WELLINGTON EAST

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 139, 10 December 1919, Page 9

WELLINGTON EAST

DR, NEWMAN AT ROSENEATH

Dr. A. K. Newman, Reform candidate for Wellington East, addressed a meeting in the Roseneath school last | evening. Mr. W. Burbidgo presided. ' The candidate said that the National Government had made a very great mistake in keeping Parliament going for two years longer than they had any right to do. However, the "poor thing" was dead; it was "nobody's darling," and no one regretted its decease. Referring to party politics, Dr. Newman said he thought that either the single transferable vote or proportional representation was preferable to the present electoral system of "first past the post." The candidate stressed tho need for better educational facilities in the Dominion. Some of tho present schools, he said, wero very antiquated. With a view of trying to remedy the present unsatisfactory state.of affairs, the reform Government had obtained the sanction of Parliament to borrow £3,000,000 to be devoted to educational purposes, The candidate referred to the work done by the List Parliament, especially in connection with housing. The Government had let contracts for the erection of more workers' dwellings, and by this means it ■was hoped that the difficulty of housing people properly would be remedied. Mr. M'Kenzie, the Liberal candidate for the East electorate, had complained that the Wellington . members of Parliament had not voiced the needs of the district sufficiently, and had done nothing to lift Wellington out of the pocket in the hills. Well, when Mr. M'Kenzie was elected he would find that Wellington wonld he still in the pocket—but Mr. M'Kenzie would not be elected this time.

The candidate received a- vote of thanks and confidence.