WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 11 December 1929, Page 3

WELLINGTON TOPICS

A PLUCKY FIGHTER

REFORM CANDIDATE FOR HUTT. (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 9. The Executive <>f the Reform Party is sparing no effort within its command to promote the interests of its champion, Mr Harold Johnston, in the contest for the Hutt seat in the House of Representatives, and it must he said in fairness that the candidate himself is playing his part uncommonly well. Entering, upon the campaign with little 'knowledge of the details of politics he Iras applied himself assiduously to the mastery of the facts and on the whole has presented his case very capably. It is obvious that he regards the Labour candidate as his more dangerous opponent and occasionally he has rather over-done his denunciation of the “Socialists” and the “Communists,” who, as a matter of ifaet, have very little to do with this particular campaign. A special meeting of the Wellington division of the ReformParty was held on Friday night to wish its candidate “Good Cheer and good luck” and to express warm appreciation of the manner in which he had carried out the campaign. THE HELPING HAND. Mr Johnston has the advantage of a helping hand each day in the morning paper. “In the course of his campaign” the world at large is told this morning, “Mr Johnston has more than once expressed the view that rates of taxation in the Dominion are so high at the present time as to constitute a real handicap on the recovery of our industry and commerce. In his view, a reduction in the rates at present levied would, by its favourable reaction upon the volume of business, not diminish but increase the aggregate national revenue. Hi ere is, says Mr Johnston, a law of diminishing return in taxation; that is, a point comes where increased rates of taxation produce a diminishing total yield. This point, in his view, has been reached in New Zealand. A reduction in rates of taxation, he argues, would therefore constitute a considerable relief and incentive to business. without unfavourable reactions on the total revenue of the country.” Something of the same kind was being said by the other side at the November election. UNITED AND LABOUR. The other two candidates in the field, Mr J. Kerr, representing the United Party, and Mr W. Nash, representing the Labour Party, both are securing good meetings and receiving genuine votes of confidence, and each of them is professing certainty as to the result of the contest. Perhaps Mr Nash is the more modest of the two, as ho certainly is the most stirring speaker of the three ; hut he talks less about self than his United opponent does and lie looks rather to the future than to the. past. If. lie should he successful next week lie will add very materially to the debating strength of the House and .will provide a shining example of candour and courtesy for such loquacious members of the House as Mr David Jones, from mid Canterbury, and Mr A. M. Samuel, from Thames. The popular opinion to-dav concerning the result of the contest is that Mr Nash with no larger vote than he had last year will head the poll, that Mr Kerr will be a good second with’ Mr Johnston close up. A REST. Though not altogether unfeared bv the intimate friends of the deceased, the news of Sir John Fimllav’s death in London came as a shock this morning to many people in Wellington, John for a number of years was at the very head of the legal profession in the Dominion, carrying on a very wide practice in all the higher Courts : hut amid all his activities he found time and made opportunities to assist in the political activities of the country. At very considerable loss to himself and with substantial gain to the community, he accepted the portfolios of Attorney-General and Colonial Secretan- in the Ward Ministry of 190611. He resigned his seat in the Council in 1911 to contest a seat in the House olf Representatives, and was defeated hv the intrusion of a third enndidate; but lie secured the Hawkes Bav seat in 1917 and held it until 1919 when he retired from active politics. His trip Home came too late for the rest lie needed.