THE COMING ELECTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1505, 13 July 1905, Page 3

THE COMING ELECTION.

ME R, EE. STEVENS OPENS CAMPAIGN EAT GISBORNE, 1 "AN ANIMATED MEETINGi .Tho electioneering campaign opened briskly at His Majesty/s .Theatre last evening, when Mr R. E. Stevens,. the first candidate in, the field to oppose, the Hon, James Carroll,, faced one of the largest audiences yob seen iu that building. Mr Stevens'- aupoarauco was Hie signal for great applause, which was, contin,ucd its the candidate made his way to the table. : The Mayor, who was umipjuucejl tq preside over the meeting, was late in at riving, explained that, he had a u\jsau.f<!erstan'din.g with Air Stevens as -lii vtho ivi'ghb the latter was U> speak oil “Mr Stevens engaged! tin fob Friday, and X did not Know until a lew, minutes ago that the meeting was waiting. A, Therefore tender my. apologies to The meeting,' and 1 have pleasure' in announcing tho new candidate who is desirous cf representing this constituency in Parliament.-

Mr Stevens .wasi receives! with ■great cheers. He said : “l thunk you lor the great reception you have •g'ivei me. £ shall start orj. Mr James OaxroU’s late address.’-'- The speaker Was proceeding Tq read from rue paper, but a section of the audience who find apparently, come 1 o the meeting on pleasure bent, starteu to cheer and .applaud with cries of “order,,” “give him a chance,,” and “where are yo.nr glasses.” “ 1 will speak to you on the. laml tenure,” said the speaker when the dim and uproar had ceased. “ I am a believer in tho freehold. iS am a believer ihii, ail -leasehold t»nants* shall have 'the right to- buy the Rina. When they, can.’'' (Great applause.) Town property-holders, as well as those in the country, should have the right to. borrow on their land. Wo should have our own land fund, and not go ont*ido ten borrow* (Cheers,) “-1 am a believer that a person with a largo area of land should have no more,”, resumod the speaker, amiust great laughter,, cheers, and applause.

“ 1 am also a believer that ai person shall not hold more than a lin'd ted quantity of first-class land, and a limited quantity of seoqnd,class land.”- ' (Great cheers.) “ There is the great question' in, regard to Native waste lands,’.’ said the speaker- “I am of opinion ,that ample reserves of best land should be reserved for Maori occupation.” (Cheers'.) A voica : *< Wait and we will geß ‘Jimmy Carrqll To show you how to do that,”-' “The Natives should, also lia.vq an instructor, to show them ijojwi to farm their lands- There' is no reason why They, should not provide sufficient for Themselves, and aluo for export.” (Cheers and. apnlause,

and a voice - (You’ll do ‘for us gi right.”) ■ , ' 1 , “I am a believer in education,” (Laughter, cheers, and applause.) ■“ Also in technical education.” (Cheers.) “And in this we hav* ■to examine ourselves and see that we make every effort To give our children every facility, for acquiring instruction.”

“ Preferential trade is a great question,” continued the speaker. “/I urn q, believer that wo phould trade all among bur solves ; ‘that we should tax the foreigner nip. To the hilt: that we should grow all

wc require within our own borders.

(Grea-j applause.) ■“ I am a lielieiyer in the army and navy.” (Great cheers.) “All hoys at school should be trained To develop their muscles, and when they

come to young men should. form themselves into Rifle Clubs. Rifle Clubs should he formed at all Post Office offices; they should attend' to practice and learn To hit the target. (Cheers.) The rifles should be supplied by The British Government, and two hundred rounds of ammunition annually- Then it wc were invaded by the enemy we should be able to defend ourselves. Ap-

piause.) In regarcli to hive navy, nU youbh® of the' colony iflroul'd be trained on British ships, anil the time bas arrived when everybody; should put Ms hand ini his pocket to contribute to the' cost of these ships. Wc should then be lie a position to repel tho enemy: if they came. I wane to road to yon somo extracts,” said tho speaker, as he proceeded to pick up some Parliamentary documents and newspaper clippings. A section of the audience were in no mood for extracts, and tho speaker for some time labored under great disadvantages as he vainly endeavoured to expose what. he termed “ a disgraceful waste of money on the part of tho Government.” Amidst roars of laughter and great cheering the speaker read tbo cost of the Ministerial trip to tho Islands, and other returns showing cost of the upkeep of the Government stoamers.

The interruptions at last became so great that the speaker remarked, “ I do not think that I am having the respect shown to me that I am entitled to." I wish yon would keep quiet until I am finished.” A voice : Reave Dick alone, and three cheers for Carroll. The cheers were most enthusiastically given. The speaker continued his address, but was unable to make much progress. The Mayor at last interceded on behalf of the speaker, remarking, “ the excitemeet of the mooting has unmanned Mr 3toveDs and made him nervous. Give him time and he ,will continue his address.”

“ I iam standing this evening before you,” said the candidate," with the strong determination that if elected to do every-

thing within my power that is just and fair towards everybody. 1 will do all I can to better your position, but not to bettor my owd. ’I am quite sure that for

many yuurs past we have in a very greal measure been governed by lowoesg, deceit fulness, bribery, and corruption.’' (Cheers and applause, aad voices : No! No! We were never so prosperous.) **l am horo to stand 3houldor to shoulder with any man eo long as ha is an honest man. I put no value ou what a man calls hifnself. Our deads proclaim us.” (Voices: Quito right. Jimmy’s the man for us.) “ If elected, I will do nothing that is unfair and UDjuet to anybody. Hr Carroll in his speech dodged overy question that he possibly could dodge.” (A. voice: Never mind about him ; he’s alright.)' “I don’t believe in the ballot, - ’ said the speaker amidst disorder. “ All lands should ba allotted to those people who will do something with it.” j The speaker severely criticised the Government railway policy, and commented on the slow-rate of progress of the Gis-borno-Motu line. 11 1 um not a prohibitionist,” continued tho speaker, but it was some time before he could get any further, as he was greeted with cheers and expressions of dissent. “ I will do nothing to discourage the carrying of prohibition ; they can carry it if they can.” ~ . The meeting becoming very lively, the candidate said : “ X.have not finished yet, if I can remember what X have to talk about. The only two good things this Government have done wero to reduce the rate of interest to farmers so that\they could borrow, and to grant cheap poet* a °The candidate was literally showored with questions, some of which were of a humorous character. “ If you are asked to accopt the position of Premier will you do so ? ” was the first quostion asked, Mr Stevens remarking: “ The maD - who asks this quostion is an ass. Certainly I would not. No ! ” Do you think that Mr Dissent Clayton should retire in favor of yourself ?— Mi Clayton has not yet announced himself, so how can he retire ? (Cheers and applause) Should yon be elected ns our representative, would you favor a Government grant 0 f money or land to all parents who are the happy possessore ct six or more children “ No,” amidst applause and groans. gow does Mr Stevens pioposs to stop the deoliae of the birthrate ?—Xb6 deciio-

I lag birthrate in duo to two reasons. In tbo first plaoo, sin; in the seoond, immorality. (Ohesrs). Aro you in favor of n. tnx on baonolors . —Yes. Do you believe iu mixed bathing ? "No,” amidst roars ol luughtar. Are yon in favor of a totalizator being put on tho wharf, and a tax of ,£1 per head put on persons coining from outside . 1 know nothing about tbo totaiisafeor. Do you favor stool or oast iron pipoß . —- That is a question for th» Borough engineer. . " . , -. , , Is Mr Stevens a boliovor in girls “S, ' laeirg?wasa question that, fairly broke I up the honso. the candida’u most omphatiDaily aouonnoing himseli ill tho nagativo amidst thunders of applause. . The Mayor said that the groat audience i present that ovoning proved that Mr < Stevens should stand, and that thore was '

o&evcns snouiu scami, anu * — great need for him. (Cheers). The Chairman moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Stevens for bis address, the motion beingcarciod most enthusiastically, a number of tbo audience oheering the oandidata as ho loft tho ball.