NATIONAL GOVERNMENT CANDIDATE

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 45, 21 February 1918, Page 3

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT CANDIDATE

Over a hundred electors attended Mr. J. P. Luke's meeting at St. Paul's Schoolroom, Tinakori-road, last night. Mr. M. Murdoch presided, and, in opening tho mestiitg, referred to the valuable and onerous work perfoi-med by Mr. and Mrs. Luke in patriotic wotk.

Mr. Luke said that when he commenced the campaign he started out as the National Government candidate, and he still stood in that capacity. He challenged >hem to produca any man who had done more than he- to further the interests of recruiting on a voluntary basis, and the City Council had given him every assistance in that respect. Many of the rooms in the Town Hall were devoted to the work that was being carried out at that time, and the women had done remarkably good work. (Applause.) Then compulsion came into force, and he was a distinct believer in that legislation. When it was brought into operation he asked the City Council for a free hand in regard to the use of the Town Hall, and at his request every facility was granted for the carrying out of the Act in Wellington. He had always been of opinion that eligible men should bear their full share of the burden, .and he had no time for a .man who refused to shoulder his responsibilities. The responsibility was there, and it was the- duty of all of them to accept that i efsponsibility. What, ho asked, was going to be the answer on polling day? (A Voice : Holland!) No, Luke. If the Government lost the election New Zealand would be giving the same answer as Australia gave the other day. (Applause.) The issue was between those who wanted to carry on the war and those who wanted to stop the conditions of military service, and to leave their comrades at the front in the lurch. America, the greatest democracy in the world, had put into operation an Act similar to the New Zealand Act. (Applause.) The country had been taxed uron an equitable basis. Whether tne Government had taken as much as it should have done from some people was a matter for further consideration At any rate, the burden had not been put on the working classes. ("Question!") The increased cost of Jiving had been built.up in spite of any Government, in spite of themselves. The loss of shipping 1 and increased insurance had brought about largely increased freights. The New Zealand Government had imposed heavy taxation on shipping profits, just a3 the British Government had done. The increase in; the cost of living had been 27 per cent, since the outbreak of the war. In Australia, with a Labour Govern- J ment, it was 29 per cent. In the United States the increase was 46 per cent.; Cana-da 57 per cent.; Japan 66 per cent.; Italy 72 per cent.; Sweden 81 per cent. ; Netherlands 81 per cent.; United Kingdom 102 per cent.; Germany 109 per cent.; Norway 110 par cent.; Austria 173 per cent. As to the Financial Assistance Board, which had been the subject of severe criticism, he contended j that if the board had not sufficient I powers, the legislation under which it worked should be remodelled next session. A.s to pensions, he said the rates had been fixed by Parliament, but he was, and always had been, in favour of a pension by right. In, answer to a question, he said that the question of exemption of Marist Brothers and others was in the hands of the Appeal Boards.

"I am not here to split the people up mi religious matters," he said in answer to another question. "I am the broadest man in the world on religious matters." (Applause.)