WELLINGTON CENTRAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10085, 26 September 1918, Page 6

WELLINGTON CENTRAL

MR C.W. TANNER SPEAKS FUN AT THE WILLIS STREET SCHOOL. AN UPROARIOUS MEETING. Altough in no way a hostile meeting, there were many interjections-tind interruptions during Mr C. W. Tanner's opening address in the Willis street schoolroom last night.. Laughter rang loud and long throughout the meeting, and those present appeared to thoroughly on joy themselves. Mr Tanner stands as a National Democrat in the present contest. « Mr Tanner opened the meeting by inviting Mr H. A. W. McKenzie to take the chair. Mr McKenzie replied that he would prefer not to, but rather than see the chair remain vacant he would accept the invitation. Air Tanner said that to many electors it might appear that ho had no chance in the present contest. For many years past Wellington Central had not had a representative who resided in the electorate, and it was very desirable that such representative should live in the centre- of the city. He might not be the best oandidate but the fact remained that ho lived in the- electorate. (Lauß'hter and applause.l The candidate said he opposed, the Government, but after listening to all the criticisms of the other candidates there did not appear to be much left to say. He would endeavour, however, to show further weaknesses of the Government It was certain that the National Government had done some good, but this fact did not entitle it to hang on to office as long as it chose. Ihe trouble with the National Government was too much blind obedience. The leader had only to crack the whip and everyone did as ho was told. More in'dependence was wanted in Parliament. The National Government had been criticised by its own paper, and if this were so should it continue in office any longer? Tho Government, however, ituck to office and said: Do not criticise us because if you do wo will • lose the war. (Laughter.) The amalgamation of the two parties in the House had been * est unfortunate. The Liberal lamb had lain down with the , Conservative wolf, and ■ shortly the noli had PuL'ii the larno. (Laugliter, mid a chorus of interjections.) TURNED DOWN BY LABOUR. Mr Tanner went on to say that he was a supporter of Labour principles. (Loud applause.) If the officials of the Labour oarty would not have anything to do with him- what was he to do? (Cries ot: Get out of it.) When the present elecUon was first talked about he had written to the Labour officials with object of Lining - tho Labour party. Tho replj he reived was lhat he would he wart ng his: time if he went any further w th Ihe matter? (Laughter.) The trouble was that the officials of the Labour party -were too selfish. Loud cries of dissent. A voice: Oh, you are an amusing c«ss Here followed a running ment, and the chairman had to appeal for order. A MODERATE MAN. Mr Tanner reminded his hearers that if thev would give him a fair hearing thoy cWd- make an Aunt Sally of him later. (Laughter.) .-- . Here Mr Tanner attempted to relate an experience of his which ho -.id showed that he was a moderate man w regard to liquor. There was so much interjection and resultant laughter Unt the experience was hard to follow. Mr .'i'annor continued that there was too' much wild talk about the liquor question. He was a moderate man in regard to liquor. In any liquor poll <le mocracy must havo a substantiol ma'°As y to the. religionthe Bpeakef-A voice: Oh .cut that cut. Leave that to Howard Elliott and Mr Mack. Bo a gentleman Mr Tanner continued that ho wus a Protestant, and beyond the fact that he had entered a Catholic Church on two cr three occasions he had remained and would always remain a strict Protestant. A voice: Oh, you are a Bush Baptist. (Laughter.) TREATMENT OF RETURNED SOLDIERS. Mr Tanner said that ho would pledge his honour to sco that returned soldiers and their dependents were given a square deal by the Government. The present idea of tho Government was to give some of tho soldiers a block of land and place them on it. and leave them to battle ior themselves. Moro co-operation was wanted in dealing with returned soldiers. By arranging co-operativo societies the Government would see that the men were properly equipped for whatever work they took up. This was a time when the people should show their loyalty a little moro publicly than in peace time. More interjections and laughter brought forth anothor appeal from. tto chair to give the speaker a fair hearing. KING EDWARD AND THE KAISERS TROUSBRS. Mr Tanner proceeded to relate how he bad met King Edward and had seen the Kaiser The recital continued anything but smoothly, and was liberally mteiapersed with humorous interjections. The Kaiser was described by the speaker as an enormous mass of monstrosities compressed into a very small body 'lke Kaiser's helmet, etc., were minutely ue""a. voice: What about his trousers? (Laughter.) ' . , Mr Tanner: If anyone had seen _the look of hatred in tho faces of the Germans when I was there- you wouW J A°voico: You would havo kissed thorn tLaughter.) , , .. . , „„„ Mr Tanner: No. I do not think anyone would havo kissed them, but would havo done to thorn what Mr Mawey did to the people Hero . Mr Tanner put his hand up to' his nose amidst groat enthusiasm. Mr Tanner put down the recent influenza epidemic on one of the trail* ports to Gorman methods. Ihis and other atrocities «f the Germans emphasised tho necessity of keepiDß tl>e Huns out of our midst. AN OLD ROOSTER. Returning to politics the candidate said tho old Liberal Party was dead. Now was the time to form another par ity. the National Democrats Party. Young New Zealanders should comeand form a nice, clean, healthy, patriotio party. - • , . , A voice: Remoraber you're no chicken(Laughter.) , , „ f\ 1 h„ speaker appealed to young New i Zealanders to unite together and form ia now IJpioocratic Party whieh he would 1 organise. They would teach Ihe <>jd ! roosters what they were doing. (Laughter.! lie was an old rooster—(Uproar)— but his spurs were not clipped yet. (Further uproar.) MR TANNER TIIOWS OUT A CHALj> LEINGE. Hero there were renowed interruptions, and tho candidate challenged a persistnt intorruptor to a swimming race. (Loud laughter.) Or to a cycle race(Moro laughter.) Or to a game of bowls. (Uproar.) "Now." concluded the speaker amidßt muck laughter. '-'I huvo placed my

platform before you and will conclude.' (Loud laughter.) POLITICS OR ANECDOTES? I A member of tho audience inquired at what stage of the campaign Sir Tanner proposed to outline his platform. Mr Tanner said he had done so at a wharf meeting, and that Mr Holland was an honourable man but that ie did not like tho faces of some of Mr Holland's subordinates. (Laughter and loud applause.) 'Tho same speaker said he would repeat his question. It was usual in a campaign for a candidate to state yhis platform before the electors. He did not think it right that Mr Tanner should come forward and treat the electors with levity. Instead of polities, those present had listened to anecdotes.: Mr Tanner: I came out as a candidate, I tell you, when 1 came out at tho wharf (Laughter.) In answer to further questions the candidate said he was not in favour of the campaign of the Rev. Howard Elliott. He was in favour of a. national system of compulsory education and would oppose anything that mijjht do away with s»cb a system. A PINAL. CHALLENGE. A numbor of other questions of an irrelevant and irreverent nature were put to the candidate. Finally a member of the audience moved a voto of thanks to Mr Tanner for his address. "Although we havo heard nothing of politics I think wo have had a most interesting evening," concluded the mover amidst laughter. The chairman: "Then it is moved that a hearty vote of thanks be passed to the candidate for his instructive lecture" (Loud laughter.) The motion was carried amidst 'great enthusiasm. A voice: "And might I ask when is yaur next address to be given Mr Tanner." (Laughter.), Mr Tanner: "'Well, there is a difficulty about securing halls " •■ A voice: "Why not speak from one of the hulks." (Laughter.) The meeting concluded with Mr Tanner challenging the interrupter to swim him to one of the hulks. INDEPENDENT LABOUR CANDIDATE GETS A BETTER, HEARING. Mr M. J. Mack (the Independent Labour candidate) addressed a crowded meeting at St. Peter's School on Tuesday night, receiving a much better hearing than on the previous evening. Air J. H. Watt presided. Tha singing of' tho National Anthem at the opening, of the. meeting was tne occasion of a disloyal demonstration by a small section of , the audience. Mr Mack said ho had no apologies to offer to anybody for his candidature. Ho was a loyalist, and he stood to give the workers an opportunity to show that the majority of them were not led away by the extreme section. (Applause.) Replying to an interjection about the railwaymen, he stated that they were not disloyal to the Government;. They stood, and he stood, for the winning of the war; and their action in that matter had not been satisfactory to certain sections who wanted the vailwaymen to make common cause with them against tho interests of the country. (Applause.) Labour had yet to learn that it must bring down a policy to ensure tho sympathy of the working farmers as well of tho city workers, for the production of tho country must bo maintained. (Applause.)

As to proportional representation, which he strongly .advocated, h«. denied that tho present Labour Party in Now Zealand had been pioneers in the movement. Years ago thero was a Proportional Representation Society in Wellington, but its membership did not include a single Labour representative. Tie happened to-know, because he wa/ secretary to the society. (Applause.) Education, ho held, was starved to a ridiculous extent in this country. The younger. <.bildren wore riot under the control of ior-> tificated teachers —(Question !)—and sufficient pay should be ottered to induce the right type.of men and .women rnd plenty of them to enter the profession (Applause.) SOLDIER, SETTLEMENT. t Dealing with the land question he declared that- the increased land values, of tho country were created by the com munityas a whole and' not by the landowners. If, ho contended, the increase (.£38,000,000) in four years, 1913-16.: vas taxed five per cent, tho revenue would bo sufficient to settle every returned i-q.l- - on tho land. (Applause.) The laws were supposed to prevent aggregation of land, but it was still going; on. In l!08 there* were 3816 persons who owned JOOO to 5000 acres each; in 1917 the number of persons in this group was'ss33. Otbei figures were—Ownors of 5000 to 10,000 acres, 430 persons iii 11108 and iiGl in 1017; 10,000 to 20,000 acres. 240 owner* in 1003 and 288 iri 1917; 20,000 to »),000 acres, IMJ owners in 1908 and .172 in 1017. The Hon. D. H. Guthrie (Minister for Laridsi had recently admitted that legislation, intended to prevent aggregation, had r.ot had this eSect, and that further legislation was urgently necessary. (Applause.) INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES AND COST OF LIVING.

With reference to industrial disputes ho advocated the appointment of an Industrial Disputes- Investigation Committee, comprising representatives of employers,, employees, and the general public r i'ho present, methods of arbitration oxemded the great third party—the general public. Such a committee should consider ways and means of ensuring fair conditions for workers and the public. Thus the cost of living could be kept down. He knew something, about this cost, for ho had reared nine children —most of them on 9s a day. At the beginning of", the Var he had advocated national service for the carrying on of industries in New Zealand, and had urged that the profits should be used to meet tho cost of the war.

As to the tramway dispute, ho regarded tho claim of is 4d an hour as extremely moderate, and he did not understand Avliy tlij council would not agree to pty this rate. Tho council was cloudinu tho issue by bringing overtimo into the matter. If mon woro allowed to work ten, or twelve, or .ourteen hours a day on the tramways, there was a danger of accident. There was also tho system of. intermittent service, by w,hich a man's work might be spread over sixteen nr seventeen hours. Every man should Vav'e a fair share of home-life. (Applause.) : He declared that ho would do all in his power to wipe out the liquor traffic. Any Labour man who~ ranged himself «n the side of liquor had no right to be on the sido of Labour. He wag against State control, because liquor was p.. destroying agent. For one medical man who might 6tand for liquor, there wero ninety-nine against it. QUESTION TIME.

_ In reply to questions, Mr Mack said that no union as a union had asked him to stand; he had not said so. WJiat Uo had said wafi that a number of workers (belonging to unions) had asked.hira. That was absolutely correct, and bo. would prove'it. Those wbo signed his nomination paper were "firemen and stokers, and storemen, and such like. ' Ho did not submit his name to the ballot for the selection of a Labour candidate for Wellington Central because thp organisation to which h« belonged was not affiliated to the Labour ■Representation Committee. The constitution . of the committee provided that no person could be eligible for endorsement as a, candidate who had not been a member of an affiliated body for six months prior to the date of nomination. He was not responsible for any pamphlet issued by the Protestant Political Association. He had issued only ,one pamphlet—a statement »1 Ms platform, (

• When ho worked on the ' .Onebanm 'wharf in 1880 he was on the side of the Strikers. Later in the year, when ho 1 wis in the railway seWice, he gave half a day's pay per week to help to keep the men on strike. (Applause.) . ■lie would not withdraw from the contest if »U branches ot the A.S.lt.B*. passed motUs against his candidature.. One of the digest branebe* had negatived the resolutions adopted by others. He would not favour thehandmg over of the tramways to the tramway men, for co-oporative running,; because tney'lid not know enough about all departments of the business to assure success. The chairman declared earned a motion that Mr Mack was a fit and proper person to represent the oonstitueXTho singing of the National Anthem at the close of the meeting was agam the occasion for disloyal demonstrations. BAILWAYSMEN'S RESOLUTIONS. Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH. September 2.5. A combined meeting of the Canterbury, Lyttelton, Rangiora, -and Adoington branches of the Amalgamated Society ot of .Railway Servants passed the. following resolution:—That this meeting en. tirely disassociate;} itself from the action of ti»o ■■general secretary (Mr M. .1. Mack) in his action in entering the political contest as an Independent Labour candidate for Wellington Control; that wo believe his action to be inimical to the best interests of labour, and pledge our moral and financial support to the official Labour nominee, Mr Fraser. TAIHAPE, September .25. The Taihape branch of the A.S.R.S. passed the following resolution :—1 hat as the candidature of Sir Mack, genera secretary of,the Amalgamated Society ot Railway Servants, in the Wellington Central by-election will operate to split the Labour vofco and thereby prevent the return of a Labour representative and this being directly opposed to the interests of tho Labour party the members of the Taihapo branch call upon Mr Mack to withdraw or immediately resign Imposition as general secretary of the society. N.APtjji?. Santera r«>r 25. A tueetintr nf fTast'iisfs rai'waymen unnuinmuslw decided to i'ovV mM:he to'.lowing resolution to the A '?.'' S ■ -T.'i ■■ ' Mio Hastings numbers of the Amalgamated P-ioietv of PM'.wnv S"-rv-int- \rr-w ■•'■ill'. dtsirust the nMitnde of Mr M. -T. MacK in his vote-splitting tectie-s in »temKn: for tho Wellington . Central 'oat nsrainsl' the selected Labour candidate (Mr.. TV Frsiser) and we consider the A.S.R.S executive should tekn sten? to terminate his term as general secretary of the society. At the general monthly meeting of the Waimikurau branch of the A.S.R.S. held on Tuesday evening the folio-wins' m-~-tion'ivas unanimously passed in favour of Mr Mack, tho general secretary of the •ociety.:—lt is the unoiynious wish of

the Woipukurau branch -that you succeed in the election, campaign! for the Wellington Central seat. The bmnch protests against the treatment,meted out U' you by irresponsibles. ,'v\ .■ MR FRASER'S GAMPAIGN At the Trades Hall. Vivian street, ye»» terday afternoon the labour candidate, Mr P. Fraser, addressed~&-crowded meeting for women Mrs J. Aitken presided. The speaker dealt with the cost of living, comparing pre-war food budpets with those of to-day, which showed I'eniarkablo increases. He also referred to the housing problem, which was causing great concern to the workers of this city. A vote of confidence in the Labour candidate was passed unanimously. Mr T. B. Bloodworth, secretary of the Auckland Carpents' and Joiners' Union, has telegraphed to the secretary of the Wellington 'JUR.C. as follows:—Auckland Carpenters' Union wish success to Labour's official candidate, P. Fraser, in election and regret that attempt, should bo made to divide Labour vote by unofficial Labour candidate. The Labour candidate, Mr P. Fraser, will hold two meetings to-night—one at St. Peter's Schoolroom, Ghuznee street, and the other at the Alexandra Hull, Abol Smith street. Mr A. Parlane will preside nt St. Peter's and Mr T. Young will be the chairman at the Alexandra. Hall. Besides the candidate, Mr .1. McCombs, M.P., the Hon. J. T. Paul. ;mrl Mr H. E. Holland. M.P., will speak at both halls. Mr Gannson, the soldier" candid; to, will open his platform campaign tonight in Vhc Scottish., Society's Hall, Tory street.' Mr Atmore will speak in Tost Office Sciuare at midday to-morrow, and in St. Peter's Schoolroom on Saturday night. Mr Hildreth will give nis Srst address to th« electors in St. Peter's Schoolroom to-morrow night. ■Mr Mack-v,ill speak in the Willis street-.School'>to-morrow night. He has also arranged throe meetings for next week. • ' In our report of Mr Atmoro's speech of Tuesday evening it was mad? to appear that. when, rtf'.'ning to ih:/ increased unimproved vj'lhgs of land, f.mountlns to ~Co2,<«D.o'X! in years. ho. &%u) 'unit of this went' into the pockets of CG.ftt persons. Int'ad-o'f CR..03 this should have been G7oa; ••