POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 442, 21 November 1908, Page 2

POLITICAL.

Mr Stevens at Bulls.

Mr John Stevens addressed a very largely attended meeting of electors in the Town Hall, Bulls, on Thursday night last. The Hall was filled and ladies were much in evidence. Mr J, E. Walker, Chairman of the Bulls Town Board j occupied the chair and in introducing Mr Stevens said that he had decided to address meetings in the four larger centres of the constituency as time did not permit of his going farther afield.

Mr Stevens who was received with great applause said he desired to thank the electors throughout the electorate, but especially those at Bulls for the bumper majority they had given him on Tuesday last; such a majority in the place in which he was best known and had his home was very gratifying indeed. (Applause). As they were aware no candidate in the Mauawatu e'ectorate had secured more than half the votes polled in the electorate and in consequence of this Mr Newman and Mr Stevens were left to have a final contest on Tuesday next, Messrs Frankland and Gardner having automatically dropped out. Whoever receiyed the greater number of voles on Tuesday next would be returned and deemed to represent the majority of electors in the Manwatu Electorate. Mr Newman had polled 339 votes more than Mr Stevens. There were 588 votes which were polled against Mr Newman and against that gentleman’s, party and they were polled not for Mr Stevens but the party he represented, and it was fair to assume, in fact he was safe in saying a large number of workers on the Liberal side who had supported Mr Frankland and Mr Gardner had promised to throw in their lot with the Liberal Party (continued applause). There was every, prospect of a very large proportion of these votes being cast for the Liberal Party (Applause). In addition there were many votes not recorded at last election which would be on Tuesday next. He felt certain that, as the late Judge Manning was won’t to say, “If we are afraid—what the dickens must the other fellow be ? ” Mr Stevens said in regard to the dairy regulations there had been such consistent misrepresentation made as to estrange some 400 to 500 votes from the Liberal Party. It was, evident from the localities where the smaller votes were recorded. The people had been led to believe that they were going to suffer injury because they were asked to keep their dairies in a sanitary condition. They were not required to pull up the present standing but only to improve it from time to time. They were required to have a cow byre where milk was produced some 30 to 50 yards away from a cess pool, a dwelliughouse, or a fowl-house, etc,, and they were requited to do this in their own interests. The maximum registration fee bad been reduced to ss. All materials required were to be carried free on the railways to the nearest railway station —not one penny was to be charged. (Applause). And yet the disingenuously misleading and discreditable statement was made by the Leader of the Opposition and his supporters that a “cow tax ” was to be imposed. Such a statement was totally incorrect. (Applause). Such a fee as was to be charged would not pay for the cost of the clerical work let alone the salaries of the instructors and the inspectors. The leader of the Opposition had stated that a certain candidate should be disqualified because he alleged the spending of public money in that constituency was a bribe. The leader of the Opposition and his followers should be disqualified for corruption and intimidation by the misleading statements made by them. (Applause). Whilst the Government were always willing •to further the reasonable representations of members when they were based on truthful statements was it not likely that a Cabinet Minister would be suspicious of the veracity of members who made such statements as had been circulated by the Members ot the Opposition for instance about 'the Dairy Regulations. (Applause). Mr Stevens then outlined very fully the steps : he had taken in connection with the proposed railway from Levin to Greatford and the Foxton Harbour Board and fully detailed the proceedings in connection with both. In connection with the Foxton Harbour Board Act he might say in passing that there was no power to levy a rate in the electorate as had been stated. The Foxton Harbour Act was a very intricate Act involving negotiations with three Ministers of the Crown and he had brought to a successful stage just as well as he could have done were he not blind. He asked the people to consider their local interests as well the interests of the Dominion. By supporting one who had all the details of these matters they would be doing more for the district than by trying a new hand at the bellows before the fire was alight. (Applause). A vote of thanks and continued confidence was carried on the motion of Mr Thomas Flower, seconded by Mr Charles Ellery. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded a very enthusiastic meeting.