WELLINGTON NORTH

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 102, 27 October 1925, Page 9

WELLINGTON NORTH

THE LABOUR CANDIDATE

SPEAKS AT MOLESWOKTH

STREET,

Mr. 11. E. Combs (Labour candidate for Wellington North) addressed a fair gathering at the Methodist Church Rooms, Molesworth street, last night. Expounding the Labour programme, Mr. Combs said that a three-cornered fight, like that in Wellington North, must • bring home to the people the need for proportional representation. It was very unfair that the people should be represented in Parliament by a man who had received the votes of little more than a third of the electors. For thirteen years past, under "first past the poat," we had had a Reform Government in office, but not in power in the sense that it had a majority of the people behind it; and that was neither real democracy nor true representative government. The candidate 1 advocated also the initiative, the referendum, and the recall, saying that if we had had the referendum some four or five years ago the people would have voted down the amending legislation enabling the Arbitration Court to reduce wages during the currency of an award, and also the legislation legalising the three "cuts" \a the wages and salaries of the Public servants. "> I SIR JOHN, "A WHOLE-HOGGER." The Government had carried through the first two "cuts"; but the intervention of the last election and the Government's fear of the votes of the people, had saved the Public servants from the third "cut." That was what would have happened if the policy had been decided by the people for the people, instead of dictated by the squatter land kings of the Dominion, who wanted the reduotion of wages generally, and wanted also the "cuts" in Public Service wages and salaries so that their own income tax and land tax could be reduced. (Applause.) Sir John Luke, added Mr. Combs, had voted with the Government on every occasion, both for amending legislation on the Arbitration Court and also for the legislation which cut down the wages of the Public servants. Sir John Luke had been "a _ whole linger," so far as such legislation was concerned; and ho would do iiim the justice of saying that Sir John had never apologised for his action in that respect. (Laughter and applause.) ■ ' ' . ' •

Mr. Combs favoured the abolition of the Upper House, and stated that if the Legislative Council would not pass the Bill putting an end to their Chamber, the coming Labour Government would have to do as the. Queensland Labour Government had done, make use of its power to swamp the Upper House and force the measure through. A non-repre-sentative Chamber, with the power of veto over all measures—except, of course, financial measures, passed by the people's Chamber— was an absolute anachronism, and had no place whatever in a true democracy. (Applause.) A number of questions was put and answered, and at the close Mr. Combs was accorded a hearty vote of thanks, expressing confidence in him as the future member for the electorate.

There was an attendance of over 50 at'the.meeting of Mr. J. J. M'Grath'a committees, held last evening, and all .absent members were accounted for. ■The Hon. R. M'Kenzie presided. Mr. M'Grath deliveed and address', and complete arrangements were made for the remainder of the campaign and for polling day.