MR McILVRIDE'S CANDIDATURE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXIV, Issue 17736, 9 December 1919, Page 5

MR McILVRIDE'S CANDIDATURE.

SPEECH BY MR PETER FRASER

'lhere was a large, attendance at the Opera House last evening, when a'Labour rally was held. The principal speaker was Mr Peter Fraser, M.P. for Wellington Central. Mr E. S. Fraser occupied the chair.

Mr Fraser spoke for just on two hours, and he was followed by the Lafbour "candidate© for Wanganui, Rangitikci, and Patea (Messrs McIlvride, Brady, and Fitzherbert), though owing to the lateness of the hour they had to restrict themselves ito five minutes each. They certainly managed to squeeze the maximum into the minimum space, and each was loudly applauded. Mr Fraser, at the outset, explained that the Labour Party did not consist of Messrs Holland, Semple, and Fraser, as some people persisted in declaring, but! it consisted of all those workers who had become members of it by the payment of half-a--crown. Every member was on an equal footing. The executive was elected by the votes of the .party and the selection of candidates in the different electorates was done by the members of the party in those electorates. It was false to say that the executive fojtsted candidates on the electorates, but that could truthfully be said with regard to the other parties in the country/Take Wanganui, for instance. Mr Mcllvride was the chosen of the Labour Party in Wan^nui. Who selected the other two candidates? Who could answer that question? In the past it had not mattetred which party was '. in power, or who selected the candidates, for the simple reason tha both parties watched the interests of capital, to the detriment of the workers, who formed the majority of the people of the country. Mr Fraser then went on to outline the Labour Party's platform, which he claimed was the only thing which could bring to the people all the blessings they might expect on earth. He defended the party against the charge of want of patriotism during the war, and claimed that the Labour Party had all along tried to secure full Trades Union rates of pa** for the soldiers and adequate allowances for windows wt* crphats. Jt- Fiaser al&p claimed mat he and other djembers of the patty rz.d done a great aeal for the rocr people of Wellington, and in Parliament had battled to counter the proflteeer and relive the burden of taxation on the working class. In this they had been hampered by the Liberals and Reformers, who had shown their preference for the moneyed people. Mr Fraser combated at length the statement that the Labour Government in Queensland had ruined that country, and denounced indentured labour in Samoa, and he concluded by making a strong appeal to the workers of Wanganui to vote for Mr Mcllvride, who was the regularly selected Labour candidate. The workers should be true to their class and have no sympathy with candidates who were pledged to support the parties opposed to the interests <jf the workers. Very forcible speechs were then delivered by the candidates mentioned'above, after which a vote of confidence in those gentlemen was carried enthusiastically. When Mr Fraser appealed for an expression of opinion as to Mr Mcllvride's suitability as Labour candidate for the Wanganui seat there was quite a demenstrattion. The meeting oncluded with cheers for the Labour Party and a Vote of thanks to the chairman.