RANGITIKEI SEAT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 616, 20 September 1909, Page 4

RANGITIKEI SEAT.

l JnOTES ON-THE;CAMPAIGN.'\v° : ;;;«•;;;:' SPEECHES BY MR.' MASSEY AND-MH." ; . ; r 'Xy : l: ; -- v .'■. P^-.;jIM.CTS ! FORTHE ELECTORS TO CONSIDEK.' '■fii:;Wv.;: : >( ;.-(By..'Telesfraph.—Special Bopprtor.) -■;* '■•■- :d ■'•• ; -'. ■ ■■ ■"■;■:' '"!• "'V''' , '■■•'• "" TaihapeoSoptomber 18. ' .-j;.' : ':/ >! In connection -with • tho Eangitikei! election, te: i ; .both' , , candidates -and , tholr; friends Varo ,, sparing ;j-;j : i;'vi/.iibT,pains'to attain .success. -'To-day, ;'Ji r , ■• ! 'C,. ; Hockly, 'the' Reform 'party's candidate,.-:• mot ,v>,/£!:largo numbers'.of electors, 'arid in; : thoVbyeuin(j' ?■-;!;■;. ho .had'a capital meeting .at.Turangaroro. .'"; 'ffii ■:■■■'■■!s*•'Smith., lis. QppQnent,.;is.;al6o'.'.taking, ad:\;M:l Vantago.'of:;.ovcry opportunity- to ; advance. his ':£.£ , .claim's, for .support. .It :was, a; treat." to; watch ;.;■::;.:: him canvassing', on: tho train.: I ,from .Taihapo. '.-. V:.'.,'Hb.:jlangaweka this'morning. '.'.At oho-place ..:;:.: he:, nearly missed; the train > through delaying' ,:;■,.;':.•. rathor.Jong , in delivering a brief .address to ■ viv;..:; sombiwprkersat <a sawmill close to' tho. atatlom , i l,^:.:;w J Steps.aro boing.itaken at"QoTernment hcad-;-v.S:'quartcra.to.:.ensuro Mr. Smith gottingas many- •;(:;,■;. aspowiblo. of tho'vote's Tecordcdilast Thursday' ;. ■' f■ : ..;:■ for-> ; .• defeated.:.; Ministerial ; -' candidates;-'.-'•' Jft W; : ; :^ that, to; this end Messrs. .'.r;■:■'/. Meldrum. ..and'; Geolgetti .were -invitedV-to y;;:;■;; Wellington, -• -..'Whother' this■ /bo' a ,:;Hj;fact or; riot \,it/is a .Btrangd iy -:. '■;':'-coincidence- that bo.th loft for, Wellington.' • '•■' '■ ' ; ; AOnhis t way from Huntly, Dr. Findlay was. -■;',;.,:/;■.,it„is-,stated,-'interviewed" by.'Mr." Sniitli and .in .regard ,'to,..the' stop 3 ii.-j; ;. iWhich ,tho Governnient intended "to take .in :,'•:;;;- .-, replyvto,.',Mri-' Massey. and Mr^.Hutchison-. ••■lt f : '7. : r:;i? Hiiderstood'that Dr. -Firidlay said ho' would .■■;; ■■}) '■ .-:ispeak at laihapo on Monday night,.:and that: '. , - JS O / 10 ",' "•"-Mjickenao would.speak;there on :';!r. ; :*":-Wodnesday. ;night. v/Also : that;other •' -fixtures i■■'<•■;;',- ttrould/be.mado. :■'■ );'-■■: '■ ■':•:. ■. J •.■■■"'. ; ;••,'.••■y

CH: V MASSEY:/Af ! ' UTiKy.'W,'-' ,; ',' V - If-- ; ■: ■ op : the- ward' ' ,; ; Si^- : '':i';':;>vS^.-^'- ;^^l:^'; v !^^; v: -^'v. : -"-:i ;■;:■« ; THE;:NATiyE^iAND, f Z ■^' : :-:fir. : t yf.f , ; Massey,'L«a(ieV:pf .'the . Opposition, ;t,| ?fy, res ?f?.: a « ar S o ""tf :enthusiastic' meeting' at '<£:■-. >8»™.%B»™.% ■'e'Tening.-' In;explaining the reasons t h ,:-■'' ho: h 9 d .decided.- to .-take the ■ platform on- ; V,' .,; ':tflia-:.occasion, , -Mr. Mossey said that -it waa :.',;■ '.oecauso thero; had ;bcon- "a -great deal : ; of mis-' ./-/■::.representation;withßeference,to hie-pdrW;-hint' .: \.j 6elf, their-:^.candidate;;: and . iunduo,": 'itn-',:-:,'■'Proper, vond:,;unfairv., inflnences. .< were being' ,;: y ~:brpugnt. to-.bear with-a , : view.-of-securing the' ,■. ■ ■•>.,return.of-,; a-,candidate pledged :to support'■ the ;..;,; .;present.Government,;- He.was there,'therefore; , .v:?,v''i° r . tn ?:PnjPose i of 'P«W n 3 theposition from ~r':<:ius pomt;of view.:bofore"tho' electors;:'-Ho-went .J°' since he the. djs-.' 'A-: •■ tr^°t; -p. -'hod; found :■ that- tho 'whole ! : of •-. the ,:;,;: candidates were- supporting itho'-freeholdp the i V< ! 'SPf nl °f ,Nativo,lands,'ecbhomy,:and' U',i'-::i u '■ administration.vand fair valuation'of land' :.::,< ;; :v.for-tjixing } ask' electors, whether it was wisdom tb.supporl ;,- ;..:'; any'candidate who: advocated the freehold; but' we,-same;time>was'< pledged- to: support'a-;-;;i «,leaseho!d,Go T ;•#<«& wiso',to support" :?&&'-?*9fofote , w .no /was ; in favour,of.openlnjr up", iforCsetttemeht purposes, but' i v. r.'vffbo-intended;if returned '. to':support a Govern-' ; that;ihad;|cept^ho;N.ativo';lhna3':lo()liod ; v^ them.}n'thati r ngsition for .^^ ; an^he r^ Z e n :;yearl-a; l they.got'tie;.opporS. '■ "s- 'f3 ? i^^\' M V,. ""> 'm'** fleeting:a ,candK ? ;;-:.a^to, , : who;ndvocatcd but:who,'if re-i ~ vturned,-intend«l.'.-to;.support the: most > Wrf:v^^antiGovernmont:,that :thie.;:.country. -had ; ;: :he;,would;askv was : r. ; -. r vof supporting-a.candidate who was in favour - -- m 'idnd^iafhir'^S: •>,i •• ;^ a t, h -, a d? : ru9hcd>,valuaHbns , tp tlio very-highest , €: ; ;:j{"P lt 'oy every .possible oxcuso;. and;which-con-tlm ° l, f;.it9 i members '.a'- , ieprescntativo of '^-S^J^ ? ' : Object ;wa ß : to y whole .taxation-'.upon -the - land and : Minls:try^q(:. ; S:'f ; .^RefaTirig;Vto-^^ Ministry' dt ■ S"W~Si* tii'xA ■ '^"^i^ 9 leaseholders . ?i ;«:.and. freeMders.:>lana. ; :.nat :SKtf ?J^i#^ de 1 vi,:>;/,: l f , bir.. Ward .had.-.any.poUtica,-aUalll We ':T h,O K h ?g< M ?>S^ a /)i"s«w»-tini&Vd i-^^Bhould^feM^^icollen^&^of-SsS? i^^ 1 ?^^ 181 bd-.ablo;l;b iut i' ■..;,.■.;.dehnito/policy.befbre'the- uii ■!%<£: to^P a :Present-it.had : been unable : to^do. •Kβ y:^^'^viwW'Jrtueh , ' iheypresent.Goycrnmeut had '.• >;-W•-.' jafed,;toiput:;torward .was'.'cbntained' in the SSv,'; lan >ous'^[ieasehbldrß.Ul -':6l - a;lcouple : of: years" :;■>;., ; ogo;.'..;!.l),(;aling .withi ,the .'recenti'session, iltf i%; BMasaey said"that the"eyen'fs"in■connection"with' £-£-."'ls we re:still frcsh'in'the.Vmia'ds.bf :the" peopled OViwHevwould: just ::touch" -on ".thb/ Wfence i Si-ffie^iby,saying-that.it would be^better-not to' ;li">K cr jneiee .what;had been',done:iintil furth'or dp ':i'-r. ■ ,«nl? .were,; maderpublic.: v One 'of the .most,' in--' i ; ';;";.;-'', t eresting, , !ovents:of-last'sessionw.as^the famou3 V^::|i?P e ?ch.*of,sthe::theii ; ;Miriister'fbr- Labour; (Mrr :It. .was;.weU:.!mbwn:;that:pri6rtb his ;::.!>; :being:;tnkenvintp :the-'Ministry:: Mr/'flogg- W ' ? ! ,?-Uiev(jdvin..the r leasehpld, iij;iaiid nationalisation;. ;;.-,. ■>.in Socialisms r As overy malahad^right-tb'his'■ ?..:';: own- he.(the.speaker) did not'obiect ~'-*,: : ,:>.>W).^hat;;but: i n': h is; e xalted •-'.'■ ;-b? ( i.'., t bonght him' 'to 'lot :;•;.;;■ ; .mmself. go,'and''tUs ; ;he'.did;'-oho"day, to the '■"■':';'■.'■ amusement dnd astonishment of the House and ;;..:/;■ dismay ..of,' : His,; ; thunderstruck ; colleagues;:' Mr. J?: :{■:•-? C SS-shad 1 expressed/no, opinion: then , , that, he ■•j-V.'.>« : 'had.»noti espi-essed-dq many' occasions -prbviv;/ f.':ously, "anil.:,:tho:-point/that : i lie;-.(Mr;.;Massey) ; ;':■■<■: ft wanted to iriake was this: that was 'K' :::punished ;by being'-,retired from:.--.-the- Cabinet, 'S:u :l ? ot ■; on : Account;, of.. the'.'viows 'which" 'ho held, ■.'.!-, it. but:-because.ihb dared»-tb': eipressi them. : Such' >■:'•■? . a ,thing vivas unfair-to; the people; of .tho' conn- - S;V>V-:,:try,:whb.had .every right .to ;know ; the opinions ■■'a/,'".of: members; of,\the'Ministry:.andVmemberg of. ■'^^jitho^HpUSe.;;:..^^';^::.:'^-:.:;;:- 1 ,;:-, :;;'.'^' ':,f\-Y ;^;^v'v ;? -:^ ! ;V'"'"* c :'A : Humiliating;PosittonV '.-.^V-""■'/ :V, .':V : "that it' , wns'-. because Sir' Joseph' :■':„;.■•;.\\ard was afraid-to trust.his colleagues ! iu:his •V}. ; ; v obsonce .that 'jho/'insisteil ! on:'tho ; work of: the , v'i::" :b«hg!;ppstponed J dnring; , his' absenceun -..;.. ;v the Old Country .-.Kit wasu'huniiliating position , i'fy;: -; i i : :for','any:Government'.to.take,up, ;'a'nd he hoped :$, pccurl iiiv the history, of";yi.s.!• p* -Doiiiinionj ybecauso'. practically.say->::';&'(-:iI1S-': that:, out .of jits 0 . inhabitants '■■'/ :':"': ••He'Viand had ..onlyone/nmh iitjo.le'ad iiu'poli- ;"-;;.; ■tics, and, that -wde'. certairiiy i'btrtho case. 'Mr.'; .."r'K C'-.Mass'ey'went,oh to;say'".tu'a't-lie was going to ;',v:r.'-tell:electors;somdthiiigi.whichihad: : so far'not with:.from.tho platfoi'm.'.and it was \;,;/y^ this. - Massey). hau ■ tho: opportunity of :../;;■ :«ir ; Joseph::AVard.:to- tho. De?)':.y;•.■'■ -lence :Con'fererico.;;i; He did '■.not:.mean":W.-Bay' "£\ -.iv~i™at:.'--he received:.an.'official -inyitaliibu, 1 -ibut : Uβ igiven-to'understand' in an , ■ uhmistakaible' :,,%!. --manner, that -it' he declared -himself -willihg-tb /;;...- .'/atfiiiipt.BUVinyitation he would'receive it forth-'. #Sv'-->lth,; : -|ju'£'lie.'-was.'strb4glyi.opii6MVt6'tHo : -pbst- ; :, '^y;:;:ponement;of,Parliament,;and- 'felt'thai he :',-.. ; :: ";'i,spuld .not go : without accent •■Mh^S ; part of tho:.rosponsibility,: for' what ! was y'.V;:.I »."!»?/ tho. circumstances he wrong to put;thb:coiintry to the'heed;;V;:!;:: Jess exponse which would bo: connected with "a ;-;"■.: .■■.:. visit by hini to'the Home Country. , . Ho'dicVnot -:;. -,V; ..-mean; to' -say 'that'.he would fiptjhave': enjoyed :;■;.;'.;',;;Bi'.visit .to the.-Old-.Country,.;'as much "as any-■•;;'-,v'v-.:bbdy;;else,-seeing■Sβ left.jt:33.'years ago, .When A : w■:va:;boy^bf^H;;;but:;ll ! ; : a better opportittn\ty.vl ; ; i ; ! ,*'r.: :

!'fe : fe;jj: : U(''-' , v .Q-i>.>' ■Rotpehchment.frS; v l !-r-Y : '■.,' xyt";rv.i.':.;^Vjtk;respect\'io'Vthe!i , : ' "'<. •/;;?:; going .on, 'Mt- ■ Masscy' said'■'. that 'he was ; one '-•'■ -•:■■■;•; ■ '■• of. those./who'" predicted. : that. 'the". .time. ■ was ■■-Kf.V'.'ieoniing-v'irlisa* tlie'pruning knife';.would have/ >■!; 'to >bo, applied,, aailoertaiu' branches 'of ' tlie %J);,;c;V:Pnbho serrico, riot. productivo or .■!-i\>V;'.:>'ere,;snowing,.indications , ,of- dry :,^ot,-. would, . ; '>;- ;V-: have-to 1» got .rid of. i That 'time had come '■ :■;:■: .''offlryinuoh soorier..thah:most'of-th(!m.Expected. ■!: remained now to be "seen,:'whether- tho Gov- ..: ;;-:vv etnment, .which 'had"6ausod ;a]l -;tho" -trouble: ;:,, :v:. vvfOnld ; " beable to apply.- 'the -remedy./ Per- :.- \;: :r :son:ally, ho doubted it,.because:for.ye'ars'past they had.- used tho .Public ; Service.'and tho ■„',■ >';>... .-.public funds ;to keeri . thorn, in- ofßoe, and 'the ;•,.;<:■■ : osinand having lately. oxceed«d ■■ tho" "supply : vj ; , ;.*•';bence':the;,present:.diffloulty. , ' ,'One ,, could .not ; f : :fi ■"•'::'■: ihelp thinking' of all. the-Prime: Minister! ami >.':■:■ ; ; V'->-his ftiands: had., said-prior, to -the general: elcc-::;.;:.-..;,:tion,-.- People were by them to ',: ;j:. '■;, .look nt V the position ; through .: rose-coloured ■•'-.,. ; . : Vspectacles, dnd .iuciuy had/ilpno' so; bnt they >.'■-'■;,■-: tuew better, now..-.-Hβ 'was ■' only afraid 'that : . .:.::.:.in::.tho retrenchment.' that /wad 'going Von many ::v\'' , v;--.,:of;.'Jthe^'innootnt.;-..w6uld.- v roirer, - :-.eh3 some ■■■'of i; ; --:V' those more, or /less guilty' wpuldr escape.'. ■He :■:■■;■! '.-■,?<': hoped, however,"that- whist Svas 'taking , place ';'{.•;%':■ to;:the people-".of tho ■:;;-;;?>;:. Vsountry;:the- nqcessity'bf. : the Publio. Service ■'■!:-I : ;- : - .being;, placed i under non-political control,. .:: ; :a'. ..whereby-politicaVinfluence would be kept at.a ■v.'ir :- : 'V.' distance/: A great, deal of criticism had been :/''; : ;:: : ;■ levelled at the Government;scheme of retrench- ?," ;.'■-/.'ineht, but; the severest aiid .the , ,most drastio .:«;:■; 'criticism '.was .their ovih admission: that they ;'' ; ;-". '.'.<, 'V/.would'/be able;' to.save : je250,0()0. per .annum, V; -. :; .T.nnd keep 'the. Servioo'iu Weffiricnf state. If :;..v."■f'.'e.'tnatstatemcnt ,wore;tcue theuM't oarao to: thiSi" £'-,' >t ;•; that the. Government 'had,; been 'wftsting- that .-';-. v .'.'-large sam''.arinually: 'for: pears-past. .;Ho had- ■';: - :•'., no' fault to find .with/ the. Public/ Service .as ..-a :;:'';.;,'■ ; whole,' because 'no' better men' , coald : be"found i-/';''v'; : in/ .Hie.'-Eublio.': Service -of rany:.(;ountry: 'than .'.'■■.'•,: those who entered by", the'front door; but.thcfo .:::>/ H:; "were; in ; the Serrice a great many-who. liad^

been appointed on account of political influence or for political services. When the Government increased the number of Ministers at tho commencement. of ■ tho year, tho people woro 'told, that ono reason was the-.number of Departments which'Mlnistors had to control, but now the Departments were being reduced it .was only right-to expect that tho number of Ministers would also bo' reduced in proportion. . It remained' to be seen whether tho Ministers, would apply tho pruuing knifo whero they themselves were concerned. ■'■ ' '. ;,.'" Tlie Land. Question. / .'. Mr. f Masscy thoii went on to refer to the question of lands'aud their administration. Ho said that one of tho Departments which was likely ito be affected by. tuerotrenoh.ment was the: Agricultural Department, in whioh the settlers were naturally interested. This Department, was costing the country .£160,000 per annum; au'd, speaking as a farmer and a practical, man, ho expressed tho opinion that the country was riot getting value for its money, in this regard. He believed that with a practical wan at the head of tho Department better 'results, could: be obtained for 'cUiMfiQO per anniini; ;but' what could bb expected from a Department; the hea'ff of which would probably have the greatost'.dimcnlty in explaining tho difference between/a Southdown and a Suffolk Punch. Passing on to the' Native Department,- which was - a' s "' involved in the retrenchment aohemo, Mr. Massey saidit was intended to, do iiway with' the Native Appellate Court, to retire- three judges,,-and abolish the position of Chief Judge; He hoped that wljat was intended did not indicate an intention on the part of -~the Government tovetftrd progress in tho way of iudividualisation of titfes. He. was only alarmed ..because ho luiew as a: positive 'fact. thbre was !an organisation in existence, with its representatives in Parliament, and' representatives' inthe Ministry < itself, which had .for "its object the prevention of tho alienation of Native lands, oxospt by way of leaso," He'considered, thoro '■ was ,; no question.. of more vital importance to' the Dominion than that. of tho - settlement • of :■ tho -Native' lands, but,'the .'Government, 1 and ..especially, the Na'tivo representatives in tho Government, had ;sb far blocked any rcasonablo progress in this direction. The .only-way. to ,solvo, thu difficulty was," as'far as possible, to place the Natives: beforo. the law;in tho, same position as Europeans. Ho'.wns'/gkd td-think that many of the Natives themselves wero anxious, to J tako • up: that position. One. prominent' representative of -the Native rnco had' told him that he .thought it would bo a good thing to havo an pdacation .test, ..under -, wnioh a Native who passed.'the :fourth' standard '"should\ : bo h-eated'exactly in,the same way as Europeans,■ with- all .their' : privileges and responsibilities-, and it was qujte certain , that if the Native race wero .to, bo saved it would _ bnlv , :- be :br-'--en-eouragirig. them' to .take ; their stand sido'by sido with- their European fellow-citizens. Thore were at presont two members of : tho Native race in-the Ministry, and 'there-were' many thousands' of Natives" just'as intelligent as.they were. dealt'with other .important matters,: in' regard "to which hie ;rem'arks will appear l in next issupi; Mr.'; Massey : . concluded' by urging tho.'.olectbri to support Mr. Hockly, who represented' tho ;, party which' , aimed -at sound fina'nco.t sound administration and pro; Kress/ aiid had;at heart the..welfare '.'\ of ;: all. Section's of. tho community. '- v; : ■ v :' ' - '-'■■■'.- .':■' -r ■"' ' '''' ' •'-'' '' : '.:' -'■■"';•■:'■,

THE'FIRST BALLOT AND THE- SECOND.'

I'ERSONAL.ANDXOCAIi CONSIDERATIONS.

■''■"In view 'of ;the. -fact: .that ■; his "numerous opponents had Bucli-stronj;' claims for votes!on.' ' ipuroly personal- grounds, ;MT..iH6ckly; it is generally conceded, polled well ':■ on Thursday. , Ho is, bound to •.secure votes pf large numbers .who; iftccording 'to 'proni.ise,-' favoured other candidates , , .with,-their 1 support ;&t the /.first' ballot. By:m&hy.'duo"weight, , is not' given; to. tho ■.fact. !^liat' tho '■ first' 'ballot was, iindcj-. tin , ciseumstances; , '. not' a;'trial'.of party: strength. Despite the announcoment". that 'supporters of tho defeated candidates jhtend'to vote solidly for Mr. Smithiit;is an opdn-Eoerct.that such will iiofbo.tho case. v ,For instanco, .'it is 'now , comnibri knowledge'that several of tho leading .supporters of:'at ; least: two- of .'tho beaten , 'con-, tostonts'.intend; to;fWther;-Mr,;Hockly-s 'can- , 'didatuTO. ,:'ln;a .lesser, "degree the ,'cbntest-pn: Thursday last 'was between ■ Huntervillo and Taihape.'i"-.-The : Huntorville. votes.-.'were fsplit' between.two'almost popular local',can-' ilidates. whilst /there ■was: only. one, chndidato. , ,at Taihapbrwho' hi\d .ttV'strong eVairi) on .the suffrages, of-residents i there,' from > local , sideiratibnK- ■ Next Thursday.,, the polling, should , bo inorb conclusive. Inftnify l among , a-number of: supporters of- the. Government who did 'not they have coiisidofable■ doubts'.' about "his. "attitude".: - to .. tho party::-''Do;'what. i 'howill,'Mr.' Smith will find * it ■very ; hafd r to';, persuade-'many'.of - thtfso who. would ;liko;;;to.;support., him.'.ou-J , ; this-flccasjon . that ho has hot a 'ctjmplctb ,'change,: of ;front..6inco,last:.election.'.'. If bno'asks tKcse. eleotqrs -what they, know oh tho e'ubjeot, one will- (jet in don't want, to do'hi ■Buy. haJm".;kind: of 'smile.. .With- respect'to' the way; : in" which' tho.Government havo acted in conne'ctibhvwith tho.'election disappointment ' is felt: in some ! Mint'steiial,quarters,-but .moro : especially .nmong, those..whoi ; supported : -MrV. Meldrum;:. If, it/is .averred, .tho .Government , hod done what would have- undoubtedly been 'done in-'tho late. Mr. ..Seddon's time,- viz., ■ selected as Government.nominee'th'o,;candidate : .who it -was -felt would bp. most, useful-as a member of the party, the position tb-flay would i have been .very, much, brighter, from tho> Govemmeht: point' of/view. •;.,'' '■' -['-^ ,' : ■ r

| : ;;;r: H:. : ; -

VNEED'-TORTA- SraONGEB..pPPOSmON. ME., iHUTCHISOU: EXPLAINS THE' POSl- ■■<-\ r :'^:r^ : '-: ,v ;tion; : ■>■.;/>;:.\;.;C ;; --; :^' ;■: *;'- '•;•■' (By' Tolegrapn.-SpcciaJ'Reporter.) .V."'..'-.". : ■.■'"•.: ■':;. :'■ ;■ ..' ■ Marion, , '. September -19, •'.'. Notwithstanding "the- wet' weather,upwards .of: 70; electors assembled in i the' Public Hall, nt Fordoll bn Saturday'-evening,; when Mr. Hutchison'■.'•delivered nn aWo , address.. llr/ E..'.' H. .\Vhitcman. was in .tho.ohair.;,Mr.'Hutchison explained' that ho was'thcre in the unavoid-' .able ■-. absence of Mr.'-Hockly,-who, with:'only four.;available." days, before' tho' second ballot, had tb'consider in liow.niany ,of the fifty-three centres in the constituency.he could-hold publib; meetings.,, ,Ia : • tbo 1 circumstances, ■: it: war necessary for. some assistance to' be given to address the electors in a few oven" of the more I important centres;: and he (Mr. .-Hutchison) had. beoiy.-asked to. coiue...fo.,l , ordoH ,in the first place:on.behalf of':irr. Hockly to express his :hanks..to'.tho .electors iiv the Fortiell-district 'or-the niaguificeut'record they had put-uu onthe.first ballot.. ;Out ;bf. 171 .who had.polled' there, -112- had "voted .for Mr;,'- Hockly, as against 10'.for .the in the. forthcoming second ballot, 'while :49. others had distributed their vote among, the other threecaudidates. : Gratifying .as - that result had" been, •it,' was;pbssible. for ■l'ordell to do even better noit: Thursday, but it required unflagging ef.fort and increased energy. . At the first ,ballprv with five, competitors,, there, had been. , some scattering of votes, ;infiuehced to' oomo' extent by. personal ■ favour, for 'particular friends;- Now there .should bo.'.nothing. of. that kind next Thursday. :The'time for indulging iu'.porsoiial preference was past. The question was/ now a ■ public l : on|e of L ;imnionso.. uupprtancei casting "on every elector tho conscionhous- performance'.of : a publio duty. ". -. ■'■.'■■ ■> :. ; The Main Question. '.'■'.'■ ; '■' ;• f.'Tho question was whether tho Governiinent ■or: the Opposition in 'Parliamienf should be' strengthened? The. declared supporters of .the Jlinistry :ntiml»red ,48 membors returned for European-constituencies, to which hadi unfortunately, to bo added the..whole four Maori members..: He";said -'unfortunately; I ' l as" no other, phrase: could; adequately describe: an'anomalous—an ..almost which' had been, tolerated for Bom'e yeais, whilo the four .Jlapri.members -were divided equally" between:! tho"- opposing parties,'. but of recent years; tho MaorLgroup Tiad been''appropriated in globo by tho Ministry, &nd in.the •peculiar ■position of affairs, these-four Maori members really '.nullified .as niany. European votes in .the. House, .votes which, to all , intents andpnrposcs, covered'the': same'ground, 'and. wero returned by. intoUisent nnd respoDSiblo electors, instead of the; luggiir-mußKor of what -was supposed to be :a eyetem of Nativo representation. That.mado fifty;declared Government :sup- ; •porters. There- had 'been five, members rettiriied: as 'Independente." The term did not fit well with the idea of ''dependency,", which ohiefly characterised Government aapport, so :that;if;ono put of, thp. five be given for appearance sake to tho Government, there'would lie fifty-one, :or,- eicepting .tho ; Speaker, who, when' eleoted to t ths Chair, was not in the position of a partisan, and excepting also, the vacancy to be filled .at ,the present election,' there still remained fully forty-nine on , the Government .side. The remaining thirty of '■the total number of'Bo;in the House'.was tho utmost' the' Opposition, could count upon, If quite so, maiiy. ■ Tho difference, was 20,'onofourthofthe whole." Now, was it more desirublo in. the.'public interests to reinforce the 49 or' the -20?; Vlh the" circnthstancea.: thoro seomed'. no, doubt that tho llinistry was 1 safely seated throughout the present Parliament;, so that ; tho issue was narrowed down . to- tho question whethor it was desirablb to strengthen the force of criticism and control ofMihistorial proposals.. Even to thpso who might yet bo infiuonped^by i |th9.,g_lamqnr < pf,..aname, and bo 'desirous-of-aavancing -what wa9 called the Liberal" cause—a name to which, the present .party, in sower. Jiad no aoecial right, ttera,

being as truo Libernls on tho Opposition sido as on the Government, side—it must still appear to bo a distinct advantpgO: to promoto emcicncy ■ by increasing the number of those who wero still so far behind the'other sido in actual voting power. A stronger Opposition meant a better Government; 'u vigilant Opposition meant a careful Ministry; a powerful Opposition meant a stricter control, better matured measures, a healthier administration, and on every ground, therefore, it was to,tho interests of tho public that a Ministry already unnecessarily strong in- voting power should bo confronted by an Opposition bettor situated to safeguard tho public interests.' ■■'

[ Opposition's Good Work. ' Credit had been claimed for a number of useful measures that, had beeu.,nasscd by tho. present, party, in power during their tenure of office, extending ovor sotno 1G or 17 years.' No doubt some ot. tho"' measures passed in that long time had been benofieial, and some of these had been materially improved by' criticism froin.tho Opposition sido of tho House. Nothing could bo truer than that if the Opposition had sat silently .by and allowed some of the moro important Government, measures-;to have been passed as introduced, ■public opinion would long ago havo'demanded a moro careful set of Ministers,, but: to .the credit of tho Opposition—small as it had been in these years—it had achieved, much for the general good, aipatriotio work for. which the whole credit went to. tho Government, whoso position had thus , been improved by their It was sometimes said the Opposition'had'nb policy,, but that was true only in tho sense that they had no formulatod policy they could put into legislative, shape. . It was not tho place of an Opposition to propound a-policy-such as'a".Ministry could do. It haa been said that it was tho business of an'Opjosition .to oppose,, its business being'to criticise ratherHhaii to constrrict. Except,on oiio-day in the week for a.few weeks at' the "beginning of each session, , when membdrs might trot, out their hobby ■ horses- 1 in the-"shape- of privato members' Bills for the' amusement: chiefly : of other members, only to see them copied to pieces' or.'aent dismembered to tho rubbish, heap, the Ministry had the absolute disposal of the order of business of. Parliament Recording to their own sweet will. No other.party,/orgroup-of Members, or single member] whatever.his position might be, outside tho Ministry had the slightest chaned of getting any policy measure passed;, or even seriously considered. .... | Ministerial Bliindcrinns. ' ,■! <

But while there no doubt hod''been'legisla,tion of a progressive and beneficial character passed-:duringtho tenure of the present party in,, power,, there had not less 1 certainly/ been, many enactments that had worked evil to the community, from some of which we would have been spared, or had tho unfortunate experiences .'under them mitigated if- there hod bQon a stronger Opposition in Parliament.Tor instance, the long series of blunderings under tho.blessed .word "arbitration" shpuld not be forgotten in compiling tho annals of Mesor :potamia. These experiments hsd brought .the colony, to the verge of industrial , war, from which it had only been relieved by, the tardy amendments of last year. The wretched' attempt !at- improving our olectoral system by which the present secqnd ballot was rendered necessary, was another , instance of mischiov6u3 legislation,' and served to show/the need' of greater. Restraint-on the proclivities of the Ministry for fantastic,.'remedies'.'that''only accentuated such defects- as may : havo previously existed... Tho financial sins of the" .Ministry he (Mr.r Hutchison)".had-, elsewhere reforred to, and he might havo another oppor.tunity.of;,administering admonition' by ■.discoursing on some ; other texts suitable to tho occasion at the mootinft ho was to":address on, Monday evening at-Eastbroolt. Enough for J.™.. present occasion to/remind tho .electors tijat the rule, of the. presont party in power had resulted: in a portentous debt for'much of which thero was littlq. creditable "to show, ami it. was. certain that, there wouldbo further proposals which, wpnld, involve, further 'burdens of debt/ and taxation. ."At no timo would sreater ngilanco in- .Parliament be-inecessary than 'now, and-.With -that .prospect ho : Wasted the electors of-ftengitileei' bn"-4ur§aay, ..suitably discharge.what was, in,tlio oirouin' R« m . d sf serious public trust, -A- motion of, .thanks - for., his ■ able -address -w M . carried by acclamation, on the proposal of Mr.- J P Cowie, seconded by.-Mr. J!. M.,Cranstone. ....

I'STATEMENT. BY, THEvfICTIfJG^PREMIER,

~ ;;,,"ENTraE "absence m peesonal ■ •■■••.-■ '"ii,!-\.-- ; :^,>??bb}jlNG."':v.v ; ~'.-: ; : :.-,-- -,- - .'. Mossrs.'.:Meldram. an(l ,v Ge6rgotti/ two. of tho defeated-.Ministerial .candidates at ; the, Eangi'tikei: election last'.week,. werb- ift' WoUiUgtouyestorday (Sunday), and in the afternoon liad'o' private interview, with -the IloniCJaihcs Carroll : :(ActingrPrimo-Minister)i: and three .other : momv. : be"rs,of '> the Oablnot-the. Hon;: J.-: A; Millar,Hon. E.;. M'Kenzie,. and- the .Hon. T.- Macliensie,. : In ; reply, to:: a .question, byj a 'represontatiyo. of The BoraKioir, , the 'subject-of tho interview, the, Acting-Prime Minister said • that on .becoming aware of the fact that Messrs;.Meldrum and. Georgetti' ; wero. in ,'town,. he had in-' vited'them : to,' reccivo tho.;personal .cbngratulatiqns.of -himself'arid, his .colleagues bn"tho .mannerin which, they had'acquittod themselvcß' during the campaign.' Mr.' Carroll added that the'.wholo ' conduct' of>the> election wasyory gratifying.V.-'i'here had been an', entire absence' of personal -fooling.'; The question'of roprosontation, was .now'a party issuo.;.Mr. Carrqll then .referred:.to , ..'Mr..Geo; Hntohisp'n's campaign ,'ih , support .of, the Opposition intorost".in\thb sec : ..opd ballot, 1 ; and .suggested, that' although hisspeeches might be of'some import fromi.the Opposition point'of view, he did not view his ;(ilr.- Hutchison's) active.presence in tho jcam;paign; with any alarm.,- As.fo/tho.prospects;of ■a .Ministerial i visit, to Ea'ngi'tikei; this '.week, Mr. , Carroll, said that that, would dopond on ' whether;' any desire: in thn t direction -yni" oxpressed by the olectors. ■ JJothihg was settled at present. :';:.' : ■ ..'-" . -v :-<';-■. ■: ;:'-..:,■■■'