POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2056, 18 November 1919, Page 3

POLITICAL.

HIT Edward Newman, M.P., Reform candidate for iMamiwatu, will open his campaign at .Buxton in the Town Hall on Tuesday evening next, at 8 p.m. * « * «

The contest Tor the Manawatu seat between the Reform and Labour candidates promises to be about the slowest aifair yet experienced in the political history of the district. Both candidates are anything but attractive platform speakers—they lack “ginger,” and that's what the New Zealander appreciates when he attends a political meeting. It doesn't always follow, however, that the candidate who talks most glibly catches the largest number of votes. But Messrs Newman and Hillier are funereal. A hit of Byron Brown is needed to stir things up, ■» # $ *

Now, why did not Pirani champion the Liberal cause for Manawatu? His bark would have attracted Semple or Holland to the fray. * * #

Hillier, the Labour's choice, held forth in the rain in the Main Street on Saturday night, while his auditors listened beneath the shelter of the shop verandahs. * » * *

Things arc a bit mixed in the Otaki contest. The real live candidate there appears to be McKenzie, the Labourite. Mr Field says if elected ho will support the party which has the biggest following! Well, there isn't much to choose between the platforms of the Reform and Liberal leaders. It’s against the rules of Rugby to play off-side, though, Willie,

ft was slated at one time that Mayor Murdoch, of .Shannon, would he a candidate for the Manawatu seat, in the Labour interest. Probably bis mayoral duties at Shannon occupy all his spare lime. Mr Newman will be asked lo express his views on compulsory military training. The balk of the people are against; the Government's four monthsjteriod. This, it is thought, will encourage militarism in this country. tfr fj i - Apropos of militarism, yesterday’s Palmerston Times says: — Huge quantities of military supplies and equipment are reaching New Zealand, which must either he used or wasted, and the staffs in (lie chief military districts are being not decreased but augmented. Promotions are (he order of the day, and three or four colonels are doing I he. work that: one colonel and a caplain found time to do before. There is no indication that there is greater activity amongst the territorials than there was in pre-war days: indeed, (he indications point all Ihe other way. The mystery is in many eases to discover how so many wellpaid heads arc pulling in their lime. The one unquestionable fact is that Ihe country is fooling a defence bill much in excess of that, which was being paid prior to f!fl4. The only tiling that the taxpayers know nothing about is what it all really is costing, and for precisely what object.’'’

A correspondent desires to know whether Air Ed. Newman resides within this electorate, and if not, why has he chosen it in preference to the electorate in which he resides"? [Air Newman does not reside in the Alaiiawatu electorate. His residence is at Alarton, in the Rangitikei electorate. We cannot sav why Air Newman selected the Alanuwatn. There is no residential qualification required for a candidate, so long as he has resided within the Dominion for a specified period, Probably Mr Newman will answer this question on Tuesday night. —Ed ll.]

We would like Mr Newman to express ids views on the kind seltlement question. This is of vital importance to (ho welfare of this district. Does he favour the late John McKenzie's residential danse? In our opinion the dummy, aggregator and speculator should be wiped out. A fcAv glaring cases of land speculation can be mentioned in this district. The system is wrong. Why does the law allow a man with spare capital (o buy a farm and without spending a penny piece on it sell it again at an increase, and load the incoming tenant wit It* the unearned increment 1 » » « « '

An Auckland paper states that when Mr V. H. Pot ter, Government candidate for Eoskill, declared at his meeting on Thursday that he was opposed to State aid to private and church schools, someone called out, ‘’They do the State's work.” “They don’t need to,” replied (ho candidate. “A man who wants a private park has as much right to ask the Government to maintain it for him.” The same candidate was asked if he was satisfied with the Government in respect to the influenza epidemic, the railway breakdown, the American meat trust, and the hiring of the Union Company’s ships instead of building its own. In his reply, the candidate declared that if they would blame Mr Massey for the epidemic they would blame him for a dark night. (Loud laughter)- , * . « * » * Five more (piestions have been added to the long list being sent to every political candidate'. These are from the New Zealand Educational Institute, the Federated School Committees’ Association of New Zealand, and the New Zealand Education Boards’ Association, and are as follow(1) Will yon undertake to use your vote aud influence

to maintain the integrity of Hie free, secular, and compulsory system of national education 1 ? (2) itli u view to improving the civic and industrial efficiency of the nation, will you support such extension of the school age. and such- provision for compulsory continuation classes as are necessary to secure the physical, mental, and moral well-being of the youth of the Dominion? (3) Will you support such expenditure as is necessary to provide a sufficient staff of well-trained teachers, and such school sites, buildings, and surroundings as will fulfil modern requirements? (4) Will you .use your vote and influence to prevent the undermining of the national system by giving of privileges at the public expense to pupils or teachers of private schools? (5) V'ill you support the proposal to supply all school requisites free?