THE ROUT OF LABOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18101, 27 May 1922, Page 9

THE ROUT OF LABOUR

LONDON GUARDIANS. AN OVERWHELMING VERDICT. [FROM OTTB OWN CORRESPONDENT.)!! . LONDON, April 8. Labour candidates have suffered an overwhelming defeat at the elections ' for / boards of guardians in the London Metropolitan area. Guardians' elections usually excite less interest than any others. The percentage of voters polled is apt to be very low and experienced watchers of the political weather attach little importance to the results. This year, however, the elections for the London guardians were more keenly fought. The various unemployed organisations (mostly under Communist leadership) between which the London area is mapped out, conducted a definite campaign la' iavour of high out-relief. Recent happenings in connection with the payment of out-relief and« the extremist policy carried out in such oentres as Poplar and Shoreditch, have caused a Suickening of interest, with the result lat in many of the unions the polling was described as heavy. The organisation that has been brought about by the National Union of Ratepayers' Association? has given the sober-minded people a power which they previously did not possess. The details of the Elections present some remarkable features. In a borough which includes such a strong Labour element as Paddington not a single Labour candidate was elected, although the 26 seats were contested. There wore 10 Labour members on the old hoard. The same has happened in Fulliam, in many respects a similar class of boroughHere the four Labour men already on the board lost their places and none of th«?jr comrades succeeded in securing election. At &tepnev a Labour representation on the old board of 14 has been reduced to three, . while at Woolwic'j. a majority ul 11 has been converted into a minority of three. The heaviest poll on record ..t Lewisham placed the whole of the _ 29 seats in the possession of the Municipal Reformers and Independents. It was, perhaps, only to be expected that in Poplar and Shoreditch, the two unions whose policy with regard to outrelief has been the subject of acute controversy and misgiving elsewhere, the Labour programme, would meet with popular favour. " In Poplar there are five more Labour members, and in Shoreditch six. And these are the only triumphs of the party, whoso second attempt this year to "sweep London", toward Socialism has met with disaster. According to the Dai.'y Chronicle, there is the danger in this victory that the new boards may enthrone a ratepayers' reaction, not. merely against extravagant administration of out-relief, but against the principle of out-relief itself. "This would," it is affirmed, "be a step* backward in social practice. Out-relief, properly directed, is the only humane and satisfactory way of dealing with a large proportion* of cases. When the late Mr. Will Crookes stood lor this principle on tho Poplar Guardians of 20 years ago lie ■was fighting a just battle. What, we regret most about the extravagances associated with the degenerate Poplar Board of these later days, is that they have tended to discredit and besmirch what in itself is a sound aJid valuable principle."