ON THE PLATFORM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1289, 18 November 1911, Page 6

ON THE PLATFORM.

WELLINGTON EAST. DR. NEWMAN AT ST. MAEK'S. Dr. A. IC. Newman, Reform party candidate for the Wellington East seat, addressed a crowded meeting of electors in St. Mark's Hall. Susses Square, last evening. Mr. T. Pavitt presided.

In the early part of his address Dr. Newman dealt with the subject of extra payments to Judges. The people of the Dominion, he declared, would no longer be sure of their Judges if the latter were to bo paid, in reckless fashion, simply at the sweet will of Ministers. For their action in this matter alone, tho Government deserved to be fired out. (Hear, hear.) The ugliest fact which the ppople of this Dominion had to fac« wis that it had a Government which abused the power of borrowing and abused its power of taxation. A system had grown up under which people had to go cap in hand to Ministers in order'to obtain grants of public money. Mr. Bolton had accused him of making a hideous blunder in stating that one million acres of -Native lands wero lying idle in the Wellington Proviuco. A reference to the Year Book would ehow that his figure? were correct. Interrupted, for the second time, by interjectors, Dr. Newman protested against the action of one or two men at meeting after meeting. He was going to say what he likwl, whether these men liked it or not. (Loud applause.) Dr. Newman continued that Mr. Millar, who was in for the fight of his life, at Duncdin, had stated before his constituents that he hoped to be Prime Minister of this Dominion if anything took Sir Joseph Ward away. This seemed to him an amazing statement, but the Primo Minister, since it was made, had spoken once in public, and had not controverted it. Dr. Newman continued that he assumed Sir Joseph Ward would succeed Sir William Hall-Jones as High Commissioner when the latter retired on December 31. Voices: Hear; hear! Good riddance! Dr. Newman: "V T ery good. I hope ho will go." Apparently, he went on, the election was to bo fought out, not on tho question of a Ward Ministry, but of a Millar Ministry. It was strange that the Government had not taken the people into their confidence. Ho did not think tho people wero going to gain much by the change. Mr. Millar vrns a member of the Ministry associated with reckless borrowing, the Mokau case, and all the rest of it. Tho election was going to be the greatest battlo for New Zealand for 20 years. Tho question was -whether a party should be returned which had dragged down political life, squandered public money, and displayed partisanship in everything. (Hear, hear.) No change could bo for the worse, any change must bo for the better. If tho rank and filf did their duty in this great conflict for freedom and for better government New Zealand would be better off than it had been for the last twenty years. (Hear, hear. Loud and continued applause.) In all Dr. Newman spent something like an hour in answering questions. One man, after asking a number, got into an altercation with the audience and was threatened with removal by a sergeant of police. This led him to ejaculate. "Why should you bring in a sergeant of polico to put me down?" Dr. Nowmnn said that this man had followed him round at every meeting. He (Dr. Newman) had been electioneering for many years, but never had asked o policeman to attend any of his meetings, and never would. In tho latter part of the meeting thero was somo disturbance caused by a section of tho audience. One man made a brief spoech at the roar of flic hall, and was ultimately silenced by roars of "platform." While speaking ho accused Dr. Newman of expecting to be elected "on negative criticism only." There was some farther confusion when a voto of thanks and confidence was proposed. The chairman did not handle tho situation very firmly, and Dr. Newman took charge of affairs himself. A hostile amendment was defeated on tho voices, and the motion was carried. Cheers were given for Dr. Newman before the audience dispersed. Thero was a counter demonstration, but cheers predominated.

ME. M'LAEEN AT CLYDE QUAY. Mr. D. M'Laron, M.P., addressed a wellnttemicd meeting of electors in the Clyde Quay Schoolroom last evnnins. Mr. J. Scott presided. This, said Mr. M'Larcn in opening, was the period.of perennial and unlimited promises on the part of candidates. It was well to jiulprc men rather on (heir deeds than on their professions. There were candidates, for instance, who professed n. concern for maintaining tlio leasehold svstein, liut when (he Prime Minister clown Ins Land Bill—a freehold measure—it was left to such inoji as the lati! 11 r. T. B. Taylor, Mr. A. AV. HofS. and himself tu hold public nicctin"6 bore und raito a protest. It hud to ba ißCosiiscd thal» in rwliamtat, ia«

(eresl.s as well as parlies were represented, and as tin; interests of tho people depended fo a lnvgo exlwit on (ho development of industries and trade, men should bo cliom'ii as rcprc-enlalives who had taken n prnciical interest in indiistriiil affairs. Mr. MMjiren supported (he protection and (levi'li.pmnnt: iif luml induttries, and said ho ri-Ki-cl led to find that there was a slrpni; liMidi'iicy in New Zealand io roihicc nil iilai-sM of workers (o (he standing of Ciniial I'liijilnyecs. Tho Employers' Federation w.'is onnsljiitly se.cUing to havo iiiiliintfiiil roiidilioiis iixod on a basis of hourly iigreem«nts. Whilst any security ii'f U'liiiro that workers enjoyed wis Iliim lining destroyed (ho complaint was i-iilm'i! lliii! they were not dointr as Rood w.irk us I heir I'atlnT.i had done before Ilii'in. Hi' hiippnrt«d a movement Hint ifiiild givii «rfati>r foc.urity to all <-n(!iii;f.l in iiidu.-try. Mr. M'Laran advonilril eii.<iperali«.n heliveen th« (iovcrnhiinl ami local bodies in tlio advancement of Unii-pliinnin;,'. IliiriiiK "i|m-slinii time," Mr .M'Larnn mi;, n;,ked Io (li-lini* tho lenn "iKigus uniiiii," an iiswl by him in a question In Hi" Mlnisler for Liibniir during lii-H Ho repliwl that, a bogus workiir.V union was n union of workers which Whi iindiT Mm coiilrnl of employers. I'.mj.lt.veM nlioiild hnvo a fr<o right; to form Ilihir own (irginiisations, ,ind llm worker.i tilioiild ]K)y/>.-vS a similar right. Mr. M'Urai whs also nslicd whether he would favour amending the Conciliation mid Arliilrulion Act U>. provide that nolien should Ixj givon by advertisement to employees in an industry of a proposal Io form a union, so Hint their interests might. It" protect/Jil, ns against tho existing "liolo and corner" methods. _ Mr. M'Unmi replied that ho was quito in favour of making it publicly known amongst (ho workers that a. union was being formed.

Mr .John Brodio, Independent Liberal oiimlidnio for Wellington East, addressed a meoling of tho Gas Company's Employees at the works on Wednesday mid-day Inst. Ho was v.-ell received. After speakini; on the loading .political questions of tliii (lay ho vras accorded a vote of thanks and confidence.

WELLINGTON CENTRAL. SPEECH BY MB- FISHER. Mr. F. M. B. Fisher, sitting member for tho Wellington Central electorate, addressed a well-attended meeting of electors at. tho Mission Hall, Aro Street,' last evening. Tho candidate, who had an excellent meeting, dispensed with tho formality of a chairman, remarking by way of preface, that he did not think thero would bo much difficulty in. keeping the meeting in order. There wero no hostile interruptions, and the speaker's remarks wore applauded at frequent intervals. After donning his position in politics—declaring that ho would vote njainst tho Government on a lio-contidenco motion—ho said that last year ho had voted against tho Government on a no-confidence motion, and had been charged with "ratting" on tho leasehold. .Mr. Fisher then detailed tho circumstances under which ho had voted. Tho Leader of the Opposition's motion was an involved one, consisting oi six clauses. Four of these he approved oi, and the other two in- was ngaiust. Being in favour of the four clauses ho had felt justified iu voting against the Government. When, afterwards, he was charged with raving "ratted" on. the leasehold, he wired to tho late Mr. T. E. Taylor and asked him if ho could remember any occasion when he- could have been accused on such a charge. Mr. Taylor replied that ho could not. It was perfectly clear, said Mr. Fisher, that certain reforms were urgently required, and tha> the Government, people now realised, was unable t« accomplish these. The Opposition, he declared, could and woiild accomplish theio reforms. That was why he supported ti; Opposition. This was the first time he had definitely declared for a side, but he dj'i not desire any misunderstanding about tho mutter. If, for argument's sake, tlu same sins which he condemned in the Ward Administration should be committed by Mr. Massey's Administration ■ 1:would vote against Mt. Massc-y. The Government, which now sought tho confidence of the country, was not even as good othat which faced the electors three-year;-ago. Mr. M'Nab had been rejected, and Mr. Dogg had been turned out of tho Cabinet •because of his views on the question of a State note issue—views which Sir Joseph Ward had said at tho time wero calculated to inspire financial unrest. Yet, less than two years later, the Prime Minister tho same proposition in his Budget speech. The present Government had one abiding principle—to remain in office. That Government, said Mr. Fisher, must bo got out of office, and a persistent effort made, by a process of evolution if neod be, to secure stability of principle and administration. In ton years the Commonwealth of Australia had witnessed eight changes of Government. The leaders in each case wore notable men. Despite that fact, Australia was more prosperous than ever it had been before. Tho prosperity of a country did not. primarily depend upon the Ministry in power, but on its productive resources. The worth of a Ministry was to be measured by its services to production. The Ward Government, declared Mr. Fisher, was effete, nerveless, tired; a motor-car Ministry, mosaic, tessalated; a Ministry of shreds nnd patches, of compromise; a jelly-fish Sfinistry. "You can't tell mo any single point," ho declared, "on which this Ministry stands firm. Politically, I have no respect for them—very little, at any rate." Tho now Defence Act, he continued, was a good Act, nnd would do a lot of good, although there might be many defects in it on account of its administration by the Government. They had secured tho services of a most able man to carry it out. "But I want-to say this," said Mr. Fisher, "it is not right that the law of tho land should be so administered that some who refused to register should be prosecuted, and others who refused to register allowed to go free. (Hear, hear.) Tho Government is lacking in the courage to enforce its own law. Thero must bo equality for all under a system of compulsory training. If not, then the soonei tht> Act is repealed the better. (Eear, hear.) Tho candidate touched upon various other matters, nnd at the conclusion was accorded n hearty vote of thanks ami confidence, carried by acclamation and cheers.

MR. W. T. YOUNG AT ST. PETER'S. Jlr. W. T. Young, the Labour party's candidate for "Wellington Central. addressed electors at St. Peter's Schoolroom last evening. Mr. W. Merritt was in the chair, and thero were some 35 persons presont. In opening, the candidate suggested that tho personal qualifications of a candidate should not weigh with the electors so much as the platform of tho party of which the candidate was th» accredited representative. ' Tho party which Mr. Young represented had laid down a fixed platform, which lie was pledged. to follow. Tho people should consider carefully the policies of the parties (as represented by the three candidates for the Peat), and vote for the one which they considered best. The plafform which the speaker was pledged to, had been drawn irp by common men for the common good of tho people. Mr. I'ouup then outlined tho party programme, and in regard to the land question announced himself as strongly in favour of the leasehold tenure, with a right of renewal and periodical revaluation. Native lands .should be placed on the sninc fooling as other muds. There should, he considered, be an increment on all land sales. He believed that tho iron ores of this country should 1)8 operated by the Government, which had no right to use public money to bolster up private enterprises. Mr. Young disapproved of tho Government Advances to Settlers Act, and strongly condemned the Government's system of borrowing, which during Clio last few years had proceeded at a rate which the country could not stand. Tho Labour party considered that there was no necessity for a Second Chamber. What was required was legislation by the people for the people. Other matters on which Mr. Young spoke were nationalisation of private enterprise. State ferry service between Wellington and Lyttolton, a referendum to enable the people to support or oppose legislation, bare majority on all questions submitted to the people, full political rights for State employees, public defenders, and shipping: legislation. Mr. Young read a report of a speech made by Mr. V. M. B. Rshcr in Australia, and' said: "I have a question for Jlr. rUlier. Will ho kindly state how he reconcile-: his action on the plaiiorm in Australia in opposition to tho referendum proposal of the Labour parly with hi:plausible ullerancos (o the electors of Wi'Hiuutou Central ':" At tho conclusion of his address the candid.ito was uuanimuuily uccordwi a vote id UunkA '