POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 403, 27 June 1908, Page 2

POLITICAL.

It is stated that there is considerable activity 011 the West Coast. The coming political battle between Mr T. Seddon, M.P., and and Mr H. L. Michel will be very keen. Mr K. Mnnro, brother of the manager of the late Christchurch Exhibition, is expected to put up a big fight against Mr Colvin,

The Labour representation Committee is actively organising its plan of campaign for the Wellington seats. At a meeting it was decided to contest three seats, including Suburbs and Newtown. Mr G. Mander, merchant, and president of the Liberal'and Labour Federation, will in all probability be a candidate for W T ellington East. Auckland, June 26. Mr Massey, replying to the Premier’s recent utterances, said in a speech at Te Kuiti that the majority of Ministers were prepared to accept the Socialist platform, while probably not 25 per cent, of the people in the country were in sympathy with it. Sir Joseph Ward’s statements as to taxation was right and wrong. direct taxation had been imposed, V*' but tbe unimproved value of land had been increased to a great degree, and the land tax and death duties were increasing yearly. Mr Massey contradicts the statement that the Opposition was antagonistic to the workers. It was thoroughly democratic and liberal, and anxious for the wellbeing of the country and people. Mr Massey was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence, and was subsequently entertained at a banquet. Sir Joseph Ward gave his final professional address at Greytown on Wednesday night. ! During the course of his remarks, he said some people believed that the taxation was enormous, but that was not so. The tax on land over was to cut up large estates. This Bill was supported by the whole Opposition in Parliament. (Hear, hear). He referred to Bishop •. Julius’ recent addresses and the V criticism of the Dominion paper, which said the Bishop’s remarks' 1 ' applied to the Premier. He remarked that he did not believe the Bishop’s remarks were personal. He had listened to the Bishop’s yP discourse, and they contained no adverse criticism of the finances of the Dominion. It was, he said, to the Motherland we had to look, and we must do our part to help ourselves. He had urged the necessity of paying a greater sum ~i towards the maintenance of the Navy. He . advocated no jingoism. We were a portion S of the British Empire. Conster* V nation would arise were a foreign flag to be erected in our midst. He quoted reports to show the great advances made in the Dominion in 52 years. He showed that we were only one-fortieth part of the Empire, yet were the most favored country. A vote of thanks and confidence was passed.