THE WAIAPU ELECTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1576, 5 October 1905, Page 3

THE WAIAPU ELECTION.

MR H. H. WALL AT HANGAROA. Mr H. H. Wall addressed a largo and attentive nudionoo at Hangaroa last ovoniug, Mr W. White presiding. Tho spoeoh was mnch on tho linos of that delivered at WaeroDgn-o-kuri. Tho spoaker made out a strong indictmont against tho Government, and at the conclusion of tho address was asked a number of questions, whioh wero satisfactorily answered. On tho motion of Mr H. E. Kent a voto of thanks was oarriod with applauso.

MR H. H. WALL AT WAERENGA-O' KDRI.

A PROHIBITIONIST AND OPPOSITIONIST.

At Waoronga-o-knri on Tuesday evening Mr H. H. Wail opened his eleotoral campaign, Despite the inolemonoy of tho weather there was a large attendance, upwards of 80 eleotors being present. Mr Watt was votod to the ohair, and in

the coarse of his remarks congratulated the district on the faot that Mr Wall had opened his campaign and delivered his maiden speech at Waerenga-o-kuri. Mr Wall had considerable property it the district, and in every sense could os said to start right from the door. He olnimed for the candidate a fair aod impartial hoaring, and at the oiose Mr Wall woold be pleased to answer any questions pul to him. It was pleasing to observe that there were a number of ladies present (bat evening, as was seldom the case at meetings of that kind held in the district.

Mr Wall, who was received with hearty applause, prefaoed his remarks by stating that he had oponed his campaign at WaereDga-o-kuri for the reason that it was the first plaoe that he had settled at in Poverty Bay. He came overland from Hawke’s Bay 26 years ago, and when ho reaohed Wasrenga o-kuti he wasoonvineod that that was the plaoe where be would like to live- He returned to Hawke’s Bay and soon afterwards came back and settled in the district, where he had remained ever since, (Applause,) For that reason ho considered it only right that be should start his oampaign from there. He knew something of the district, and was therefore in a position to speak of its requirements. He had been in New Zealand for close on 50 years, and during that period had been intimately associated with the pioneer work of the colony. (Applause.) A residence of 20 years in the district certainly justified him in speaking of the requirements of the district, He koew something of the drawbacks that settlers were under in takiDg up land and making homes for themselves, and it was his desire to bring about an Improvement in this respeot. Although the present Government made a boast that they looked alter the interests of rioh and poor alike, it must be apparent to everyone that they did neither. (Applause.) Yet despite the apparent negleot the saw the colony progressed, and the distriot of Poverty Bay was a striking example of the progress made. (Ap-

plause.) Continuing, Me Wall quoted figures to show the progress the distriot bad made during tho last 20 years, whioh he contended was not equalled by any other district in the colony. Therefore it behoved them to stir themselves and put in men who would work for the distriot. (Ap-

plause.) The candidate’s remarks evidently touehed a few of those present, and especially one or two gentlemen who had travelled from Patntahi, and from this stßge onwards interruptions were very frequent. Continuing, Mr Wall said that the district required more attention, and if returned he would see that it reoeived justice. ' Mr MoOabe: But what about Mr Carroll ?

Mr Wall: Mr Carroll will be hero soon, and will speak for himself, (Applause.) A voice: But what about the land question ? Mr Wall: I have stated very definitely in my address that I am for the freehold,

(Applause.) A voice: Bat how is a man to acquire it when wages are so small ? Mr Wall: Woll, let him save his wages. Mr McCabe: How oan he do that on 25s per week arid with mutton at 4d per lb ? • Mr Wall: 5 1 do not get 4a a lb for mut-

tOD. A voice: Then who gets it ? The working man has to pay more for his meat than one can buy it for in London. Mr "Wall I can assure you I do not get it. It is the middle men who get it It is not the grower who derives the bene

fi„ The meeting becoming very disorderly the Chairman had several times to call for order. Continuing, Mr Wall spoke at some length on the land question, atroDgly supporting the right of every man to acquire the freehold of whatever property he oooupied. He stated that if Mr Seddon had advertised throughout the whole length of Great Britain for a man to come to New Zealand to take up leasehold there would not have been a single applicant. (Applause.) The more men they had on the land the richer would the towns beoome. (Applause.) The manner in wbioh the native lands of the distriot was administered was a serious drawback to the district, and the Native Minister had altogether failed to bring about any legislation oaloulated to bring about an improvement in this matter. Year after year they were promised legislation, but nothing practical ever resulted. The Native Lands Counoil had been in existence for over five years, but not a single blook had been put on the market. Native lauds paid no rates and the whole burden was left to the European. There were over two million acres of native lands in Poverty Bay at present lying in an unproductive state. Passing on to the question of public works, Mr Wall referred to what he described as the Bhameful negleot of this distriot in regard to the expenditure on roads and bridges, pointing out that the district bad only received £6200 for these purposes and £20,000 for the railway, which amounts could in no way be compered to what districts represented by Opposition members had reoeived. Therefore there was no reason to support the sitting member on the grounds that the district bad been liberally treated as compared to other plaoos. On the West Ooast recently no less a sum than £BOOO had been voted towards reading a single native block. “Ia it not time, therefore, that we had a change?’’ concluded the speaker. A voice: A change foil the better though. Continuing his address, the candidate vigorously attacked the railway policy of the Government, Btating that Ministers had mads a groat point of the fact that the railway would be continued another three or four miles towards the Motu duriog the present year. He contended that to do the distriot justice the railway to the Motu should bo completed within a couple of years. (Applause.) There were vast areas of timber twenty miles from the present terminus wbioh could bo utilised, and this would add greatly to the general prosperity of Poverty Bay. (Applause.) So far nothing bad been done to put in hand the survey of the GisborneBotorua railway. They required a bo'd and vigorous railway polioy which would give them communication with Napier, Wellington, and Auckland. (Applause.)® I )Mr McCabe : You are not in Welling* ton yet; juat wait until you get there. The Chairman ; Kindly allow Mr Wall to proceed, You will have an opportunity to ask questions later on. Mr Williams : Tell us what you will do when you get to Wellington ? Amidst considerable interjections from one or two members of the audience, the speaker showed how the district had suffered during the last 12 yearß as oompared to other electorates. “ The Government,” ho added,, “are supposed to ha looking after the working mao, but I can show you that they arc not doing this. They are legislating for the rich men only.” Mr Wall speke at some length on the quset'oo of naval and military defence. He also advocated the establishment of a oolonial harbor of refuge on tho East Ooast between Wellington and Auckland, which right he claimed belonged to Poverty Bay. (Applause.) Speaking on the question of education, he urged the necessity for setting up sobools of agriculture. Coming to the question of prohibition, M? Wall etated that be was a strong ad-

voeate of that cause. He bail been con* I noctod with tomperanoo reform all bis life. At 10 yooYs he had taken a loading part in tho work, and in 1870 had advanced tho money to open tho first branoh of tho Roohabitos Tent in New Zealand. Last elootion, whon ho hoard that tho nolioeneo advooatos were short of vehioles for tho election, ho hod Bont his own buggy and pair from Waoronga-a-hika, so that tho old ladies could bo brought to tho poll to vote. (Applause.) Ho had voted nolioonso every time, and would do so until it WU9 oarriod. A voico : What is your reason for it ? Mr Wall: lam sure that colonial prohibition would bo !• the advantage of tho colony. Voices : But give your reasons for voting no-lioenao ? Surely you must bavo reasons ? The Chairman oallrd the unruly members to order. Mr Wall, appealing to tho ladies proBont, said, “ You oan help your husbands to carry no liconse. A groat many men toll mo that they will v< to no-lioonse because tho present drinking oustoms offer too many temptations for thorn.” A voico : But is no-lioonso of any advantage ? Mr Wall: It will not altogether stop tho sale of liquor. Some men will have liquor no matter how they got it. In his concluding remarks the oandidnto declared himsolf to be an oppositionist and and a prohibitionist, adding, 11 1 am not a professional politician without a stake in the country, nor an old warrior in politios with a lot of pat phrasos and sentiments to give you, but simply a man of tho people, one of yourselves, with an earnest desire to soo a change in our administration. It has been in power long enough or the good of the country. Thoro should be no threequarter million surplus at the end of tho fioanoial year when there is such urgent Dopd far publio works throughout the colony, aud in this district in particular.” The speaker was warmly applauded on resuming bis seat. A large number of questions wore asked tho oandidate and replied to satisfactorily. Mr Wall stated that he was iu favor of workmen’s homes, and that every opportunity should bo given tomon to get on the land. Many men who had worked for him wero in a far better position to-day than himself. Several present denied this statement and demanded the names of the persona referred to. , The oandidate for some time demurred giving names, but finally under pressure mentioned one or two end the Chairman also vouched for the accuraoy of the statement, remarking, 11 In justice to Mr Wall I will myself bear him out in all that he says. I know the men referred to.” Mr Williams: How are yon going to live if yon charge the present prices for tucker you do ? Mr Wall: Ido not oharge any man anything for tuoker. Mr Williams: Then where do they get it?

Mr Wall: They buy it from the store. A voioe: But your own men ; what do bey pay ? Mr Wall: They find themselves. An elector: Bat how do you expect them to live with the present priee of meat? They can’t do it on their wagßß. Yon ohargc them more for the meat than they oan buy it for in London. Mr Wall: Ido not get any benefit. It is the middleman who gets it. In answer to a question as to whether he was in favor of Bible reading in schools, Mr Wall deolared himself in favor of giving grants to all denominations for the purposes mentioned. By eo doing they would do away with the present overorowding of sohools, and from a health point of view great advantages would result. The question, however, was one that shonld be referred to the people in the same manner as was the local option vote. As a boy ho had a'ways been accustomed to reading the scripture in sohool. Catholics and others would no doubt be adverse to Bible reading in .the publio schools, and in jastice to them it was only right to give them a grant to carry on their own schools. He did not sea why the Roman Catbolio sohools should not re* oeiye the same monetary grants and advantages a 3 the public schools reoeived. (Applause.) An elector : You say you Bro a prohibitionist. Are you in favor of taking all liberty from a man ? Mr Wall: I am in favor of no-license. An elector: Then you and your friends would prohibit liquor from coming into this district ? Mr Wall: There is a difference between prohibition and no-lioense. When I use the term prohibition I mean that I am in favor of no-iicenso. I want to stop men going into an hotel and getting it whether they want it or not. If shouting were done away with a great deal of evil would be done away with. I quite see that nolioense will not stop the eale of drink in the district. Mr McCabe : I am Dot greatly troubled with shoutiDg myself, but let me tell you if prohibition is carried in this district more harm will be done to the oountry than at the present time. We have hotels now well oonduoted, which are open to police supervision, bat if no-license is carried we shall have sly-grog shops scattered broadcast throughout the electorate. Why should we enoourage such a state of things ? You know that sly-grog shops will not he open to police inspection. Mr Wall: Yes, there is that difficulty. You will not stop the men who have been drinking all tbeir lives. They will get it somehow. Still, you see what reduction has done for Napier, It was a bad place for drinking at one time, but now it is one of the cleanest places in New Zealand. Mr Ferguson: Are you in favor of pineal offices of Ministers ? Mr Wall: Certainly not. An elector: Yon have made an excellent address, and in most things I agree with yon, bat if you go for prohibition then I am dead against you. Mr J. Cameron: Are you in favor of pulliDg the Chinese out of the district ? Mr Wall: I am opposed to further Chinese immigration. Continuing, Mr Wall Baid be was against the present system of co-operative labor, preferring the small contract system. He showed that on various works under the small contract Bystem a man could make from 10s to 15s a day. An elector; Supposing a man was on a weekly wage, would you bo in favor of deducting for wet days ? Mr Wall: I never did it to my men. Another elector: What do you consider a fair wage for sorub-outting ? Mr Wall: I pay my men ?s a day. Elector: Do you consider that a fa wage ? 1 Mr Wall; My men are satisfied. They have never asked for more. Mr Ferguson : Would you like to ece ladies take a seat in the Home ? Mr Wall: I think the proper p'aco for a woman iB at the head of her household. (Applause.) I believe in the National Coudcil of Women discussing matters and formulating questions to ask the men who represent them in Parliament. A lady’s privilege, however, is to get married, and if the baohelors will not marry them then they must go into the House. (Laughter aud applause.) Mr G. W. Johnston proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the candidate, which was seconded and carried amidst great applause. A vote of thanks -to the Chairman arminated the proceedings.