CANDIDATES' SPEECHES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2315, 24 November 1914, Page 7

CANDIDATES' SPEECHES

WELLINGTON NORTH SEAT A LIVELY MEETING MR. TURNBULL'S FIRST ADDRESS Mr. W. H. 'Turnbull, Opposition candidate for Wellington North, addressed a m.eeting of -over 400 electors in the Sydney Street Schoolroom last night. As lias been tho case in many of tho meetings during the present election campaign, the women outnumbered the men by more than two to one.' The candidate was given a very strenuous time. There was nothing in the" nature of set obstruction, but' interjections were frequent, and when a call Was made for "Red Fed" expression, tlie call was never sent into the void. The Hon. T. W. Hislop presided. . Mr. Turnbull, after expressing his gratification at so large a gathering, was proceeding to deal with general questions" when a voice sounded out: '"'What about the special constables?" Mr. Turnbull': I was a special constable last year and I was a special constable in 1890, before some of you were born. Last year one had to be either a striker or . a special constable as,far as I.could see. I was a special constable after law and order had been broken. A voice: What .a tale I Mr. Turnbull: I condemn the Government in a way for having set up a citizens'' committee instead of acting on their own account. It was just as unpleasant for me to be a special as it was to nine-tenths of the strikers. -A voice:, What rot. Mr. Turnbull: I am sure it was. A voice: What did you voluntfeer for? Another voice: Where was WardP Mr. Turnbull: Where was hep l am before you as the Liberal candidate. I have come forward as a duty to ■ the Liberal Party. I have come out politically pure and simple, and to say that I have come forward to split the votes A voice: Stop there! ■Mr.. Turnbull:, For twenty-five years I have voted for this side, and my friends know it. 1 '

A voice: You backed Massey up last year! .

Mr. Turnbull: I did not. I have never toted once against the Liberal party, and . I have voted for twenty-five years; (Applause.) The Liberal Party is the best friend the workers ever had— (Kenewed applause)—and -the reason why I think I should have a straight run against Mr. Herdman is because I think I have the best chance of beating him of any candidate now standing. (Cheers and counter-cheers.) I have called an intruder. I have been twenty-five years living here. I was born in the Dominion, and my family have been here for sixty years. My. wife was born here, and my children have been born in the electorate. A voice: Why didn',t you come out earlier? (Demonstration.) Mr. Turnbull: I was asked by the Leader of the Opposition and other friends to come out weeks before 1 announced myself. I regret I should disturb anyone's felings by contesting the election. A voice: Be a man, and pull outl Mr Turnbull: "I am out, and 1 will see the election through." Proceeding, the candidate said he was against the present Government right out. They did not win at the last election, but got a number of votes by promising to reduce borrowing, and then breaking all records, and by vilifying Sir Joseph Ward. The only- thing they found in the pigeon-holes was a nestegg of figures which they took to London, and were enabled by them to flcat their' .loan ! .'four-fold. ...When they found- their vilification of Sir Joseph Ward was uncalled' for, the Government should have apologised in the House for their past statements. (Applause.) The Government ■ had shirked everything and relegated every responsibility to a commission. He condemned the Government for repealing the Second Ballot and putting 1 nothing in its place.

Cost of Living. The cost of living must be attended to at once. If the cost of living did hot come; down, then wages must go up. The first step in reducing the cost of living was to -wipe off all duties on the foodstuffs necessary for the three tables, not the breakfast table only. (Applause.) If the revenue was attacked by that procedure, then it could be made up by increases in taxation on land, luxuries, ahd incomes. He advocated a further effort in the direction of providing workers' homes, with the right of acquiring the freehold on easy payments. The cost of meat must be kept down, even if it meant that the mrait must engago in farming to bring it about. He was opposed to "a New Zoaland Navy, and believed that a more satisfactory system of sea defence would be provided by subsidy to the. Imperial authorities. England had never left ( the colonies unprotected, and was, not going to do so to-day.

" An Interlude. The candidate then proceeded to read a eulogy on the services rendered in the wax by H.M. New Zealand, but. after a few minutes he was interrupted by a voice saying:— "Get on with your speech." (Applause.) Mr. Turnbull: I would like you to heln me. . The same voice: I could make a better job of it. (Applause and uproar.) Another voice: They are only Red Feds.. • Mr. Tunibull: I don't mind.. Proceeding, the candidate said tho Government had to thank the war for tho fact that the public were so engrossed in it that tliey had not tho inclination to read the evidence being given before the Huntly Commission, which was sufficient to have damned any Government and driven them from the Treasury benches. The man who went down underground in a coal mine was just as much a hero as he who went down in a submarino. A voice: You didn't say that last Novomber when you carried a baton. (Uproar.) Public Service Commissioners. Mr: Turnbull said he was opposed to Wie Public Service Act, and contended that: the present state of classification in the Service was bad for the country. He knew of cases which showed that political influence • had not gone—(uproar and cries of "Give us the facts.") —when four-fifths of the men in the Service wore disgruntled and dissatisfied tho best could not bo got out of it. (Applause.) He was a'believer in closer settlement, and favoured securing the virgin bush in the- backblocks, and giving it to settlers froo for three or four years on condition that they felled tho bush. Tho larger ostates in the area of closer settlement should bo attacked, attention first being given to those estates which wero not producing a fair return for their value. Ho thought, however, that the graduated land tax would bring about that result. Conundrum of Figures. The candidate said he was not going to bother them with the quotation of figures, which lie did not understand, and which ho was euro his audience did not either. (Laughter and hostile demonstration.) After ■ making a brief reference to finances, in which ho said that in two years and a half tho Massey Government had increased the indebtedness by £11 2s. 3d. per head of population, a record which it had taken ithe Ward Government seven years to

r bring about, Mr. Turnbull turned his attention to the education question. He favoured tile present free, secular and compulsory education, and pledged him' Self _to that. He was in favour of education'boing free from the primary school to tho university; and in regard to farming, advocated free farming education for settlers at the State farms. Ho favoured tho continuance of the present licensing laws, becauso at tho present juncture every source of financial earning should bo kept open. "I think," continued Mr. Turnbull, "the Bible-in-Schools and tho Prohibition people would have done well and been wise and patriotic if they had set aside these controversial matters during the present election." (Applause and counter demonstration.) Continuing, the candidate said the Government, although styling itself "Reform," had not reformed in any way from tho old vote-catching methods of tho past. As instances of this the increases to' school teachers and policemen in election year wero cited, and also the additional circumstance that tho Minister of Public Works, who had denounced the co-operative works system, had recently, probably because it was election year, placed 1500 men on co-operative works. The present Government was no better than its predecessors.

A-voice: That is what their friends are saying. Mr. Turnbull in concluding, said ho had very shortly put before them his vietvs, and he would not keep them longer than to say that if elected— (uproar) . Mr. Turnbull: If elected I will hope tc retain the confidence of every vote. (Tlie candidate was here "counted out.")Mr. Turnbull: I was never counted out in the ring and I am not going to be counted out here. I thank you for your attendance and will be very glad to answer any questions you send up. (Loud applause.)

A Joke or In Earnaet. mw '£ a f ac V' asked a questioner, that the candidate is going to the poll, or is he only a joke?"' (Applause and uproar.) The candidate: I assure you I am going to the poll, and I am no joke. (Kenewed demonstration.) Asked to state the specific instances of political influence in the Civil Service, the candidate said he did not mean people had been put into jobs. One instance of what lie meant was that the ilumara postmaster,, who was an influential man, had been for this month removed to Wellington. "What do you mean," was another question, 'by coming out late to split the progressive vote?" Mr. Turnbull: If you give me one week s run in this contest, I think you will all. agree I have, the best chance of beating Mr. Herdman. (Loud applause and uproar.) Mr. C. E. Wheeler came forward propared to move a resolution. 'We have had," he said, "a fair 3ample of the chivalry of the 'Red Flag' party." Mr. Wheeler was forthwith counted ont, but eventually was allowed to read his motion, after-resounding cheers had been given for Mr. Holland and the "Bed l''eds." It was: ."That Mr. Turnbull be thanked for his address, and that this meeting express confidence in the Liberal Party led by Sir Joseph Ward and in Mr. Turnbull as tho Liberal candidate for Wellington North.". An amendment was moved and seconded to the effect that the meeting re- ■ gretted that Mr. Turnbull oad :omo fcrwarc as a candidate to split the votes in the election in favour of t ; -o Mas?ey candidate, arid expressing tic lape thai. he would reconsider his decision and retire from the contest.

: . There was a great deal of confusion in regard to taking the tote. .After two tries; tho chairman succeeded in de.claring the amendment negatived. Ho then put the main question. The show of hands 'appeared, if anything, to be against the motion. Pandemonium was reigning the meanwhile, and when Mr. Hisjop asked for a second vote on the question, and here was 110 response, he declared the. motion carried on tho first vote.

This decision was the occasion for another hostile demonstration, but the chairman's' ruling - was final, and the motion of thanks and confidence wa's declared carried.

THE HUTT SEAT.

MR. A.. M. SAMUEL AT PETONE. Mr. A. M. Samuel, Reform candidate for the Hutt seat, last night addressed what is desoribed as one of the biggest meetings ever held at Petone, the attendance being estimated at about 1500. Mr. ! J. W. M'Ewan, Mayor, presided. The speech was mainly on tne lines of the speech delivered at Lower Hutt. Mr. Samuel said the Massey Government had arranged for the conduct of public business oil.sound and businesslike lines, and had endeavoured to pass such measures as would give equality of treatment wherever possible. • He dealt briefly with various charges which had' been made against the present Government, and detailed the work they had carried out in the settlement of land, and their provisions for further settlement. _ Referring to unoccupied Crown lands in suburban areas, the candidate said he would support an amendment of the Rating Act to compel the Government to pay rates on unimproved suburban' sections. At the present time, he said, Pertone was losing £750 per year through not getting rates on such areas, and the Lower Hutt £505. Referring to the 1 Hutt road, Mr. Samuel said this was a national work, and should be a chargo on the Consolidated Fund. He thought they' should_ approach' the Government for a reduction, and if they could not get it they should go into the law Courts where, he was given to understand, they wOuld have an excellent case. Mr. Samuel also referred 'to what the Government had done for the workers; State fire insurance, education, and other matters. Replying to a question about the "ostrich farm railway," Mr. Samuel said that if a hall could bo secured Mr. Massey would probably address them on Thursday night, and they could ask him that question. Later it was found that a hall could not be secured in Petone, and Mr. Massey will probably speak at Lower Hutt. At the conclusion of the meetiug, a motion of thanks to the speaker and confidence in Mr. Wilford was proposed, but was cried Mown. Mr. E. Boyd then proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Samuel, which was carried, after which "He's a jolly good fellow" was sung. Cheers were given heartily for Mr. Massey, and a oall for cheers for Sir J. G. Ward met with only a feeblo response.

THE SUBURBS SEAT,

MR. -WRIGHT AT BERHAMPORE. Mr. R. A. Wright addressed the electors rvt the Masonic Hall, Berhamporo, last evening. Mr. Crawford was in the chair. •Tho audience included, a small' band of noisy people who employed throughout tho meeting the tactics which hare como to bo associated with the Red Federationists. Mr. Wright had not proceeded far with his speech when one of the band interrupted him with an angry denial of a statement that tho Opposition and tho extreme Labour section bad come to an understanding respecting tho running of candidates during the campaign. Mr. Wright replied by ouoting what Mr. Hiram Hunter, president of the Social Democratic Party in Christ church, had said —that "in order to put tho Reform Government out of ofiice wo have had some dealings with . . . and tho Liberal Party, and we have got 0110 of our number to go through the country to try to prevent as far as possible the splitting of the progressive

vote so that the reactionaries might be put out." ■ A voice interjected that that had nothing to do with the Labour Party. Mr. Wright said that he had simply quoted Mr. Hunter's statement, and that tho difference was between 'Mr. Hunter and the interrupter, and not betweon the candidate and the interjector. Among other subsequent interjeotions one interrupter asked: "What about Waihi?"

Mr. Wright replied that there should never have been a strike there; there was no real grievance. However, tho present Government could not bo blamed for it in any way as tlie strike commenced during their predecessors' term of office. A voice: What about Huntly? Mr. Wright said that the Huntly wine was not under Government '. control, and that the Government were in no way responsible for the lamentable disaster which occnirred there. Despite the efforts of the noisy section Mr. Wright finished his speecn. He was frequently applauded by the more moderate electors present, and at the conclusion of his address was accorded the usual compliment. MR. F. T. MOORE AT SEATOUN. . Mr. F. T. Moore addressed a large and enthusiastic meeting at Scatoun last night. Mr; Croskery presided. Tho candidate said that the mana of Mr. Massey was completely shattered by the ostrich farm exposure, and he attacked the Prime Minister at some length. _ Public men had done similar things in the old Tory days, and the fact that the Tories of to-day woro repeating the outrageous conduct of the past showed that they should be banished from,office for over. The electors of New Zealand would besmirch their political reputation for all time if they voted for Mr. Massey's nominees in the fact of this exposure. No elector who stood for clean politics could support or justify what had been done in this case. The need of a strong contingent of Labour men in Parliament was now made absolutely imperative. for such representatives would be always alert in detecting and stopping this sort of thing. Mr. Moore was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. MR. AISLABIE AT MIRAMAR.

Mr. A. Aislabie (Opposition) addressed a meeting at Miramar last evening. The candidate said the cost of living could be greatly reduced if we prevented tlie monopolist from extracting such huge profits on our local production. Seeing that England is bur principal market, local prices for the products of the Dominion should, he said, bo regulated according to the London market, instead of our people sending the goods 12,000 miles and paving many other charges, and then selling them, often at 50 per cent, less than they would sell them for at their owndoor. He aleo referred to his bachelor tax proposals, and advocated reducing the fees for marriage before the Registrar from £2 to ss. Mr. Aislabie also advocated his scheme of sickness, accident, unemployment, and superannuation combined in one fund and controlled exclusively by the State. The meeting concluded with a hearty vote of thanks.

THE OAMARU SEAT,

(By Teloßraph.—Press .Association,) Oamaru, November 23. Mir. A. P. Lee, member for Oamaru, (addressed a packed meeting at Oamaru to-night, the Opera House being crowded to the doors. He received an excellent hearing, and spoko for two hours in defence of the Government policy, claiming that the Massey Administration had fulfilled nearly all election pledges, but it was unfair to judge them on after little more than two years of office only. At the. conclusion of bis 'address be .was occupied'nearly an hour in answering questions, apparently. to the general satisfaction. He gave an emphatic denial to the rumour that he used his political influence to secure the removal of Mr. Tlios. Hutchison, S.M., from Oamaru. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried with few dissentients. Cheetis were given for the candidate and Mr. Massey, drowning a counter demonstration in the pit for Sir Joseph Ward. A REFORM CANDIDATE. (By Tolcsraph—Press Association.) Chrlstchurch, November 28. 'Mr. G. D. M'Farlane, Reform candidate for Christchurch East, gave his first address' to-night. He explained that he had been a business man all his life, but had come forward to contest the seat as nobody better was offering. The Government when returned had promised good legislation, and that promise had been kept. The candidate then referred to the legislation of the past threo years, claiming that a great deal of good had been done to the country generally, and to workers in particular. He _ favoured the referendum on the Bible-in-schools question, also the' 55 per cent, majority on the licensing question on both issues. He was accorded a vote of thanks.

THE CHALMERS SEAT. (By IWeffrapfc—Press ABBOof&tion.l Dunedin, November 23. • Mr. W. D. Mason, candidate to represent Chalmers in the Liberal interest, addressed a largely attended meeting at Mosgiel this evening. He charged the Government with having failed to fulfil its promises, and spoke at length in support of the policy put forward by the Opposition. At tne conclusion of his address Mr. Mason received a vote' of thanks and confidence, which was declared carried on the voices, though there was considerable dissent. MR. H. G. ELL'S SPEECH. , IBj Talegiftph—Prew AAeoofatlon.l ! Ghrlstchurch, November 23. Mr. H. G. Ell opened his campaign for Ohristchurch South this evening, addressing a good audienoe. He outlined in exhaustive detail the work of the Liberal Party and his own connection with and advocacy of progressive measures. Ho specially advocated for a future progressive land tax, increment tax, an adjusted stamp duty upon land and houso transfers, and reform of Customs duties, to admit all common necessities free. .. The aim of the speaker was, he said, to show that the Liberal Party had in the past dono a great deal of good, and was still capable of doing good. It was a thousand pities they had been turned out. The Candidate's speech did not touch upon the direct and current political questions, but waß rather a review of the last 21 years to the credit of: the Liberal Party. A vote of thanks and confidence was accorded the candidate. THE WAIMARINO SEAT. Talhape, November 23. Mr. H. M. Speed, Reform candidate for Waimarino, addressed 250 people here on Saturday night. The meeting was disorderly, especially towards the end, when certain remarks of' the speakor provoked choruses of groans and hisses, mingled with cheers for Sir Joseph Ward. The candidate confined himself to exploding allegations against tho Massey Administration and comparing tho records of 'the two Governments, as shoWn by facts and figures. A motion of thanks to the candidate failed to find a seconder, and the mooting broke up in disordor. SIR JAMES CARROLL'S SPEECH. (By Toloirroph.—?ross Association.) Clsborne, November 23. _ Sir James Carroll addressed a largo mooting of his constituents in tlie Opera House this cveiiing, and received a vote of thanks and confidence without dissent. lie reviewed tho performances of tho Liberal Tarty, and contrasted them with what he termed the utter incompetence of the Government^

to doal with big issues. He claimed that Mr. Massey hnd nothing to do with tho settlement of the great strike, and contended that it was dono by tho farmers and producers. Sir James Carroll referred to the Huntly disaster, and_ pooh-poohed tho Reform's protest against mentioning tho accident. He did not charge the Government with manslaughter, but with ncgligence and delay in getting a certain Bill on tho Statute-book. He touched on ' laud settlement, Nativo land, liquor, Biblo-ln-schools, the war,- and other questions on tho lines of recent speeches, and in answor to a question said ho would most certainly accept Sir Joseph Ward as tho leader of the party in the event of being returned te power.

THE KUMARA SEAT

SIR. J. A. MURDOCH'S RETIREMENT. (By Teleeraph.—Press Association > H okltiiva, November 23. . A most unusual position has arisen in connection with the Westland Parliamentary campaign. Mr. J. A. Murdoch, Mayor of Kumara, the Reform candidate, quite unexpectedly announced on Saturday that he would not contest the seat. The declaration has placed the Reform Party in- a difficult position, for the reason that it relied on Mr. Murdoch entering the field. As it is : now only a little more than a fortnight until the poll iB taken, another candidate iB placed at a disadvantage. In spite of Mr. Murdoch's withdrawal, arrangements are being made for the seat to be contested in the Reform interests, but the principal objections so far as the eligible candidates are concerned is that the time to prepare for the contest is too brief for them to successfully cover the extensive electorate. TO-NIGHT'S POLITICAL MEETINGS. Mr. A. Aislabie, at Ngahauranga, at 8 p.m. Mr. A. M. Samuel, at Mungaroa, at 8 p.m. Mr. R. A. Wright, at Sutherland Road, Melrose, at 8 p.m. ' Mr. R. 0. Fullbrook, at Sydney Street Schoolroom, at 8 p.m. Air. J. P. Luke, at Masonic Hall, Berhampore, at 8 p.m. Mr. H. E. Holland, at Kelburn Tea Kiosk, at 8 o'olock. The lady supporters of Dr. Newman at. New Century Hall, Kent Terrace, at 3.30 p.m.

MEETINGS TO-MORROW. Hon. A. L. Herdman, at Sydney Street Schoolroom, at 8 p.m. Mr. F. T. Mooro, at Kaiwarra, at 8 p.m. ' Dr. Newman, at Kilbirnia Hall, at 8 p.m.