policy of "do nothing" and "joy rides for politicians"? lie believed, that if tho National Government had been sincere it was onlv necessary for one members of the ministry to prooced to England, and the other could have attended to tlio pressing questions of the day. It was rather fnnnv to see men who had assisted to keen the National Government in office saving that tho Government was "nobodv's darling," and at the same time owning up to the fact that the Government and the members had eat in the Parliament of this country and "practically did nothing." Sir Joseph' Ward had stated that we were to havo a "new era." He believed that new era would commence who ■*. a driving force, in the shape of a solid party of Labour, members, was placed upon the floor of, the Honso. Everyone to-day was of the ooinion that Labour should have a fair share of reorcsentation in Parliament, but the funny position .was that Mr. Mossov wanted to choose th? men who should be the Labour members, and Sir Joseph Ward would also like to helo. The labour Party could choose the men—men who had served the worker*, faithfully and well in the past Denl-' ing with the housing problem, the sneaker stated .that what the people wanted were homes that would not mere- 1 lr be houses, but "-onld be homos in the truest, eense of the word. Slumdoni was the enemy of the women and children, and this prosl rtue?tion m"flt lie dealt tfith in a' mn*Wly way. The Labour Party demanded that the. worker shnnld be EU"™nto<<rl *. home at a reasonable rent without the everlasting menaen of "more rent or quit." The candidate win' accorded a vot» of thanks and confidence..at both meeting.