LABOUR COMMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 117, 20 May 1941, Page 9

LABOUR COMMENT

THE INTERVIEW INCIDENT

PARTY POLITICS

■"That the citizens of Wellington did not desire Labour representation on the local bodies was clcfarly demonstrated on Saturday, and demonstrated in no uncertain way," said the secretary of the Wellington Labour Representation Committee, Mr. J. H. Collins, today. "After a careful survey of the position I am convinced that in addition to the situation as it affected the other parts of New Zealand, the main cause for the result was the grossly exaggerated account of the alleged interview with a Citizens' candidate. The handling of the affair was carefully stage-managed and put over at a very suitable time. It is. quite possible that the last of this matter has not been heard. We of the Labour movement have had our defeats as weE as our victories, and we will come again at the appropriate time. "It is evident from the statement made by Mr. Miller that the new hospital block at the Wellington South site still does not find favour with the Ratepayers' Association, in spite of the fact that the Commission recommended it. It was not party politics that delayed the building; it was purely parochialism, Hutt Valley versus the City. This is proved by the fact that three Labour members of the board, from • Tawa Flat, . Hutt, and Petone, were supporting the Citizens' members. Three persons responsible for the calling, of the meeting which requested the Commission realise that they did not receive the report they expected. Instead of one building scheme, they are now saddled with two. Instead of saving the ratepayers, they are responsible for another £500,000 for the Hutt Hospital. As they are responsible for this amount, they try to unload it off the shoulders of the city ratepayers by suggesting a separate hospital district for the Hutt Valley. THE TICKET SYSTEM. "One more thing is very evident. In spite of the fact that it is stated that the citizens resent the ticket system, in Wellingon the whole of one ticket was elected; surely a very queer way of showing their disapproval. The ticket system was more clearly in favour this time than on any other occasion. "The question of party politics in local bodies. is again raised. If anything is more contradictory than that statement I have yet to see it. The whole of the new council are members of the National Party, or. supporters of it. If I made a statement arid said it was from me as a citizen, and not as secretary of the Labour Representation Committee, I-would be laughed at and told I* could not divorce myself from my official position; but the Citizens' candidates, according to the Press, can be National politicians in national politics but of no politics in local bodies. Even the public that accepted the "Gestapo" bogy will hardly accept that. ELECTIONS AND THE WAR EFFORT. "The statement that the public resented the elections at this time is hardly understandable, because they ■ return on the various bodies the people who were responsible for it. The Minister of Internal Affairs last year obtained an expression of opinion from the local -^bodies.,. ,|n the. mam . they .all, .replied to the effect jhat they should be held. The Municipal Conference early this year, by a large majority, came to the same conclusion. The Mayor of Wellington,, before the campaign started, made a statement to the same.effect. The Leader of the Opposition on Monday is reported to have said that the election resulted as it did because the people did not want the war effort interfered with. What war activity has been interfered with? He then has the audacity .to tell his supporters to prepare for the General Election in six months' time, His inconsistency is overwhelming. He must know that the national elections Will create far more interest than local elections, and if any ' war effort is to be affected —and I doubt very much if it will —those elections are more liable to do it. "On behalf of the Wellington Labour Representation Committee," concludes Mr. Collins, "I wish to express its thanks to those who supported the Labour candidates, and to all those who assisted during the campaign, and to assure them that the Labour candidates will be there in the future, as in the past, to do whatever they can for the people of Wellington."