The Political Campaign.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 119, 18 November 1896, Page 2

The Political Campaign.

(Per Press Association.) Woodville, Nov. 17. The Premier wires accepting Mr J. O'Meara as Government candidate for Pabiatua. ; At Sir Maurice O'Rorke's first meeting a Mrs Davies requested the views of the candidate with regard to ladies being allowed to sit in Parliament. Sir Maurice approved of ladies having a seat in Parliament. A gentleman in the ball 1 asked how he was going to control them Sir Maurice said he kept order with the bell, and when time was up he would i riug them down. (Laughter). • Hon. G F. Richardson, a candidate for Mataura, criticising the Government's i " coon my" said: —" As to their claim to be an economical Government I will limit my criticism to a comparison between the expenditure of ]895 96 with the votes asked for and granted by the House for the services of the year ending the 31st March next The excess on the consolidated fund amounts to £102,000. This is purely increases on departmental work ing. On the public works fund the in» crease is £782.000 in excess cf the expenditure for last year, making a total excess of votes for this yeir over last year of no less a sum than £884,000 ' " Ironsand " Smith is in a bad way. At his Lepertou meeting, with 160 present, a vote of no confidence in the Government was proposed, with an amendment of thanks and confidence. The amendment was put first, and saya the News : — " The scrutineers said they could not see how many hands were held up, and those voting were asked to hold their hands up high. Again tbe attempt to count was unsuccessful, and a third essay brought about a conflict of opinion as to whether five, six, or seyen hands were shown. Three cheers were given for Mr Brown and three groans for Mr Smith and the Government."