THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 274, 12 November 1908, Page 4

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

THK STKATFOKD SEAT. MR. X. J. KING AT TAKIKI. - Mr X. J. King, Independent liberal candidate for the Stratford seat, addressed his second meeting of electors at tin Tariki Hall on Tuesday night. Mr W. A. Stevenson was voted to the chair.

In introducing the speaker to his audience, M r Stevenson said that Mr King was a man who had taken a prominent part in public affairs in Stratford, and >ras well respected and held in the highest esteem throughout the district. Mr. King said he had pleasant recollections of his first speech in Tariki. He would like to thank the electors of this part of the district and of the whole electorate for the very great kindness, courtesy, and consideration extended to him since be had started his campaign. This had led hiin to hope i that he was to have the honour jf their confidence at the ballot-box, and that he would be returned as their Parliamentary representative. Mr. King remarked on the fact that wherever he had gone throughout the district he, had found the people filled with great hopes as to their future prospects. Even away in the backblo c ks where there were no roads as yet and scarcely decent tracks, he had found the people in good heart and looking forward to a prosperous season. STRATFORD-OXGARTJE RAILWAY. He had visited the Stratford-Ongarue railway works in his travels, and he ventured to say that few of his hearers had a proper idea of the value and importance of that work. The furthering of that railway would do an immense amount of good for the interior of the province. The work had now proceeded some twenty miles from Stratford, and soon the rails would again touch the east road, when the whole length of

completed work would be of use to the settlers. When Whangamomona was reached it would be of greater service still, and pushing on through the Tangarakau it would open one of the finest of the colonial coalfields. He had been greatly taken with the country, and was convinced that the railway was going to open up great areas of valuable territory, whose produce would add to the increasing prosperity of the district. The making of roads, bridges, and railways was essential to the progress of the Dominion, and in the district under review he i'elt that the railway would play the most important part in its development. Those coalfields when opened up would be of great benefit to the whole province, besides providing freight for the railway. When in Wellington recently he had asked the Minister of Mines to have a geological survey of the field made, and the quality of" the coal tested, but the Minister seemed inclined to wait until the field had been reached by the railway. That, to him, was a mistaken idea, and if _-e were elected as member for Stratford h 8 would do his best to get tile coalbearing area thoroughly tested aad the railway pushed on to it with all possible "speed. Another work in, which the settlers of this district were very greatly interested was the Mount Egmont railway, which had been constructed with the idea of tapping the almost illimitable supplies of stone in the quarry on the ranges. At present stone was being taken from great deposits in the river-bed. This would not pay, it would hardly buy grease for the wheels. The Government, he was pleased to say, had recognised that, and that they must go to the quarry. The idea of constructing the line came from local bodies down near Patea, where they had to pay 12s and 13s a yard for boulders, and by the time they were i broken and fit to go on the road the I cost was anything from 17s 6d to £1 per yard, which was prohibitive. By the opening up of the Mount Kgniont railway the cost of road metal would be greatly cheapened, and this would give considerable relief to the ratepayers throughout Taranaki by reducing tho'r rates. The line, too, could be made useful for tourist traffic, and whilst not in favour of laying out a lot of money in the interest of tourists, he recognised that tourists generally had some ia=h and were prepared to leave it bidiim 1 . From that point of view it was good business to assist them in viewing our magnificent mountain scenery. During the last week or two pleclnn matters had been going strong. His two opponents, Messrs. Symes and Mine, were indulging in fisticuffs, but so far they had left him alone. When he had started out on his campaign he had made up his mind not to indulge in personalities. He had maintained that stand, and would continue to do so. THE OPPOSITION CANDIDATE.

In this election Mr. Massey and tin; Opposition candidates all over the Dominion were telling the electors that the country was not safe in the hands or the Ward Hinistry. He would tell them that it was perfectly safe. Perhaps the Opposition candidates wanted to revert to the state of affair* existing under the administration of their party when in power; when men were working for 'is (id a day; and when the Premier of the colony gave it as his opinion that married men should get 4s a day and single men 3s a day on the public works of the colony. He was not going to claim that the present Government was perfect, but the Opposition criticism was uufair, anil if tliey got into pow«r to-morrow would they djj any I better? He thought not. Tlie pleseut Government was doing its best in the interests of the country, ami when Mr. Massey endeavoured to belittle the iliai-try lie belittled the colony in the eyes of the people who were watching us, and who were quite ready when opportunity offered to point tile finger at us and repeat his statement that a sense of insecurity existed here. It was the same old game of the Opposition. Sense of insecurity! It existed only in the imagination of the Opposition. Men like that, who, instead of endeavouring to raise the colony were continually trying to belittle it by unfair criticism, were not tit to be in public positions at. all- The Opposition had been telling the people for years that the country was going to perdition, but it had not got there yet. ABOUT 110KROWING.

A lot had been said about our borrowing, but New Zealand was a country which had to lie developed, and if. was absolutely necessary to borrow if )\ were to lie developed thoroughly. There were lands to buy and settle."roads to make, and advances of money to be provided for the -people on the land, and this could not be provided out of revenue. So long as the borrowed money was expended in reproductive work?, which was the case in this country, there was nothing to growl about. If Mr. Massey managed to get into power and he stopped borrowing he could not hope to retain otlice for six months. The Opposition people were crying out aliout the. increase in the public debt, and yet they were found sitting on the Treasury steps asking for money io make roads, built! bridges, or something of the kind in their electorates—works that could be done only by borrowing. He referred to Mr. HiV's statements concerning the money invested in Egyptian bonds at Home, and contended that the Government was (o be acclaimed more than blamed for making such sensible provision for a "rainy day." ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. Tiie Opposition complained that the Advances to Settlers Otlice was not paying out. Mr. King traced the various

causes, including the financial panic ill America, which had caused a .shortness J of money the world over. The closingdown of woollen factories in America stopped the sale of our wool, ami two millions 0 f money less than usual came to the colony from this source. Then the banks and lending institutions called in their loans, ami farmers and others were compelled to make arrangement:, to meet the demand or take the consequences. They turned to the Advances to Settlers Office, u ml soon emptied its colters, getting their money at 4% per cent, instead of the rates of 1(1 aiid IV per cent, ruling here in the days of the Conservative administration and before the days of the Advances to {Settlors system. What would have been the position had there been no Advances to Settlers Oflice to turn to? There was no denying that the Advances to Settlers legislation wa.s one of the finest boons ever conferred upon the people of New Zealand, and vet Mr. Ma-sev, 'Mr. .James Allen, Mr. John

IDuthic, and Jlv. W. S. Buchanan, and I the other members of the Opposition I party hud fought the proposal tooth [.and nail. H«re were some extracts from their speeches un the I measure in the House : ilr John Dulhie said: "If we bring it into operation, I am sure that heavy financial loss' will accrue to 'the colony before many I years are over. The Bill is impractie-1 able and quite uncalled for." Mr James Allen : To hiy mind it is an exceedingly I dangerous thiiig to advance money upon leasehold security." Mr Massey : We have gone a long way towards a State Bank. But I think we ought to draw the line at a State pawnshop." Mr \V. IC. Buchanan : I have never been able vo see that it would be safe, for a colony like this ... to go into the money market for the .purpose of borrowing '.o lend to settlers afterwards. I look upon the provisions of the Bill with serious alarm." Those gentlemen had been compelled to change their tune, and to acknowledge the success of the measure they had so roundly condemned. But the fact remained that the present Opposition party would never have passed it into law, and the speaker thought that any party opposing such a democratic measure was no friend to the country. The Opposition had also opposed the Advances to Workers scheme, which enabled the man in only moderate circumstances to secure a home of bis own on equitable terms.

THE CO-OPERATIVE SYSTEM, of carrying on our public works had been condemned again and again by the Opposition, but they had not devised any scheme for doing the work move cheaply or more economically. The system, except in a few minor details, was working well, and the men as a whole worked well and were satisfied with the system of payment by results. An Opposition member had declared that work on the co-operative works was charitable aid, and.that the camps were the last refuge of the destitute. Such an untrue reflection upon the men engaged on, those works would probably be resented at the proper time by the men themselves. THE DAIRY REGULATIONS. Air. King said that in travelling through the district V had been assured by many farmers that upon studying the*new regulations they were quite ] satisfied with them, and that they] would work in the interests of the dairy farmers. And, he pointed out, if any farmer had any objection' to raise, or any amendment to suggest, the Premier had ipublicly stated that the Minister for Agriculture was anxious that such matter should be brought to the notice of the Parliamentary Stock Committee, which, being composed of farmers and practical men, would see that no injustice was done to the farmers. He : knew of farms where a little advice and assistance was necessary. I ARBITRATION AND CONCILIATION. I In spite of all urged to the contrary, the Conciliation and Arbitration Aft remained as the best means of settling industrial disputes, and the amended' Act. lie thought, would work very satisfactorily. The investigations by the Boards and the awards made had resulted in the abolition of the "sweating'' of employees, and now every worker was entitled to a fair rate of wages, and all employers were on the same footing. The honest man could not now be undersold by a competitor who " sweated" his hands, and the life of the later was not worth living. H; reckoned that the Government would do a good thing if it exported the labour agitators to some desert island. The trades unions were reasonable enough in their demands, but these 1 agitators caused endless strife. FARMERS' VXIOX CANDIDATE. He was proud to have been selected by the Taranaki Provincial Executiv as the farmers' candidate. He had been a little surprised, for he had not thought a 'builder would have been chosen liefore a farmer; but he supposed lliey had come to the conclusion thai h-- was a practical man, able to grasp the farmers' requirements and to sec tli:'.l ;luy got fair play. Should he be returned the fanners could test content that their interests would be safe in his hands. Mr. Syincs had accused him of "changing his coat," and alleged that he was not a true Liberal. Now, he claimed to be as true a Liberal as Mr. Symcs was. He had .proved that by retiring from the last contest, knowing that if he remianed in the field and sjjlit the Liberal vote lie must let the Opposition candidate in. He was too good a Liberal for that. This time he was going on, for many people supported his candidature, and despite what jonie of his opponents -were saying lie thought he had a good clmace and would not ''swop " his chances for tho-e of either iMr. Hine or Mr. Svmes. IN CONCLUSION,

Mr. King assured his hearers that if I he were returned he would do his host to represent them as they should be represented, lie had had considerable experience in public, affairs, especially in connection with local bodies, and that -experience should be in his favour, lie would see that the fanning community got fair iplay at the hands of the legislature. When the electors went to the ballot-box he would ask them to look at the matter fairly and squarely, and ask themselves the question whether they thought the present speaker was not the man who was most in sympathy with them. Had Ibis candidate been a good man in private life? Had lie been a good man in his business relations? Had lie filled with credit the [ positions his fellow-men had placed him in? If all those questions could be answered satisfactorily in regard to himself, then lie considered he would be a good man to represent this district in Parliament. He assured them again of his best endeavours if he were returned, and stated that if at the end of his term lit! had not satisfied the electors he would willingly retire for some one else to take his place. In answer to questions, Mr. King said he had answered the Farmers' Union questions, and had declined to support the repeal of the Arbitration Act; he was in favour of admitting some agricultural implements to this country free of duty, but not all, for there were our own New Zealand manufacturers to consider; as to taxation of bachelors up to the age of 4(1. and compelling bachelors from 211 to 40 years to undergo military training, he favoured the latter portion of the question, and would tax every bachelor by "tacking" on to him a wife. In answer to the chairman, who asked as to the number of dairy inspectors shortly to he let. loose, lie said he thought there were aliout twenty. The chairman said Mr. Hine. had .put the number at forty, and Mr. Synies poohpoohed the idea as ridiculous; but he himself had seen in the Canterbury Times a photograph of 45 <if them. Mr. King said he had been informed there were twenty, but perhaps that was only the number for this island.. Upon the motion of Messrs. lluckvr and .Robinson, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. King. A similar compliment to the chairman concluded the meeting.

I "Why is it there are so many slums in Wellington?" was a question to which Mr Fisher ventured a reply the other : night. "The chief reason,''be said."is the over valuation of properties. If anyone buys a plate at one and a halt times its proper value the valuer comes round ami puts up the assessment of all the properties in the neighbourhood in proportion. We should go back to the old system under which the Government may be- called upon to acquire any property at its own valuation, plus! 11l per cent." Another Teason given by Mr Fisher was the existence of a tini-j ber ring.

In ten scattered constituencies, n fourteen day- interval is to be allowed between the polls in case of a second liallot, but there are only thr if these Seats for which more than two cantli dales have been nominated, so the cTiance of a second ballot, a fortnight later than the general election is very remote, lit has been estimated tha'i there are a dozen second ballots til, most certain in oilier const it ueaeies.l where the second poll would occur on I November 24U1.