CROWDED MEETING AT TAIHAPE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 618, 22 September 1909, Page 8

CROWDED MEETING AT TAIHAPE.

V':v; v . ADDEESS/bY ME. ■ HOCKLT. ', ,^::; ■MR:' MASSBY .MAKES A TELLING SPEECH. :' There' was'-not' room' for another person' to stand in' the. body of-Gretna Hall, Taihape, last- night, when■.■■Mγ., Hockly,''-, the Reform party's oandidate, .and Mr.. Jlassey, -Leader: of the "patty," 1 .delivered addrosses., .When .the speakers ascended the platform,■■' they ..had- a ; very cordial reception. .Mr. Nathan (the Mayor) occupied / the chair. "..■'•■ '■■''■■ ' - • , }lv. Hockly. referred first of all .to the Seoond Ballot,Act,,the principle of which he did not ■ approve. ". They hnd .during the present election' an instance of the undesirableness of a second ballot in .that it' offered ■ an' opportunity to the Government in power-to fcribe a , constituency. . .'Hβ considered" that : the "plums" which . the' Government'.had offered on this.occasion represented a scandalous misuso'.,of. power. (Applause.), The Act. was. introduced :to 'prevent the representation in Parliament' of':the' workers,' , :, A. .voice: 'We aro the'workers. : ' ■' \ ' ■ ■■'' Jfr.:-Hockly; So 'β-l. I have worked all .my'/life'..;'- ; . - - : ; ! .-■-' .■"■".- •"■• ■-.. ■' -.. ..'A voice: Thrje-and-six a day. •' ' - .'■'-.' :'Mf.-Hdckly: >. was never paid ench a small rate, and I have always,paid my men -good wages. (Applause.) . ~. ■ / ' ( .. ■ Mi. Hockly; wont on • to, say that .no- party had more sympathy.for the workers than' the party which' he: represented. Hβ then roferrred to, the, undue delay which had takon place on the'part of tho Government .in.taking- steps to see'that the New; Zealand timber: industry was placed', in such I ', a position that it 'ltould not continue to be subjected to unfair ''outside competition'.' Without hesitation he would say that'the Opposition had -always'worked in the best" interests of the industry. Mr., Hockly, then dealt-with the political.attitude of Mr. Smith before and after tho general election. ■His object in referring' to the matter was that .Mr. .Smith had challenged him to sustain the allegation that ;he was guilty of iriconsistericy: How was , it that Mr. Smith gained'such largei support jfronv the Opposition loet election? -'■ A' voice:, Because" you were not! standing. (Laughter.) -, y. , ; .vr. .-,...... Mr. Hockly explained that ho had beon asked to stand at-last election, bnt :,afterwards ho was asked to withdraw by a local Opposition sub-committee, who'-told him. that Mr.', Smith hnd assured thorn that his sympathies , were with the Opposition. ■; A voice: He was pulling thoir legs.- . • Mr. Hockly Concluded by outlining his platform, which he 6aid he felt sure would meet with, the'approval of a large majority of the electors in Raußitikei. Mr. Massey said'that'he lia'd been told that in. going to Tnihape he was going into the I camp 6t tho enemy. Other..camps -of the >-.'-':.--'-'.''.-'"-- '..-.-■'■'■w '_> :. ' 'vj- -O^ , '

enemy which he had entered he had made a home of his friends. , (Loud applause.)' Referring to tho timbor industry, Mx. Massey said that he was tho first member of the House to call _ attention to the injustice that was bciiiK done to tho New Zealand timber industry through unfair overseas competition. (Applause.) So long as he remained in Parliament, and that was likely to bo for 'a very long time,, he would do his .utmost to see that no industry was unfairly hampered. (Applause.) Last winter he asked Mr. Hockly to stand, bnt Mr. Hockly preferred to consult his friends before giving a reply. What was the result. of the negotiations? Why, Mr. Hockly stood down for Mr. Smith, and ho (Air. Massoy) was asked to instruct tho organiser of tho party to givo Mr. Smith all data which would assist him in the election. •A voice: Prove it. '-,•■■. ; Mr. Massey: i .will give to the Hospital ■u.l cunt substantiate, my'statement if my interrupter will donate-a similar, amount if J- do. (l.oud applause.) *}*• Massey, continuing, said that ho would not have taken the field,had it not been that the so-called Liberal candidates had entered into a combination to crush the only Kcform party candidate, and that even previous to the first Fallot; also that it was known that the Government had offered to assist during the second ballot campaign. If Ministers. had a. right to take a hand in the contest'he had the same right, , (Applause.) He ' hoped that electors would not allow themselves to be led by the Government like sheep to the slaughter, but ,would> exercise their right of voting as. free and independent citizens. If tho. electors , wanted the option of the freehold and fair.- valuations they should support the.party. which ho represented. With respect to the.Hon. J. A. Millar and the Hon.. 1. .Mackenzie, lie said that they had come to the district mt in the interests of the Dominion but |in the interests of their-party. One of them was a leaseholder, and the other was a freeholder; one of them was a Freetrader, and the. other was a Protectionist. (Laughter.), "Was it possible that such a conglomerate Ministry as: tho Ward Administration xoultl put forward n workable policy before the people , of the country? Ho was going to take, off his' , gloves'towards the: present Ministry, and he guaranteed that before Christmas there-was going- to be a lot of plain .speaking,, such ,as Ministers had not heard ■ 'for a long time. (Loud applause.) The platiorm which his party had put forward at last election was the most democratic platform everputyorward in' New Zealand. (Applause.) In regard to Crown lands; he declared that he would never be, satisfied until, every settler was. given a' chance of making his selections hh%°S ( Louu "PP'nuse.) Was'it not a fact that Mb Millar had asserted.in the House that -hedeath ofvthe L.I.P. tenant should : terminate tils leosePv Was that a suggestion worthy of. ; he great, Liberal party? That, was not Liberalism, -as he ', understood it. (Applause.) , !*i, We ?i y l . h ? nsa nu people had. been attracted-to the Dominion'.by,'immigration, but was it not a , fact that just-as many people,. , and he reckoned they ,wero more; desirable settlers, had left New Zealand later? : Mr. Mass«y, replying' to a query as, to, Whether he was in favour of a reduction in. wages, said he had pefEonallv always paid the. :highest wagesi and that if anyone could . prove that he had ever sugthat, wages should be.reduced he would' offer to resign his seat.. '(Loud:applause.) In.conclusion,: Mr ; -Massey made a strong appeal to, tho electors to support Mr. Hockly, whose motto was good, sound, honest government,! and who had-the interests of the constituency , and tho:c6untry at,heart. ~ , '.■ - ■■_ No questions having ■ been asked, Mr. - J. ' Ivess moved a , , resolution thanking Mr. Masseyfor his address;.'.but'expressing confidence in .the. Ward Government; ■ imd assuring, Mr. Massey of the "electors' determination to return Mr. Smith as the candidate who' Would support ' it. The ■ resolution was received -first with a cheer for'-'Mrl'Sm which was-fol-lowed by. more, hearty; cheer's for Mr: Hockly and ■Mγ. Massey.-;■ Mr.;lvcss : attempted ; to address the electors, but they showed'unmistak-' ,ably that they resented , the form in which ■ his resolution -was worded,' arid would' have : none, of. him. "Wβ: want Mr.;Hpbkly" was a call in .which a very large number participated. At. this juncture ,a,:typical< son of :Krin, who had interrupted fMiy-Mtissey repeatedly"; during .his address, clambered 'pii , to the platform, andi,. amid applause; shook, hands very heartily with'him. ■' There then' followed a brief ;' period of ejcitenient; after which Mr. Massey, who had .goodtreason to be proud of the reception which had .been ;accorded 'himself and -Mr." Hookly, .brought' the '.proceedings to a olo'se ■ by pro.posing a : hearty vote. of thanks, to the chair- , man, which was-'carried-by acclamation. , ■'■• , :The general opinion is that Mr. Massey has 1 turned : quite a number of votes" in favour of Mr.' Hockly. ■■ -'-.•■■ ■• ' : > '. -'