ANOTHER BY-ELECTION

NZ Truth, 5 October 1918, Page 5

ANOTHER BY-ELECTION

THE VACANT TARANAKI SEAT

Will History Repeat Itself ?

What a Victory for Democracy Means

The death- of Mr. H. J. H: Okey, M.Pi for Taranaki, a Reform seat-cap-tured m 1907, following the death at Mr. E. M. Smith, has created a Parliamentary vacancy, the^ election to fill which is creating little,' if any, interest .outside the Cow -Province. . .The election takes place on. Thursday nfext, October 10, and the. jioniinated candidates are Messrs. John Connett and Sydney Smith. Mr. Gofcnett Is the nominee o? the Reform section of the Government, "and, therefore, stands as the National Government candidate, : :; HIS- PARAMOUNT PLANK Vy. being "Win .the war first." In ordinary circumstances and ' considering : ",the political history of .the cow-spanking province, a supporter of "Ref oxni.". shoftrd.. count; on election. but was or no .war, the' National- Government's nominee m Taranaki. as elsewhere, is riot going -to have a walk-over. While it might not be supposed that a Wellington North "atmosphere" pervades the Taranaki electorate, the result m Wellington ' Central is anticipated to have some influence on the by-election next Thursday, and "Reform" is going to experience the same "feelings of confidence" which it experienced when Harry Holland's guns were playing on Wellington " North; Indeed, what the "Reform" leaders experienced m Wellington North so the Liberal leaders felt m Central. It has been the same at; eyery by-election, and should the Government's 'nominee m Wellington Central and m Taranaki next Thursday go under, one thing seems certain — a general election will, follow. The late member for Taranaki, Mr. H. J. H. Okey, was elected as the successor to Mr. E. M. • Smith, the first by-election following the death of Richard John Seddon, and marking, as it did, the decline, which developed into a rot of the- Liberal Party under the leadership of Sir Joseph Ward. Indeed, the- pending election m Taranaki REVIVES POLITICAL HISTORY at a particularly appropriate period of our existence. Taranaki embraced Seddonism or Liberalism, and its member; Mr. E. M. Smith, was a Liberal stalwart, against whom Conservatism, the true title of Reform, could make no- impression. The death by a railway accident of Mr. Smith lost to Liberalism a strong supporter, and the by-election which followed lost Liberalism a "stronghold, a stronghold which it has never regained. The late member, Mr. Okey, held the seat right up till his death. He was opposed, but with little success, and the figures of the 1914 election, viz;, Okey (Reform) 3632 and Hughes (Liberal) 2498, indicate how the LiberaL stocks had slumped. ! Apparently m Taranaki Reform has not been at its wits ends to secure a Candidate to fly the Reform banner, a;nd the selection of Mr. Connett has \ieen made, though truth to tell, even Mr. Connett has not promised to support through thick and thin a Government which is losing caste with the people. Mr.' Connett, even as a "Reformer" first, hidden under a win-the-war veil, is not going to have things all his own way. He is being compelled to fight hard, and even Mr. Okey during the latter part of his political career was obliged to cry a goslow policy on many matters. In short, strong opposition is being offered to Mr. Connett, and people are quite entitled to ask if-history ;is going to repeat itself m Taranaki. The candidate opposed to Mr. Connett is Mr. Sydney Smith, ■ . ...."" .' --'"•. ; SON OF THE EX-MEMBER, ilr. E. M. Smith., who is standing as a Progressive Democrat. He is strongly opposed to the National Government, and he seems to have clearly defined his position at a recent meeting, when he declared that Mr. Connett had confessed that he had no qualification for the position, that he did not know much about politics, and that he did not seek the position. Against these confessions, Mr. Smith said he personally did claim to know something of politics, as he had been born and bred m the atmosphere. He did not $eek the position for personal reasons, but' because he believed the time ! Had come when a young and progressive man should represent the district m Parliament, and he also believed he had some qualifications for the position. He stated emphatically that he yielded to no one m his conviction that

the great thing at present was to win the war, and that no negotiations with a view to peace could be opened UNTIL GERMANY WAS THOROUGHLY BEATEN. The Government had dismally failed to do anything to remedy the increased cost of necessary commodities. He referred to the statement published m the local press over the signatures of the Hons. Allen and Mac Donald respecting the compact between the Reform and Liberal parties, and said a good deal would be made out of that compact. He stated, however, that one of the conditions of the compact was that the two parties should come together, and endeavor to reduce the cost of living. But what had they done? By their inaction the Government had contributed towards the increased cost of living. It had been said that Parliament could not tackle the question,

but he thought if New Zealand could not get a -Parliament 'bf eighty members who could tackle arid find some solution - of -the question it was time to abandon Parliamentary Government. '■vMoreo.ver, Mr. Smith's candidature is backed by ORGANISED AND UNORGANISED LABOR . m New Plymouth, and the . statement that Labor is at the back. of Mr. Smith recalls the fact that" a week or so ago quite a number of Labor, candidates were announced, among . them being Mr.P.B. Fitzherbert, a .barrister, who, at one- of Mr. Smith's- meetings, said he also was standing m the interests of Labor, and asserted he did not intend that the vote of the party should be split. He asked' if Mr. Smith would be willing to retire m his favor— as he would m Mr. Smith's favor — should the party committees decide that he should go to the poll and not Mr. Smith. Subsequently Mr. Fitzherbert explained that his politics were identical with those . of Mr. Smith, and he was interested m the cause alone and not for any personal gain. He believed if they organised the forces of Labor they could defeat the representative of the so-called upper classes. He did not intend to oppose Mr. Smith, and was prepared to stand by the decision of any committee set up to select which candidate should go to the poll. After some further attejnpts to come to an understanding on the matter, Mr. Smith stated that as he.was' not m the field at his own wish, but m response to the request of the electors, and as time was valuable and could not be lost m discussing as to whether he or Mr. Fitzherbert should represent, the party, he stated HE WAS IN THE FIELD, and would remain so till the election. This was greeted with an outburst

of applause, and it was decided to go on with the matter of forming committees. ■ ■ „ Mr. Smith then suggested that Mr. Fitzherbert should become chairman of his committee, which produced an outburst of good-humored laughter, that was turned into a furore of applause when Mr. Fitzherbert rose and replied: "Yes, Mr. Smith, I will!" Thus Mr. Smith, as a Progressive Democrat, aided and supported by the Labor organisations of New Plymouth, stands fairly and squarely as the opponent of the National Government's candidate. It is a clear-cut issue, and though it must be admitted tHat the political representation of Taranaki . for ten years lends color to the suggestion that it stands for Reform, the fact cannot be lost sight of that originally Taranaki s member, E. M. Smith, was a Liberal, and commanded Labor's support. a win for Smith against the forces and influence which Reform can, and is bringing to bear, should mean a great deal to the democracy of New ca T land. Taranaki electorate has a chance next Thursday of making history, wm the electors take the plunge? Well, might it be said that the defeat of Keform m Taranaki would fasten the dawn of a real democratic Government m the Dominion.

ledge of native affairs. Yet, immediately exemption was granted he was given another position and a temporary officer, without any training whatever m native affairs, was given tbe position. Still another case m the same Office which only goes to show how the Appeal Board is being hoodwinked. An appeal was made on behalf of the Office Board's secretary, the -Assistant Public Trustee stating that he had been m the office some seventeen years, and that his work required special training, otc ©fee. AS A -MATTER OF FACT he had only been m the office some live months and the position he held was created Oh his entry to the office: The officer who attended to the previous board's requirements was, and still is, employed at the' office, so that he or some other unfit members of the o/ace staff could have been appointed to- fill this^hew position. However,- enough has been said to show iibwthe Mjlitary'Service Act is being administered. The above mentioned cases along with those of four pther officers of the Public Trust office who were, recently released from camp after receiving six to- eight, months' training,* should be thoroughly, invested. •"'■■. • • 2ND DIVISION. Wellington. . . . ..". PS.—Since writing the above, the Military Appeal Board has decided to make no recommendations m the case of Private Do.wnard,. but that gentleman is still attending the Public Trust Office m mufti and the Board's decision goes for nought— 2ND DIVISION. THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE'S REPLY^ The above was submitted to the Public Trustee, Mr. Triggs, and the following reply has been received for publication: ■;....•. 1. The facts regarding Downard are that he was the successful applicant for an important accountancy position advertised by;. the Public Service. , Co m: missioner m terms of the "Public " Ser-' vice Act. At jthe / .time at his appointment he was m camp at Awapuhi, and on representations' being .made <tp : the ■ authorities by tho" Public -Trustee," \yho emphasisedthe urgency of the position from the point of view of . the office, . Downard was, on the recommendation of the Military Service Board, granted temporary leave pending the hearing of the Public. Trustee's . application for indefinite leave from camp. The pro-; cedure adopted m getting Downard out of camp.was/ therefore, quite open and above-board. 2. As to the grounds of the Public