GENERAL NOTES.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 29 November 1911, Page 3

GENERAL NOTES.

Speaking at .Rotorua last Friday, the Premier said : Tho Opposition policy was simply to run down the Goveminent, and to toll the ppople what splendid men were the Liberal statesmen now in their graves. " You have to wait until you lira dead and >gone to get credit from them," declared Sir Joseph. " In the lifetime of Mr Ballance and Mr Seddon they hadn't a good word to siy for them." (A Voice : " No.") '• I know I am right, because I had to stand by them both." (Loud applause.) He could imagine tho beautiful things tlint would bo s:iid about Sir Joseph Ward when he was ablo to look down quietly from above — (laughter)—because lie was perfectly ceitain it would not be a case of looking up from below. (Hoars oi laughter.)

The Hon. George Fowlds addressed a largo and thoroughly enthusiastic meeting at Richmond on Tuesday, and devoted a considerable portion ot his address to a defence of the Government Asktd why he did so b}' an elector, Mr Fowlds said the reason was that he hud a sufficent sense of fair play to prevent him from allowing charges that had been, made against the W'uid Administration, which he knew to bo without foundation, to puss without refutation. The candidate received a vote of thanks and eoniidi.-rioe.

The Bluff correspondent of the Dunedio Star says:—"The extraordinary outburst of enthusiasm at Mr Massoy's meeting at Wintou lias greatly intensified the p'olitieal situation at A^arua. rJlie Opposition party consider that they have a tig majority of votos in tlie Winton district, wjiile Sir Joseph Ward's supporters have their stronghold in theßluiT. T]:e outburst of political enthusiasm last night was totally unprecedented iv Awarna. Some ele.f.ters regard a second ballot as certain/

The Lender ol the Opposition (Mr W. F. Massey) addressed two meetings of Waitemata electors onlTvi :uy. He spoke at Forth cote and at BirkeiiUcad and at "both centres thore were large and warmly sympathetic audiences: Mr Massey followed Hie lines of earlier speeches, and also presented several matters in new aspects, Mr A. Harris the Reform party's candidate for Waiteiuata, was present at both uieetinp.

Mr Massey, who was very cordially received by a large audience at IStorthcote, last Friday night, explained his object m touring the country in the Opposition interests as an honest effort to put before the electors of the countiy the aims and principles of an honest party that had done valuable seivice to the country. In reviewing the political position,, the speaker declared that abuses were inseparable from a Government that- had occupied uninterruptedly office • for 20 years. Eefoims were neoded badly, he contended, in our financial methods, in the incidence of taxation, in railways administration, and in other departments of State, and he thought the time was approaching Avhen these reforms were endorsed by the people.

Addressing a meeting of over 1000

at Eotorua, last Friday Sir Joseph challenged his hearers to show him a single instance of the Government's extravagance. It was alleged that the railways cost too much, that .cooperative labour was a failure, but tne'fact was the best made railways in New Zealand to day, from the point of stability, were built by cooperative labour. It must be remembered that the railways now being made went through mountainous country, that the cost of material had gone up, wages were- high and conditions better. Sir Joseph ridiculed the limited stock m trade of his critics who were using illustrations of alleged extravasrarjess current seven years ago. Ilis references to the Widows' Pensions Act were greeted with hetfrty applause, the speaker nentroning that next year from January Ist L55,0G0 would be spent in pi'oviding pensions for the present widows. It would cost between £20,000 and £25,000 to provide the other extensions of pension benefits granted by Parliament last session. In conclusion Sir Joseph summarised the benefits derived from Liberal legislation, declaring that all classes had been

helped except the large landowners, though even that class obtaiuod a fair price for the land taken from,thorn by the Government for close settlement.