WELLINGTON CENTRAL.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1305, 7 December 1911, Page 6

WELLINGTON CENTRAL.

MR. FISHER AT ST. PETER'S. St. Peter's Hall, in Ghuznee Street, was packed to the doors and beyond them last evening when Mr. F. M. Jj. Fisher delivered his final address in the present campaign. Thero were a few hostile interjecUans during the evening, but they were easily outnumbered by remarks of a friendly character. Mr. Fisher at all times had tho meeting well in hand. Often he roused his auditors to enthusiasm and was loudly applauded. In opening, ho said that he was not going to extol his own virtues and he had no newspaper to do it for him—not even the "wobbler"—but during his seven years in Parliament he had voted in over 1400 divisions, and not a single new.>paper ( or individual had ever been able to accuse him of going buck on a promise or on his expressed convictions. Mr. Fisher spent a great part of the time at his disposal in answering a series of questions ■ which had been handed in before the meeting. Asked what he would do to put down the evil of' "tied houses, he stated when the Licensing Bill was before Parliament he had introduced a clause intended to cope with this evil. A division was taken upon it 111 a House of 72 members, and it was defeated by four votes. To his unutterable astonishment his clause was defeated because Mr. Luke and Mr: M'Laren voted against it. Had they voted for the clause there would have been a tie, and tho Chairman would have given his casting vote with tho "ayes," so that tho House might have a further opnortimlty of considering the clause. Tho NoLicense party would be well advised, Mr. Fisher added, if it endeavoured to take from brewers some of the powers they possessed under the existing law. Brewers had power to force a licensee into illegal practices in order to meet their extortionate charges and rents. The electors should not support men who were under the thumb of the "Kelly gun?,", but those who would give the "Kelly gang" the boot. (Hear, hear, and applause.) to the Defence Bill, the people would be wise to patiently give it a trial. Its operation was being"watched with interest in oth?r oversea dominions, and if it proved successful it might be an immeasurable boon to the Oid Country itself. Mr. Fisher charged the Prime Minister with lack of comace in ndministerine the Act. Tn the latter nart of his address, Mr. Fisher dealt effectively with many of the questions which have been raised during the campaign. Afterwards life answered n lame numVer of questions apparently to tho satisfaction of his auditors.

A vote of thanks and. confidence wo 9 carried by an overwhelming maiority. Mr. Fisher was not far out. when li» def'.aro'l thp£ th" "ayf"=" had it bv 400 to I!. ChoeT» for Mr. Fisher and the sine-, ins of "F«r He's a .Tolly Good Fellow" CMlowod. Thero was a counter, call for cheers for Mr. Fisher's opponent, but the response consisted mainly of hoots.

ME, FLETCHER AT THE DRUIDS' HALL. Mr. R. Fletcher, tho Government candidate for Wellington Central, gave his final address at the Druids' Hall last evening. Mr. J. Henderson presided over tho meeting, which was crowded. Tho proceedings wero orderly during tho address, but at question time there was considerable, disorder, it being impossible to hear some of the questions. The candidate devoted a considerable portion of his remarks to the land question, which, lie declared, would be a burning question in the coming Parliament. It must be dealt'with at once. Mr. Fletcher also criticised tho Reform manifesto which had been pnblished by Mr. Massey, and at the conclusion of his address was accorded a voto of thanks and confidence.