THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1908. THE GREATER AUCKLAND ELECTORATES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13905, 12 November 1908, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1908. THE GREATER AUCKLAND ELECTORATES.

Although Auckland City contain only three electorates, tile residents of Greater Auckland—including the North Shore and Onehungawholly or largely control no less than eight. These are the three city seats, with Parnell,Grey Lynn,AVaiteraata, Eden, and Manukau. The last three are altogether likely to go against the Government, Eden and Manukau because Messrs, Bollard and Lang have made all attempts to unseat them quite hopeless by their splendid services to their constituents, both suburban and agricultural; Waitemata because Mi'. Phillippß has the confidence * of the solid majority which stood i behind Mr. Alison. The opponents of Messrs. Bollard and Lang can hardly be taken seriously, for these respected colonists have shown that ' the true interests of town and country are identical and that genuinely progressive measures for the good of the crowded city in no way antagonise the just and sympathetic treatment of the country. Though Mr. Phillipps is untried as a legislator, he is not only a prominent ofliciill of the Farmers' Union, but is thoroughly acquainted with suburban conditions, and has shown himself in the campaign to be entirely in accord with the spirit of the j limes. ' He is a safe man for Waite-

mata to send to Wellington in place of Mr. Alison, whose retirement owing to ill-health is a public loss. Mr. Napier, his most .prominent opponent, can hardly expect to attain political preferment at the hands of Waitemata electors, for he would simply add another Parliamentary vote to the automatic majority of the Administration. In the city contests, Mr. Baume is easily the most deserving candidate. He has had many difficulties to con-, tend with and considerable prejudice to overcome. He has been watched more closely than any other city member, and, as tar as we are aware, has never once broken a pledge or abandoned his professed principles, j He has stood loyally by Auckland and J its legitimate interests when memj bers of,whom much more was expected j have betrayed Auckland and its inj terests. Although a supporter of the Government', he lias fearlessly defended our constitutional liberties when the Government attacked the in and when so-called " Liberals" strove to gag the electors and to abolish the right of public meeting. Apart altogether .from party, it is the duty of Ancklanders to condemn those who have played them false, and they should regard it as a privilege to reward any who have served them well. In Mr. William Richardson Mr. Baume has a vigorous and doughty antagonist, but if the j electors of Auckland East have good memories and a sense of political justice they will send Mr. Baumc } back to Wellington by an encouragI ing and appreciative majority. In Auckland Central, unfortunately, we cannot say as much for the old member. Mr. Kidd's neglect, of our local interests and his indifference upon pressing questions of national importance have estranged many supporters and greatly injured his political prospects. If he should lose a seat which might easily have been a secure one, against an opponent who would under other circumstances have hardly ventured to contest it, the blame is upon his own shoulders and his shoulders alone. To Mr. Kidd, everything the Government has done lias been right, even when it attempted to gag the public, when it set out to destroy our Island trade, and whenever it ignored the public welfare and our legitimate i local interests. Mr. Poole has been ;no better. Three years ago lie car-. i lied Auckland West as an " Indci pendent" candidate, against the. AcI credited champion of the local " Liberal and Labour Federation." Instead of being "independent" he has been a mild and submissive partisan, whoso vote can be relied upon by the party Whip, particularly against the freehold, and who justifies the " gag" as though the right of public meeting and the freedom of the press were vicious and reactionary principles. Mr. Poole has been so unassertive of the interests of Auckland that Sir Joseph Ward is quite satisfied with him; but it remains to be seen whether this is sufficient to satisfy the electors of Auckland West. In Parnell, the issue appears to be somewhat doubtful, although Mr. La wry. has many friends and is greatly helped by loyal and kindly memories. He 1?>. of course, a Government vote, pure and simple, whom ho one would accuse of independent action. Parliamentary institutions being what they are, and the Legislative Council—which ought to be reformed what it i l ', the i place cri Mr. Lawry is unmistakably in the present Upper House, where ho could support the Government automatically without thus depriving constituents of a voice in. the affairs of the country. • Should Mr. Moss carry tho seat, the Government can hardly do less than reward Mr. Lawry for long and' faithful party service by presenting him with a place in the Legislative Council, and we would suggest this solution to the many electors of Parnell who are somowhat bewildered by the necessity for making , a choico between personal and political inclinations. Happily in Grey Lynn there is no such ' bewilderment.. Mr. Fowlds is very well able to take care of himself, and exceedingly unable to take care of Auckland. His attitude upon the giving of £7000 yearly to subsidise the Island Trade of Welling- ! ton against the Island Trade of Auckland, which receives the paltry subsidy of £1200 yearly, is an illustration of his indifference to local requirements as is his abortive attempt to prove by erroneous figures that our railway claims have been fully met since he became an Auckland representative. He justifies the attempted gagging of the public. Ho champions the single tax scheme by which property would be confiscated and the leasehold scheme for reducing agriculturists to the status of tenantry. After insisting that underpaid teachers were not entitled to immediate increase of salary to the statutory minimum, he is a party as Cabinet Minister to the official granting of what wo have steadfastly Urged to be a legitimate claim, but which he obviously only admits for electioneering reasons. A few days ago, according to Mr. Fowlds, there was no doubt whatever that the teachers had no rightful claim to an immediate minimum, and those who supported them , were misrepresenting the position; now they are to have the " benefit of the, dcubt" by the favour of the Cabinetand the Grey Lynn election is next Tuesday. Mr. Fowlds, as a Minister, ought to be foremost in doing his duty to the North and to Auckland, whereas, on the contrary, he chooses to belittle our claims and to strengthen the un- j 1 *

fair disposition of' the Government, If this suits, the electors of Grey Lynn there is no more to be liaid, but, becatise we all esteem Mr. Fowlds' many admirable personal qualities is surely no reason why he should be'' sent back to Parliament when ho is unsatisfactory as .a member and iquite disinclined to insist upon our local claims in a Ministry where,his Southern colleagues 'take advantage of us with his consent and approval. Opposing Mr. Fowlds is a thoroughly representative Aucklander, who has given every proof of possessing the qualities Auckland and the Dominion so sorely need. As head of the Mount Eden local authority, Mr. Nicholson displayed a courageous determination on behalf of what ho considered the claims of his constituents in tramway matters. Which augur well for his conduct ii j Grey Lynn sends him to Wellington, j Various ridiculous and partisan attacks have been made upon him, but; only fanatical persons will be foolish enough to assume that his candidature is not in the public interest. Ho j is a man who has filled with credit a number of responsible positions, and his election would unmistakably raise tho standard of Auckland representation. He does not oppose the Government, but stands as an Independent Liberal—a term which his ( record fully justifies. The country needs such men as he> ■ '