POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 258, 24 October 1908, Page 2

POLITICAL.

THE TAKANAKJ BJiAT. Air. 11. Okey addressed ,i large meet■ng ul' electors at the Franklcy RoU'i tecnool on Thursday aiglil. Jlr. »v. Ani'Uitry was in the chair. Air. Okey »n U kc for an hour and a half and lundied ion. the vaiious .political questions y j day, besides giving an account uf Jus stewardship in Parliament during ui« (past twelve months. iu reiereiieo to no-licuiisu the candidal said he ,w:is ihA favorable to a bare .majority, "•« thought that, if a. bare majority wore to decide, the hotel proprietors wo.uid hold on to their property for a light to ge* ( back the licensee at the expiration of three years. He favored colonial option. In reply to a question, Air. Okey «aid he had not given the question of Jii'bh'-reading in schools much thought but personally he did not think it cont'd do any harm. An unanimous vote af thanks was imssed t 0 Mr. Okey and a motion of confidence in him was carried ; witli acclamation. A committee wis set up to work in his interests. .Mr. il. Okey will address the electors - at the Theatre Royal, Now Plymouth, - on Monday. 2nd November. • ! The candidates' meeting for 10-aiglit - are:—Kaimiro School Mr Okey: Okato, ~ Mr. Ma lone.

THE PIU&IIIitt'INTERVIEWED. liy Telegraph.— Press Association. Dunedm. Last Night. 'lhe Prime Minister informed a i'w/Nr 1 reporter to-night that 'nothing definite had been decided aihout the issue ol the wr'ts, but they would be issued about the end of next week or the beginning of the following week. Nominations will close on November 0.

Speaking on pvcfcitfitial trade, Sir Joseph said he would be very gla.i t reciprocate with Australia in r«*giv ( ( uj anything that would assist in (lev doping trade within the British l Empire.

Dunedin, Last Night. % Mr. T. MeKenzic addressed a l.t.'ge meeting of T'aicri electors at Mosgiel tonight. lie was accorded a hearty volte of thanks. Mr, G. M. Thomson, Opposition candidate for Duncdin -North, addressed a meeting of electors to-night. A vote of tlianks was accorded at the conclusion of the meeting, which was not largely attended.

Wanganui, Last Night. -Mr. O. E. Mackay, Jlayov of AVanganui, who is contesting the seat as a Government supporter, addresses a crowded audience at the Opera House to-night. He had a capital hearing ar.d received a vote of thanks. Gisborne, Last Night Mr. W. Lissant Clayton addressed a large- audience to-night. He stands as an Opposition candidate, and met wicu an enthusiastic reception. He vigorously criticised the Government, and, at the conclusion of his audress, was unanimously accorded a vote of thsinks. Naseby, Last Night. Mr. J. A. MaePherson, M.P.. addressed a meeting of electors at Naseby today, and was enthusiastically received. He was accorded an unanimous vote of thanks and eojilidence.

As'hburton, Last Ni/jt. air. W. J. Dickie, Liberal ca.uLiate for Selwyn, has retired from tile contest on account of the shortness of notice of the general election preventing him getting round the district. The Premier, who passed through by the express, wits unable to get him to re-con-sider his decision. Mr. F. 11. Flatman, Government candidate for the Asliburton seat, opened his campaign to-night. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried.

Comments t'lic Haweni Star: "The argument is that as the country has been prosperous the Government deserves the credit. This logically implies that if the prosperity should receive a cheek the. Government would be to blame. Neither proposition seems reasonable. It would be factious to blame the Government for a depression in the llax ■market and the wool market, and a tight money market, and it is fatuous to suggest that because during the past sixteen or seventeen years tllere ias been a wonderfully sustained continuous expansion in the \prodnction mid the export trade of the Dominion which led to great accumulation of material iwealth tire Government is to be regarded as the good fairy which by some benevolent magic brought about ail era of prosperity, swelling the revenue and enabling the service departments to make concessions in various directions. . . Xo doubt a weak Government is bad. but experience teaches that tile be-*t legislation is obtained where there is ill Parliament an effective Opposition which can if the need arise offer the country an alternative policy and administration. That is the meaning and justification of the party system." Members of the i'eilding branch of the Farmers' I'nion are somewhat perturbed (says the Mamnvatu Standard) as to the course tlicy will follow in connection with the replies of candidates to the series of questi/ins drawn up by the conference, the question of Government v. Opposition looming very largely in the matter. After a meeting on Friday the opinion was expressed thai the proposed selection of candidates was a farce, and that 110 selection of candidates by delegates could be blading upon members. This was in reference to a decision of the meeting of the branch to hold a meeting in a fortnight's time to consider the questions and answers received from the candidates.