THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2338, 3 November 1908, Page 5

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

-THE GISBORNE SEAT.

MR. G. E! DARTON AT THE THEATRE.

Mr. G. E. Darton, who is contesting the Gisborne electorate as a Liberal and No-lioense candidate, addressed the electors in His Majesty’s Theatre last evening. The Mayor (Mr. W. D. Lysnar) occupied the chair, and the building was crowded. The Mayor briefly introduced the candidate.

Mr. Darton, who on rising to speak was received with applause, said he first addressed the electors of Gisborne on political matters during the campaign for the last (lection, when lie was defeated. ile tlic-n promised to again < .mie forwaiu as a candidate, and he now appeared to fulfil his promise. Ho hoped the election would be fought out in a fair spirit and without in dill-a ng ir. personalities. He anticipated criticism and h'ird knocks in the contest, but he hoped personalities would 1 not be indulged' in hv either side. Mr. Darton then went on to speak in eulogistic terms of t-lie late Mr. Seddon, and touched upon a number of questions along the lines of his Patutalii address (previously reported). He emphasised the necessity for carrying out a more effective land policy in order to‘provide better facilities for . immigrants to settle on the land and give New Zealand the population the country so greatly needed. The Hon,Tames Carroll had referred to .Mr. Clayton as the Conservative candidate on one side of the political fence, and to hini (Mr. Darton) as the advanced Liberal on the other side; while Mr. Carroll" took the- credit of ■holding the balance in the middle. He (Mr. Darton)' would remind Mr. Carroll that the man who sat on a fence often had- a fall.

Referring to the question of forcing owners of barge freehold estates to hut,up their land, Mr. Darton said the present Government deserved credit- for bringing millions of acres under cultivation, but while lie was prepared to give that credit, ho .desired to- see a. forward land policy. Suffioi- ■ ent land was not being, placed upon the market to meet the demand, and while they Were told that dummyism had been done away with, it had,not been stopped. The Government also asserted that the accumulation of largo freehold estates had ceased, but they a knew a man could acquire the unlimited freehold if he only had the money with which to purchase. The l!aw should prohibit the accumulataon of large freehold estates by., imposing iii graduated 'land tax-—(applause)— ffor by such a .TSPHie large estates would he cut up and 'forced into the market. The present system of taking estates for subdivision’ was expensive, and the settler often had to pay too ‘high a price for his land, for while the settler could perhaps afford to pay a high price now for land, he had to consider the probability of land going down in value, when the large areas in other parts of theworld were brought under cultivation. Mr. Darton then referred to the grazing run question, which is reported elsewhere, and passed' on. to the question of settling the Native lands. The public had, he said, been told that the Native land question was settled, and that many thousands of acres had been thrown open, but. he (Mr. Darton) had not been , able to see any difference in the Native lands now and 15 years ago. Out of 37,000 acres that they were told had been settled, 24,000 acres were held in the jinnies of G. L. Williams, L. C. Williams, J. A. Williams, H. W. Ludbrook, E. It. Ludbrook, and L. B. Ludbrook, all relatives, and he. would ask did the electors consider those ' LOOO acres settled, or merely used to swell the estates of the "Williams family? (Applause.) Mr. Darton then referred to the sale of the Mangapoike block of Native land by the •' East Coast Trust Commissioners, who had stated: that the land would not stand roading. Yet the Government was now roading it at-the expense of the taxpayer. He held that if the land had been roaded before it was sold the block could have been used to settle many families, and provide them with comfortable homes. Referring to the system of allotting Government grants, Mr. Darton said the present system was one of" Ministerial patronage, for the Ministers tmveiled around the country, with the Government cheque book buying party support. '? In dealing with the education question, Mr. Darton said that in a country like New Zealand, where the people made the laws, it was necessary to have a high standi vrd of education, and competent teachers to impart instruction to the young. The teachers in New Zealand were a body of men and women of which the country should be proud, hut few cared to enter the profession, and where vacancies were advertised there were no applications. Educated, men and women would not take up teaching when better remuneration was offering in other walks of life. The inducements for men to become teachers were not sufficient, for the salaries depended upon the attendance of the children, and when the parents kept the children home from, school the teacher’s salary was docked. iSucli a. system of payment was not just. The teacher Was punished for what he could not help, and he had often to spend extra time i,n teaching the children, who had been kept at-home, so as to maintain the standard of the .work. The teacher should be paid a fixed salary like any other person. .(Applause.) Another education reform the conn try needed was. that of uniform school books throughout the public schools of the Dominion. The present system, of the use of different books in various schools was a. burden upon those parents who removed from one school district to another, and the need to purchase new booksrfor the children, was nothing hut at wasteful expenditure of money. It was not necessary to always use the one class! of hooks, they could be ohanged ; every two or three years." (Applause.) He did not think the time had arrived'' for a- separate Education Board' for the Gisborne district, and would, like to see 'the ward system get a trial. Regarding Native schools! and. Native ‘legislation,..it could- not be said that he was criticising them on account of the color question, but as a public duty. Nevertheless, he considered that the Natives, all over the Dominion, were being too much, spoon fed. Boys should be encouraged, to learn a trade, but it was no good to molly--coddle the Natives, andi as a citizen,' he said- that thc legielatiou at present

favored the Natives • too much, and ! mas giving them advantages 'denied to the white people. Touching on the labor question, Mr. D&rtoiii said .that three years ugo there were labor troubles all over the Dominion, and ho had attributed the troubles to the unnecessary delays in hearing the disputes in the Arbitration 'Court.- His proposed remedy then was that the Magistrates should be empowered to hoar and adjudge 'Upon disputes. This was now coming into force under the new Arbitration' Act, and he looked forward, to more harmonious feelings between employer and employed. At -the present time industrial poverty existed, and' the cost'of living had gone up immeasur-’ ably. The- worker conkl not live on present wages, neither could the employer afford' to pay the wages which were being demanded by the men. The remedy was to make the. cost of living cheaper, and the way to do this was to .reduce their taxation. The graduated land tax would as Avell as benefiting the land help in this manner. At present the taxes were being put on to the manrvho was least able to bear them, and they would- bo better off under the graduated land tax. On the question of the hasty legislation of thte- end of the session., Mr. Darton referred to the Second Ballot Bill, which he claimed would be found unworkable, and would not outlive a second 1 election. Under the Public Works Act Amendment Act the Ministry held power to part with the water power of Now Zealand, and so part with the last asset they had as a manufacturing nation. Shame to the Ministry that private enterprise could do what could not be done with .the people of New Zealand behind) the scheme-. He was standing in the interests of the masses, and was- quite prepared to support any thing in the interests of the connti\y. Ho considered- that the enormous expenditure of money on liquor made the licensing question a public question, and one which demanded consideration. He claimed -that it was' a political question, and said that there was not sufficient legislation. He advocated a separate day for the taking of the local option poll from that on which the election took place, and until this was done many persons wuld not take the interest in politics that they should, .and' the whole question would be one of license or nolicense. They had to pause and consider if they .could afford an expendi-ture-of four millions a year on liquor: ■ In this district .£IOO,OOO per year - was spent on liquor, and, the speaker asked, could the ..district afford it? If it- was in the interests of the Dominion, then he' must disregard the cry of-the drunkard, and there was not a man or woman who would dare to stand up and say that the expenditure was warranted, even from an economic standpoint. lie could not believe that the expenditure of £IOOO per week in the-various shops, if there were no liquor bars, was going to ruin the town. Ho was not prepared to accept the statements of either the no-license advocate or the liquor advocate, but was dealing -with the question from a, common-sense and economic standpoint. Mr. Dalton went on to refer to the liquor question in both England .and America-, and the great success of the movement, quoting figures in support of liis contention. New Zealand and her people were not behindhand, as was shown by the tremendous increase in the vote for no-license. The country was beginning to realise ‘that they "must fightl the liquor question. At first nolicense was too -big a reform to. try all over the Dominion, and it was tried in a small place, and he claimed that it had bee]) a success where it had received a fair trial. Local nolicense had been put -to the test, and had shown the Dominion what can'be done, and he ventured to say if a Dominion vote was taken tomorrow drink would be swept right out of the country. The present House was a liquor House, and was not likely to push a-Bill through for a Dominion vote. The speaker strongly urged his hearers to vote no-license, and asked what brand they would be able to put on themselves after they had recorded their vote on this all-important question. Mr. Darton concluded his address by the recitation of Bracken’s poem “The Vilest fiend of All,” and resumed liis scat- amidst loud applause. ' At the conclusion of his address a large number of questions were put to the candidate. The first one handed up was,-“When did-'you become a prohibitionist?” and this the chairman deemed .to -be a personal question and declined to put it to the candidate. In reply to further questions, Mr. Darton said that -in some instances he -was a strong advocate of rating unimproved values. He was not in favor of decreasing the salaries of M.H.R.bs, but thought the present, number might bo reduced by half. He thought a week’s notice was quite sufficient for any trade union to -give when moving for a new award. If socialism meant owning the railways, telegraphs, etc., he was .a- socialist, but they could call him anything they liked except a Conservative. He went to Patutahi and spoke on no-license with Rev. Win. Grant because he was a member of the NoLicense League, and felt it his duty to do so, but he was not the nominee .of any party, and if lie Chose to introduce the subject of 110-license that?was his own business, and his platform was in the best interests of the workers. He considered that as the Jaw did not permit the taking of a Dominion vote, if wasi igr more important for the Gisborne electorate thbt they should carry no-license than elect any one of the three political candidates. He held that he had always done Inis best as a member of the Licensing Bench, and claimed that he was largely responsible for the abolition of the conditional licenses in the district. Ho was not a Government man, nor yet an Oppositionist, but thought that, the Government! had done much more good than, the Opposition ever had. Native land® should be individualised, and should be open for lease, but not for sale. The Government should lease the land, and reserve the rent for the native owner. He had not always been a total abstainer, but ho was at the present tiinei and had been for some few months. Inducements should be offered to immigrants, and then they might'get a more desirable class of persons coming to. the-Domi-nion . Joseph Burke, of the Record Reign Hotel, had got his license long before lie (Mr. Darton) had been elected to the Licensing. Committee. The licenses had come up for -renewal, andrtit the time- he voted for the renewal of' licence for the B^cord

Reign there were no'conditions existing which allowed him-to go into the question ol : what Burke had been ten years before. The police reports showed that, the house was being well conducted, and 1 he of his own knowledge had known that the hotel' was comfortably and cleanly kept. As amember of the Education Board ho had opposed the question of Bible reading iiri school hour si because he held that schools should be made free, compulsory, and undenominational. He thought, that the grazing run settlers had a moral right—over-riding the law—to a- renewal of their leases after 21 years at a re-valuation', because they had been led to believe that such was the case by the officers of the Department. The law, however, was clear, and sec. 209 of the 1885 Act said that there should be no renewal of the run if the 'Board decided to out it lip. - Mr. Darton, wishing to dispense with the customary vote of thanks, the meeting terminated wii)h the usual compliment to the chairman.

AIR. CLAYTON AT TINIROTO

There was a large and enthusiastic audience at Air. W. Dissent Clayton’s mooting at Tiniroto. last evening, the chair being taken by Air. Sutherland. I’lie candidate spoke for an hour and a half on the lines of his previous addresses, and was frequently applauded- throughout.

At,the close of his address, on the motion of Air. W. Whyte, seconded by Air. liowell, Air. Clayton was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.

Last night the Hon. J. Carroll delivered an address l of a partly valedictory character in the town hall, Te Kanaka, which was formerly in his electorate, but which is now included in the Bay of Plenty district. There was a large attendance. The Rev. Air. Roberts presided, and introduced Air. Carroll, and regretted that that gentleman was no longer to represent the Te Ivaraka electors. Ho criticised the action of the Commissioners in cutting off the township from the electorate with which all its interests were associated.

Air. Carroll, who was heartily received, spoke on lines similar to those of his speech at Te Arai. He dwelt on the question of advances to settlers, old age pensions, and the Te Karaka railway, for all of which he considered the Government was entitled. toi credit. He remarked that the Opposition had claimed that Air. Herrie« *liad really been the most vigorous supporter of the To Karaka railway, but as a matter of fact that gc-ntloman had not been a member of the House when the first sod was turned. He (Air; Carroll) would candidly admit that since Mr. Her nice’ return to Barliamten lie lmd had no more ardent supporter as regarded the railway than that gentleman, to whom the thanks' of the electors were certainly duo. Air. Carroll stated that 200 men Wore now employed on the railway, and after the election the numbers would be increased to 300. It was the intention of the Government to push this line with all possible expedition. Air Carroll 1 dealt exhaustively with the small grazing runs question, and said he would have more to say on the subject, backed up by official records, at his meeting in Gisborne on AVednesdav evening. On the motion of Air. Carlisle, a hearty vote of thanks and confidence was carried by acclamation, and three hearty "cheers were given for Air. Carroll. . The Hon. J. Carroll will address the electors at Patutahi this evening. The Opposition candidate, Air. AV. LissanK.Clayton, will give an address at the Frasertown Hall this evening. POLLING BOOTHS.

The following deputy returning officers for the forthcoming election barb been appointed by Air. H. E. Hilil, Registrar of Electors and Returning Officer for the Gisborne electorate:— , • His Alajesty’s Theatre : Electoral, Air. C. G. Piesse; licensing, Air. F. H. Lawton.': Alasonic Hall : AJ,r.. J. T. Witty— Air. AV O. Sheet,.' , AVhinray’s Hall: Air. H. AV. C McIntosh—Air. G. R. Miller.. Garrison Hall : Alr-JH. H. Lockio— Air. R, O. Piesse. ICaiti School: Air. J. G. H. Bull— Air. P.~C. BayJy. Te Hapara : Mr. P. AA 7 . Holmes— Can tain . Farris. Atangapapa : All*. R. .Cole—Air. J. Kinder. Alatawliero: Air. ’J. Alarshall—Air. G. Brocklebank, junr. Patutahi: Air.. J. Dawson—Air. J. C. AA 7 oodward. Maraetaha: Air. A. Parlano—Air. T. F. Farley. AA 7 aerenga-a-bika: Air. D. E. Leslie —Air H. L. Ellis. , Alakauri: Air. J. C. AVauchop—Air. E. AlcGregor. Tabora : (Mitford’s) : Air. E. C. AVhitlock—Alr.-R. Bell. Tohunga . (Steele’s): All*. A. C. Steele—Mr. G. A.- Pendrie, AVaerenga-o-kuri: Air. E. R. Konderdine—Mr. 11. A. A.» Barton. To Aroha-''(Balfour’s): Air. O. Hamilton—Aliss Hamilton. Tlangaroa (Burgess’ wool shed): Air. J. P. Ward —All*. A. L. Linwcod. Hangaroa (Palmer’s): Mr C. B. DeLautour —Mr. A. G. Bell. Tiniroto: Air. D. B. Watt -. Te Arai: All*. F. T. Faram—Air. J. Daulton. Waingake :* All* H. AI. Portei—All* AV. Daulton. Paparatu homestead: Air. C. A. Shcrriff—Mr. BCR, O. Steggall. AVharerata :Alr. F. J. Pearson . Tarewa: Air R. AV. Johnstone—Air. J. Reynolds, son*. * Frasertown: Air A. AA T . Soundy . Aiorere : Air. Otto Hansen—Aliss Hansen. Waikare: Mr. D. McCorkindale— Mr. G. Duncan. Tongoio: Airs McFarlane—Mr. C. T. AlcFarlane. Pohui: Mr J. Hows© —Air J. F. AlcKain. ~ .. -r Taraavera: Mr. S. J. Freeman—Mr B. T. DinwidcUe. Appointments are now being mado for the following places: AVairoa (courthouse), Clyde, Opoiitama; Nu-'hak-a, Alarumaru, Kdkoko (or TeraSotiki), Malianui, Moliaka, and Upper hiakituri.

THE BAY OF PLENTY SEAT. Messrs J. B. Gow, the’ Opifositoon oandidatt, if.iid D. Lundon, the Independent asiUdate, addressed a,a§efa

ing-of electors of the Bay of Plenty district in the AVaimata Hall last night. All*. A. R. AVatoon was chairman,' and' there was a good attendance. Mr. Gow spoke' first, on the lines of his- previous addresses, and received' a vote of thanks. All*. London followed, speaking on general political-questions, and at the.close of his address was also accorded a vole of thanks. . - Mr. J. B. Gow with address a meeting, of the electors at Pakarae this evening. NOMINATIONS' FOR - TAURANGA. [Press Association.] CAAIBRIDGE, Nov. 2. Altssrs Herries (Opposition) and J. A. Young (Ministerialist) have been nominated for the new Taumngt seat. SOUTHLAND SEATS. [Press Association.] INVERCARGILL, Nov. 2. Air. A. A. Pa.ap» is announced as a candidate for Invercargill in the Labor interest, and Air. AV. Alornis contests Awarua as an Independent Liberal. THE NELSON CONTEST. [Press Association.] NELSON, Nov. 2. All*. F. AV. Smith, Oppositionist, who retired from the Nelson contest, announces that lie as standing for Alotueka seat against Air. R. Alclvenzie.

ABSENT A r OTERS’ AND SEAMEN’S PER AI ITS. [Press Association.] TIAIARU, Nov. 2. In response to an inquiry from the Registrar of Electors at Timaru, Air. Alansfield, chief electoral officer, has telegraphed that absent voters’ permits and seamen’s rights wnl not be applicable at the second ballot, as polling booths will not exist everywhere throughout the Dominion. THE SELAVYN CONTEST. [Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 2. In the contest for the Selwyn seat, the fight is now between Air. C. A. C. Hardy, AI.P. (Oppositionist) and Air. Joseph Ivegs (Government- supporter). THE CHRISTCHURCH ROLLS. [Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH,. Nov. 2. In the Christchurch South electorate 8110 persons have been enrolled on the main and supplementary rolls. It is stated that the roll for that 4!*®trict discloses some - rather striking movements of the population, about 20 -per cent of the population having shifted from one electorate to another in three years. On the Christchurch North main roll there are 588 G electors, and on the supplementary roll 3500, making a. total of .9386. On. the Avon roll there are SIS 4 electors, including 32 voters’ permits and one seaman’s right. -- THE PREMIER’S VIEWS. [Press Association.] AVELLINGTON, Nov. 2. The Premier, interviewed, stated he believed the election prospects of the Government were quite as good in the North Island as' in the South. Regarding the issue of the writs, he stated they could mat be issued till the whole of tho electoral arrangements throughout, the Dominion were known to be complete, so that it was difficult to fix a date in advance. To have left the issue of the writs until Alonday would l have left only five working days till the close of nominations, which was insufficient. He thought a flexible system in regard to the time of issuing the writs was necessary. The case was not The same as with late nominations, the closing of which was fixed. It was improbable any procrastinating people would be prevented from enrolment through not knowing Saturday was the fine! day. He strongly denied that the election had been hurried. #’ CLOSING THE ROLLS. INCONVENIENCE IN AUCKLAND. [Press Association.] AUCKLAND, Nov. 2. - There was some complaint in official circles this morning in regard to the unexpected issue of' the writs on Saturday afternoon. No notification was received by- the Auckland regis-trans-up till 1 p.m. on Saturday, and the Registrars, in accordance with custom, closed at that hour for the usual half-holiday. It was not until tho evening paper armeared in the streets that most of tlrose concerned knew that, the writs had been issued ; and the official notification bears the stamp of having been received at the Auckland telegraph office at 2.30 p.m. or thereabouts. Tho result was that the Registrars and their assistants had to hurry back .to their offices and continue to receive claims up till midnight. “People were taken just a® much by surprise as' we were,” declared one Registrar, “and the number of claims made without avail this morning proves that a good number have been caught napping. Saturday was the very worst day that could have been chosen for the closing of the rolls, and none of us really expected the lisisu© of the writs before Alonday or Tuesday.” Despite the fact, that nearly all the .electoral offices wex*e closed fpr some hours on Saturday afternoon, there was a- heavy final rush, .and in some electorates the claim® for enrolment totalled as many as-300. ~ . T