WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIII, Issue 276, 24 November 1919, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

LABOR'S MISTAKE. NOT PLAYING THE GAME,

(Special Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, Nov. 21. y "Bad advocates of a good policy" was the laconic reply of a, fanner pillar of the Labor Party when he was asked this morning for his opinion of the men who had succeeded him and his colleagues in the leadership of t|he workers' forces. "'We had hoped for the absorption of all the progressive elements into our own party," he went on to say, "but not by the metthods now being employed by the so-called Social Democrats." The immediate cause of his lament was the discreditable demonstration madle by tihe followers of Ma- H-. E. Holland an Mi- rt. Semple, presumably at the instigation of their chiefs, at Mr J. P. Lukes meeting in Wellington North. "It is no* playing the game," this veteran insisted, both in sorrow and in anger, "to howl down your opponents, and it is not helping the cause of Labor. It is bad tactics every time, and can only estrange electors that ought to be won to the side of progress/ No fairminded, person watching the course ot events in Wellington will be likely to quarrel with this judgment THE LEADERS' RESPONSIBILITY. The loadea-s of the official La-boa* Partjy have not disclaimed responsibility for the regrettablei behavior of their followers, and, speaking in \veilington North on Tuesday evening, Mr Peter Fraser practically gave it the stamp of his approval. There were scarcely' 30 people at his: own meeting, which, like all other meetings of the Labor candidates, was allowed to pass off without the slightest interruption arid in explaining the sparseness of the attendance the candidate asid. that moat of his friends were at Mr Pirani's meeting "putting a few questions to the Liberal candidate." He would have liked to be there himself, but it would not have, been considered good form for him to J aye. joined tn 'the heckling. This is the pass to which the Social Democrats have brought electioneering in the Capital City, under the very shadow of Parliament House, and iti is little wonder they have lost ; ground in the estimation of many people who'at one time were disposed to look kindly upon their policy.

TH.I 3 OTHER PARTIES. The general opinion here is that the Reform arid Liberal parties will be so closely balanced in the new Parliament that the tip of the scale will depend upon the votes of the Labor members. But the Labor members are not; at all likely to be a united party;-'indeed, Mr Veitch and Mr Smith have definitely declined to associate themcelves with, the Social Democrats, arid it is highly improbable that th© extremists will obtain any accession of strength atl the polls. The popular prediction is that the best they can reasonably expect is to remain a party of five, with Mr McOombs and'Mr Walker exercising so much independence as U> be unreliable in any attempt to fore© the hands of either-of the old parties. It is accepted as certain, however, thati three, or four additional Independent Labor candidates will make ther way into the House, and that witih these will rest largely the responsibility of determining the fat© of leaders.

]>ATE OF ELECTION. When it was rumored that the election would bo held in the third wee's of Booember Mr Massey was deluged with telegrams from various sources protesting against the polling taking place so near the Christmas holidays and seriously disturbing the course of seasonable business. No doubt the Prime Minister gave fu,ll consideration to the representations that were made to him, bnti asia matter of fact December 17 was the earliest possible date by which the necessary arrangements could bo completed!. It was not a question of giving an advantage to this side or that, but a question of what the Electoral Department could do, and- it was plain that the Department could, not be ready before the date decided upon. This explanation is due to Mr Massey, though, it still remains to be discovered 'why, with ample notuce of what was required, the preparations qould not have been put m hand earlier.