THE NEW MEMBER.

Grey River Argus, 24 June 1922, Page 4

THE NEW MEMBER.

Mr Munro, the Duiieilin North con-stilll-,-ni-v s new member is a promising Parliamentarian, illty-two years of age. a native of Dunedin, anti one with a thorough knowledge ol New Zealand economies ami polities. He is a typical worker, ,m, when a youth he was apprenticed to the bakery trade, at which lie has worked ever since. He first took an active interest in polities over 30 years ago ill the Hampden and Moeraki districts, in the Liberal interests, during a meiiiorablc political light between the late Sir John McKenzie and the late Mr Siobie Mackenzie, when being far lass a rail-sitting party than they now are, the Liberals camo out triumphant al -be polls throughout New Zealand. Joining up witli the Labour amvemeul teu years later, having been convinced that the Liberal Party had lost the eoniideuce of the organised tvoikets, Mr Munro has fought ever since for the political Labour niov-eiuent. His first light for Labour, politically, was made 14 veins ago, when he opposed the late Hon. J. A. Millar, for Im : edin West; in 1911, against the lion .1. A. M i 11:. r and the I:.-.M r 11. I•Bedford; in 1911. ugairnl Mr 1 ■ I--Sii.iimm .Dunedin (■.•idral.i; and in 1919. against Mr Statham. Mr Munro has filled many positions in the Labour movement. lie has been president ol the Otago and Southland Bakers’ Union, president of the Woollen Mills Workers’ Inion, vice-president of the Political Labour League, president ot the Social Democratic' t'nriy, and presi-

dent of the Socialist I’-irty. Mr Munro has all along- i.msisteiitly and steadfastly championed the cause ot the workers, ami they have stood to Imm and on this occasion with etl'eet. In fl’l l he was the opponent of Mr I - EStatbnm, and lie was only twelve votes behind that gentlemmi. Owing io in formalities in i-omiecliuii \\iih the idee tion Mr Staihmu resigned, and ut lhe subsequent by-election Im beat M' Munro by 4033 to 3926—a margin m 107 votes. Mr Munro again contested the Dunedin Central seat at the General Election in 1919. but Mr Slatham again bent him. tins time by a majority of -197 votes. It is genii

ally mlmi'ited that a Dunedin electoral verdict :i pretty c(iol-he:ided one, so' that the victory of Mr -Wunro on this occasion is a reliable index ot what may be expected nt the general election in a few months time. U is a Clise of goodbye to Liberalism, so called; and "for '-"be future the people will be glad 10 see the issue clarified US between the class who, owning evervtbiii"' exploit the masses, aim the class who do the work el' the communitv ami get plucked for their pants by wage cuts, the sack, high Customs duties.' ami high prices—in short, by the pord ic-ceonoinic si rait-.jucket both bv sumptuary laws null a demal of security of livelihood. The antiLabour Press acknowledges that in the Dunedm North contest both the Tories and Liberals have made their strongest appeal to the electors, ami they also acknowledge Dunedin Norih is by no

means a distinctively working class conslituem-y. Messrs McCombs, Sullivan, Howard ami the Ollier Labom M.P.’s who upheld Labour’s standaid there along with Mr Munro stirred the ra-owing mental power of Labour politically." The vote on this occasion is 110 more than a fraction, however, ot the full proportion of wage-earners in this as in every i-onsHtuoiiey, ami it is probable that Labour will get more of the vote, which the old Liberal Party used lo secure than ever the Tory Party will g-t in the future. Whv Ihe Tory press admit that the Massevite candidate got all the Liberal votes in North Dunedin that Party could over hope to gain. When some Liberals found they had no hope, they twisted their support to the Miiaseyite. but too many people, are to-day goingover to the Labour Party for either of the oilier parties to justify their fanciful predictions of future success. As Mr Massey says, the air is being cleared, and the mass of the people can now see more plainly who are their friends and who their enemies. That is all Labour asks for—a fair field and no favour.