PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 63, 23 June 1910, Page 8

PRE-SESSIONAL ADDRESS.

! M& SINE AT STRATFORD. i (By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) StiMford, Last Night. Mr. J. B. Hihe addressed the electors at' Stratford this : evening. He congratulated' Taranaki on its prosperity. It was not only when a Government member was returned that a district prospered. During' the past eighteen months more money had been spent on the Stratford-Ongarue railway than in the five years preceding: He criticised the short session that had been held, and was pleased to see tliat in its dying hours the Premier hc.d lieen converted to the idea of compulsory military service. It was, however, wrong to take only a proportion of the young men of the country. This action was the death knell of the system. The member criticised the administration ol the Public Works Department, contending that when the Minister admitted that it cost £90,000 to construct the secuon of railway that had been opened on Monday, it could not be wondered at that the. average man believed he was paying too highly for the convenience.

He endeavored to show that the Otira tunnel scheme was a non-paying work. He contended that the roads of vne Taranaki district had suffered because of the fact/that the overworked Public Works Department now had charge, vice the more useful Road Department. A vigorous roading policy was the life-J blood of settlement and the greatest in-j vitation to prosperity. He compared the Government's attempt at retrench-1 ment to that undertaken by the Atkinson Government. J The Premier had intimated at Winton that now the depression had vanished, the country was entitled to spfind as much as formerly, and endeavored to prove the fallacy of the argument. The Civil Service was bein|g "stuffed" again, and the saving of £98,000 was not a bona fide retrenchment. The Guarantees Advances Act was detrimental to the welfare of new districts. I Tn reference to a statement made by the Hon. T. Mackenzie, Mr. Hine said it was not for the House to pass dairy regulations—this was the duty of the Minister. The people desired to have aj lead on the land question. They wanted t to be sure whether it was to be free-] hold or leasehold. A new em was dawn-1 ing, and the old regime was drawing to | a close. The Opposition were adopting! vigorous tactics. Mr. Hine was carefully listened to, and a vote of thanks for his interesting address was passed. Mr. Ralfe was in the chair. MR. HINE AT INGLEWOOD. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Mr. J. B. Hine addressed electors in the Parish Hall on Tuesday evening. Mr. W. J. Winfield (Mayor) presided. Mr. Hine gave a brief description of the trials which beset a new M.P., and the strain to. which he was subjected. He explained the stand he had taken on several of the more important measures which had been under discussion during the last session, and his reasons for taking such a stand. He also dealt at some length with the various Bills which were likely to be brought before the House next session, and gave his views on them. M.- 0 M. Boldt asked questi6ns re-lati-ig to the experiments being conducted by the Government in connection with tlio blackberry blight, and also as to the erection of new teachers' residence, by the Education Department. Mr. Robinson inquired for information with regard to the Government annuities scheme, and Mr. Surrey, jun., to the defence scheme. Mr. H. B. Curtis asked if anything was being done to place the baolcbiocks children on an equal footing with the town children with regard to secondary education. All the questions were satisfactorily answered by the speaker. Mr. IT. B. Curtis, seeondod by Mr. ■Surrey, sen., then proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker, which was carried by acclamation. The usual complimentary vote to the chairman terminated the meeting. During the address the ringing of the firebell caused considerable excitement amongst the audience, and a stampede followed, 4 '.e sj.eakei and the ladies being left in almost sole possession of the hall. Presently, however, the auditors began to straggle in again, and it was ascertained that the harmless necessary chimney was the cause of the disturbance, and the speaker continued bis interrupted address.