POLITICAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2343, 9 November 1908, Page 6

POLITICAL.

AMONG THE CANDIDATES

THE TWO JOSEPHS

Mr Massey was in excellent l'orm ai. Palmerston the other night, notwithstanding that his voice is apparently ieeling the strain of the heavy task that has been put upon it during the last"week or two. tie had the audience with him from the start to the finish of his two and a halt hours’ meeting, which is remarkable since the electorate is supposed to be a Government stronghold, lie scored a great laugh at oho stage by drawing a facetious parallel between the Prime Minister and "‘a Joseph of centuries ago.” The Joseph of that age had been a Nationalist, like the Joseph oi this age. He had nought up all the land-for corn: —(laughter)—and Egypt had never recovered from the effects of it. (Renewed laughter.) ‘'He,” said Mr. Massey, “was a great land nationalist; so is our Joseph, (daughter.) He was a great financier; so is our Joseph. (Laughter.) He (note the point) gathered up ali the money found in the land; that is wliat our Joseph is doing. (Laughter.) He' was a dreamer of dreams; so is our Joseph, (ltoars of laughter.) One other point: He was a dealer in corn; so is our Joseph. (Laughter.) There is one other Scriptural refernce, however, which has not been fulfilled. Scripture says that there arose another King who 'knew not Joseph.” Mr. Massey’s conclusion was drowned in laugh tor. MINISTERIAL USURPATION. The Government is arrogating to itself more and more the privileges and the powers of Parliament. It is only a strong and independent House that can prevent the encroachment. The late Mr. Seddbn was almost as autocratic as Mr. xvoosevelt, and Sir Joseph is apparently anxious to draw to himself even greater power of control. The country has not yet realised it. When it does we do not believe that it Avill put up with the dumbdog hand-tied member any longer —•‘Christchurch Press. ’’ A LADY’S HAPPY SPEECH. A quaint speech was made by Mrs. Anderson at a meeting of ladies held at. Taradale to support Mr. J. Vigor brown’s candidature for the Napier seat. Mrs. Anderson was appointed chairwoman, and in introducing the candidate said:—“Ladies, we are here assembled to further the interests of Air. J. Vigor Drown. It gives great pleasure to see so many present,- and I feel confident that we shall send our man in with Hying colors. Before leaving home I chanced to be dyeing a blouse for election day. and happened to read the label, and even the maker of Maypole soap recommends brown to stand sun, rain, and wind without changing color, and I am sure our worthy candidate will do likewise. Even if you do throw mud, a brown coat won’t show the stain, and remember, ladies, brown is the prominent color this season, and keep it so. I now have much pleasure in introducing Mr. Brown, who will whisper some sweet tilings to us.”

MEMBERS

AND AIETHODS

Some unkind things were said by Air. A. L. D. Ur user concerning his brother members in a speech last week. His ideal was, he- said, not mere delegates who would go to Wellington once a year and continually sit on the door-mats of Aiinisters’ rooms to get what they could for their districts, but men with broader ideas, men fit to model, not only the present, but the future. He regretted to say that there were some men now in Parliament who cared nothing for the great policy questions of the day so long as they could filch something from the Treasurer for expenditure in their districts. “NIGHTAXARE, JOURNALISAI.” . The election campaign in the West Coast district of the South Island is a very furious affair, and tlie newspapers have hurled themselves into the fray with astonishing enthusiasm. “Being unwilling to convert our editorial column into a spluttering (mud volcano,” Ij’andiy remarks the “Duller Aliner,” “we find it difficult to repl 3' in. his own language, and in terms that he would -understand, to the writer of a recent article on Air. Mimro’s candidature.” The article in question must have been highly entertaining. The “Aliner” calls it “electioneering piffle,” and further observes: “There is an assumption of ‘sane dignity,’ ‘amenity,’ and ‘cold practicalism,’ qualities which find inappropriate expression in a clotted torrent of tnrgid vituperation, sparkling with such gems of refined satire as ‘nightmare journalism,’ ‘sanded sugar,’ ‘sausage wrapper,’ ‘popguns,’ ‘nauseous adulation,’ ‘puerile pratings,’ ‘fulsome flattery,’ and ‘brazen misrepresentation-’ ”

POSITION OF GOVERNMENT LEASEHOLDERS.

In the course of his speech at Palmerston North, Mr. Massey gave an instance of tho position the Government leaseholders Mould ho forced into at the expiry of their term if they desired a renewal. He said that some time 'ago the Wellington City ■Council had obtained by exchange a piece of land: at Pahiatua, had cut it up, and had leased it to settlers for 21 years, with the right of reneu ral at valuation at the end of that time. That land had been leased at 2s an acre unimproved value. The value of it now, and the amount that these settlers will be called upon to pry nas 27s 6d per acre unimproved value. (Murmurs). That, said Mr. Massey, was not the sort of thing they desired to see perpetrated in this country.