POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 112, 1 November 1911, Page 8

POLITICAL.

THE GOVERNMENT DEFENDED. ( HON, T. MACKENZIE AT ELTHAM. ' (By Telegraph-Special to News ) P. Wake (Mayor of Eltham), who i mtroducing tho Minister, said Mr Mac Uiaie had been twenty-four years in when, High Commissioner in England, and wa« now m charge of one of the most inT portant departments of the administra tion. The Mayor said the farmers would appreciate the good work Mr. Mackenzie had done and is still doing for the farmer. Mr. Mackenzie, in opening, made reference to personal matters and regretted he could not. boast, as his opponent could, of being born in New Zealand, and laughingly said Mr. Dive showed great discrimination in selecting such a bonny country as New Zealand as his birthplace. But he had lived in New Zealand all but four years of his life. '•NO SOUTHERN EEJEOT!"

It had been said that Egmont wanted no southern reject us a candidate. It oould hardly be said he was a reject. He would rather say that he was like the political warrior who has had his horse shot three times beneath him, and who, notwithstanding that, had again and again ventured to the charge, and carried victory on each occasion. Take his political career in 1887. He contested the Clutha seat and was returned by 781 rotes to 443, and in the contests he had since been engaged in since first standing for a seat in Parliament, he ■had had majorities ranging from 338 to 1750. He had enjoyed an unbroken re cord of success under the most varied and trying circumstances that ever faced a member of Parliament. He had won four seats, and three had been taken from him by the redistribution of seats. In consequence he lmd represented a larger portion of Otago than any other public man. HIS POLITICAL ATTITUDE.

Touching on his attitude politically, the candidate made reference to the late Sir Harry Atkinson, one of the truest and most broad-minded Liberals New Zealand had ever seen, who sacrificed his life to the good of his country. Taking that distinguished statesman all in all, either as a soldier fighting for his country or in Senate, there had been few toi equal him He was associated with the Party till ISOfi, when he went home to represent the farmers' interests there and to obtain a grasp of the conditions under which our produce was handled there. Up till then they had been in a state of deplorable ignorance concerning these matters. The three years he spent there were probably the most useful of his life. Returning to New Zealand he was again elected, but began to feel that as an independent member, he was not putting his time to the best use and contemplated retirement. However, a meeting of his constituents gave him a free lurnd, and in 1907 he said: "The party I desire to associate myself with would he one that was pursuing a policy of steady Liberal progress ion sound and economic lines—a party that would place in the forefront of this policy the closer settlement of lands and the limitation of areas and development of our industries; a party that would recognise the rights of all parties in the community, and which would so frame its legislation as to share the prosperity of the country with all who labor honestly in bringing about its welfare; a policy the object and aim of wliich was to uphold and improve the social and material position of every true New Zealander." When Sir Joseph Ward announced such a policy in 9107, he decided to assist? him, and joined his party.

TAHAXAKI--A DEVELOPING PROVINCE. Still referring to the exception taken to hB coming here to contest, the seat, Mr. Mackenzte said Taranaki was a developing province, attracting not only candidates, but attracting and opening hor arms to progressive men j/* walk of hfe. If the industries in the province were to continue to be built up they wanted all the assistance and co-operation they could, obtain, anil the more of the right kind she could attract he greater would be the prosperHy*; the district. He referred to aid beiiw invoked for the oil industry i progress of New Pl vmouth harbor-works to bring the port in direct contact with the trade of the western Pacific. They were all citizens of New Zealand and of the British Empire, and all bound up m her common welfare, and therefore he came as a rival to Mr. Dive for their suffrages, and so long as the nrrht was fair, honorable and above boardV would bow to the decision of the electors THE HIGH COMMISSIONERSHIP

Mr. Mackenzie felt flattered by the persistent way in which his name was coupled with the position of High Commissioner, but the matter of appointing him had not been discussed by Cabinet' and he felt he could do better work for New Zealand by staying here to assist m the agricultural development for which the Government had done so much. There was need now for stron" men to deal with the tribution. transit and marketing of" products. It was the great desire on the part of the Government to

HELP THE PEOPLE ON THE LAND. He came to them as a member of a most progressive government and with them behind him in all that makes for the upbuilding of the dairy industry. Replying to Mr. Massey's criticism of the previous evening in respect to the 'failure of the Government to expend more than £ir>B,ooo of a vote of 1500,000 for the purchase of lands for settlement, Mr. Mackenzie said the. position was that holders of large estates put up the price of their land so high that it could not be taken at a price that would permit the Government disposing of the land at a. price to enable people who took up land to get a living on it. As owners of large .estates did this, steps had been taken to meet the case by an amendment of the Act. Howover, Mr. Massev should be pleased the whole of the £500,000 had not been spent, as he complained of the Government having borrowed six millions. Bui had they spent the whole of the half million they would have added still more to the loan debt of the country. MB. MASSEY'S STATEMENTS.

Mjr. Massey talked of having a definite land policy fixed and immovable, and twitted the Government with changing its attitude. Why, on this question of granting freehold to lease fin per-' petuity tenants, Mr. Massey had shifted ground as many times as there were, points to the compass. In fact, he had bo\ed the political compass with his land proposals. Mr. Mackenzie then referred to Mr. Massey's own little Bill for the protection of family homes to provide that homes be protected up to £7oo or .-OIiOOO against claims for rents, rates, or tixc» " It was a magnificent idea, but Mr Mnssev was the "Rip Van Winkle" of Parliament surely, for sixteen years Hire the n-overmneut put on the Statute Book an Act of this description, but far

more liberal and more efficient than the one Mr. Massey proposed. A voico: "What did you do with it?" The candidate: "We passed it! It is law and lias been for years, but no public gazetting was necessary in that Act and protection was up to £ISOO. That was the sort of gentleman who was going to do so much for the people." (laughter.) A ray of light and truth was evidently necessary. Those tears of Mr. Massey's were crocodile tears.

THE PUBLIC DEBT. with the life blood He pointed out the large amou, oi revenue producing loans" and the organued political hypocrisy 0 f the men who condemned borowfa/but supported loans and were always there to get their full share of the borrowed money Bor rowing on proper lines was a good and proper thing.

The Government had done a good thing for workers in reducing taxation on those least able to bear it, sucli as customs duties on the necessaries of life As to Mr. Massey's amendment re land tenure that was not an amendment on the Land Bill, but a "no confidence" motion in committee of supply, and how would he vote against the Government of which he was a member? The law as it st«od allowed a lease in perpetuity tenant to acquire the freehold, and they were doin git all over the colony. ■Mr. Mackenzie's speech touched on a wide range of subjects and was very well received. He was inundated with a shower of questions, which though they looked posers, were answered to the satisfaction of the audience, who accorded him a hearty vote of thanks. The meeting closed with cheers. THE NEW EVANGEL. MR. FOWLDS AT AUCKLAND. A BLOW FOR FREEDOM. By Telegraph—PreßS Association. Auckland. Last Night.

Mr. Geo. Fowlds addressed the electors of Grey Lynn to-night. There was a large meeting, and he received an excellent reception. Mr. Fowlds referred to his resignation, which was caused principally by his desire to have a freer hand and thereby give a fllip to the reform forces of the Dominion. If he had believed that his resignation could have resulted in the returning of a majority of members willing to follow Mr. Massey he should have felt it his duty to remain where he was.

After quoting figures, Mr. Fowlds said he believed he made out a convincing case for the first plank in his political platform, namely, an increase of one penny in the pound on improved land values. If the Liberal Party were true to itself it would abolish the absurdity of minority rule on the liquor question. As a private member he had always stood by the democratic principle of bare majority. As a Cabinet Minister he was compelled to stand by the policy of the Government. He formerly acquiesced in the three-fifths majority without must protest, believing that ft gave a certain amount of permanency to temperance reform when no-license was carried in any district. Another source of degration almost as deadly as the liquor traffic was the existence of slums and insanitary dwellings. Immediate action ought to bo, taken by all legal authorities to ensure the elimination as soon as possible of any slum condition which had already developed in their districts, and to prevent a recurrence of these conditions in the future.

The adoption of the proportional representation system was recommended by the speaker, who then dealt with the Legislative Council and local government reform.

In conclusion, Mr. Fowlds said: "The. people of New Zealand have a splendid opportunity to strike a blow for freedom and justice; and I call upon you to rise in your might and help to herald the dawn of a new day of human emancipation. If you respond, vour children's children will rise up and call you blessedyou will earn the gratitude and blessing of the children of the slums and "utters of every land." ° THE HAWKE'S BAY SEAT. ■nr , -r „ Gisborne, Yesterday. Mr A. L. p. Eraser, who it was'rumored might contest the Gisborne' seat now states definitely that he has decided to stand for Hawke's Bay, thorn* tie is not the accepted Government cancliuato, THE TARANAKI SEAT.

mTcVZ?* att , endance ol eighty at Mr. C. E Bellrmger's committee meeting m the Town. Sail last night, ft D Berry presiding Reports were received from the majonty of the twenty-three captains in charge of the New Plymouth district Delegates were present from the Inglewood executive, and arrangements were made for the complete organisation of that district, a further conference of the local executive with the Inglewood committees working in the interests of Mr. Bellringer and Mr McCluggage to be held at Inglewood* on Friday night. Arrangements were made to meet Fitzroy supporters on Thursday evening, Inglewood on Friday, and Okato on Monday. A meeting of" ladies is to be addressed by the candidate in the Good Templar Hall on Tuesday next. The campaign is to be opened 'in the Theatre Royal on Wednesday night next. A considerable amount of routine business was transacted, and other matters referred to the executive, which meets this evening.

THE STRATFORD SEAT. Mr. J. B. Hine, M.P., his friends will be pleased to learn, has made a rapid recovery from his recent illness, and will hold his Stratford meeting on Friday evening next. In its yesterday's issue, the Wellington Dominion pays a high tribute to Mr. Hine and his work, and particularly his services to the country in connection with the Hine charges, and remarks: "Mr. Hine's breakdown in health is not altogether surprising. No member is more attentive to his Parliamentary duties than the member for Stratford. He is one of the few members who can be relied on to be in his place in the House at all hours, and it is no doubt to his constant attendance during the long sittings which have marked the close of the session that his breakdown in health is due. It is really remarkable that, working as they do in an ill-ven-tilated Chamber amd at such outrageous hours, the list of casualties amongst members, large as it is, is not larger." THE EG MONT SEAT.

There was a packed house bo gre»t the Hon. Thos. Mackenzie at Kaponga on Monday evening. The candidate met with an enthusiastic reception and was accorded a vote of thanks, one of thanks and confidence being declined by the Minister, who said he preferred that the confidence could come afterwards.