LABOUR CANDIDATES

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 96, 23 April 1917, Page 8

LABOUR CANDIDATES

THEIR ATTITUDE ON THE STRIKE

A PERTINENT QUESTION

Several correspondents have written toThe Post asking what are the views of the Labour candidates for the City Council with regard to the strike. One such correspondent writes :

"As my vote, along with many others, is not yet promised, we would like to know froni the public platform the views held by -the Labour candidates as regards the miners' strike. •As this is the most important issue at stake this present moment we naturally desire to know whether the Labour representatives approve, or disapprove, of the miners going out on strike-^-a question they will naturally, answer if they, are not afraid of one portion of the electors or ashamed of the others."

This is typical of other, letters received. To enable an answer to be given Post reporters to-day interviewed as many of the council candidates as were available, .and sought an expression of their, views. '■•..•■'.'•■' ' : '

Mr. H. E. Holland was reticent. He did say though that 1 his own opinion was that* it was the duty of .Parliament to meet immediately and repeal the Conscription Act. This, >he held, was the only way out of the present'difficulty; apart from the miners'' strike altogether, in view, of the widespread industrial unrest throughout the Dominion.

Mr. J. Glover endorsed the view expressed by Mr. Holland. Mr. James M'Keiizie, chairman,of the Labour Representation Committee, stated that the strike was entirely a matter outside municipal politics. Labour had not been consulted by the miners, and he was not prepared to state his attitude. . , ■

* Mr. E:; Kennedy, secretary; of the Labour Representation Committee, also I held that the strike.was outside municipal politics, but he 'made a personal statement. "I know no snore about- the coal strike than I can glean from the public press. from which it appears that?*: the ; miners have , struck, against, conscription. The: ActingPrime Minister and Minister for Mines, according to the-press, have visited the Coast; and have agreed that a. secret' balldt of the miners should be taken on the question of whether they should continue the strike for the purpose for which they came out or should-return to work. It appears to • me that there is a great public feeling against the Conscription Act,- and I- should like to know if the Prime Minister is prepared to give the people of New Zealand the opportunity to take a secret ballot for the repeal of ! the Act as the miners have done on the question of a settlement.'' ,'■ •■.' : Mr. J. Read, President of the Trades Council, said he could riot see the'remotest connection between the strike and the.municipal elections. "Personally," he added, "I am not surprised :at a large section of the public resenting being browbeaten and governed by regulations which have never in any way been submitted to the people. The Government makes its new laws by regulation, and then refuses to permit the expression ' of views which do not coincide with ij§ own."- ■ / . HUTT AND PETONE. !■ In the case of the two Petone candidates for the Mayoralty, it is worth recalling that it was on the motion of Councillor Anderson (the official representative of. Labour in the present ; ele'Cr tion), and supported by the Mayor (Mr. J.. W. M'Ewan), that the Petone Borough Council affirmeel the principle that it would support the enforcement of. the Military Service Act, and.. any. otheradditionalmeans to secure the early attainment of the. Allies' objective.' To a Post reporter, Mr. M'Ewan said he was'not in favour, of the repeal of the Military Service Act at present. He was, as a democrat, prepared to leave the whole question in the hands of the Legislature. ; Councillor Ball, who is standing for the Hutt Mayoralty against the sitting Mayor. (Mr. H. Baldwin) as a Labour representative, say he has not yet gone _ into the question sufficiently to justify him in expressing an opinion.