WELLINGTON EAST.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1292, 22 November 1911, Page 8

WELLINGTON EAST.

MR, BRODIE AT ST. MAKE'S SCHOOLROOM. Mr. John Brodie, Independent Liberal candidate for Wellington East, addressed nearly SO electors at St. Mark's Schoolroom, Sussex Square, last evening. Mr. J. O'Dea presided. Tho candidate stated that, throughout tho present tight, ho had not indulged in personalities and, no matter what" anybody elso' might do,' he would not allow himself to be associated with unclean tactics of any kind. As far as ho was concerned, the fight was going to be an honest oho throughout. Mr. Brodie then wont on to speak on the lines of his previous addresses, and, in the courso of his remarks, ,ho criticised tho present Administration. The country, ho said, was suffering from tho want of - confidence that hangs over the people. The present Government, alter 20 years, had grown out of touch with the people. It was more like a Tory party in power under the cloak df Liberalism. With the election approaching, however, there was a.ii absolute pile of favours to be distributed throughout the country. On the cvo of every election, tho speaker balioved, something between ,£IOO,OOO and .£500,000 of public money was waited. Mr. Brodie also devoted some attention to railways, and contended that reorganisation of the Department was necessary/' Ho repeated hjs. views on Protection, nationalisation of iron and oil industries, the. land Question, tariff reform, and Imperial Federation- He believed that tho present objections to the Arbitration Act were against the administration of the Act rather than against tho measure, itself.

At tho conclusion of his address, Mr. Brodie was asked how it was that he disapproved of Sir Joseph Ward giving tho Dreadßought, and yet favoured military training? He replied that lie did not object to the gift of the Dreadnought, but to the.ma~.mer in which it was given without the people having been first consulted. In answer to another question, Mr. Brodie stated that he was in favour of a three-fifths majority on tho liquor question. A vote of thanks and confidence was accorded the candidate. MR. M-LAEEN'S CANDIDATURE. Mr. D. M'Laren, the Labour candidate for Wellington East, addressed a special meeting of ladies on Monday at the north end of the electorate. Ho dealt with the social legislation of the last Parliament in respect to improved provisions for old age pensions by excluding deductions on account of the ' homes of the old people. His whole support would be given to an adequate schemo for town planning and improvement in order to provide better environment for the children who wero growing up. He supported the national system of education, and suggested several improvements in connection therewith. More assistance should be given to women in the back country districts by way of medical attention anil nursing in cases of maternity. His purpose was to maintain the good work of social reform by providing fixed sources of revenue for such purpose. The speaker received nn attentive hearing, and was accorded-a vote of thanks and confidence at the conclusion.

Addressing a meeting of electors Inst night, Mr. D. M'Larcn presented a return of the application? for Cro.ni lanch and laud for settlement lands, ivliicli showed tho great need for closer settlement as still existing. lii 130S-9 thero were (OS4 applications for Crown land allotments, and only 8-!fi allotments available. In the samo' year there were IRTi applications for allotments of land for settlement lands, a lid only 16fi available. In the year 1509-10 the number of allotments aptilied for and available stood respectively thus: Crown lands, olTfi; applications, 037; land for settlement lands, 1011; applications, IG.I available. Mr. M'Laren urged stronglv that greater activity was required in the matter of dividing up the largo estates by tho process of increased land (ax. MR, BOLTOX AT KILBIRNIE. Mr. F. Of. Bolton, Government candidate for Wellington East, addressed a meeting of electors at the Scaview Private Hotel, South Kilbirnic, last night. Tho hall was filled. Mr. Henry North was. in the chair. Mr. Bolton outlined his policy with regard to the question of cheapening the cost of living. lie stated that lie was in favour of granting assistance to poor people in respect of maternity cases, and also considered that those persons who would he honelitcd by the Thermal springs at Vtotorua and rfnnnier and by the Consumptive Sanatoria should receive special railway concessions where their circumstances needed it. lie eulogised Hie provisions of the Old Age pensions ■Amendment Act. and the Widows' Tensions Act of last session, and considered that, with the humanitarian leg.

ishtinn which hud been passed in recent years, and with n rodnclion in the cost nf living and olh'T reforms which lie ndvneiited lenliiH'iil. and prosperity would reign. The (ippu-.ilinn, lie -aid. had un police for the alleviation of 111- lot of the town' dweller. All they suggested was that the hitili cost id' living was entirely due fn Inxntion, which was absurd, as in the ease especially nf (lie primary products nf (lie country the price was determined liv the question of Mippl.v and demand, if impnrl dulies on primary products in oilier countries were removed, l|.o supply would Ive .■iliiiudant fur the needs of "the. local consumer, and would nt once bring down the high prices ruling here. Mr. U«lti>n declared him-oll' sl.nnglv against placing the control "I public works' expenditure in (lie hands «l a Public AVorks Hoard, or of Hie local bodies, as he considered that decentralisal.imi would not. make for economy, nor did he believe in the control of the public, purse being parted with by Parliament. On the other hand, he expressed hlinse I in favour of experts being appointed to report to Parliament on every lnrge work before it. was undertaken. If Uio report were unfavourable, Parliament would be justified in asking the district concerned tn crunrantee interest, sinking fund, and working expenses until the work became financial. , ~ ,\ vote of thanks and confidence was carried unanimously amid applause.