HERE AND THERE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1291, 21 November 1911, Page 6

HERE AND THERE.

■ CAMPAIGN POINTS AND PRESS COMMENTS. Auckland and the Capital. Mr Fisher was asked last night what he thought about . Sir John Finality's recont utterance about the possibility of transferrins the capital sito to Auckland. "I am amazed at two things in. connection with that," said Mr. Fisher. "One is tkit Dr. Findlay should bo so unintelligent as to make such a statement on the platform, and another is that anybody should be so unintelligent as to suggest to him 'to" mats it, He knows perfectlywell, ho must know, that if he is elected for Auckland he is not going to help to shift the capital up there. If he wantod to represent tho capital ho should have stood lor Wellington." A voice: Ho wouldn't havo had a hopo. fi Forlorn Hope. There are signs that even in South Canterbury—so long regarded as a "Liberal" stronghold—tho tide is turning fast. Tho Timartt "Herald," referring to Sir ."lost-ph Ward's visit to Waimate, describes him a* leading a forlorn hope to save the iooat seat: "It is only since tlio wave of political feeling "began to turn in favour of tho Opposition three years ago that leaders of the Govern-, inenfc havo l'Aund it necessary to employ their perftmal exertions 011 tho spot for tho protection of the Wnitaki seat. In the Wailaki electorate the. wavo has turned strongly sinco it iirst began to turn, , and it threatens to bo irresistible. Sir Joseph Ward had to bombard tho Opposition and acclaim the virtues of his Government for three long hours, in npito of medical advice that his health might suffer if ho put.too great a strain upon himself."

Rich Men's Motor-cars. "If elected, would yon bo in favour of taxing rich men's motor-cars heavily?" was a question asked Jlr. i'islier at his meeting last night. "Yes," replied Mr, Fisher. "I am not satisfied with the existing condition of things. In the la:il; tariff put . through .by this Government— I think it was 'mainly an oversight-motor-car chassis were allowed to cone in free, whilst fairly heavy duties wero imposed on perambulators and go-carts. It seems,to mo that .the arrangement is hardly fair." The Masterton Seat.Mr A. H. Herbert, Opposition candidate for the Masterton seat, has just completed ft' second tour of the Pongaroa district. Ho addressed meetings at Tongaroa. find Kakanui. and was well received Mr. Herbert found a revulsion of opinion against the Government, and was particularly pleased with the. support promised him. Sir. Herbert is receiving snbstantial Atipport throughout the Bush District, oj]r] I)is supporters are confident that ho will bo well in tho second ballot. Tho Government and the Working Man. Mr. Bell mado some very pointed remarks last night at Bcrhamporo when speaking of the present Government's •ittitude to tho working man. Tho real lost as to whether they stood for tho orking man was whether their own sor.niits wore satisfied with their lot. (A , .ice.; "No, they're not.") Tho candi- ■ r.tte then went on to refer to the peti--ion recently presented by (ho railway "liployees, who. after a long delay, got thrown to them, "like a Ixine to A dog." iv hat the Government was prepared to /■ve on tho evo of an election. . . . Ail that the Government had done for its 'pvn servants had been forced out of it by them—as a vulo on the eve of an «iection—and this was ouo &f the most

significant things tho doctors lind to deal with at the present election. Tho Government had fried to buy the railway servants and had failed. They had tried to buy tho civil servants, and ho thought they had failed. (A voice: "Yes, they have.")

A Young Nov/ Zealander. Mr. J. 0. Jameson, who litis announced himself as tho Reform candidate ior Avon, is a young New Zealander whoso grandparents lauded in Wellington in JSJO. Ho is tlio eldest son 'of Mr. (i. Jameson, a well-known merchant and farmer of Christchurch, and a nephew of Mr. J). D. MacFwlane, of Anuiri, who is' contesting tho ITurunui seat. Mr.. Jameson, who was born in Christchurch in ISrii, was educated at Christ's College. Ho was for some years in the office of tho New Zealand Shipping Company, and subsequently entered into business as a sliarebroker and shipping agent, being also Cook's agent for Canterbury. II« is well known as « cricketer and golfer, and was for somo years lion, secretary of the Cricket Council and the Christchurch Golf Club. Belter Than Nuggets. "Ono hundred and sixty of the lowerjiaid Civil Servants could havo had their salaries increased if wo had not made that ludicrously abslrd present of the Itoddy Nugget. One would havo taonght it. would have been enough to hare presented a Dreadnought. That was a very decent little present, and remember that wo offered two. Mr. Asquith, wnh blushing modesty, accepted only one, and wo aro let iu for onlv .£150,000 a year instead of .£300,000."—51r. F. M. B. 1-isher on Government generosity of a particular sort.

The Christchurch North Seat. Mr. J. D. Hall, Opposition candidate for Christchurch North, opened his campaign on Friday night with a crowded meeting. There is a strong feeling in the constituency that Mr. Hall has an excellent chance of turning the tables on his opponent. Whatever other use Mr. Isitt mado of the few weeks lio was in Parliament lie did not extend his political knowledge, and his claim to be regarded as an Independent is generally derided. The First Thing. "Don't yon think the land question is tho first thing?" asked a gentleman of Mr. Bell at Berhampore last night. "No, the cleansing of politics," promptly ' replied the candidate. The answer evoked a great outburst of applause from tho audieiioc. "Curiouser and Curiouser." A3 tho days pass, the shifts of tho Reform party's opponents become, us Alice would say, "curiouser and curiouser." On Saturday tho Napier "Telegraph" had a long and rather confused article, the purport of which seemed to be that Mr. Massey wished to reduce wages to 3s. Cd. a day. "What amount of living," it says, "could the married man obtain for his family with 3s. Gd. per day? Mr. Massey should have explained." In the same issue, the unfortunate "Telegraph" printed Mr. Massey's statement in his Wintou speech that "nine shillings a day was enough for railway servants with families to bring up." An Elector's Prophccy.

A member of tho andienco at Mr. Bell's Berhampore meeting last night wanted to know if the candidate was in favour of repealing the "Davey" clause. Ho prefaced tlio question to tho chairman by the sentcnco, "When Mr. Bell's party 'is returned to power on December 7, etc." A thin female voice, which had been previously interjecting, said "No chance," but the words were drowned in applause, as the prophecy had pleased the audienco immensely.

"Liberal" Tactics. The depths to which the "Liberal" party can. descend in their attacks on political opponents has been discovered by Mr. G. M. Thomson, the member for Duncdin North. His opponents have been circulating a rumour to the effect that he had been absent so much from Parliament that Dunedin North bad been practically disfranchised. Mr. Thomson cave this an unqualified denial last week. Tho only times he had been absent from the House, he said, were in the first session, when ho lost his only daughter through death, and in the Jast session, ■wliea he also lost his wife through death. Neatly Put. Tho "Tiinaru Herald" comments thus on a passago in Sir Joseph Ward's spcech at Waimato: "110 stated that New Zealand had a system of acquiring lands for settlement'such asuo other country had,' and his hearers could well believe it, with the Mokau instance and the subdivision of tlio Mackenzie runs .in mind." Where the Taxes Come From. Mr. J. D. Hall, in a speech at Christchurch, referred to the Premier's suggestion that the incrcaso in tho cost of living might bo due to the increase of the gold output. One would think, said Mr. Hall, that an incrcaso in the gold supply would cause securities to bo absorbed more rapidly, but securities had not increased in value. All taxation must ultimately rest upon the shoulders of the people who had to pay for food and rent from their daily wage. The taxation might primarily bo imposed on luxuries nnd on tho land, but the luxuries would be dispensed with and the land dealt with in another way, leaving the only ctrtain source of revenue tho pockets of tho wage-earners. The Railway Service. "It might pay—probably would payto get in experts to advise on the wliolo thing," said Mr. P. G. Bolton last ovening, in reply to a question as to whether he favoured setting up a commission to make comprehensive inquiry into tho state of tho railway service. "That does not imply," Mr. Bolton added, "that I advocate handing over control of tho railways to a board, or anything of

Mr. Hine's Method, -Writing of Mr. nine's meeting in the Town Hall at Tututawa last week, the Tututawa correspondent of tho Tarauaki "Herald" said: "Mr. Hine is to bo complimented on tho staud Ito has taken in the contest, putting up a fair fight, which must have been very noticeable to those present who are not supporters of the Reform party. Ho never once mentioned, his opponent's namo during his address. A very hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Hine for his able address, and renewed confidence in him as our member, was passed." Disappointed Set'lers. - "Hallot bon-bons" was the name which Mr. Sykes, one of tho -Reform candidates for Mastorton, applied to the Government's promises of grants for the backblocks. Promises made lost, election for the rnngaroa back-blocks had not been carried out, ami as a result the electors fo a man were f.oing to vote for the Reform Party this time. Divided "Liberals." . Advanced Liberals had said, Mr. E. J. Carey remarked last evening, that if Labour were united and not split, they might think of joining tho party. Had electors read of a split not only in tho Libera.! party, but in the very Cabinet itself? And had thoy noticed that there was a contest between Sir Jas. Carroll, Sir John Findlay, and Mr. Millar for tho Premiership:-' Let tho straight-out issue of leasehold or freehold bo put to the members of tho Liberal party, said Mr. Caroy,.and 1 it would be found that tho party was wrecked for over. Futile Immigration Policy, "Wo havo lost to Australia in eight months of this year (i'2oll people, and at the same time wo havo voted on (lift Estimates for the purpose of immigration. I ask you this question: "Why should wo spend .£12.(100 in importing pcoplo from England to lake the pla™ of the people going out oMhis country to Australia!' is that rational?" Mr. V. M. .0. Fisher asked the question t>f his a.udiciice in Toiv Street list night.

Where Docs the Government Stand? Tlio Government's lack of a flrlini'o policy in the matter of Industrial bitration was touched upon by Mr. h. .1. Carey last evening. lie stated that he had 'awaited with interest u pronouncement by Mr. Millar on this subject. Mr. Millar was the Minister in charge of the industrial section of tho Liberal party s programme, and now was the time—lietore the election—for the Liberal party to state its policy in regard to industrial arbitration. Yet there had been no pronouncement at all, save for the iudical:on, given in the House when the Estimates were being reviewed, as to a change in the personnel of the court. Labour had n clear-cut policy in regard to industrial arbitration, not for election purposes, but held, on principle, for years, and no one had attempted to criticise it. Sweeping Over the Country. The "Wairarapa Age" describes Mr. Massey's pro-eleclion tour as one oi unprecedented triumph. "Never, sinco tho (lav that the lale Mr. Scddon was at his best, has a political leader been received with such enthusiasm . sis that with which Mr. Massey is being greeted. Probably on no occasion has tho constituency of a Prune Minister declared, as the meeting at Winton declared, that the time had arrived when a change iu the Administration was necessary. An anti-Government wave appears "to bo sweeping from ono end of New Zealand to tho other, and although Sir Joseph Ward and bis colleagues aro fighting desperately, and aro most profuse and lavish in their promises, indications are not wanting that they aro alarmed at tho prospects of the coming poll. It will bo surprising indeed if they are returned to power on December 7 with a working majority." "Think It Over." "Don't run away with tho idea that the Reform Party is composed entirely of rich men. Just think! it over, and see if you don't know of at least one • rich man in tho Government."—Mr. Bell, at Berhampore, "Not Wanted by Either Parly." Tlio Dannevirko "Evening News" deals very frankly with the Ministerial candidate for Pahiatua: "Mr. Ross appears to be in the unfortunate position of not being wanted by either party. In a speech in tho House of Representatives on November 18, 1910, the member for Pahiatua said that Liberalism 'could not live on the traditions of tho past/ and ho then received the following trenchant condemnation at the hands of the lion. li. M'Kenzie as reported in 'Hansard': 'It was highly amusing and somewhat entertaining to listen to tho honourable member for Pahiatua saying he would never give another vote to the Government or to the leaders of the Liberal party—that they ought to be rid of the Government and of the Liberal party. That was very sound argument to come from that quarter. Immediately before the last general election tho honourable gentleman was playing a strong game of political intrigue with the Opposition, but he found that the Leader of the Opposition had cast him to the winds immediately after Parliament closed, and before the election campaign commenced, and that he had to be carried into the House on the back of the Liberal party, and very soon after he "had his seat sccurcd ho took up the same attitude as before. Ho was certain that thoso oil the Ministerial benches did not care which way tho honourable gentleman voted. . . .'

"Mr. Ross may be able to afford somo explanation for this exposure, but in this election he is evidently endeavouring to repeat the tactics that carried him into Parliament in 190 S. In spite of the manner in which he has been reviled bv a Minister of tho Crown, Mr. Eoss still shelters himself behind tho Government brand, while ho takes advantage of the land policy of the Reform party to gain the goodwill of tho farmers. Mr. Ross's attitude is peculiarly undignified, and with a strong Reform candidate in the field it will hardly commend itself to tho independent electors of Pahiatua." Coincidence. Tho Opposition candidato for Bay of Plenty, Mr. De Lautour, was at one time a shepherd in the employ of the Ministerial candidate, Mr. M'i)onald. Mr. Mackenzie Not Appreciated. The following is ffom the Hawcra "Star" of Friday:—"Wo have been, desired by a correspondent to say that tho report of the To Roti political meeting (sent by our own correspondent) was incorrect, on the ground that tho motion of thanks to Mr. Mackenzie but no con fidence in the Government was not put from tho chair and earricd. It will have been observed that our correspondent gave the names of tho mover and seconder, and added that tho motion was carried amid cheers. While, therefore, we make this statement as desired, wo wish it to be understood tl;at ivo aro not taking the responsibility of questioning our own correspondent's accuracy. "U'e have always found him , accurate, and apart from the communication asking for a correction, we have no evidence that on this occasion he was inaccurate. On the other hand, it was stated in Ilawora by several persons who hail been at the meeting that a resolution of the character referred to was carried. Wo leave tho matter there, ponding further information." The "Star" adds another report sent to it by a correspondent obviously on Mr. Mackenzie's side, and this correspondent says: "About an hour was engaged in questions, nnd one of tho chief questioners. Mr. Wm. Cleaver, in moving a' vote of thanks, also moved a motion of no-confidence in tho Government. The motion, however, was never put to tiie meeting. Mr. Mackenzice thanked the audionce for turning nut in sneh numbe-s on so stormy a night to hear what he had to say."

Reform Leader at Palmerston. Mr. W. F. Massey, Loader of the Opposition, will address tho electors of Palmnrston North in the Opera ITouso on Wednesday evening nest, instead of today as at 'first announced. A Warning to Workers. Mr. B. Dive, at Eltham, warned tho workiugmon to be' wary as to how they accepted the Government's proffered friendship, in view of the increases voted on the last Estimates,, when tho men with tlio salaries from ,£SOO to .£IOOO received increases of from .£25 to ,£SO, while the lower-grade men of front ,Cl5O to -C2OO "got what they conld." (Hear, hear.) "Tho Time Has Arrived." Mr. George Hunter, the Reform candidate for the Waipawa seat, addressed a crowded audiencc at M'akarctu 011 Friday night, there being standing room onlv. At UlO conclusion of the address the following resolution was put and carried unanimously: "That this meeting pass a hearty vote of thanks to and confidence in Mr. Hunter, and that it is firmly of the opinion that the time has arrived for a chango of Government." Government Baits, A certain Government employee' was in conversation with » pressman the other day, and during the various topics of conversation that ensued the former incidentally Mentioned the fact • that tlio salaries of the. staff in the Department to which he belongs had been raised. "Is this a usual occurrence every twelve months:-" asked tho journalist. "Xo, I cannot say it is," c.amo the "answer. "Then, I suppose it really only applies to tho year in which a. goneral election takes place?" further queried the reporter. "Yds, principally it does," assented tho other and in a gush of confidence lie added: "I wish it. were election year every year."—"Hot Lakes Chronicle." The Game of See-Saw. Mr. Divo finds Hansard an extremely useful publication. Speaking at Eltham last Friday ho win dealt, with his opponent's view 011 tho land question before ho joined tho Ward Government, and road the following extract from a speech the Hon. T. Mackenzie delivered in 1,007 on the subject: "We have now readied a stage on this important question of tho laud, when tho colony has no right fo bo longer annoyed by the vacillating policy that has so long prevailed. No Government has a light, to plav a political game of see-saw with great: national questions." Yet, not long afterwards, added Mr. Dive, the hi,"!- gentleman found himself called to the very Cabinet lie had so roundly condemned. (Ileal, heal.) His politics seemed U . «uily on liiin.