THE LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1575, 4 October 1905, Page 3

THE LIBERAL ASSOCIATION.

THE ELECTIONEERING CAMPAIGN

WORDS OF WIBDOM.

THE NATIVE MINISTER’S CAN-

DIDATURE.

A meeting of tho Cook County Liberal Association was held last night, Mr E» P. Joyoe preaidmg. There was a large at-

tendance. ~ . Replies were read from the Borough Council and Harbor Board, asking that the Association specify what lands they desired to have obtained for settlement

along the railway route., The Chairman and other members com eidered the request a reasonable one, and Messrs Birrell, Harris, Lawless, the Chairman (Mr Joyce), and the Secretary (Mr Dickson) were appointed a committee to obtain the necessary information. The Chairman said that would conclude the meeting of the Association and a meeting of Mr Carroll’s Committee would then bo held. . . . Being called on for a few remarks before he vacated the chair, Mr Joyce said : We havo all, I presume, come hero with the intention to work faithfully and as energetically as we oan for the return of the member at present so well representiog the distriot, the Hon. J. Cairo 1. (Applause.) In the oootest that gentleman is under some disadvantage, being engaged on onr business, and *£®refore absent from the district. While he is away noting as out representative, and faithfully fulfilling his duties as a Minister of the Crown, the other gentlemen who are offering themselves as candidates are touring the electorate and vigorously prosecuting an election campaign. Reference has been made by Mr Clayton, one of the candidates, to Mr Carroll’s ability and status and to other matters. But there is no need for me to enter into that subject Bgain after the oalm and dignified rebuke administered to MrOiayton by the Times. The article was not severe in tone, but it was B ® eo ‘ ’ and has met the purpose without any farther vindication beiDg requiredon our part. All I have to say to yon, ladies and gentlemen, is that we are gQ' n j[ “° °?. r best to seoure the return of Mr Carroll. (Applause.) And I have no no hesitation in saying that we will again bring him home at the head of _ the poll. lOhoers.) I hope that we will work in accord in favor of the Hon. J. Carroll, and that in doing this we will work throughout conscientiously with a regard for the feelings of others, {so that nothing will fall from us that may be deemed offensive to iho candidates opposing Mr Carroll. (Hear, hear.) We do not want to insult them, or do anything that would hurt ; their feelings in any way. (Hear, bear.) Let them do the best they oan, while we do our best to havo our member again plaoed nt the head of the poll. (Applause.) Fjr thet is where we iotend to have him placed, and if there were fifty other candidates our object would be the same. Therefore it is necessary, while the Native Minister is away attending to the duties of bis offioe, and also os lepresentalive of this distriot, that we should work together in harmony and ensure his re-election by a substantial majority, (Applause.) Iwljj

now vacate the chair in favor of the ohnir' man of tbo committee. Mr H. Patterson was askod to take the

ohair until Mr R, M. Birrell's dooißion had boon made known. Mr BirroU, in roply, said that ho had dooided to aooeda to thoir requoat, Ho had previously deeliued, booauao he had scruples In tho matter as to what position tho Farmers’ Union would take up, Ho had foil in honor bound to await tho dooision of that body, but ho had found that members of it did not posspsa tho soruplos by whioh ho had boon influenced, and showed no loyalty whatever in tho matter, and in view of what tboy , wore doing ho no longer felt in any way bound to refrain from taking part in tho proooodingsof Mr Carroll’s committee. (Applause,) Ho bad oooupied the position since Mr Oarrhll had stood for the Wsiapu electorate. “ I have,” said Mr Birrell, who took the ohair amidst warm applause « had a good deal to do with Mr Carroll. I have followed his oareer very cloßoly, and I am sure that after all is said and done—what could wo eay about him? Is there anybody In tho field wo could pot in his plaoe? Just thiuk for a moment Compare the two candidates, and pul them against our member—oari wo for a moment, in our common-sense, unless under the influonoe of John Barleycorn, desire to have him rcplaood ? Mr Carroll may have his faults, but he has good qualities that outweigh them all. People make a groat mistake when ttaoy talk about his being asleep, for he is all the time very muoh awake, True, ho does not make much flutter, but ho is there all the time. Talk about " taihoa ” I Thera is not much of fcbftfc about Mr Catroll» although ho does not make a fuss. While wo are conducting this campaign let us bring nothing extraneous into the ma'ter ; —we mußt be on for work. It was nover more required in tho history of tho distriot, because I know that while Mr Oarroll is away attending to the business of the country there are two candidates in the field bard at wotk, There aro a let of pledges being given, and a lot of the people making those pledges will fulfil them. There is tnoro going on than we are aware of. Wo have to bo up and doing. (Hear, hear,) While our member is doing his duty for our sskes in Wellington, ho caanot be there and here at the same time —it is for us to try to make up for his absence by our activity. (Applause.) I know that you will abide by mo in my decisions as ohairman. I will try to administer ovory* thing fairly and squarely." Iu concluding the speaker said that thoir aim was to put Mr Oarroll at tho top of the poll again.

(Obeers) Mr Joyoo tendered congratulations to Mr Birrell on his again accepting the position of ohairman, tbo remarks being applauded. Mr Diokson said ho considered it would be one of the greatest blows tbo district had ever received if Mr Oarroll were not returned. “He has,’,' said Mr Diokson, “ aoted faithfully and given every satisfaction- Tbo other side talk, they malign, they sling mud at the Grand Old Man at the head of the Government of this oolony—they not only maliga him and resort to all kinds of scurrility, but they seek to wound him by cowardly attacks on members,of his family. We want to keep all this sort of thing out of our oampaign. When Mr Wall oomes out let us reoeive him with goodwill. If ho makes a good point applaud him. Although our object is to get Mr Oarroll returned,' we must bo no party to the Jdeorying of anyone else. Let each be judged on his merits and we are quite satisfied that we mast do what we can to guide eaoh eleotor into voting for Mr Oarroll." (Applause.) Correspondence from various portions of the district was read, and was reoeived on tbe motion of Mr Lawless, who stated that it was very satisfactory, and augured well for success ou electioa day. Mr Walsh said that they were entering on a political battle, and should have effective weapons to fight with. The other Bide had oertain chief points, and that committee should enumerato for ciroulation a few of the beneficent Acts passed by the Seddon Government. They shonld be prepared to give their reasons why, aDd he would suggest among other measures the following Old Age Pensions. Woman’s Franchise. Advance to Settlers, Penny Postage. Arbitration and Oonciliation. State Coal Mines. 4 Resumption of Lands for Closer Settle* ment. Aid to Bank of New Zealand The impetus given to Empire needs. Mrs Scott mentioned several other measores, and said one point that might also be emphasised was that Mr Seddon had had the foresight to oppose New Zealand being brought in with the Australian Federation. What a ettte of ohaos would now exist in this oolony if we had been joined with tbe Australian Commonwealth, \ While speakers agreed with Mrs Scott, it was oousidered that the action taken in regard to federation oonld not be classified among measures adopted, and Mrs Soott said with that explanation she would withdraw the amendment. Mr Walsh’s suggestion was then adopted, and it was resolved that the Executive should go into the matter and add to the list any other important measures. It was agreed to bold general meetings of the committee on Tuesday and Satur-

day nights.