MR JENNINGS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 3 May 1907, Page 2

MR JENNINGS.

Mr W. T. Jennings, M.li.R. for Kgnont, in rising to submit a resolution, eferred ill most kindly terms to the ite member. lie remembered, wllen le was only about the height of the able, his mother took him in to see Irs Smith, dressed as a bride, about to iiarrv Armorer-Mergeant E. M. .Smith, >f the 05th liegiment. Ami it was n emarkable coincidence thai he (Mr leanings) should, have held the "li lie iian hand iu his last fen" ni'.iiieiiU of ousciousncss. In all his 1 if.; iie had lever come acvoss a. mme hival man hail tlie lale 10, jr. Smith, (Applause), le died a poor man, Imi he died having t'On the deepest respect of all who jiew him. fasting un to general poliics, Mr Jemiings said there was a lear-cut issue IVfore the ideclortsj 'here was a straight-out light between he Opposition anil tlu party which had nit on the StatutcDook all llm.se ben< - icial measures which they elector* ad approved. He declared "himself a upporter of the optional (enure, and aid he had given the Ministry clearly o understand that he would iiot supon file Land Bill unless it provided fur he option of purchasing the freehold, le wanted to reply to some Press ml platform statenu-nts to ihe effect hat the Government had neglected Taaiuiki. Lest it should have been :!orotten, lie reminded them that in the last four years, 27(i,;i03 acres of Crown andls had been settled by UOU tenants n iaranaki, bringing, with wives and iliildren, a, population of about I,3UU teople. At the 1!I02 election there ivere eleven electors in the Olmm, now there are i! 00 people there; thore were none then at Aria, there ar 150 now, A New Plymouth firm was now starting creameries and factories through till Ollura district. And thje census H>turns showed a greater population increase in Twftnaki ! ,u in ahjr otho;

'provincial district. There was an insinuation that that poor man now lying' in the To Heiiui Cemetery, and oilier 1 Taranaki members, had not done their duty. That he denied, and in support of his denial lie quoted from a speech in the House by Air James Allen, one of the prominent members of the Opposition. The debate was on the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Bill, ami Mr Allen was complaining of unequal treatment of dillY-rent district*, 'i. lake a few items in a haphazard fashion," he said. "Take the Auckland province last year: There was an impropriation for items amounting to but only m\,m was expended for roads and bridges. In. Taranaki province there was appropriated .CiO,84li, and £34,1)70 expended. .Now why is the proportion of money expeiuUl in Taranaki so large as compared willi Auckland? in llauKe's Bay .C 15.222 was expended out of C31i,20.i appropriated; in .Marlborough, ,C!)28(J out ot C18,!)42. f ' How then could a section . of the. Press and platform speakers com-

plain that Taranaki hid been unfairly treated, and that the Government had done nothing for the district? Jn addition Taranaki reading i'Bt/.iiates in 1 Dot; had been about ,C-)o,2!i;l. He considered the electors should hesitate to break the chain of four Liberal memberin Taranaki,. for they could do good work. They should, then, cast their votes for the Covernmenl candidate, and the ladies particularly so. for it was this Liberal Government that hail given then the franchise. Mr Jennings then moved a vote of thanks to -Mr Dockrill ami of renewed confidence ill the Government. Mr S. G. Smith seconded, and took

the opportunity of thanking the ladies and gentlemen who had asked him to contest the seat. He trusted that tile remarks of Mr Jennings would be remembered at the ballot-box. The motion was carried by aeclanimation, ami a vote of thanks to the chair terminated the proceedings.

MR. MALONIi AT ITJ'ZKOY

Mr. 0. W. Malone, tlio Independent candidate, addressed a well-lilled hall at I'ilzmy last night, -Mr. PiUott presiding. ■Mr. ilalone spoke mneli oil the line of his previous night's address, and at the conclusion was accorded a luuuiiinoiis vote of thanks.

Mil. OKEY AT I'UNGAKEIIU

-Mr, Okey addressed a fairly large meeting at Pungareliu 011 Wednesday night. Mr. M. Fleming presided. Air. Okey, who prefaced his remarks by making sympathetic reference to the death of Air. Smith, strongly opposed the Land liill, and declared himself an out-and-out freeholder with optional tenure and limited area. lie favored the deferred payment system, provided that the time of repayment be extended to over twenty years. He explained the I West Coast settlement leases and urged individualising of native titles and the throwing open of native lands for the benefit of both natives and white people, lie favored universal old age pensions, the establishment of a Civil Service Board (of which one representative would be elected by Civil Servants), and considered She Government should lake over and maintain all main roads in districts not served by railway; also provide loans sanctioned by ratepayers at cheap rates to boroughs and harbor boards. He considered the question of local option should rest entirely in the hands of the people. He would support every endeavor to secure money at cheapest rates for farmers and workers' homes. The speaker referred to the peculiar position of the candidate standing as a Government supporter who could not support (lie vital plank of their policy—namely, the Land liill. He was prepared to answer any questions put by the audience. A vote of thanks, moved by Air. Aylward, and seconded by Mr. ,lulian, was carried unanimously. Air. Martin, organising secretary for the Opposition, also spoke oil the political situation, urging the farmers and supporters of the Opposition to rally round Air. Okey and secure Ills return.

to-nk.ht's meetings,

Air. Okey speaks at Okato, Mr. Miiom* at Muturoa, ami Mr. Dockrill at I,'pper Kent Road. It is reported that the Hon. .). farroll will deliver an address in support of ilr. DockrilPs candidature some time next week. If he or any other Minister takes part in the campaign, it is stated that Mr. Alassey will return to New Plymouth to assist Mr. Okey. An onideavor is being made l>v the Opposition 'party to induce Mr. \V. JI. Hemes. M.H.R. for Ray of IMenlv, to speak in this town before the election.