THE BY-ELECTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10085, 25 September 1918, Page 6

THE BY-ELECTION

MR ATMORE AT WILLIS STREET VIGOROUS CRITICISM OP GOVERNMENT. , Mr Harry Atmore (the Radical candidate for Wellington Central) addressed his first meeting at the Willis street School last night, Mr 11. A. W. Mackenzio (chairman of the school committee) presiding over a crowded attendance. Referring to the late member (Mr It. Fletcher, M.P.). Mr Atmore said that he had always found him to lie a cheery, optimistic, straight-going man. It said a great deal for Air TTotcner that, Beginning as a worker on the Wellington wharf, he had risen to bo chairman of the. B.arbour Board and had made the Wellington harbour second to non© in New Zealand. Be asked-all present to rise to their feet out ot respect to his widow, Mrs Fletcher. All rose to their feet accordingly. WINNING THE WAR.

Mr Atmore ridiculed tho idea that it was necessary to keep tho Aai lonai Cabinet in power for the sake of winning tho war. It was, ho declared, a piece of unparalleled stupidity for tne “Evening Post” to state that every vote given against the Massey Coalition Government was a vote for the Kaiser. Ho was sure that the people of Wellington Central wore tar too intelligent to be bludgeoned by such a stupid, idiotic statement into voting for a man they would not otherwise accept. The economic position was such, the cost of living was so high that the people ought to make an emphatic- protest against tho Government s inaction in the matter. Mr Luke, whose attitude on tho present tramway trouble showed how impossible it was for a man of a conservative turn of mind to understand tho true aims of .Labour, had been forced upon the people of Wellington North by the two Conservative papers—morning and evening—of Wellington. Ho stood for winning tho war, fighting it out to the end, though he thorougnly believed with General Sherman that war was “hell.” Germany for forty years had- been preparing the tools to burglarise Europe, and that sort of thing must be stopped for ever. (A'pplause.) Referring to the other candidates, Mr Atmore said that Mr Fraser seemed to think that only he himself and Mr Hildreth had a right to contest the seat. (Hear, hear.; But that was ahsurd. He (the speaker) held that the people of the electorate had a right to a full and free choice of their member, and that he had a right to submit himself for their suffrages. (Hear, hear.) Ho deprecated the introduction of sectarianism into the election, and hoped that the introduction of it would receive such a bad reception—not by breaking-up meetings but at the ballotbox—that it would never be repeated. (Hear, hear.) He thought, tool that every man who stood, at such a time should state clearly his position in reBard to the war. (Applause.) Dealing with his previous record, Mr Atmore claimed that throughout he had been a true friend to Labour.

A voice: Then why. oppose the Labour candidate? (Hoar, hear.) Mr Atmore criticised the formation of •the Coalition Ca.biinet and their impossible attitude in regard to the cost of living problem. The speaker had suggested to the Government at the beginning of the war a scheme that would have greatly reduced the cost of living. fis suggestion was that the Government should take over the freezing works and my up all (he butter, meat, and dairy produce required for the local market and retail it to the people. Under the I vsteni ' they could have had butter ’at |s 3d a lb and lamb at Aid to 5d a lb. ..rr Massey might not have agreed to such prices but that would have showed that he was not willing to allow his patriotism to over-ride the interests of his party—that of the great land monopolists. (Applause.) The opposition of the two conservative papers of Wellington to the demands of the tramway' men was, ho contended, an ill jdration of the fact that the same men who were against the tramway men were tho very' men most eager to continue tho present unholy alliance between Liberals and Conservatives. COST OP LIVING. In the abstract of statistics the Government statistician showed that in certain food groups the sovereign since 1914 had lost Os 5Jd of its purchasing power. On tho basis of an eight-hour day six days a week, which was a fair basis, the tramway men averaged a wage of £2 16s a week, but the real value, tho purchasing power of the wage to-day was, according to the Government statistician's figures, only £1 17s 6d. Yet the "Post" and the "Dominion" opposed tho demands of the tramway men for increased wages; and the "Dominion’s" shareholders in 1312 owned £3,250,000 of. land, capital value! Prom 1909 till 1911 the unimproved value of the land of Now Zealand increased by .£52,000,000, which ran out at .1100 every five minutes added to the value of the land; and the greater part of tho increased value was owned by men who only' numbered about 65,000! The workers had to pay 5 per cent: on these values, and that must reduce their wages. Yet in face of such figures the “Dominion" and the “Post” opposed the demands of the workers! But he declared that the City Council had no case at all in refusing the demand of the men for what at present prices would not Ire a real living wage if it wore granted by tho council. (Applause.) There were men in the Post Office, who had served five years and wore only getting £BO a year. On that £BO a year they had lost £25 16s 8d by tho increase in the cost of living, leaving a purchasing power of only £54 3s Id. Tho man getting £IOO a year had lost .£32 5s lOd in tho same way. leaving a value of only i!C7 Hs 2d. And the man getting .1200 a year had lost .€6l 11s Bd, leaving a purchasing-power of only 91135 8s Id. But, it would be said, the National Government had given public servants a war bonus. Yes they had given • the massed civil servants a bonus of .£ls a year, but that at tho present purchasingoowor of the sovereign was only .£lO 3s Ud. That was taking the Government Statistician’s estimate of the increased cost of living, based on the three food groups-, but. taking all necessaries, ho thought that tho increase was nearer 50 per cent., and the loss on tho sovereign was more like 10s than Cs sld on the £j. Vet when they protested against (ho .ihnmeless profiteering that led to that increased cost of living and denounced the National Government for not having done anything to keep it down, tho “Dominion” and the “Post," forsooth called out that every voto against the Government was a voto for the Kaiser, and tried to bludgeon them into keeping that Government in power. The attitude of the Government to tho miners when they asked for a living wage, the attitude of the Conservatives to the tramway men and. their moderate demands contrasted very strikingly with their allowing that huge increase of £5{J,000,000 in land value to go in five years, mainly into the pockets of the big land monopolists. A tax of 5 per cent, on that £52 000,000 would yield £2,600,000 o, year, and that could bo used to improve the position of our soldiers and their dependents and of the men in tho public service. TILE LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

Dealing with the liquor problem ; Mr Atmoro said that he was unhesitatingly

in favour of State control of the traffic; and for this reason, because it ■would delete the element of private profit, which was the greatest source of evil in connection with the trade. _ (Applause.) Towards the solution, all the great minds in the prohibition movement at Home were now coming, even including Lady Henry Somerset. Mr. Lloyd George eloquently advocated State purchase and State control as the remedy, and wherever public control had been tried, as in the munition districts, where the population was much greater than before the war, it had proved a great success. (Applause..) He maintained, therefore, that the public should have the right to vote cn that issue as well as on _ the issues of continuance and prohibition. ' GENERAL QUESTIONS.

Mr Atmore contended that it was absurd to say that it was necessary, to keep the National Government in power in order, to w'in the war. The Government only decided the policy', the actual work was all done by the permanent heads of departments. Ho believed as strongly as anv man in the necessity for winning the war. The coming into the wdr of the United States, which had for so long striven to keep out of it, had in itself demonstrated how very necessary it was, in the interests of right and freedom the world over, to smash the German warmachine. They' must smash it, because unless it was utterly smashed They could never have that League of Nations, which, he believed, would do more than anything else to put an end to war. (Applause.) But, now that the United States had come into the war, lie was inclined to say with Sir Thomas Mackenzie (High Commissioner, London) that New' Zealand should devote herself to raising produce for the Homeland and that the men should now come from America which was so much nearer at hand.

To provide ample land for soldiersettlers but not away in ,the backblocks, as Mr Massey advocated —he urged that they should have a stiff graduated land tax, up to as much as 20s in the £ on the annual value on the biggest estates. That was the onlyway to get land, not by buying up land and thus sending up the value of the land alongside which they would have to buy up later. A voice: “Why not socialise it?”

Replying to questions. Mr Atmore said that he did not belong to tho Labour party, in spits of his deep sympathy for Labour, because he believed that in New /waiand it wou-d be a long time before they would have a Labour Goyernment in power, and that in the meantime there would bo a great deal that could be done bv the Radicals. (Applause.) Dealing with tho contention that there was no difference between Liberal and U.nservative. the candidate pointed nut that when the Righ Hon. R. J. Se’duou earned tno Oiu Age Pensions 8.-i. such Conservatives ns -Mr Massey, Mr Worries, and Sir Walter Buchanan voted 83 times against the Bill—on the first, second, and third readings, and 80 times in committee. Mr Henries said that the £IBO,OOO that old-age pensions were estimated to cost in the first 'year had better bo spent, on bridges. Ho stated that lie had been right through the country and saw no need for old-age pensions. (Applause.)

Mt Atmore, replying to further questions, said that the tramwaymen and others were not getting a square deal, because men like the questioner could not agree to put the right men iI! to cet it for'them. And if the railways were not properlv managed, the re »on w-s tho same. (Applause.) By uniting with tho Radicals they should improve the worker’s lot .to-day, instead of by striving for too numb no"- nnstnone all improvement for 20 or 30 years. A vote of thanks to the candidate and to the chairman -1.-s VI the meeting.

THE LABOUR CAMPAGN

An open-air meeting in support of the candidature of the Labour nominee, Mr P. Fraser, was held at Aro street last night. There was a large audience of electors. Mr B. M. L. Keen, secretary of tlie Grocers’ Union, presided. I Mr Fraser said tliat aspersions bad been cast on the loyalty of the working class and their political organisation. When such charges were levelled against Labour tho credentials of those making them must be subjected to close scrutiny. In the present instance, while he deprecated the dragging ip of religion into the arena of political strife, he could not help exposing the hypocrisy of the narrow-minded taectarians who have presumed to judge the workers. Tho high priest of this particular faction was tne arch-traitor Sir Edward Carson, who had deliberately plotted against tho British Government in 1914. C&rson bad been supported br men like Captain Craig, who had stated quite dcJibcTallely, that he (would prefer the Kaiser and German rule to Home Rule under the British constitution and King. The Ctirsonites had armed and drilled with the express purpose of opposing tho will of the British neople as pronounced through -the Parliament of Great Britain. They had even stirred up the officers at the Curragh camp to •open mutiny. Mr H. Q. Wells had stated that Carsonism was worse than Kaiserism, but the faction to which the P.X'.A. belonged was quite willing to adopt and support both if it suited their narrow-minded policy. Tho ’ Labour party detested, and would o,ppose both Kaiserism and Carsonism with all the force and power at its command. Mr Fraser then devoted considerable time to the high cost of living, housing-, education, wheat, moat, coal, war profits. and other social matters. He said that the Labour party stood for the most perfect democracy in everv walk of life. Mr A. L. Monceith, secretary of the Storemen’s Union, also spoke in support of the Labour party’s platform. A voto of thanks and confidence in Mr Fraser was carried unanimously on a I show of hands. At Bhuzneo street last night an openair meeting was held in support of tho Labour candidate, Mr P. Fraser. Mr A. Hall presided over- a- large attendance.

The Hon. J. T. Paul was tho first ( pcaker, and said that as president ol tiro Now Zealand Labour Party, lie w!"i there to endorse the credentials of In official Labour candidate, Mr P. Fraser, who had proved by bis work in the Labour movement worthy of the support ol all those who believed in tho principles of the Labour party. Mr U. E’. Holland. M.P.. severely criticised the administration which jailed for six months an hor l-t woman who had given ventl to ,-frcr natural maternal instincts in sheltering her .oilspring. It was about time the people registered a protest at- the ballot box by placing ilr Fraser at the head of the poll. Tho candidate also spoke.

MR MACK’S CANDIDATURE

As instructed at a meeting held on Sunday last, Mr Pickup, secretary of tho Thorndon branch of tho Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, wired Mr Hampton, national president of tho A.S.RmS., asking him to summon tho members of the Dominion Executive together for the purpose of considering MiMack’s position in regard to the Wellington Central seat. .Yesterday Mr Pickup received the following reply from Mr Hampton-—" Respectfully decline to interfere.” So far as further action is concerned nothing has yet been decided upon, but judging by the condemnatory remarks made by members, it is sfofo to assume that matters will not be allowed to remain as they are. Drastic steps are being advocated by some members, even to the extent of resigning from the society in a body as a protest against Mr Mack’s and Mr Hampton’s attitude. Another factor that is certain to.intrude is tho Roman Catholic .element in the society, and already members of that

persuasion arp broadly hinting that a national secretary- who is connected with the Protestant Political Association, a body which is avowedly not friendly cisposed towards Homan Catholicism, p.xki consequently to themselves individually, cannot expect their confidence and support. The signs and portents indicate that in this connection trouble is looming ahead, and that a pretty sectarian squabble may be the result. Prom present appearances there is not room available for both Hr Mack and member of the denomination mentioned m the A.S.R.S., and unless something unforseon happens a serious drop in tho membership is certain. The Upper Hutt branch of the society has followed the example of tho V\ ellington Tliorndon, and other uranche,. by passing a resolution condemning Hr Mack's action. FURTHER PROTESTS PROM RAILWAY MEN. Press Association. WOODVXLLE, September 24. The Woodville branch of tho Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants passed a motion deploring the action of tue general secretary in contesting the Wellington .Central seat, as not in the best interests of Labour, and requesting tho executive to ask him to resign the secretaryship: as he cannot possibly do justice to tho society and at tho same time engage in politics. The following resolution was carried at a meeting of tho Rangataua branch of tho Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants:—“That this branch strongly protest against tho action of Mr JL .). Mack general secretary of tho A.b.K.0., in contesting tho Wellington Central seat at the forthcoming by-election against Mr P. Fraser, tho selected official Labour candidate.’* ; ■u a meeting of the Wellington Branch of tho Ehgiue-Drivers’, Firemen, am: Cleaners Association a resolution was passed deprecating the action of an Independant Labour candidate contesting the Wellington Central seat in opposition to tho Labour Representation Committee’s elected candidate. GOVERNMENT CANDIDATE The Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald a,n<. Sir James Alien yesterday issued tno following signed statement:— When tho National Government was formed an honourable understanding was arrived at to the effect that, if during its term of office a member belonging to either party died or for any reason retired from Parliamciu:, the leader of the party to which such member belonged should approve a candidate for the hy-clcction thug rendered

necessary, and such nomination would be supported by tho leader of the otacr side of politics. Under .this arrangement Mr W : Hildreth has been recommended for the coming by-election in Wellington Central as a supporter of the National Government. The recommendation is approved, and, in compliance with the understanding referred to, we strongly recommend him for 'the support of the electors of Wellington' Central. An open-air meeting will be held it the Post Office Square to-day at midday, when the Hou. J. T. Paul will speak in support of tins Labour candidate, Mr P. Fraser. Mr C. W. Tanner will speak in the Willis street School' this evening. Mr Garmsoii, the soldier candidate, will address the electors in the’’Scottish Society’s hall, Tory street, to-morrow night. He announces his platform by advertisement elsewhere in this issue and promises to explain it plank by plank in his first speech.