WAIAPU ELECTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1617, 2 December 1905, Page 2

WAIAPU ELECTION.

MR LISSANT CLAYTON AT MAKAURI. AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING,

made - a strong appeal for the settlement of the native lands and freehold, hfs remarks on both heads being most favorably received, He hoped everyone present (hat evening would do their utmost against the curse of Tammany, which wast fast overshadowing New Zealand. (Applause.) He thanked them one and j all for the attentive bearing accorded him. Asked whether he was in favor of a further extension of the departments of I the State, Mr Clayton stated that he was I ' not. He deprecated the cuoroaobment of the State on private enterprise, and would do his utmost against it. The more de- I partments created by the State the greater the patronage they received. (Applause.) The speaker was accorded a most I hearty vote of thanks for his interesting address, and a vote of thanks to the I chairman concluded one of the most successful meeting's held at Makauri for a I long time. 1 1 To-night Mr Clayton speaks at Patu- ! tahi, when ho is sure to receive a most ! enthusiastic reception, I

MR G. E. DARTON AT ORMOND, cans Mr G. E. Darton, the Liberal, Labor, and Prohibition addressed a crowded meeting at Ormoad last pight, Mr McLeod presiding.

s Mr Da-ton followed on the lines of his - address in town, dealing fully with the ’ land, labor, and no-license questions. He i severely oritioised the East Coast Native i Lands Trust Board, claiming that the laud > I should havs been administered by the I Government. He olaimed that although returned as a Liberal member, the Hon. Native Minister was doing ipore for the large landholder than the small settler and I the working man. He pointed out that Mr Carroll bad admitted that the small amount alloca'ed to the district in grants, which be (Mr Carroll) bad stated at his Ormond meeting as ridiculous, was correot. The caudidate stated that too muoh eonti- | ment was being brought into politic l , and hs asked the electors to consider before casting their vot s whether they had received fair treatment at the hands of their ; member. The speech, which jasted for a t couple of hours, was listened to with the ] greatest attention, the speech being fre j t quently punctuated with applause, <

There was a orowdod attendance at the Makauri schoolroom last evening, when Mr Lißsant Claylon delivered a political address at that place. Mr T. McGregor presided, and bespoke for the [candidate ft fair and impartial hearing. Mr OlaytoD, who was most cordially reoeived, gavo a vigorous criticism of the Goycrnmout policy, his remarks being frequently punctuated by hearty applause. He prefaced his opening by dealing with Mr Wall, pointing out that he (Mr Clayton) ' was tho recognised candidate of the looal Opposition, as well as the Colonial Opposition Party. (Applause.) It had been elated that he had foregone his independence, but this he denied most emphatically. His sympathies wore 1 entirely with the Opposition, but he was not going into the House bound. ‘ (Applause.) If elected he would at all 1 times do bis best for the constituency, but on matters of colonial importance he 1 would be guided by the diotates of bis 1 conscience. (Applause.) Audit was for 1 that reason that he termed himself an Independent. (Applause.) Tho Native * Minister had stated that he (Mr Clayton) ’ had objected to him addressing his 1 committee. This was not so ; in fact he • (Mr Clayton), as well as many others, had [ -been rather amused at what Mr Carroll ! bad stated, for no one could possibly take 1 any of them seriously. (Applause.) He J had on more than one occasion assured his 1 audience to this effect. (Applause,) Again ’ he altogether disclaimed the inuendo that ’ ho had been personal as far as th Hon. 1 James Carroll was concerned. He (Mr Clayton) was a personal friend of ' r Mr Carroll’s, and anything as Bug* gestefl was altogether foreign from his mind. (Applause and laughter.) Mr Carroll had stated that he (Mr Claytoo) was desirous of taking to himself all the attributes of William Pitt. (Laughter and applause.) He (Mr Clayton) only wished that for the sake of the electors of Waiapu that he was possessed of onetenth of the virtues ascribed to that bon, statesmen. If he only possessed them it would not only redound to his own credit, but to tbe reputation of the colony . as a whole. (Applause.) Sir William l Pitt had opposed a Government that had e held office by open bribery for upwards ol f 20 years, and it was flattering in tbe f extreme to in any sense be likened to sc eminent a statesman. It was not the 3 bribery of roads and bridges to which he 3 referred. (Applause.) Sir William Pit! c was one of the finest examples for e young man to follow ; he was one of the purest patriots and finest examples that . any Empire had ever produced. (Cheers,) ] Coming to the question of native lands t the speaker found himself thoroughly it 9 accord with his audience. He pointed oul j that his remarks on this score, althougl challenged by the Hon. James Carroll j had not been refuted. Indeed he hac j found that he had under-stated the mark 3 for instead of 700,000 lying in an nnpro j ductive slate there were no less that , 978,000 acres. (Applause.) He had pur j pcsely under-stated the amount, and i 9 was intensely satisfactory to himself ti t find that the new Liberal and Labo: j candidate, who had served many yean , under the Department for Lands, and whi 3 had all the official figures at his fingers 3 ends, was the first to come forward ant 3 give the correct figures. (Applause.) Ml 3 Darton had absolutely confirmed everj 3 statement that he had made in regard t< native lands. (Applause.) j Dealing with the ' East Coast Trusl , Board, the speaker was most vigorous it , his utterances. He contended that th< , policy of the Board had been towards the 3 aggregation of large estates, which wai altogether antagonistic to the well-being ’ of the district. (Applause.) The'Native Minister was, he said, alone responsible t for the appointments to the Board, and he , (Mr Clayton) was certain that the bulk I of the population of Poverty Bay were against the appointments which had been made. (Applause.) No doubt some of the appointments were commendable, but this could not be said in regard to them all. They were all aware that one rich 1 man had been appointed to this billet, which carried a salary of over £4OO a year, and they all recognised that there were many men to whom the position could have been given with muoh greater advantage. (Applause.) He was sure that another appointment could have been made which would have caused less comment and dissatisfaction. (Applause.) Referring to the map giviDg the area of native lands in the district, Mr Clayton stated that this was another mis-statement of Mr Carroll. The map produoed in the Auckland Weekly News was the Government offioial map of 1905—(applause)— and this gave the area of native land lying in an unproductive state. After showing the great injustice done to the settlers of Te Araroa in the matter of their public reserve, Mr Clayton touched on the question of tbe votes received by the Cook Oounty Council, which he thought were totally inadequate when one considered the amount contributed in revenue. (Applause.) Reverting to personal affairs, Mr Clayton soid that he challenged the Hon. James Carroll to show one solitary instance of any missta'ement that he had made. (Applause.) He contended that the Government members, and particularly Mr Carroll, were not getting half a 3 much for their constituents, as were the Opposition members. Mr Carroll likened him unto a mosquito, but they would find* that it would take a great deal to keep him quiet. Both Sir William Russell and Mr Herries had put the Native Minister to shame in the matter of the amount they had received for their district. (Applause.) To give the grants the Government had done jußt prior to an election showed the bribery and corruption praet’sed by the present party. (Applause.) It was simply throwing dust in their eye 3, and ( was done solely for the purpose of catohing votes, (Applause.) ! Passing reference having been made to ■ the Manawatu railway, the Karaka rail- 1 way, and other matters, the candidate "

A hearty vote of thanks was Rcoordoii the oandidate, which was proposed by Me A. Parsons, seconded by Mr Bellflrby, ftnu oheers were given. , Mr Darton speaks at To Eisraiso night.