GENERAL ELECTION

Hokitika Guardian, 25 October 1928, Page 6

GENERAL ELECTION

MR SEDDON AT OTIRA. Continuing his vigorous political campaign in North Westland, Mr Seddon yesterday travelled by motor car from Greymouth to Otira during tho daytime. This enabled him to meet the settlers along the road. In the evening at Otira there was a large; attendance at the local hall for the pulitical address. Mr At. Fitzgerald was tho Chairman of the meeting and discharged his duties in a happy strain. Before launching >out on general polities, Mr Seddon referred to several local matters which had been, engaging his attention. He dealt with several railway questions in regard to which he had interviews with iMr Sterling, the General Manager. Following; he spoke on general political affairs, outlining the policy he favoured. Mr Seddon had a very patient hearing, and his address was well ■ received throughout.-.

A few questions, relating mainly to railway matters were asked,, and answered satisfactorily. A vote of thanks and confidence ■in Mr Seddon as tho Member for Westland was moved by Mr ,T. Jackson, and seconded by Mr G. O’Malley, and carried in a very cordial manner. 1

Mr Seddon left- Otira- at 7.30 o’clock this morning for Rum, whence lie crosses to Bell Hill, meeting the electors there ; to-night.

SIR JOSEPH WARD’S INDISPOSITION. . REST ■ ADVIjSED. . . . WELLINGTON, Oct. 24. Sir Joseph Ward is suffering from eye- trouble and ‘is undergoing treatment. He is advised he must rest a short period for the strenuous work in front of him. , His tour of the South, therefore, is postponed meantime. Ho expresses the hope that the people of New Zealand will excuse him from making- political addresses as he had; intended doing. He states definitely that, despite all criticisms by his opponents in regard to the loan proposals, if. giv,en an opportunity he will put them 1 into effect. 1

HON. A. !): M’LEOD. CARTERTON, October 24. The Hon. A. D. McLeod, speaking at Pirinoa last night,-made the following reply to the ■ attack by Mr Poison, the Opposition candidate for the Stratford seat: "Mr Poison l returns to the attack with" bis usual l adroitness at avoiding the issues. Since speaking in the Waikato some time ago 1 have stated time and again that I will withdraw unreservedly everything i said regarding the Farmers’ Union participating as a Union in'/party polities provided I hn,ve his assufancy that certain organisers of the Union mentioned by me are not and > have not been! in receipt of payments.-:from the Dominion organisations during .say, the past twelve months, >.when they have, been actively workingmgainst Reform, candidates in. different parts ol the Dominion. Further,.he, persists in his stupid statement that four million acres of land, have gone back into fern, scrub' and second growth during- Reform's '.term of • office, and .now _ endeavours to wriggle out- of Avis inaccurate credit-destroying assertion bv .quoting the “ Lyttelton Times,” the “ Christchurch Press;” or the " Auckland Herald.” I have quoted figures from' official sources on several occasions, which prove his statement absolutely incorrect, and lie now aggravates the position by making the bald, ridiculous assertion that one million acres are reverting 1 annually. Since 1912, three : million acres of unoccupied land have been , added to the occupied lands in the Dominion, and of- this 875,000 acres have been selected since 191/.. Mr Poison knows' perhaps better than anyone else * this accretion was not made from cleared country or from land, capable of carrying stock, but 'from land almost entirely fern, scrub and bush. The fact that the area of this class' of laud has fiWt' materiallv increased shows that, instead of holding.' back, the position, taking the Dominion as a whole, has been well maintained. Yet Air Poison -blindly persists.in the statement; which had a very detrimental effect by causing the withdrawal of investment money from rural securities.”

A DENIAL. CHRISTCHURCH, October 24. The statement of' Alr.J. Beanland (Reform) that Air W. Lester (United) would withdraw from Lyttelton contest, leaving the fight to Alessrs AleCombs (Labour) and Beanland, is authoritatively denied by the Unite ] Party.

THE KAIPARA CONTEST: D ARC A VPL LE, October 24

Mr Coates arrived here, on a brief visit to his own electorate, 'just after noon to-day, and immediately proceeded to Paparoa, where he delivered an address to the largest audience ever seen in that town. He spoke on lines similar to addresses already delivered in the South Island. He also spent some time dealing with Air Holland and his association, with the Labour Party, making special reference to an article by Mr ‘Holland, published in 1913, entitled "Labour Leg-Ironed.” Pie said thqt Mr Holland and his party still stood by the policy of that article. He also referred to Holland’s attitude on the Samoan question. He said Mr Holland had always associated himself with anything that savoured,of revolution. The Labour Party might say that .'they had changed, but he (Mr Coates) asked could a leopard change its spots ? There was no ‘doubt that they had both ffefef' pedal

At the conclusion of liis main address, Mr. Coates devoted some time to matters purely of local interest and to a reply to'the statements made by his opponent for Kaipara seat, Mr J. G. Barclay, the Labour candidate. At the close of the meeting, which was very enthusiastic and orderly, a unanimous vote of thanks and continued confidence in Mr Coates and the Reform Party was carried unanimously. Mr Coates is to address meetings at several small towns close to Dargaville in the morning and afternoon and proceeds to Whangarei in the evening, where he delivers an addiess.

DUNEDIN NORTH SEAT. DUNEDIN, October 24

Mr H. L Tapley, Rettorni member for Dunedin North, gave, liis opening address to-night, the hall failing to accommodate the crowd which gathered. The, candidate referred to the steady progress the Government had made, and attacked the policies of the United and Labour Parties. On the whole he was given a good hearing, but was subjected to frequent interjections, : Mr J. W. Munro, Labour candidate for Dunedin North, opened his campaign to-night, when lie , addressed about 200 electors'. He criticised the Reform administration on the lines of other Labour candidates, and was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. * ■