POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 114, 3 November 1911, Page 8

POLITICAL.

THE OLUTITA SEAT. By Telegraph—Press Association. Gore, Thursday. Mr.. Andrew Martin has been asked to contest the Clutha scat in the Liberal interests, but has decided not to stand, as the time is too short. THE OTAIv! SEAT. Levin, Last Night. Mr. J. Robertson, Labor candidate for the Otaki electorate, addressed the electors of Levin. He favored labor legislation and especially legislation to prevent speculation in lands. Questioned as to how he would vote on a lio-con-fidence motion, he said certainly against the present Government, as if he were satisfied with them he would not be standing. That, however, did not mean to say he would support Mr. Massey. The candidate received a vote of thanks ancj confidence, no dissentient votes being given. THE CLUTHA SEAT. Dunedin, Last Night. Mr. G. Livingston, of Windsor, has announced himself as a candidate for the Clutha seat. He will stand as an Independent Liberal. THE TARANAKI SEAT. .

An .enthusiastic meeting of supporters of the Government candidate, Mr. 0. E. Bellringer, was held in the Fitzroy Hal] last night, forty gentlemen attending, while apologies were received from a number of others. The meeting was addressed by Mr. Bellringer, members of the central executive, and local residents, and a strong committee and executive set up to further the candidate's interests in the suburb. The committee resolved to meet every Monday evening. Mr. Bellringer is to address a public meeting of ladies on political questions in the Good Templar Hall on Tuesday afternoon next. The campaign proper will be opened by him in the Theatre Royal on Wednesday next.

This evening Mr. Bellringer and the central executive are to meet the Inglewood supporters, when a joint committee will be set up to work for the return of Mr. Bellringer and Mr. McCluggage in their respective electorates. Mr. McCluggage intends to he present at the meeting. •. THE STRATFORD SEAT. Mr. J. 03. Iline, M.l\, the Opposition candidate for Stratford, will open his campaign at Stratford to-night, when ho will address the electors in the Stratford Town Hall. Mr. Hine's friends, and his opponents, too, will be glad that the illness which compelled the abandonment of previous arrangements has so far left him as to enable him to get out on the warpath. EGMONT'S MESSAGE. W. R. Wright writes to the Editor:— "Sir,—l would be glad if you would kindly reprint the enclosed from the Dairyman, because, as that paper says, the loss of the Minister of Agriculture would to us dairymen be a calamity:

'We quite recognise that to give a political tone to the Dairyman would be one of those blunders that are worse than crimes, and we do not propose making any such blunder. On this occasion, however, the dairy industry is threatened with a calamity —the loss of the services of the Minister for Agriculture—and in the interests of the industry we have made this one departure from our usual course. In the past before the appointment of Mr. Mackenzie to the portfolio of Agriculture, the position had been held by men of little learning and less wit, and as we have now a man whose abilities and training have enabled him to get a masterly grasp of the position, we appeal to our readers to eliminate the party element and secure his return for Egmont.' "I have sent the following wire to the Dairyman:—'The up-to-date dairy farmers of Egmont, which is the premier dairying country of the whole world (make a note of this), intend being represented by the Minister of Agriculture and no-one else.'" THE PATEA SEAT. Mr. O'Dea had a very good meeting at Ngutuwera on Wednesday night, Mr. F. Hooper presiding. The' candidate received a vote of thanks and confidence on the motion of Mr. J. Dowden, seconded bv Mr. W. Johnston. An amendment of thanks only, moved by Mr. Walker, and seconded'by Mr. Muidrock, was defeated. A strong committee was subsequently set up to aid the candidate, with Mr. Hooper as chairman and Mr. Dowden secretary.