POLITICAL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1033, 22 August 1911, Page 3

POLITICAL

Mr J. Robertson held his first meeting in the furtherance of his caudidature for the Otaki seat, in the Public Hall, Tokomaru, on Saturday evening last. There was a very large attendance, aud the candidate, who spoke for about an hour, got a very attentive hearing. He dealt at leugth with the reasons that had influenced him in coming forward at the request of the Flax-workers’ Union as the Labour candidate, and why, iu his opinion, the workers could not place any reliance in either of the other Parlies as a means of securing legislation that would be of permanent benefit. He dealt at considerable leugth with the laud question, which is one of the most important questions that the workers had to deal with at the present time, and indicated the principles that, in his opinion, should govern all land legislation iu the interests of the producer. In referring to the workers, he did not mean only that section who were wage-earners, but all who were engaged iu useful productive work. He considered that it was ot less importance to the farmer that he held his land ou a leasehold tenure or had a nominal ownership of the freehold, than that he should receive the whole value of what he produced. Referring to the control of civil servants, he said he did not believe in the Minister having the power to set on one side the findings of the Railway Appeal Board, and the best way, in his opinion, to prevent abuses iu the administration of Government departments was to insure that the greatest possible degree of direct public control be exercised. He did not believe iu any form of control through commissioners, as this might lead to still greater abuses.

At the close of the address a very large number of questions were asked, and the candidate’s direct method ol handling them favourably impressed his audience. In answer to one question, ’ the candidate said that, as a democrat, he was in favour ot a bare majority deciding the issue as between License or No-License, as, on every question, if a bare majority did not rule then a bare minority would, and he did not believe iu minority rule. He be-, lieved in extending the powers of local governing bodies, aud was opposed to compulsory military training.

A vote of confidence in the candidate was carried unauitnously, and after according thanks to the chairman, Mr J. Liggius, the meeting terminated.