LYTTELTON ELECTORATE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1790, 8 November 1919, Page 10

LYTTELTON ELECTORATE.

It is an extraordinary tiling that at election time I am only a faddist, with one idea for scenery preservation, protection of bird life, Summit Road nnd Reserves. , Mr Lester has been good enough to inform some people that they require something more than the above in a Member. I would ask the electors to read the following and judge for themselves whether I am only an empty idealist. However, I think

I have proved beyona uoutn tnat mere is a very practical Bide to my ideals. I submit with confidence the following results of my elections —a complete answer to the statements that I am deserting Christchurch South because I fear defeat. I feel proud of the position they have always placed me in, and I appreciate very much the many expressions of regret that I am severing my connection with my old electorates ELECTION RESULTS. 1905 ELL .. •.. 3689 Thorn .. ~ 1178 Winnv .. .. 1107 Hadfield ~: ... 364 1908— ELL .. .. 3500 Thorn .. .. 2227 Allison .." >. 832 1911— ELL .. :. 3690 "Whiting .. .. 3059 Howard .. .. 540 1914 ELL .. .. 5407 Whiting 2174 Hughes .. .. 1281

MB. JAMES ALLEN, M.H.R. (Hansard, Pages 278-279, 1902) "I am quite certain that the honourable member for Christchurch City (Mr Ell) does not want a Committee of Parliament to formulate a policy for him. He knows where he is exactly." The Late T. E. TAYLOR— July 5, 1905.—Hansard, Vol. 132. Mr'Taylor (Christchurch City).—l think my colleague, Mr Ell, is to be congratulated on having debated this question, who dares in an Assembly, when there is a large majority in favour of any popular pastime, to challenge the worthiness of the pastime, is sure to meet with a great deal of ridicule and iome annoyance; and I have always admitted the earnestness with which Mr Ell attacks any question which he has at heart. He has a very excellent habit of ultimately getting there. I know of no man who has been more ridiculed or misrepresented because of his advocacy of taxation on unimproved values, but he will live to see—and it will not be long in coming, either—that principle adopted as the basic principle for nearly all the local taxation throughout the length and breadth of this colony; no man will have done more towards bringing that radical change than himself. I felt to-night, when he was speaking, that if the electors of this colony could witness this debate they would draw comparisons between himself and some of those opposed to him on this question that would be distinctly to the disadvantage of some of his opponents. SUPPLY AND DEMAND—"Lyttelton Times," November 12, 1907. —"Mr Ell has given notice of his intention to ask the Minister of Labour in the House of Representatives to-morrow whether he will consider the advisability of introducing legislation next session fixing the minimum wage for clerks. The member for Christchurch South, as he explains in the questions he has placed on the Order Paper, had his attention directed to the subject by a statement appearing in the 'Dominion,' to the effect that the average wages of clerks employed by insurance companies were from £1 5/- to £2 a week. In these days, neither politicians nor newspapers need apologise for poking their noses into other people's business, and both Mr Ell and our Wellington contemporary are to be commended for their efforts to obtain adequate remuneration for office workers." TRADES AND LABOUR COUNCIL—

"Lyttelton Times," 1907. —"That this council regrets that the Minister of Labour could not see his way to amend the Public Contract Act in the direction asked for by Mr H. G. EH, M.H.E., and the council urges the Go\ serument to make provision in all public contracts for a minimum wage of 8/- per day." My amendment provided for a statutory minimum wage. THE CUSTOMS TARIFF—

"Lyttelton Times," September 22, 1900.—Mr H. G. Ell, the junior member for the city, may fairly claim to have, done more than any other individual to force this subject upon the attention of the Government. His letter to this journal, urging the removal of the duties from dried fruits, kerosene, and a number of other articles of common use, were quoted all over the Colony, ami no doubt largely assisted in forming the public opinion that has induced Mr Seddon to take his present action.

CUSTOMS CONCESSIONS—"LytteIton Times," 1908.—"The full extent of the concessions made in the recent revision of the Customs tariff is shown in an interesting return supplied to Parliament on the motion of Mr Ell. The concessions amount in the aggregate to about £400,000. "We owe these concessions very largely to the indefatigable work of Mr Ell himself, who has given special attention to tariff questions ever 'since he bn been in Parliament. Indeed, long before he offered his services to the electors of Christchurch he was agitating for the reduction of the duties on necessary articles, and he conducted his campaign almost unaided. He has gcod reason to be gratified, therefore, with the results of this year's revision of the tariff." FARMS FOR PRISONERS—"Evening Post," 1907.—"A good suggestion which has been put forward in the columns of the 'Post' more than once was made by Mr Ell in the House of Representatives yesterday, when he urged that gaols should be removed to the country. The old British idea is to have a huge formidable structure, adorned with iron spikes and fragments of bottles, in the centre of a city. If the prisons are to be reformatory as well as punitive, there is r.o better place for them than in the country." THE WEEK IN PARLIAMENT—"LytteIton Times," August B,'l9oß.—"The Member for Christchurch South has made his mark in the politics of New Zealand by sheer earnestness. There was a time when the House smiled at his appeal for scenery preservation, rating on unimproved value, and State banking, etc. Today he is listened to by members, and, is has been noted, he has been able this session to effect a big reform in the local government law of the Dominion." CURRENCY REFORM—"Wanganui Herald," August 22, 1908.—"Mr 11. G. Ell, the well known _ member for Christchurch, is probably the strongest and most persistent. advocate of currency reform in New Zealand, and rarely loses an opportunity in the House of ventilating the subject by questions and speeches." In the meantime I do not intend to neglect any of the public work I have taken in hand—the Christchurch-Lvttelton Tuiinel Road, the Summit Road from Zigzag to Mt. Pleasant, the new Little River-Akaroa Road on an improved grade, the Port Hills-Akaroa Summit Road, the Dyer's Pass to Governor's Bay Road—will have first claim on my time. I entered public life to work. Any work I take up I persist with. " This requires determination, and I think I have abundantly proved that I possess that, and, in spite of indifference ami opposition, cany on my work. I would ask the electors of Lyttelton to keep an open mind on the election issue, as there are many other important questions 1 wish to place before them. November 8, 1919. H ' G ' ELL '