POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 117, 8 November 1911, Page 4

POLITICAL.

HON'. MACKENZIE AT PCNCAREHU.

By Telegraph-—Special to News. Opunake. Last Night. There was an attendance of about CO at Pungarchu last evening, when the Hon. T. .Mackenzie addressed electors. Mr. M. Flraning was voted to the chair. Mr. Mackenzie, inter alia, made reference to the question asked him at Kltham by Mr. Council, viz?, if be could explain. why particulars in comievtioji ( with the loan raised live years ago had not been furnished to Parliament. In replying on Unit occasion he iMr. Mackenzie) had said he did .not know of any such case, whereupon Mr. Council stated Mr. Mousey had the previous night made a statement that had caused him to ask the. question. He (Mr. Mackenzie) then i promised thai he would telegraph the Minister for Finance and Secretary of the Treasury on the matter. He'had since received replies, and these he read at last night's meeting. The reply from the Minister of Finance was, "I do not know what Mr. Massey is referring to regarding loan of five years ago. but I am asking the Treasury for particulars,' and will wire you." The reply received from Hi- Tna.-arv was to the effect that the Sitatcni' nt referred to was incorrect, that particulars regarding all "loans up to M.u'ch, l.'.lfm, had been laid on the table of the House Mr. Mackenzie went on to say that, as he understood Mr. Connell desind the nature of replies received, to-be given from the platform he (the speaker) bad intended dealing with the matter when next speaking at Eltham, where the answers would be given in the presence of an audience in which the question was asked. He, would do this still, but in the meantime he felt he should refer to the matter without delay, in order that the public might be put in possession of the facts. On the motion of Mr. Bayard, seconded by Mr. Symonds, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the speaker for his address. ) and a vole of thanks to the chairman terminated a. very cordial meeting. THE" CLITHA SEAT. 1 By Telegrqih;—Press Association. ■■• - . Dunedin. Last Night. The Star says that Mr. Angus McDonald, clerk to the Clutha County Council, will be the Ministerial candidate for that seat. THE I'ATEA SKAT. Hawcta, Yesterday. Mr. ("i. V. Pcarce. M.P.. Opposition candidate for the Patea seat, addressed the electors last night, and adversely . criticisid the Government'* land, public works and borrowing policy. He rcI ceived n cordial reception from a erowdI ed audience, and a vote of confidence. WANG AN H SEAT. j Wanganui, Last Night. | Mr. ..(. T. Hogan. Government eandiI date for tne Wanganui seat, opened his campaign this, evening, when be addressed a largo audience and received avote of thanks, lie strongly eulogised the Government legislation, and declared that the Parly had followed closely the policy enunciated by John IJallanec. [ UUNEDIN NOKTH SEAT. i . ! Dnnedin, Last Night. Mr. G. M. Thomson. M.P., Opposition candidate for Dunedin North, opened his campaign to-night, when he addressed a large meeting of electors. A unanimous vote of thanks was accorded him. SPEECH BY HON. It. MeKENZIE. Nelson, Last Night. Tho Hon. R, MeKenzic opened his campaign for Motueka last night, when he addressed a la rye meeting at FoxhiM. He spoke mainly on matters under his administration. Replying to the assertion that the Xekon and Midland railway cost £IO,OOO a mile, he said the length was CO miles and the total, cost £472,8f>7, including wharves and tunnel, which worked out at £7730 per mile. He declared, himself a believer in the optional system of tenure. Tho present Government put more men on the land than any other and was anxious to do so ou the easiest terms. He generally defended the land policy 0 f the Government. He refuted the suggestion of the Government's waste of money on roads. These were absolutely necessary and the money must be spent. The construction of public buildings had been a profitable investment for the taxpayer. Referring to the, hydro-electric proposals, he said he bad no doubt that in ten years there would be electric light and heaters in every farm-house in Canterbury. It was intended to electrify the ' Lyitelton branch of the railway and lessen the cost of running by 20 per cent. At Parapara they bad one of the largct iron deposits in the world. If the lessees did not work the ore, the Government would take a hand. He expected that in IS months the Parapara work- would he a State enterprise. The New Zealand petroleum industry would soon make them free of the Standard Oil Co. He defended the Defence Act and the Dreadnought gift, and did not anticipate seciii" a Tory Government in power again. A vote of thanks and conlid -c to the candidate was carried. TARANAKI SEAT. MR. FORBES AT INCLEWOOI). _ Mr. W. Forbes, (he Independent Opposition candidate for Taranaki electorate, gave his opening address at Inglewood on Monday. The Parish Hall was, packed to the door. Mr. Geo. Bennett (Mayor) presided. The candidate spoke for over an hour, and got a. most attentive hearing, being frequently applauded.

Mr. Forhcs said Hint there was never ft tinio in tlii' history of Xp«- Zealand when the electors were called upon to evercisc care and to pay more attention In political (jijostjoiis.-. He ci-iw-Hcrc:! ih.-ifil wa- llie duty of every man who, without, iaierferinjj with his private business, cniilil devote his time iwd ability to the affairs of his country

to offer his services to the electors especially when there, was a crisis as at present. Mr. Forbes thought there was no man in a better position than he wan to devote his time to public life. As u representative of an insurance society he was always in touch with every section of the community, ami if relumed Taranaki would have the best representative it ever had. because with his life before him he iiad tlio decisiou and energy and fighting power that were essential in a politician, and which his opponents could not have, as they bad passed the meridian of lih. The electors would always bo in touch with him. a« ho would in his business capacity be in every house, and thereby obtain h thor-ough-knowledge of the rei[uireme«l< <if the people. He regretted that he had to wasto a little, of the valuable "time in explanation of a few reports that had been circulated. Tn the first place he had been asked if it was a fact that the No-license Party had got him to itmiib out to cut Mr. Okey'a votes up s«t that they could get Mr. Bellringcr in. He said that thn Xo-lieenso people wero quite as capable of good judgment n». anyone else, and it would not be good judgment on their part if thev wished to return a man who supported the present administration. He believed that they had the welfare of the country at heart, and, that being so, they would realise their duty and to a man vote for a change of government. lie was put up by no partv to cut up votes. Tic came out because he knew that Taranaki scat was to he won, and he, was going to win it. Ho was opposed, to the CJo.vcrnment not because he was opposed* to Liberal principles but becanse of its extravagant finance and inefficient administration; and the sooner the people realised that this reckless policv of heaping up the debt of the country without thinking of when we will havv to stop this wasteful expenditure of public money which was practised by the powers that bo, not to secure the prosperity and liappiness of the people, hut to secure tho partys tenure of offlco, and the sooner the electors ea.me to tho conclusion that tho Ward Ministry and its weak-kneed policy was of n'» use, the better. He declared hims?lf a freeholder, advocated the contract svstem for carrying out the public works, extending powers and assured fina;io« to local bodies, and a more progressiva local settlement policy under the deferred payment system. The candidate answered several quo*tions. and asked that in putting a motion they reserve the confidence to the ballot-box.

A vote of thanks moved by Mr. IT. Brown and/seconded by Mr. James, was earned unanimously, and a vole of thanks to the chairman, proposed by the candidate.

Mr.. C. E. Bellringer invite*? (lip electors to meet him this evening at the Theatre Royal at eight o'dock, when lie will give his first address in support of his «indidatuire in the Government interests.

Mr. H. Okey, M.P., addressed a meeting of some thirty or forty electors at Bell Block last night, Mr. j. Conuett in the chair Mr. Okey was accorded a hearty vote of thanks, and those present pledged themselves to support him a{ the fm-tjicpmuig. poll' ' . .•, '1 TEIE STRATFORD CAMPATGX. Mr. McCuggage addressed a meeting at the Skinner road ballast pit on Monday. Mr. T. Ilerlihy presiding. Mr. MeClnigagfl criticised the Reform Partv and its platform. The Reform Party, he said, was the remnant of the old Tory l'arty They could alter their name as often as they liked, but they still represented the moneyed classes. The Reform Party gave out that it was joining hands with tiie Labor Party for tinpurpose of turning the Government out. Was ever anvthing so ridiculous, for they rtood for everything that was dead against Labcr. and for the want of sincerity in tiu-ir labor cry the electors had only to look to Parn.cH for an illiwtration. When the Reform Party candidate retired from the contest through ill-health, did thev give their support to the Labor candidate? Of conr&e not. They would make r.so of the Labor Party to climb into power, but would drop them like a hot potato, cast them aside as of no further use if returned to power. Most of the Reform Party's platform was already law. Nearly the whole of its land policy was already on the X'wt'.ite-Uool.-. They were quite silent on the point of assisting men ami women with families but little, capital on the land. How did they reconcile that with their newly-found sympathy for the Labor Party? Mr. MeOluggage had n very attentive hearing, and at the close of his address was given a vote of thanks and confidence; and a vote of confidence in the present Liberal Government was carried.

_ The settlers of Kaimata .turned out in large numbers on Monday evening to hear Mr. Hine, a large number of Indies being present. Mr. Hine spoke on similar lines' to those lie did-in his lirst, address, and received a splendid hearing. As there were no questions forthcoming. at the conclusion of his address, Mr. Mat-" thews moved the following resolution, which was carried with cheers: —That a hearty vote of thanks be accorded to Mr. Ifiue for his address,, witli renewed confidence in him as their member, and further, that this meeting has no confidence, in the Ward Administration." THE EGMOXT SEAT.The Hon. Thos. Mackenzie will address the electors at Ngaerc to-night (\\Y<liirs. day, November 8.) At Opua yesterday afternoon Mr. Mackenzie, addressed a gathering of about forty settlers. Mr. F. C. Ashby presided. At the conclusion of a most' successful meeting, a hearty vote of thanks to the speaker was proposed by Mr. A. Langlon, seconded by Mr. Ti. Woods, and enthusiastically carried. THE PATKA SKAT. .Mr. OT)ra had a very large meeting at Mosstown on Monday night., the srhoo'lhmise being taxed to its utmost capacity. Mr. ,T. Dempscv presided. Tn answer to a question the' candidate «,ii,l he wii4 in favor of the Wangamii Harbor Mill. Tte was also in favor of full political rights for Civil Servants. He was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence, on the motion of Mr. Kobinson, seconded bv Mr. Burke. A stroii" committee of la'dies and gentlemen was formed after (lie niceting. Mr. !)emp<cy being appointed chairman, and Mr. McVeil secretary. "Nearly a thousand names have been transferred from the Wangamii roll (o the Pa tea roll, all from Aramoho and Mosstown. and as these [.laces bave a), ways been strongly Liberal the prospects of the Liberal candidate are very rosy indeed.- ('out ributed. J