WELLINGTON NORTH CONTEST

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 44, 20 February 1918, Page 3

WELLINGTON NORTH CONTEST

MR. LUKE AT "NORTHLAND

The Methodist Schoolroom, Northland, was crowded last evening on the occasion of Mr. Luke's first address to tho electors in that suburban district. Ml". W. I. Clark occupied the'chair.

Mr. Luke prefaced his remarks by a feeling- reference to the bereavement sustained by. the ex-member for the- district. The speaker then gave an interesting resume of the events of the critical "thirteen days" preceding the Etart of hostilities, showing Germany's responsibility for the war by declining to accept Great Britain's suggestion that the questions in dispute should be settled by a conference and the Czar's recommendation that The Hague Tribunal should be involved to arbitrate. ; Much as Great Britain regretted taking part in tho war, it was generally admitted by the people of the Empire that there was rio other course that could with honour have been taken under the circumstances that then existed. The British Government did all that was possible to avert a conflict. Whilst those with near relatives at the front must individually feel anxiety with respect to the present threatened enemy attack, still that individual anxiety must give way to the national necessity of "seeing it through." It was a matter for pride that New Zealand had. trained, equipped, and despatched about 90,000 troops to tho front. Whilst admitting that some mistakes had been made, through lack of experience, in tho early stages of the war, Mr. Luke thought the authorities in the Dominion were.entitled to praiss for the general smoothness and success which had characterised the military operations of this young country. Ailuding to the adoption of the system of universal military service, Mr. Luke said that with equal privileges there should go equal responsibilities, and he challenged the right of any man who was militarily fit to look to others for his defence, and for the defence of his home and family. Dealing with the question of the treatment of the returned men, the speaker expressed the opinion that a man's pension should not be considered as part of his daily earnings; the pension should stand by itself. A soldier whoiiad fought for his country, and who'had become incapacitated in a. greater or less .degree for his ordinary work was entitled to a pension, and tho pension was given in order in some measure to make up for that incapacity. No money could adequately compensate many of the men for the incapacity they had suffered, and the sacrifices they had made. The returned men should be liberally dealt with in connection with land settlement and in other ways, and he believed the people of the country would be generous enough to see that they got a square deal.

A vote of thanks was accorded to tho candidate by acclamation.