LANCINGS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19. 1918. WELLINGTON CENTRAL. The Loyalist Elector's Duty.

Free Lance, Volume XVIII, Issue 949, 19 September 1918, Page 8

LANCINGS

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19. 1918. WELLINGTON CENTRAL. The Loyalist Elector's Duty.

Here ehal the Press the People's right maintain Unawed by principle and unbnbed. by gain, Herepatriot Truth her glorious precepts drav> Pledged to Religion, Liberty,and Law

THE electors of Wellington Central "have a duty east upon them, the importance of which we trust they will fully realise. That duty is to send to Parliament a- gentleman pledged to support the National Government for ■ the remainder of the war period, 3egardless of . all party; preferences and prejudices. Thet National Government has been in some directions a disappointment, hut the sum of its . good oualities is after all vastly superior to that of its faults and mistakes. It is more than ever important at the present juncture,. when the enemy if. by his hypocritical pesuce proposals, endeavouring to stir up political strife amidst the Allied nations—a project openly admitted the other day by a leading German statesman—mat the mischievous pacifist element should not be given an opportunity of embarrassing the Government. v

The electors have to choose between a number of candidates, some or them well meaning, respectable .citizens as to whose loyalty no suspicion can arise. If however* all the various candidates who are prepared to give a general support to the Government go to the poll, there will be a grave danger 7 of the Bolshevik candidate, the representative of the Revolutionary Socialists, slipping in. This would be little short of disaster for the cause or patriotism, loyalty, and good government, for a Bolshevik victory would be interpreted by outsiders, who do not know the local : political conditions, as a sign that New Zealand popular sentiment favours a peace at any price. Which it certainly does not.

A candidate has-been chosen by the Acting-head of the Liberal Party m accordance with the political truce and party compact which brought the JN actional Government into existence, and it is the duty of all loyalists—Liberal or Reformers—to support this gentleman. Mr. W. T. Hildreth is a wellknown, highly-respected citizen, who has filled more than one public position and has done useful service for the community. If tbe Liberals, tn© Reformers, and the Labour loyalists give him a whole-souled support he is certain of victory. . Such support he ought to receive on the polling day.