POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 440, 3 November 1908, Page 3

POLITICAL.

Mr Frankland at Taikorea.

(Special Reporter.)

Although Taikorea is a very small and sparsely settled place, Mr Frankland had an audience of 32 in the schoolhouse there on Wednesday night, when he addressed the electors for upwards of an hour. He explained why, under the Second Ballot Act, it no longer split the Liberal vote for two, or even three Liberals to stand, when the whole forces of the Opposition (as in the present case) are con entrated on a single candidate. It actually strengthens the Party now that the Second Ballot Act hac been passed, to offer the electors the choice of two different Liberals, who appeal to different sections of the constituency. He stated that candidates generally throughout the Dominion had not explained this. Mr Frankland dealt with the dairying regulations, and other matters of interest to the farming community, to which he had been wedded for the last 30 years by his family ties. The speaker was unanimously accorded a very hearty vote of thanks at the conclusion of a most agreeable meeting. Mr Byron Brown, Independent candidate for Otaki will address the electors at the Foxton end of the Otaki electorate in the Masonic Hall on Thursday, 12th inst., at 8 p.m. Ladies cordially invited to be present. Mr Stevens a! Taikorea. (Special Reporter). Mr John Stevens addressed a large meeting at the school house Taikorea on Saturday last, including a number of ladies. Mr B. Gray occupied the chair. Mr Gray, in introducing Mr Stevens, said that he had known him for the past 42 years and Mr Stevens’ family like his own had been early pioneers of New Zealand, and it gave him great pleasure to welcome him as a fellow colonial, born and bred. Moreover, they knew Mr Stevens had represented them in the House of Representatives for a number of years and knew that he had used every endeavour to further the wants of the people of the Manawatu electorate. Mr Stevens thanked the Chairman for the very kind personal notice he had given him. It was well-known that there were four candidates in the field. He had not one word to say against them as private gentlemen, and any remarks he would make concerning them would be in a political sense. In his public career he had had a great many knocks and never given one except in return for some remark or statement made by his opponents which was likely to have misled- the electors. Mr Newman he could put on one side by saying that he belonged to a party who wished to revive and resuscitate retrogression. Then they had Mr Frankland who tried to lead the electors to infer that he only had the special knowledge of approaching Ministers of the Crown, because he had been a Civil servant. Mr Frankland said that he

was a Government supporter ; and he also said that Mr Stevens was a Govermnet supporter which led the electors to believe that whether they voted for Mr Stevens or Mr Fraukland they would still be supporting the Government. This was not so, as Mr Stevens was the recognised and, accepted Government candidate, whereas Mr Frankland was not; Consequently votes cast by Government supporters for Mr Frankland would have the direct effect of assisting to defeat the Government candidate, thus supporting the Opposition. If Mr Frankland, who said he was helping the Government bv taking votes from the liberal candidate, could :-ee ns clearly as true Government supporters could, he would not go into the field and attempt to split the Liberal vote (Applause). Mr O. Gardner belonged to neither jady and he w, uld sugge .t to the electors that tie/ should nut throw away their voles outside of the Government. Mr Stevens proceeded to outline the changes in Cabinet during the past three years, and dealt with the Land Settlement Finance Bill; the dairy regulations; advances to settlers ; the abolition of the sheep tax; defence, supporting volunteering as against coiucription ; the Foxton ila:buur Board Bill, in confection with which it was impossible to stride a rate as was assumed by some people ; and the proposed railway line between Livin and Greittord or Martou.

Iu answer tb a question he said that any increase iu borrowing was for necessary and directly remunerative public works. In answer to a question respecting the quarantining of imported stock be said he favoured reducing the charges to the lowest minimum, and would urge on the Minister for Agriculture the necessity for doing so. Mr B. H. Slack proposed a vote of thanks aud renewed confidence in Mr Stevens as member fur Manawatu, and also a vote of confidence iu the present Government, which was seconded by Mr Robert Locke aud carried with acclamation. A vote of thanks to the chair concluded the meeting.