THE TARANAKI SEAT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 10 May 1907, Page 2

THE TARANAKI SEAT.

.Mil OKEY'S MKETIXGS.

11l- Okcv's (Jmata meeting on Wed nesday, the 8;h in-lant, was well at tended, the hall being well tilled. All

Alfred George was voted to the chair. .Mr Okey dealt at length with Ihc Laud Bill, and pointed out how ihc late Premier. whose main policy was to provide cheap money for the farmer through the Advances to. Settlers' Act, where is the effect of ihe Land Bill would lie a tampering wth the security of freeholds to such an extent as to make capitalists shy of lending. Another change was their doing away with the option of freehold, lie spoke earnestly of the importance of the. extension of the Breakwater, showing how it would ben'lit both town and country without any increase of rate. After speaking on j other important subjects a number of I cjuestions were put. in reply the

speaker favored, leaving the licensing law as it is. As to colonial as against local option lie favored colonial option. iTe was opposed to a bare majority ,lociding every three years, a question which would involve such seriouchanges. A decision by -a three-liftlis majority would be less liable to be disturbed. A hearty vole, of thanks to

tin; speaker was carried unanimousl v A vote of thanks to the chair conduit eil a successful meeting. -Mr Okcy held a meeting at the Eg mont 1J ril 111 Sell mi] oil Tuesday evening. Mr James Aill was voted to the chair. Tile .speaker, after referring to the ileaih of tile late member. >lr E. ill, Smith, -l'.veh upon the benefit to the towa and district liy carrying on u forward policy ol opening iijj and settling the Crown and native lands. lie spoke against the present Land Hill thai the Ooverniiu'iit is trvhur to' foist 11)1011 the country, and slated that as it was one of their policy measures. tiic return of the (government candidate would he as much as .saying to tile cololly that the Taranaki district approved of Hie Hill. ile favored setting up a Civil Service Hoard, allowing the Service themselves to elect one member. Old age pensions he considered should ho niaile universal, with a mode 0 f contributing towards same. After a number of ijuestion- had been satisfactorily answered, the speaker was given \i hearty vote of thanks, on tile motion of llr Stanley. Cheers were given for Mri Okev, and after the meeting a strong committee was formed to advance bis candidature.

JIU IX)OKI!ILL'S C'.\NJ)JD.\TI r tRE.

A fairly altcmled mcptiii" was j,,,].. at Meslown lasi Air Coo,lucre preM.lnifr. .Mi- .1,. S|K ,;- r "U initial topics, wimlinjr wit . In tlic JI.-0J.1,. n|„, i lal ( (rusted 111 the pas) the Ml, oral pally. ,\| r cial--11 snail also avldrcsed Hie mcriin.. Tm i coiitradieled the statement nifi.l.r th-it Ministers „ mv th oir expenses wl.il. ,m irlct'tioncci'iuo' |, llsi „„ Sji 1)0il|li] , oui tin- Liberal parly had a vote just an the Opposition had. ami operate,! li,| io" it. At the conclusion Mr ]j. .00,1a,-re propose, 1 a hearty vote of 1 hanks to I lie speakers, which was sem'l'iislv " [l ' i!lls < ' ari '!i , >l imani-

\\"c learn from the Ketnrniii" Olliee,.Ml- \V. A. 1). Banks, thai nil "arrange n.onls tli,o„,]„„„ t lie cicdornte foi J."!; n "' I'" 11 0,1 next, nr, well torward, an,l all polling p )il( .es w j] «» tlml dale he Kiiitnl.ly equipped fo. the convenience of elector,.