THE ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1247, 2 October 1911, Page 8

THE ELECTIONS.

THE REFORM PARTY. EXCELLENT PROSPECTS IN THE SOUTH. Encouraging' reports in regard to tlio prospcctsNaf the lioform party at the approaching general election have been coming in from nil parts of tlio country of lalo. .Mr. Jas. Allen, member for Bruoc, told a reporter last evening that ho «m----sidored-that the prospects of the party in the south were excellent. "I cannot see any seat 'that wo are going to lose." he remarked, "and we have an extremelv good chance of gaining Oamarn. 1 think we are certain to hold Duroedin North, the constituency of 31 r. 0. 11. Thomson, and I should not be at all surprised if another Dunedin seat came to us. • We shall have a candidate at Wallace, although no definite choice has yet been made in respect of that seat. Messrs. King and. Cormichael have each been mentioned as prospective candidates. We shall have a candidate at Awarua and another at Port Chalmers, who is almost enrtain, with the altered electoral boundaries, to wia his way to success. No one has yet been definitely selected to contest Invcrcargill, but we shall run a candidate for that seat." EGMONT. A KEEN CONTEST. The contest for the Egmont feat between Mr. Dive and the Minister for Agriculture promises to be a very interesting one. It is understood thqt the Prime Minister will be asked to give an address in favour of the Government candidate. Mr. Mossey will in all probability also make his appearance on the Egmont platforms. He received. on Saturday a requisition bearing a very largo number of signatures from the district and couched in the following words: "We, the undersigned electors of Egmont electorate, respectfully request that yon will take an early opportunity of delivering a political address in. Mtmaia. We strongly feel that at tho present moment it is a matter of the highest national importance that the people should understand thoroughly the issues on which they will soon be called upon to record their opinions, and that it is only by tho fullest and freest discussion that sound and enlightened conclusions can be arrived at, and the true interests of out country most effectually served. Wo therefore hope you will give us the benefit of your views on those questions now appealing for treatment at the. hands of the Legislature, and thus add another to the many services you have at an expenditure of much time and labour patriotically rendered to 'the country." MR. J. E. FITZGERALD AT PAHAUTANUI. Mr. i. E. Fitzgerald, Liberal candidate for the Suburbs seat, addressed a large meeting of electors at Pahautanui on Saturday evening, Mr. W. Gallaway presiding. Mr. Fitzgerald was well received, and his address upon some of the more important political questions of the day was listened to with close attention. It was tho duty of every democratic Government, he said, to reduce taxation as far as possible on the necessaries of life, and in endeavouring to place the burden on tho shoulders of those best able to bear it, as in the case of the graduated land tax, income tax, and death duties the Government were working- in the right direction. Dealing with the land question, ho advocated increased graduated laud tax upon large estates which would tend to make these lands unprofitable as now held, and force them into the market. Tlio best way to develop the country was to bnrst up largo estates and rencier the land available for settlement by all who wero anxious to work it. Mr. .Fitzgerald declared himself no friend ot militarism, if it were possible to do without it. He approved of military training, but considered that a man should be freed from all obligations under tho defence schemo at tho age of twenty-one. Seven years should be a sufficient period m which to train any young man into an efficient citizen soldier. At the close of hia address, Mr. Fitzgerald was unanimously accorded a voco of thanks and confidence, on tho motion of Mr. Brady, seconded by Mr. A. Nicol. 5 "PUT THEM OUT." REIGN OF AUTOCRACY COMING TO AN END. (By Telecraph.—Soecial Correspondent.) Opotiki, September 29. Mr. Harry Do Latour, tho Reform Party's candidate for the Bay of Plenty seat, opened his campaign at Opotiki last night, when he addressed a very large and appreciative audience. Tho Mayor (Mr. H. E. Elliott) presided. Mr. Do Latour, who was repeatedly cheered, predicted the defeat of tho Ward Administration at tho general election, stating that tho reign of autocracy was at an oad, and truo Liberalism was coming into swav. From the North Capo to the Bluff the people were crying concerning the Government: "Put thorn out." Mr. De Latour severely criticised the Government's financial methods and Native land policy; and strongly advocated the opening up and settlement of idle Native lands as a means of increasing population and revenue. He declared that the pakehas had been made pack horses for the Maori, instancing a case in his own experience at East Cape, where white settlers, by their reading and other improvements, had put ,£1,500,000 in the pockets of tho Maoris. He stated that the Native land policy had prevented Opotiki and Whakatane from becoming large townships. Ho spoke strongly in favour of tho freehold, and declared that there was no unearned increment so far as the back-blocks Battlers wero concerned. He criticised tho nominative system as regards the Upper House, and Sir Joseph Ward's acceptance of a baronetcy, and tho gift of the Dreadnought without consulting Parliament, and declared that these things proved that the present Governmeut was undemocratic. He quoted Mr. I'oivlds's statement in support of this contention, and charged the Government with using public money for party purposes. At the conclusion of the address he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks, which was carried amidst cheers. Mr. De Latour has toured tho greater part of the electorate, and is well pleased with his prospect of success, many people who voted for the Ward Administration last year having promised him their support. TO-NIGHT'S MEETING. Mr. D. M'Laren, M.P., will address the Koseneath electors in tho schoolroom, Koseneath, at 8 o'clock this evening. Mr. Byron Brown will address the Otaki electors'in the Century Hall, Levin, this evening, at 8 o'clock.