WELLINGTON NORTH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11752, 9 February 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON NORTH.

A great many people will agree with the "Dominion" newspaper that it would bo a deplorable thing if, through the of votes, the anti-Conscripiioii candidate should he returned in the by-electioih for the Wellington North seat. Such a result would be humiliating to New Zealand. But who is responsible for the threatened splitting of the votes? Is not the National Government responsible P Long before the vacancy for Wellington North had been announced, the Prime Minister intimated that Air J. P. Luke would be the tfuididato of the National Government. This announcement was made without consultation with the electors, who were treated as" mo re pawns in the game of politics. Mr Masscy was told as plainly as any man could be told that Wellington North did not want Mr J. P. Luke, and yet the Prime Minister persisted in thrusting Tiim upon the electorate. The result was that another supporter of the National Government, in the person of Mr A. de B. Brandon, was induced to become a candidate. The Government is now moving heaven and earth to induce Mr Brandon to retire, in order that a political calamity may bo averted. \Bufc, if it had its own welfare and the welfare of the Dominion sincerely at heart, it would retire the candidate of its own nomination, and defer to the wislies of tho electorate. •