POLITICAL NEWS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 9 November 1911, Page 4

POLITICAL NEWS.

ITK.MS MOM VAIMOTS SOI.TTIO.IiS. The following conundrum was propounded by a questioner. to Mr McICinlav. the Liberal candidate I'or llruce, tiie other night:—"You have said," lie. put it something like this to the candidate, "that in 1890 our debt was £'32 per head,, interest charge. £1 15s per capita, and that, in 1910, after borrowing forty-two millions more, it is only net £25 per head. How much do we require to borrow before we have no debt at all?" The Hon. f. Y. Duncan addressed the electors in the Hampden Athenaeum last Saturday night, and notwithstanding the rough and wet night about 100 peoyle turned out to hear him. Mr .Duncan, during an address lasting for two hours, was listened to most attentively. He dealt exhaustively with the land and other leading questions, showing that the Liberal party had dbno more for New Zealand by s*ettling the people rn the land and supplying cheap money by way of advances to settlers and workers than any

previous government had over -• tlempted to do. At the close oi his add row Mr Duncan invited questions, stating that he would sooner answer questions than make a .ong speech, as he was suffering from a had cold, and bis experience of parliamentary life was that the most voluble speakers did the least work. One or two questions were asked and satisfactorily answered. A vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Duncan was proposed by Mr A. Pram, and seconded by Mr D. E. Lefevre, whicr. on being put to the meeting, wiis carried by •acclatntfition. Mi Duncan, in returning thanks, stated that he was surprised to see so many people turn out on such a rough night; it was, be said, one of the most sympathetic meetings lie liad ever addressed, and if he could spare another night before the election he would be only too pleased to come back to Hampton. After the meeting a strong commijttoe was formed' to work in Mr Duncan's interest.

"Do they pay yon " inquired' a voice at Mr Massoy's Manaia meeting, on Tuesday oven inn; last. "No ; they do not,' 'was the answer. "I am the worst paid man in Now Zealand to-day. I tret £800 in year, pay my own travelling expenses, and am doing work honestly worth £1,(500 a year to the country." Applause and laughter greeted the rePlv. Mr Pearee opened his campaign for the Pater. Electorate at Aramoho last night (writes a correspondent). It was largely attend-nl, with Mr Allen Robinson in the chair. A vote of thanks .ami eonfidoifice was proposed by Major Lomax, ieconded by Mr Lawrence. The candidate asked the meeting to reserve its confidence for the ballot-box. The vote was carried, with ;>pplause. At a special meeting of the Gifhorne branch of the New Zoalaad Labour Party, Mr A. 11. Andervm sought permission to withdraw frnn the coming election in opposition to ■Sir J'as. C-arroll. After a long try discussion it was decided to allow him to withdraw. The reasons fa" withdrawal were of a private nature. As a momenta of his thirty ye.T\s service to the district in Parliament the electors of Waitnki have deei le i to raise funds for the purchase a house at Jr.hnsonvillo for Sir Wil liam Steward THE HON. T. MACKENZIE QUESTIONED. Amongst questions put to tlw Hon. T. Mackenzie at a meeting in Alanaia last week were the following:— An elector: Are yon in favour of doing away with trial by jury? If 1 had a bad case 1 would have a jury. If I had a good one 7 w.iuld prefer a .Judge only. "Why did you vote against pailiculars of the loans being iplaeed before Parliament?— The motion was moved on the estimates, and had if been carried they could not ii>ave gone t.hrong.:i The Premier promised tin' information :is soon as it u:i : available 'ami t'lr.it was done.

Mi Ohmvillo: Are you in favour ol secret courts of justice? —CVf*;ainly not. Wliv was Macdonald's case heard in secret?— That matter was controlled by the judges, and had nothing to do v. itli the Government. Do von mean to ,sav tho Governm.'i.t had anythinn to <!io with that ens- 1 being heard with closed doors?— Yes. Then yon show a most doplor.inle ignorance of tho law. I can verify my facts from Han-sard!-Mr Joseph Ward and IV Findlay were not in tho country at the time. We cannot interfere >vith tho .Judges. ("on V/on explain why there is n higher duty on the cheaper boots used 'bv workmen than on the .."I tor boots? - \ heavier duty was i posed to prevent the importation oi shoddy brown paper articles, w'nich were coming in largely, and that I.ji» my hearty support. Mr Connoll: Are yon in favour oi increasing the ipoll-'tax on Chinee' -The present duty is'having its < ffeet, as th;- Chinese aro dimini-.u-ing. An elector: Will you. give MY Piv a chance to buy cattle for the Government fari/s?— His statement that the cattle -re bought were not worth more than .'los a head is wrong, as orr returns show that we are making gcod profits on the stockpurchased. T bought a herd of Tlolsteins for and 1 can got -C 30") for one cow alone. Mr .Mark : Will you conserve the tim'ber sup'ilv by placing an expo"t duty on white pine?— Both white pine, and kauri should ho protocied by such a duty . An elector : Will you establish an agricultural school in 'Eltham? 1 could not promise that. But inintead of having so many large farms wc ought to have smaller experimental stations than wo have now and more of them. .ff I should promise to establish a school bore f .should be accused of vote catching, and I don't want that, but [ will see that this district, gets its fair share o L ' justice. Mr J. Bollard (who is seeking election for Fxlen for the sixth time) said that some people had been questioning his useful I ntss as a member. These people did not say those things about him to his face. (Laughter). If they did they might find 'out their mistake. (Laughter). He spoke of tho large number of public works for which he had secured grants whilst he had been a member, including several post offices, and a large number of road and bridge works. "Although f am an Oppositionist, I get on very well with the Government," -lie said. The Government said to him, lie continued, ''we know he is ft .strong Oppositionists, 'but he is a. i'i.ir man.'' One of the Ministers had said to him, "Well, Bollard, I would like to see you back again. Von are about the only man in the Opposition we would like to see back." Altogether, Mr Bollard continued, during the fifteen years that he bod represented Eden, he had obtained about- £20,000 for the district. Tt was not pleasant to speak in this way about what lie 'had done, but when peoplei circulated a report that he. had done .nothing for the district he felt obliged to refute the statement. (Heaa 1 , hear). Some people said' he was too old, and that lie was always asleep in the House. From what he had done it did n'ot look as if he had been asleep. _ (Applause). He was not so active on his feet as he was when he was 20 years of age, but his health was as good as ever it was. (Applause), if tliey again returned him they would find .him well to the fore, with God's help, long after the expiration of the next three years. (Loud applause).