THE PEOPLE'S COLUMN.

Northern Advocate, 22 August 1924, Page 4

THE PEOPLE'S COLUMN.

[Our columns are quite open to the' public for the discussion of matters of public concern. We invite cor- ) respondence, but do not identify ourselves with the views expressed ■'.. by our correspondents.—Ed.]

A COUNCILLOR'S VOTE

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Regarding the vote recorded by me at the Borough Council against the application of the local Labour Party to have a notice board on the post at the corner of Bank Street "and Cameron j Street, your correspondent has not addressed his inquiry to me, but, with " your permission, I welcome the opportunity to state my reasons again. In J itself it is, of course, a small matter, biit it is hard to say where it would end if the Council allowed private individuals or societies to use public properties of any kind for such purposes-. There is no religious body for which I V \ entertain a greater respect than the Salvation Army, but I stated exactly the same objection to their having a notice board there. The Labour Party should be consistent with its own aims, which include rrs far as possible the elir mination of unfair "inequalities and monopolies. Why shpuld the Labour Party have this concession any more than any other organisation? ■ The use of a publicly owned position to advertise the Labour Party would be as objectionable to some people • as a similar- use of .public property to advertise Mr Massey's party would be objectionable to me. Because I happen I to believe that the broad and central principles of the Labour platform offer the best solution for the world's un- • rest, that is anywhere visible above the political horizon to-day, is no reason at all why I should support an ap- «, plication from that party which I,* would not support from any other party. —I am, etc., A. T. BRAINSBY. LABOUR'S REQUEST. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Your sub-leader on the above rather disposes of your contention that Labour does not eommand a great - deal of sympathy, and it appears Labour is feared in some quarters, else why such a ehindy about a modest request. Labour says their members must be representatives. A representative is someone who represents the people and who takes his instructions from the people he represents. If he takes no instructions from" those whom he claims to represent he is not a representative. He is simply going there :is a dictator on his own terms, and that is an unthinkable position. As for the insinuation that Labour mem- \ \ feers are not men of capacity and their imotto "my party right or wrong ,, you f have confused Labour with Reform. Such a contention cannot be upheld in face of the ability displayed by Labourites in all parts of the world. An example is the manner in which Ramsay Mac Donald has brought peace to Europe. Mr Brainsby's chief objection to the notice board being hung appeared to be that the Liberal and Reform Parties might want to hang one also if Labour's request was granted. Rather a good idea if they did. It might help some people to • understand that the conditions under which they and their families exist are governed by the politics of the party • . in power, and then we would soon get a Government representative of the people, and not dictators.—l am, etc., JOHN M. STEEDMAN. \ Hatea Street, August 21, 1921. - f