STRONG PARTY FIGHT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 195, 22 September 1909, Page 3

STRONG PARTY FIGHT

THE RANGITIKEI ELECTION. MR. MASSE! n OKKIXG HARD. " MINISTERS ON ,iHE PLATFORM. THE LAND QUESTION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. S Taihape, Monday. A strong fight is uehij, oi ihe Rangitikei seSond ballot contest, and the platforms are lurrying heavy broadBides of oratory from both sides. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Massey) went into the constituency on the day / i>f the election, and on Saturday commenced platform work, assisted by the Opposition Organiser (Air. Martin), Mr. George Hutchison (who withdrew at the last moment in favor of Mr. Hockly, the Opposition candidate), and no fewer than three Opposition members of Parliament .—Messrs. Guthrie, Buick and Newman. This big array of fighting talent drew a warm response from the Government, .which is represented in the constituency by the Hon. J. A. Millar and Hon. T. Mackenzie, while the Hon. Geo. Fowlds will visit the Wanganui end of the constituency on Wednesday. The cohesion and friendly feeling among all sections of the Liberal (party is surprising, seeing how split was the vote on the first ballot. Mr. Meldrum, tne *jo*erruiicat ; candidate, who came next to Mr. R. KV. Smith, who remains in the contest, takes the chair at a meeting of favor Bt Hunterville, the Meldrum voting stronghold; while Mr. Georgetti, whose attitude was independent, has now announced his hearty sympathy with the lilberal party's platform in the main, and has promised his interest in working for the success 1 of the Government

candidate. , , . Speaking at a great meeting m laiha>pe, which was also addressed by the Hon. J. A. Millar, who dealt with Mr. Massey's criticisms and the Liberal record, the Hon. T. Mackenzie referred in interesting le.ms to the land question. The country s ttlers had, he said, much Ho than!: t':e Government for in its efforts to provide a good tenure for the settler, but he admitted that there was not much to thank them for in asking the settlers to exchange the 999 years' lease for a 33 years' lease. He made no secret of what were his intentions. He was originally a leaseholder in respect to that particular system, but he was ji">t - now for many reasons. He was pc-rfwily prepared to give those m»ho held lands umier the Land for Settlements system the freehold.

A voice: Is) Mr. Millar? Mr. Mackenzie: V speak for myself. He added that the Government desirod to see the most extensive cultivation of New Zealand's hinds. It was beeomhg imperative that the land should he as closelv settled as possible. "Why don't von throw open tne Crown lands?" shouted a listener. The Minister: Do you know that MO people took up hinds under the optional tenure last year, and that at oo tune in ' the country's history, considering the diminishing area of Crown • lamia, has settlement got on so rapidly. He went on to state that in order that surveying should he rabidly pushed on all retrenched employees of the Roads' Detriment who would take up this work had been put on -

Owii " to their failure to secure the reoniaito -.nher of votes at the first poll, jr w < ■ t.-orgctti and Hornblow forfeit ,;" -ir t 'n posits.