ELECTION NOTES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 419, 2 December 1911, Page 5

ELECTION NOTES.

MR C. K. WILSON AT TE KUITI

The Opposition candidate for Taumarunui, Mr C. K. Wilson, addressed a Te Kuiti audience in the Town Hall on Thursday evening. Mr J. 13odd it:. Mayor, presided. There was a large attendance and the candidate met with a good reception. The speech was on similar lines to the candidate's previous addresses throughout the electorate. Mr Wilson said he was a staunch supporter of Mr Massev and advocated the programme of the Reform Party. In criticising the Government the candidate said with respect to finance that the party in power for the Inst twenty years had pruved wasteful and extravagant. During their term of otlice the cost of Government had increased enormously and at a much greater rate in proportion than the population. fie instanced the Hutt railway and Dunedin railway station, fleet week, and coronation ceremony as evidences of Governmental extravagance. The practice of setting up commissions to deal with various questions which arose was referred to as evidence of a want of confidence in their own power to deal with matters in a statesmanlike manner. The native land question met with con siderable attention at the hands of the candidate, who stated there had been too much dilly-dallying with the matter. Even Kaihau. the somnolent member, was of this opinion and when that gentleman talked in such a manner it must be very evident to ordinary people.. The natives should be made to bear the burdens of citizenship equally with Europeans. The cry that the natives were being badly ttreated and would become paupers was nonsense. The land already leased at a reasonable figure was sufficient to provide handsomely for every member of the Maori race. With respect to native townships the position was very bad and should be remedied at once. The initial blunder was made when the townships were not acquired from the natives before being settled. To-day the law said a man could acquire the freehold of his section but the result in practice was very different. The Maori who owned a town section, and wished to sell it in order to improve his counrty lands was not allowed to do so. Regarding land settlement Mr Wilson advocated the freehold with limitation of area. The optional tenure was the best that could be given, but for all who wanted the leasehold provision couid be made. The conditions that forced a man and his family on to the land before the district was ready were wrong. A man should be able to work at his trade in town and pay towards getting hi 3 section into a sufficiently advanced state to bring his wife and family on to it and establish a home. The candidate referred to the hardships undergone by the backblockers in many ways, including the education of their cnildren. He advocated a Public Works Board with extended powers to local bodies as a much needed reform of the present system of public works expenditure. At the conclusion of his address Mr Wilson was heartily applauded.

In reply to questions the candidate said he was not against the action of the Government with respect to assisting the Tangitu settlers. He was, however, very suspicions of a Government that came along with such measures just before an election. In reply to Major Lusk the candidate responded in the affirmative to the questions propounded for candidates by the New Zealand Farmers' Union, He also gave satisfactory repiles to the questions proposed by the railway servants. At the conclusion a vote of thanks and confidence proposed by Mr Martin and seconded by Mr Julian, was carried with cheers for the candidate and Mr Maaaey. MR JENNINGS' CAMPAIGN. By Telegraph.--Own Correspondent. Urenui, This Day. The Taranaki end of thp Taumarunui electorate has been dealt with by Mr Jennings this week. Yesterday the candidate spoke at Pukearuhe, and last night at Urenui to large audiences. All along the line the candidate has received splendid hearings. The weather is still unsettled making horseback travelling uncomfortable.

PRIME MINISTER AT MILTON. [I! V 'l-KI,KUI< A I'U. —J'IIICSS ASSOI' I ATI OX. 1 Milton,T his Day. Sir Joseph Ward addressed a crowded meeting here last night a motion of thanks and confidence being carried by a large majority. An amendment expressing no confidence in the Government did not find a seconder.

Sir James Carroll addressed 1200 people at Gisborne last night and had an enthusiastic reception. He dealt at length with the native land administration and was accorded the customary vote.