THE CHRISTCHURCH ELECTION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12533, 21 June 1901, Page 3

THE CHRISTCHURCH ELECTION.

TO THE EDITOR. •Sir, —In reply to your leader of Tuesday, with reference to candidates, we wish, to point out to you the workers' position in the by-election. You say " that so far we are promised three Liberal candidates," and immediately go on to state"that one of the candidates has mot defined his political; faith," and the other i one mentioned has not yet intimated his j intention of contesting the seat. You j further go on to say, "Is it that neither of the other Liberals in the field represent ! the views of the workers?" Now we,' like yourself, have not discovered the "political faith" of the only candidate in the-' field up to the present, and, consequently, we could not, under the circumstances, be expected to accept this candidate as a representative of the workers for Parliamentary honours, more especially as you yourself do not know his views. It is very evident, from the tone of your leader, that the workers cannot expect anything from your alleged Liberal paper, and, further, wc ascribe our defeat at the last general election to yoxir articles which were published a few days prior to the ballot of the electors, which we had no time to reply to, and in which you state that Mr C. Taylor, the Labour candidate, could not expect to be returned, practically informing the electors not to vote for the Labour candidate. The re-, suit of that election showed how far you were able to gauge the lt public mind, the Labour representative polling 5212 votes, despite your efforts to kill his chance. Now you coolly. ask what objection we have to the other candidate, who has not avowed his faith; and now you virtuaLy want us to stand down, and for what? One who, in the very nature of things, cannot be expected to know the wants of the workers a* would a representative from the Labour Party. . _ ' . You say you are raising no objection to the special 'representation of the labour interests, but it is desirable to have the position clearly explained. Now, the whole of the probable candidates will be "special representatives,'' sell- .11 the Government interests, seme spec-i'ly independent, some specially Conservative, and some .specially for themselves. Yet you desire the Labour Party, who represent the majority 'of' electors, to define their position clearly, which is an inference that the workers aro not entitled to select a labour candidate for the forthcoming by-election. We agree with that portion of your article that there should be some, method for the majority ruling, but we submit that we are not responsible for the whole of the Liberal candidature which vou allege is going to contest the election, and while we are will.ng to give our reasons we should recommend yiu to ask the "party" who are running the other candidate, 'whose political opinions are an unknown quantity, to give their reasons likewise. We submit the following as being some of the reasons which have actuated this Council in bringing forward a candidate: (1.) The workers are admittedly the primary wealth-producers, and, therefore, are entitled in obtaining a fair distribution of that wdalt'h ; also, the conditions under which that wealth may be produced; (2) Paying, as the workers do, the great bulk of "the taxation of the country, we claim a voice in the manner and method of raising and expending such taxation ;. ,(3) In framing legislation in the interest of the working community, we claim it is essential that persons from their ranks should be in the House to advise and assist the Legislature in that direction, the great fundamental principle of democratic government being that of the government of the people, by the people, for the people. Claiming, as we do, to be the representatives of the most important section of the people of this country, we claim the assistance and support of all true democrats in our efforts to secure the return of Mr Charles Taylor, the twice-chosen representative of that section.—-I am, etc., THOS. WOODS, Secretary. On behalf of the Canterbury Trades' and Labour Council.