THE CHALMERS SEAT

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 32

THE CHALMERS SEAT

MR J. T. JOHNSON’S CANDIDATURE. Mr J. T. Johnson, a candidate for the Chalmers seat, addressed a meeting in the Coronation Hall at Mosgiel on the Bui. There was a good attendance, and the Mayor (Mr A. F. Quelch) presided. The meeting was orderly throughout, the interjee lions being few. Mr Johnson said that in the past he had contested the Taieri and Chalmers electorates, of which Mosgiel formed a part. In these contests, although he had been a Liberal candidate, there had always been another Liberal candidate put up Against him. He had always belonged « more to the "Labour wing of the Liberal Party than to the Liberals themselves, His reason for coming out on former occasions had been that' ho considered that the tnen Liberal policy were not fulfilling the hopes raised under the regime of Mr Ballance, Mr Seddon, and all the giants of the Liberal Party of earlier days. The Liberal policy of those earlier men was merely the commencement of a L;boral policy, and not a Liberal policy' in itself. The politicians of the present day wore only living on the past. Ho had considered the position as between the Liberal and the Reform Parties. It seemed that the Liberal Party had not. advanced as rapidly as if should have done. The policy they were supporting had been really a Conservative, and not a Liberal policy at all Throughout. ' their political campaign they had always pointed. to 20 years back, and made statements as to what the Conservative Party would have done on certain occasions then if they were in power. But in order ter get an actual gauge of the position there was only one way, and that was to see the present Liberal Party get out and the Conservatives get in. The Conservative Party to-day was as Liberal in many respects as the Liberal Party. Therefore, in order to justify themselves, the Liberals must go forward with a far more progressive policy, than they had advocated in the immediate past. The Liberal Party and the Labour Party (to • which the speaker belonged) would have to advance very much indeed. Dealing with naval matters, the speaker said that this question should be non-party There was something like £2,000,000,000 in British investments abroad. The result was a huge stream of wealth into Britain. British trade was also vast. The oost of the British navy was something like 3 per cent, on that vast value of wealth, and really amounted to an insurance fund. Tho navy was not maintained by Britain, but bv a small percentage of a trade that laid the whole world under tribute. New Zealand could never reach a corresponding position. But she could devote a certain proportion to naval defence as her trade increased. Also, she v could attend to her coast defences and see that a force of torpedo boats, submarines etc., was maintained, so as to make it diffi cult for any second-class Power to take her, in the ei ent of the British fleet being engaged elsewhere. 1 Speaking on industrial matters, Mr John eon said that" the Arbitration Court should "-have jurisdiction over all strikes, whether of employees or employers. If a company, to meet a rise in wages, which meant an extra cost of jd per lb in the cost of production, 7 put Id per lb on to the articles produced, and so added id a lb on to their profits, their action should ho regarded in the light of a and the court should have jurisdiction over them. Dealing-with his candidature. Mr Johnson said that he came there, not for a political speech primarily, but to form comniittees, and take preparatory steps in his campaign. He had always hitherto stood as an Indc]>endent. Ho did not think he had ever asked anyone to vote for him. As this election had approached, one of the Liberal members came to his house and, after a conversation, pointed out that it would be to - his advantage and to the advantage of the Liberal Party if he wore to fight- the Chalmers seat as a Liberal candidate. There was no question as to whether he should come in and contest it with other candidates. That side of the matter was never raised at all. “It was put to me,” said Mr Johnson. “that the party desired my presence, and that, if I came forward as a Liberal candidate it would be bettor for mo. and would save the splitting of votes. I said that I would alwavs " sooner hive fought within the party’s lines than outside. This time I -was approached and urged to run for Chaim ora in the Liberal interests. As

soon as I consented another Liberal candi-

date came on the field. In connection with that, this member told me he would interview Sir Joserah Ward, and he did so. I asked him after the interview. ‘Am I the accented Liberal candidate?’ He said ‘Certainly!’ I wont on the train and spoke to Sir Joseph Ward. I did not, after what I had heard, ask him if I were the accepted Liberal candidate. I answered I was, and pnoke to him on that assumption. Sir Joseph Ward introduced me to his sup porters. Some said they would support me others said nothing. I went to a meeting at, Dunedin, where Mr Russell was on the platform, in the Garrigon Hall. I was invited on to the platform. Mr Russell said to me: ‘I read your speech at Mosgiel, and I said that we must have yon with us; and 1 was pleased to see, at the last caucus

meeting:, that your nam" was down as the accepted rand id ate for Chalmers.’ That is what Mr Russell' said. Now I am told that it lies between Mr Mollor and myself. Sir Joseph Ward said that as two candidates were out he would leave it to the electors It is a matter of indifference to me. J didn’t ask it in the first instance. I never asked for anything:, and anything: that is given to me is given without asking. If they want it they ran keep it. Ther?*mav he a misunderstanding, and if so it won’t injure Mr Mollcr, and if it injures me it will injure others to a far greater extent. I don’t think it w'sc to x make a speech over it. with th" parties as they are at present. The beet thing is for Mr Moller and me each to organise*’those who consider each the best candidate of the two. Amongst us we will find a way out of the difficulty without fight’ng the election—a course which would bo useless to us and to iae Liberal Part’/. The main t’rng is to be sound on a Liberal policy and adopt that procedure that w : ll assume that the Iv'sf measures will reach the Statute Book. We want to find cut which is tjie best candi date to choo’’" and wh' v h is the best wav nut of the difficulty. I have known Mr Mollor personally for a large number of years, and I know Turn to be a thorough ir»nt.leiu' , n. He is a man. every inch of h : m. What "he is as a politician I don’t know. But Tie is a straightforward, man. and whichever candidate is chosen you will he well ropreI understand that Mr Moller

offered his services to Mr Massey as a Re terra candidate for Chalmers.” A Voice: Never!

Mr Johnson : I understand that Mr Clarl was to get up to the unveiling of the Scott memorial at Port Chalmers and decide f he were to be the Reform candidate for Chalmers or not. If Mr Clark had not beer, tho Reform candidate, another candidate would have been selected, and I believe that Mr Moller would have been that candidate. On that day'Mr Clark accepted the position as Reform candidate, on the stipulation that he should not be announced in that capacity till Parliament was over. That is rumour, of course. On Mr Clark becoming the Reform candidate, I understand that Mr Moller’s committee waited on Sir Joseph Ward and told him that the committee would not support me at any price, and that if I were chosen as the Liberal candidate they would vote Reform. Sir Joseph’s way out was to leave it entirely to the electors to decide who was to be the candidate. I might be wrong, because in these things you can’t always get the matter as it is. Sometimes people will go out of their way to mislead you. But, as far as I know, tnat is the position. If it is wrong we can correct it later on. Mr Moller and his friends have plenty of time to answer it before the election, and if it is wrong I have no doubt that they will correct it. This concluded Mr Johnson’s address, and questions were called for. Mr J. Wright, in the audience, on being granted his request to explain the matter, declared that Sir Joseph Ward had explained on the railway station at Dunedin, that he had not given his word to support anyone. It was the business of no one else. It was Sir Joseph Ward who was supposed to give his word direct as to who should, be the candidate. Another member of tho audience, who said that he had been a member of a committee to which Mr Johnson had said he had been introduced as a candidate by Sii Joseph ’ Ward, denied the statement. Mi Johnson, in turn, denied having made it. Ho had been introduced, he said, to the Liberal supporters, and he had taken that introduction to mean that ho was selected as the Liberal candidate. Two of the more prominent members of the committee told him that he was selected as -a candidate, and he then believed that he was. He understood that he was selected from the remarks of a member of Parliament, who was one of Sir Joseph Ward’s strongest supporters When the speaker asked, ibis’ gentleman directly, the latter replied, “Yes, certainly.” A Voice: Mr Sidey ! Mr Johnson: I will mention no names. Another member of the audience: There was a rumour at the time that Mr Johnson was to be the candidate, but Sir Joseph Ward announced that it was not settled.. Mr Johnson: Then why all this introduc lion? Why these negotiations if I am not to be a nominee? Anyone can stand as an ordinary, unaccepted Liberal candidate! In reply to questions, Mr Johnson said that he would favour the second ballot unless some bettor way could be arranged for sorting out the candidates for the final run. He' had always opposed the Bible in the schools. Where there could be a system of moral teaching from the Bible that would not offend the susceptibilities of sectarian people, he would adopt it. But he had not yet seen such a system, and. till ha did* he must be an opponent of the Bible in the schools. At the conclusion, Mr A. Wickland moved, and Mr J. Wright seconder!—“ That this meeting ‘accords a vote of thanks to Mr Johnson, and will allow any vote ol confidence to wait over till. it has heard other candidates. Mr E. Currie moved as an amendment and Mr T. Mitchell seconded —“ That this meeting accords a voce of thanks to and confidence in Mr Johnson.’-’ The amendment was carried on a show of hands, very few voting.