WELLINGTON TOPICS

Waikato Times, Volume 92, Issue 14265, 16 January 1920, Page 6

WELLINGTON TOPICS

RESTLESS LABOUR. PREPARING FOR’Next election. (Special Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The national executive of the New Zealand Labour Party is a restless body that does not allow the political grass to grow under its party feel. Us members are to meet here to-morrow to congratulate themselves upon the measure of success they achieved at the , recent general election, and to prepare for the next appeal to the constituents. Hon. J. T. Paul probably will preside, and all the “pledged" Labour members of Parliament arc expected to be present. Those consist of Messrs D. G. Sullivan (Avon), J. McCombs (Lyttelton), P. Fraser (Wellington Central), H. E. Holland (Buller), M. J. Savage (Auckland West), W. E. Parry (Auckland Central), and E. J. Howard (Christchurch South), seven in all. who, doubtless, will add very considerably to the debating power of the House, and, it may be hoped, something to its wisdom. The Party Leader. Among the other business of to-mor-row’s meeting will be the election of a leader. The less impetuous section of the party had Imped for the success of Hon. J. T. Paul at the polls and Ins accession to the position Mr 11. E. Holland filled in the last Parliament. But a small majority of the electors of Dunedin South decreed otherwise, and it seems likely now Mr Holland will retain the leadership, for which he obviously is not so well fitted temperamentally as are some of his younger colleagues. It is understood that the proposal for the establishment of a daily newspaper also will be discussed at the meeting. This has been on the tapis for some time, and the atittude of the other parties’ organs towards official Labour during the election campaign has brought it to a head. Strange Bedfellows. of course the executive of the party will express itself as highly gratified by the result of the election; and not without some reason. But a close examination of the polling must have opened the eyes of the parly by tins time to the fact that the large increase in the apparent number of is supporters was due in a great measure to the electors of the other parties casting their votes for Labour when a candidate of their own coiour was not standing. In Avon, for example, there was a very striking instance of what happened all over the country. At the election of 1914 the Liberal candidate in this constituency received 3612 votes, the Labour candidate 2569 and the Reform candidate 2261. the total votes polled being 8442. At- the recent election there was no serious Reform candidate and the Liberal candidate, who had succeeded at the previous ! election, received 3420 votes and the Labour candidate, who had been defeated, 5004, a total of 8428. The only comment necessary is that the Labour Parly would be deceiving itself if it took the figures at their face value. Now Membero. Though the new members of the Labour Parliamentary Party are less impetuous and perhaps a little less militant than Mr H. E. Holland and Mr Robert Semple would have liked them to be, they are very earnest in their attachment to the policy to which they are pledged. Mr D. G. Sullivan will he found one of the most capable representatives of Labour that yet has won a seat in the House. He is well read, well informed and well experienced, has tact as well as courage, and always plays the game. Mr E. J. Howard is of a somewhat more volatile temperament than his colleague from Christchurch, but he knows what he wants and seeks it persistently, messed always by the saving grace o f humour. Mr' M. J. Savage and Mr W E. Parry are weighter men in years and in speech, but they are brim'ul, of its energy and wins out, and they will make themselves heard and fell in the House. The most valuable household remedy for stomach troubles of children is Sharland’s Magnesia. It is used regularly in thousands of homes- Sold everywhere.* According to a message from San Antonio. Texas, it is reported that a 'Japanese merchantman, loaded with munitions of war fer the Carranza Government, has arrived at Manganillo. Imperfect digestion of food produces acidity, flatulence, and sick headache. Sharland’s Magnesia corrects the acidity, relieves the flatulence, and removes the headache. 6old everywhere.*