CANDIDATES' SPEECHES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2316, 25 November 1914, Page 7

CANDIDATES' SPEECHES

MR. R 0. FULLBROOKIN THE FIELD A DOUBTFUL STARTER i It was announced that Mr. R. 0. Ofhillbrook, an Independent Labour candidate, would address the Wellington vNdrth eleotors in tho Sydney Street -Schoolroom last night, and in response about 300 electors attended. . Shortly laftor the appointed hour tho candidate appeared' on the platform, minus a chairman, and . tho'first specific Tequest ;put before tho mooting was that a tihairman should bo appointed. "I move," said one of the audience, .•Vthat this man riext mebechainnan." This was seconded, and Mr. A. A. 'Agnew went forward and occupied the ' chair...' . : ■ '■■■■ The chairman: I do not know what "-Mr. Fullbrook is going to speak about, or what side in politics he is on, but I ,'nsk for a patient hearing. > . . Mr. Fullbrook said he was before them largely in the interests of the ■Mental Hospital employees, and to advocate a floating dock and a fishing village for Wellington. Ho stood as an Independent Labour candidate. , A voice: Weren't you on the wharf '"last November? • The candidate: Never! . A long pause ensued, to be broken jby a voice: "Get on with the floating dock I" ■ - The candidate: Give me a chance. The, chairman (after another period; of silence): "I understood I was going to preside at a speech, but as evidently the candidate has nothing to say, I declineto occupy the oh air longer." Mr. Agnw then vacated the chair. A further appeal for a chairman drew forth another candidate for presidential honours, in the person of Mr. J. Croft, and again there was a prolonged silence on the platform, broken by remarks, rude and otherwise, from the audience. '-. A-voice : What's the station on the other side of Tawa Flat? ': The candidate: "Porirha; and I don't mind'saying that is where you should be if the authorities 'did their duty." - JJr.; Fullbrook said be was not out to split votes, and would never-descend to the depth of being a tool in the hands of the Massey-. party. Every #ian had a right to come out. (Uproar.) iWith regard to the fishing township, that was a proposal put forward by him .■when in the employ of the City Counteil in the Fish Market. ' The candidate read a section'of the Fisheries Encour-; agsnient Act, and on its conclusion the audience were convulsed with a trite interjection: "Here endpth the first lesson. l' J Thete were- several places around the coast near Wellington, said the candidate, where a fishing village could be' successfully established. At this stage there was moro interruption, and tho candidate asked the int-erjectorto come to: the platform, and he would deal N with him.

Aiother ■ series of interruptions drew forth from the candidate, the plea: "This is my first appearance on- the platform."

A voice: And may it be your, last I The; candidate, ' pleading ifi-health, precipitately ended his address with the statement that he was' quite prepared Jto withdraw in Mr. Holland's favour if 'Such was the wish of the meeting. ' ; A resolution was and' secondi'ed that Mr. Fullbrook should retire in sfaviur of Mr: Holland, but; on the } voting,: the • chairman declared the motion lost: v,; "' ~ There waa nothing more , before the ■meeting, .which ended in', more or less <dlsoj-der, "' •'

WELLINGTON SOUTH

MR. J. P. LUKE AT BERHAMPORE ORGANISED OPPOSITION. It was obvious almost from the outset that thd opposition in attendance at Mr. J. P.. Luke's meeting at the Masonio Hall, Berhampore, last evening,' was organised. 'It was composed of a, number of men who ranged.themselves at the back of the hall, and commenced interjecting and even, speech-making right, from the outeet. For. the'first half-hour, thanks to" the tait and' good nature of the candidate, the obstruction offered had its humorous aspect,' but us some of the' interiectors, evidently annoyed at the good-defence Mr. Luke was putting up, became obetreporous, the chairman (Mr. P. C. Watt) called upon the-'police ' Constable in at-tendance:-'to conduct two of them to the door. . .

Sir; Luke said the Government proved itself the real Liberal Party by its devotion to the interests' of the . peoples, '• its uplifting of the workers, and its • democratic principles generally. That was a square deal, he thought. The i Government had laboured under several disabilities, namely, the smallpox : ticuble, Che Huntly strike,, and the .Dig .strike of last year. The candidate.also referred to finance, and the predicament . the ■ Government had found itself in when it took over the oontrol of the Treasury from the Continuous Ministry, . and compared the present Administration with that of the Government which' ' had preceded it.- 1 When Mr. Luke was referring to • workers' dwellings, an aged man, who I'had worked himself- into a fury over ! nothing -in particular, commenced a ;long, rambling statement, and' declining •to cease, he Jiad to be quietly ordered by the chairman to step out of the hall. 'Immediately a babel or cries arose. "Put the chairman out,'' said one. ; rlnstead of being put out., Mr. Watt was counted out.. ■

Mr. Luko asked the rowdy element *'at the back of the hall to have some •respect-for their City and allow the ajeeting to proceed. "Have some respect, for me, said. Mr. Luke smilingly, "now that I am going to be your member. for the next throe years. (Loud .applause and some "boos")-. There's 'only about 200 or 260 in the hall alto- , getner, and there's 8000 on the roll, i (Cries.o'f "Hear, hear" and "No.") The , other'people will have their say in a ifortnknt's time. You're Speaking here . to-night—they'll speak at ,the ballotbox. (Hurray I) I'll be your member all right!" (Applause and groans.) The candidate, then went on to speak ,of what the Government had done for ■'the Maori Waj veterans by giving tliem a pension of £36 per year. After repeating his land settlemont id«6j Mr. Luke said that he had been a working man and possessed the confidence and respeot of the working men of Wellington. Mr._ Luke also advocated suburban village settlements, where men wlio only found intermittent work on the, waterside could emplay their time profitably, but ho would have fast trains running to tho settlements —he would not have them crawl as thoy 2did now. The candidate also advocated a revival of the shipbuilding, industry. When question time came Mr. Luke was asked, ; "Would you vote for 45 hours' work per week for women if it endangered the party in power?" Mr. luko said that he would, and regretted that the Bill liad not been passed , last session. He was not going to cutaway his manhood for, any party. , j

"Did you say at Brooklpn that you wduced the tram farelaiid tlifi elcctric light by.a penny a Unit?" was the next question. The candidate Said that he nftd been asked what he had done for the working man, had replied that he had advocated measures. ' Were they not suggested in .ft report hj the late Mr. Riohardson ?" I know that the late Mr.

son objected to the reductions twice," replied Mr: Luke. Finally Mr. W. Higginbottom moved a vote of thanks and confidence in Mr. Luko as a fit and proper person to re* present Wellington SoutJj. The mover's voice was drowned in a storm off yells and hearty, cheers. • Mr. P. W, Mooro moved as an amendment:--"That a vote of thanks be tendered to Mr. Luke for bis address, but the meeting considered Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh the fittest person to represent tho electorate." r The mover said he esteemed Mr. Luke, but he had a better man standing' against him. He was continuing to make a speech on those lines, wlieii the chairman called him to order.

On being put the amendment was declared lost (though the ayes shouted the loudest)' and' the motion was declared carried. •

SUBURBS SEAT. MR.' R: A. WRIGHT AT SUTHERLAND ROAD. Although the weather was not.favourablo for open-air meetings, Mr. R. A. Wright addressed a good audience at Sutherland Road last evening. The speaker ' replied specifically to the charges : brought against the Government, particularly that it was injuring the Publio Trust Office in the interest of the legal profession. He quotedfigures to show that the Office was in a most flourishing condition. The net profits in tie last three. years of Sir Joseph Ward's administration were £33,829, while in the three years of Mr. Masssy's administration the profits amounted to £82,692. This fact completely refuted all hostile criticism, and proved ,that the Department was exceedingly well managed. After questions had been replied to, Mr. H. H. Jones moved, and Mr. R. James, seconded, a hearty vote of thanks and confidence in the candidate, which was carried amidst applause.

MR. 'AISLA.BIE AT NGAHAURANGA. Mr. A. Aislabie (Opposition) addressed a meeting at Ngahauranga. iast evening, Mr. 'W. , Detto presiding. The candidate urged that prisoners should 1)8 housed in the country,' where they could do practical farming, instead of in the-towns. He advocated the establishment of a prison farm in each 1 of the provinces, where the prisoner would learn .practical farming,. and his products from the land would not only supply most of the prison requirements, but could supply the other State institutions, and so reduce the cost of their upkeep to a very large extend. Further, the prisoner when released could more easily be found a billet on a farm for which work he did not need the high Credentials that he seeded for most city employment. _ Mr.' Aislabie said he was of the opinion that a great number of our habitual criminals might bo saved in the first instance if. it was not for our system of turning them out on the'street after serving a sentence. He thought it would bo just as easy to grade the prisoners on a farm, and perhaps more so, thaw in the city. A certain amount of money could be placed, to the credit of the prisoner with/the Post Office Savings Bank for his work, and by handing him a portion of this money, frhen he left the institution, and leaving the balance to his credit on condition that he lived as a good .citizen for a certain period he could make use of the money. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the candidate; ■

WELLINGTON NORTH. MR. HOLLAND'S CANDIDATURE. , Mr. H.E.- Holland: addressed a,crowded audience 7 a£. f .the-, , l£elburn Teailtiosk last •nighii"' Mr}„ Holland dealt with • the Huiitly disaster at some, leilgth,, and ' also declared in favour of the bdre' on' the liquor question, .but.cbnkidared that it was the boundeh" dtity of . the 'State to provide employment for workers 1 displaced by legislation or out'bf work from any cause. He stood for a Right to Work Bill, for a Bank, with sble right of note issue; for the removal of the Parliamentary disabilities of women, for proportional representation, with the abolition, of the country quota (any electoral system which retained l the country quota was, he said, only a travesty of proportional representation), for the, initiative and referendum, except on the matters of religion ajid conscience. He favoured a'graduated war tax on incomes, so that everybody in the community would bear their share of the burden of war expenditure. He was opposed to the system of Civil Service Commissioners, but_ was in favour of Boards of Control in Government Departments, oil which public employees would be adequately represented; Several questions were put, and answered satisfactorily. A vote of confidence in Mr. Holland's candidature was carried, and the meeting cldsed with cheers for the candidate.

HUTT SEAT. MR. SAMUEL ADDRESSES TWO - MEETINGS. : Mt. A 1 M l . Samuel, Government nominee for: the Hutt deat, addressed : two most enthusiastic meetings last night. The 'first address, at ,7 o'clock, was at May Morn. A number of questions . were satisfactorily, answered by the candidate. Mr. Arthur Seed was voted, to the ohair. At the conclusion of the meeting a hearty rote of thanks to the candidate and confidence in the. Massey Government was proposed by Mr. A. Edwards, seconded by -Mr. Ren/nie, and carried unanimously. At 8.30 Mr. Samuel addressed 1 anojhsr gathering at Walladeville.' Mr. Clifford was in the chair. The address Tvas listened to attentively throughout, and a, vote bf thankd to Mr. Samuel and confidence in the Massey Administration, proposed by Mr. Barker and seconded by Mr. Downing, was carried with cheers. At the close of both meetings three ohoers were given for the candidate.

SIR J, G. WARD AT ASHBURTON

(By Telegraph.—Prae Association,) ; Ashburton, November 24. Sir Joseph Ward addressed an overflowing audience (exceeding 1000) at the Theatre Royal last night, and had a ttiost enthusiastic reception, tlie speech being punctuated with cheers and applause throughout. His address was' largely on the lines of that delivered at Rangiora. At its conclusion a motion of thanks -and confidence was carried on the voices, with a great display of enthusiasm and with very few dissentients. The meeting' broke up ! with cheera for Sir Joseph Ward'and the singing of "He's a Jolly Good Fellow."

Mr. craigie's position

. (By Teleerapli—Press Association.) , Timaru, November 24. A meeting of about 70 Libera] and Labour voters last night discussed the rumours regarding Mr. J. Craigie's candidature, and decided to ask him exactly where lie would stand on a 110oonfidence motion. . A deputation from the meeting > promptly visited Mr. Craigie- He expressed surprise that anyono should have questioned his position, as he had been consistent throughout his Parliamentary career. Ho stated that he would, as previously) voto against Mf. Massey on a. no-conifidonce motion. The leader of tiio deputation "Btatos that the mooting waa quite satisfied with his reply.

WEST COAST CAMPAIGN

Hokitika, November 24. Mr. T. Seddon is at present touring northern Wostland in the course of his political campaign, and,, is receiving ,very hearty receptions at all points. Hq

has spoken at Ofcira, Moana, Waiuifi, end Ahaura,, , being splendidly received with votes of thanks and confidence at all places. So far he is the only candidate in the field, but it >e likely someone will bo brought out before polling day. '

THE HON. W. H. HERRIES AT ROTORUA

A SATISFACTORY MEETING. ' (By' Telegraph— Press Association.) Rotorua, November 24. A large audience greeted the Hon. W. H. Herries at Rotorua this evening. Air. Win. Hill presidod. Tho meeting, though not rowdy, was not lacking in interjections more than usually falls to Mr. Herries's lot in Rotorua. The speech ran on the lines of utterances at Tauranga and Te Arolia. Defending the failure of the Government to introduce industrial insurance, he said that events! at Home had shown that Mr. Lloyd George's soheme had not proved all it was expected, and it was wise to wait and see; if such were in the real interests of the workers. Regarding the strike, Mr. Herries said it had been necessary to meet foroe with force, and the Government had aoted for tho benefit of the producers, and had the country behind them. If his seat in the .eleotorate depended on the action of the Government he would be prepared to .fight tho election on that issue alone. (Applause.). Mr. Herries then dealt in detail with the manifesto recently issued by Mr. Massey. The Minister defended his railway policy, saying that the expenditure at the terminal ports was not for the benefit of the city people, but for that of producers, whose produce would be more expeditiously disposed of. In reply to a question as to whether it was in the interests of political ■ morality that members and Ministers should vote for railway lines that passed through their properties, Mr. Herries said he saw no harm in it, so long as it did hot' inorease the value of the property. They knew that a railway did not always increase the value of property. ■ •

A voice: Mr. Herries, you're a good old chap, but your dinkim asked .whether it was right, that in such cases members and Ministers should borrow from the Public Trustee Office.

The Minister said he was not aware of that being done. It all depended on the circumstances. A vote of thanks and'confidence in the Government was carried on a show of hands- after a vociferous affirmative and negative. Cheers for Mr.-Herries and the Massey Government were given. A call for cheers for Sir J. G. Ward met with a mixed reception.