POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 118, 9 November 1911, Page 3

POLITICAL.

THE TARANAKI SEAT.

MR. REI.LRIXOEU AT THE THEATRE ROYAL.

Mr. C. E. Bellringer, Liberal candidate for (lie Taranaki scut, addressed (lie electors at the Theatre Royal last eveniiii;. There was a large attendance, and the Mayor (Mr. 0. W. Browne I presided. Mr. Bellringer, who was well received, said:

The tinie-honored custom recpiiring a iandidiite for Parliamentary honors to place before the electors his views and opinions upon the questions of the hour having brought us together to-night. I purpose as clearly and as briefly :\» I can to bring under your notice the reai mjiis why f appear before you as a supporter of the Government. I" trust to be able to convince you that the interests of the Dominion and of Taranaki will be best served by your returning as your representative in the new Parliament one who is fully in accord with the principles of true Liberalism and who is prepared to heartily support the liberal Oovernment in giving practical effect to those principles. I realise that the party I belong to is in for a hard fiirht in this electorate. I intend to light hard. I shall strike the opposing party as hard as [ can, but I shall! not strike unfairly. I have no personal feeling, and do not -intend to indulge in! anything approaching personalities. NevcrthcJess it'will be my duty to con-it-entl strenuously against those who represent THE CONSERVATIVE PARTV. because T hold that party to be a party that stands for reaction, retrogression and stagnation. For Mr. Okey personally I have the very highest respect, and I have no doubt 'we shall fight this battle for the parties we represent with the best, of good feeling. The political acts „f .\|,- Okey, bis utterances in and I out of Parliament I shall criticise fearlessly, and. T believe demonstrate to yon that- the position he takes in regard io many of the great political issues of the dav are not conducive to the advancement and progress of the peojde. A UNITED FRONT. | At the otti-et f would remind von j thai, although the Liberal party lost I this -eat at the by-election and'again j failed to recapture it- at the general eler-iion. we were defeated because of • livl-ioMs in our ranks. To-dav we stand ! ■■■■ united party. United we have won I

''■•■ ihe past: united we can win now. Make this a straight-out, party issue; -land true jo the party, and we must win. Ido not expect that every member of the Liberal party in this'electornte will sec eye to eye with me upon i'v-vy ipic-Pm . There will of neces--ity be many dill'erences of opinion, but I ask von :.1 sink those differences, and if yon believe that the f!ovcrnmcnt. -iiouh! be returned to power, vote upon THE CREAT MAIX ISSUE,

inn] support llio Government by supporting iinil returning their candidate. The <ry is l»oinjr raised by the Conservatives that- tlie Government lias.been in power ■■» long and that there to' )>e a change. To some this may but, may I remind you that this orv is' raised by the enemies of (lie Government, the men who want them out of oflice mi tliat they may themselves get on to the Treasury beiiehes? The fait is that every attack they have made upon the Government policy lias failed, anil iliis is the only hope that somehow they may persuade you that the Government ha-, become effete, thai it lias In.l its former vigor, and therefore should be turned out of office. l! is really ainu>iiig to watch Ihe varying la, lies of our friends on (he opposite -id''. You "ill notice they have got a new name. Thev are now Till'. ■•RKFOini pahty."

Evidently th-v hope to hide their veal identity iiinlcr this new appellation. ))iit they are -itMl (he same party. Ccin-erva-live to the hone-the National AssociaI inn Party. the Conservative Parlv. the Ma-sey Party, the Reform Party:' they change not. They stand, as they have ever -tood. for class interests again«t the in I <-ri—l -of the people. Thev may hi --iiiili-eil. are—trvilli; In persuade vou thai i hey are goocl Liberals, that they are in favor of many of the "Teat pro-gn--ive mea-iues passed by the Liberal Ooveiiiment. hut I ask you to remember that they fought these measures, de-iKimi-intr thim in season and out of -ea-oii. Xi.w when success lias heen achieved thev have the ell'ronterv to el'iini ilia I lh-y helped to pa-s the sue-ci-ssl'iil measure-. The records of Parliaineiil show how ntterlv unfoniided an- these j.rcirnsions. They are the pai'!;. who I---, ut the exercise of political power by the people, and in the fill lire, as in the past, will uphold the interests of the few against the nianv. Of Lie they have even claimed that thev arc foil.win;; in the footsteps of till!

EAIILY IJUERAL LEADERS. -I The;, -av thai they are in accord with lb- principle:, enunciated bv the late ■ lo'iu l!ii!lan-e. A moment's reflection will i onviiicc ymi that this is not so. .'" 1 ■! il.illaiice \,.is a .man whose heart. "'■l- with the people. lie saw clearly (hat the ]iroL're-s and happiness of the peopie i Id alone be truly secured by the -pread of democratic ideas, that for a people to he truly great, there liiii-i he in the hands of 'the people the power in ci,nl in] and direct govcrnni'at. I' is a-ionishing how much the Com-.•■ -\.il !ve party find to admire ill Libera! .:al(-m.-n —when thev are dead. We have recently had this 'exemplified in a :"-rv"l!oii- degree in this Domin- | ion. John Parlance was like all tnu- I bib");.!-, i believer in the progress of thotighi ai,d pniiiical action. He. knew full w.dl lhal there could be no halting ahum' the road. Every reform effected op' i- no :!:, v :iv to'new fields of action, for i:i politics, as in other things. il '■• ':■:■■■■ "ihal where the vanguard '.'■•' •' I'iar shall camp (n----ni-i'. i-o-v." \,i: .bilin liallance could ir■•>'■ '• have b-i ;; a Conservative, and the ::r n ..lio are in I lie true line of th" l.i'e-i-.' -in .-;--ion are not. the men «1m '■■'•■■ i a : .-nl and scorned those liiil\ -at li'iniaiiitariau measures wlii.l, !. made Xew Zealand a herald In i he eat ion.-, but the men who with piT-i-lence an I courage took up tile i la-': " ■!' b;i ! ali'-ive and Richard Scil'i'"' 'a : ' i d-- ■!!. an I who to-day are pb" ; "': ui'i.n I ie Slalule l'.ook enlightie .1 ■'• !.■■!'-!'.■. lit legi-lalioii. The people !• mm- their men, and the people will, i i1..n0! not. s( a ,id true to those who hive be. 11 I rue to them. Let Tavan.i!,; do 1-r part. There lies (1,,. way of dulv f..r its. \\" r v T'-:\A]'.LF. THEORY. All' I !'' of Ihe marvellous theories ;i'!\a:i.-i,l bv 1 ie Opposition is that, they arc the ' ■ in- evpinieiits of the principles "f I be "i'"a! baid-rs of British Liberal's»'. tli.il ibc-i are (he true disciples of men like Cob! .„. Rright and fllailstoiip. How fi'iacii ;- a contention! These men ever sfo.,d for the rights of Hie : ; ■ ' ■■ ' I lii.eigli long years to reach ihe ideal of a' full and perfect democracy. f suppose the supreme, lest of l.ib.-r li=in in recent days has' Ibcm Ihe tremendous struggle, recently' waged in the Homeland between the forces of democracy and* the power of

J hereditary privilege. The struggle between the House of Lords and the i House of Commons we.?, the cukninaj tion of yea: - s of strenuous conflict, i Again and again have the waves of jdemocracy hi a ten against the hoary /walls of the House of Lords, only to bj hurled back baffled and broken. But victory has come at last—the people have won. The struggle was watched with intense interest from these shores, and the heart of every true Liberal was with the men so heroically fighting the people's battle. Where did the section of the press of this Dominion that are continually preaching the true Liberalism of the Opposition stand —these papers that stand for and uphold the Opposition? Where were they? On the side of the people, sending, a cheer across the waters to help on the fight? No: not they! They were, as they ever have been and will for ever be. in open sympathy with the House of Lords, upholding class privileges blocking the progress of true democracy. The New Zeaalnd Herald, the Dominion, the Press, the Taranaki Herald—every one of them uphold a body that for fifty years had thwarted Liberal legislation, measure upon measure rejected or so mutilated as to be unrecognisable. Away with the pretensions of the Opposition! These their mouthpieces proclaim most truly what they really are — Tories in thought and purpose; Liberals never. I I will now for a few moments direct your attention to the tactics of the Opposition in this electorate at.the last j eU'C'tion. -, The tactics pursued were oh , these line: The Taranaki Herald professed to recognise the good work done by the Government,' but at the same time urged the electors to vote for the Opposition candidate, not to turn the Government out of office, but to strengthen the Opposition and thus put a check on progressive legislation. The Opposition candidate also advocated the same line of conduct, saying at a meeting held at Fit/.roy on November 15, BIOS, that "he did iiot wish to put the Government out of office.'' How much reliance could be placed on this statements is shown by the fact that from that time the Taranaki Herald has been constantly attacking the Government until to-day it stands in open antagon- ' ism to them, whilst Mr. Okey during the last three year* has never lost an opportunity, whenever a crucial division ; lias been taken in the House, of voting against the Government, doing his best | to turn them oil' the Treasury benches. It has hern said that "it a politician deceives urn once, that's his fault: if yos are led astray by him a second time, the fault's vniir own." DO NOT BE DECEIVED. J I Do not be deceived -the Opposition ex- I 'is!.* to overthrow the Government. For a member of the Opposition to say, "I , do no.t wish to turn the Government out of olliee" i* the sheerest political humbug. If you are deceived by statements like this your political education is woefully deficient. T do not for a moment suppose that Air. Okey will make the same statement now. It served a purpose last election: now something else I must take its place. I have no doubt I that you will be told by Air. Okey that I he is in sympathy with and will support I the "humanitarian legislation" of the I GovwneciH. In fact, he has already said so in the House. Now, doesn't that really sound nice? How kind and generous! Mr. Okey surely ought to be on the Government side and not on the Opposition. Hut, stop a moment! Does it ever occur to Air. Okey that if you had no Liberal Government you would have no humanitarian legislation? His leader. Mr. Massey, made it very apparent that he. at any rate, was not built that way. and hi> whole career as a politician confirm* what he said. The only terms in which Mr. Alassev could de- , scribe the Budget of lftll—the most humanitarian Budget ever presented to' Parliament -the Kudget of which Mr. Okey said he would support the "hu- I manitai-ian proposals"—were that it was J I nothing but a "vote-catching contrivance." Mr. Okey's support wouldn't] | count for much when he had assisted i Air. .Massey to put the Government out of olliee. A'ou may rely upon it that I the day the Opposition came to power, j on that day the deah-knell of humanitarian legislation will be sounded in this land. But. my friends, that day is a long way oil'. For twenty years have they wandered in the wilderness. Let us 'hope that, like Israel of old. they may for another twenty tread the same desert paths. THE DAIUV KEGt'LATrONS. I now wish to briefly touch upon another subject that loomed largely at the last (lection. I refer to the famous j dairy regulations. A'ou all know how much capital was made out of these regulation*. The farmer was to be oppressed, the Government were ruining the dairy industry. And yet time has falsified every one of these predictions. The Government has-gone on its way helping the dairy industry and doing its best for the farmer. All the farmer's fears have proved to be groundless. There is no cow tax: n« inquisitorial in-, spcetion. We have admittedly at the head of the Department- in the Hon. i Thomas Alackenzie the best and most enthusiastic Minister of Agriculture the country has had. and I doubt not but that the electors of the sister Taranaki

I constituency will <lo honor to themj sclvis iiiul TiiViiiiiiki by returning him i as their n prcsc illative. 1 THE lIINK CUAIKJICS. ■ I ]mv|:<>.-'' at tliis juncture to a-k yon • to coiisidi r one or two of tli" charges , !( vt lied against, the Government by the - Opposition. The iiiost f.unons of these, as well as the most recent, are what am known as the "Iline charges" and the "Alokau seandal." The first of these charges was made by one of the 'Taranaki members, .Mr. Iline, and were undoubtedly forinnlaled with the express purpose of proving the Government to be hopelessly corrupt and in complicity with men who were exploiting the public chest. Mr. Tlinc said, ''l will electrify (he country.-'-bnt the country still pursues the even tenor of its way, and the Government still sits on the seat of power. Von all know the historv of these charges- how after the closest investigation the Government came through with absolutely clean hands. Mr. Iline certainly did render the country a signal service—if not the service he had Imped for—in demonstrating to the world that New Zealand 1 ■•* a Government free from any reproach of Tammanyi-m or corrupting proclivities. The net result of the Hine charges, in my judgment, was (hat the country was put to a very considerable expense to prove what every unprejudiced man knew well, that the Government had done no wrong, and to administer a kick to those whom the electors had already given a knock-out blow. TIIK AIOKAU "SCANDAL" We now arrive at the great coup'of the Leader of the Opposition, the Alokan '.'scandaj/' The Leader of the Opposition, as you are aware, denounced in most outspoken terms "the gang of speculators.'' nearly all of whom were supporters of his own party. Insinuation and innuendo were made against the. Government, and the electors were promised a startling sensation. Hut what do we find arc the real factor Air.l Ahissey and his own party, who in the past have unreservedly condemned the Government for acquiring land, now lind fault with them for not having done so. This block of land, owned by natives, tied ii]) with long leases, and the subject, of endless litigation, has been acquired by a syndicate, who are having it surveyed and cut up and loaded. 'The land, if not at present, will ali.iost at once be made available for the settler, and another block to the progress of Taranaki removed. The hunt will be made productive and the interests of the district furthered. It is true that speculators have made a handsome profit, but it must be remembered that they held the kev to the whole position b'v being the holders of the leases. 17 one may judge from what is said by those well qualified to speak, the syndicate are not in for a "big thing." 1 gather from the speeches of Opposition members that the gravamen of their charge 1 against the Government to-day is that "instead of the bona lide settler obtaining the land on the best possible terms, they were now in the hands of a body of exploiters and speculators who would naturally expect to make a good profit out of the transaction, whereas if the Crown had purchased settlement could have proceeded on much more favorable terms." That, I believe, to! be altogether contrary to the truth. I believe that the course taken, in its wisdom, by the Government, is the best one. and will in the end prove to .have been right. Let us for a moment suppose that the Government had purchased this land. What would have happened? Would they not have had to contend in turn with the native owners (who. it is generally conceded, have under all the ciruiinstanccs obtained a fair price for '.heir land), the owners of the lease, and Air. Joshua Jones, who claims large rights in this land? Settlement would have been blocked for years, and the development of the mineral-bearing part of the country retarded . I was much interested the' oilier day in reading Air. lline's address to notice these words: '■lf the Crown had bought it—and they could have bought it just as easily as anyone else—they would have retained the whole mineral rights, and they all knew how rich the Alokau was in minerals, rich in coal, and probably in gold and petroleum/' It's simply refreshing to lind an Opposition member advocating State ownership of these things. But what does Air. Massey and the Fanners' Union say about it? STOK TO DEATH. OF CARPING AND CANTING. T think you will agree with me that the •ountry is sick to death of the carping, cavilling criticism of the Opposiion. We want something better than this. The Leader of the Opposition appears to have developed the critical at the expense of the constructive, and to-day stands a politician bereft of initiative. If, a> Era Hibbard says, "the highest rewards and honors are to-day bestowed on those possessed of initiative, and that initiative consists in knowing the right thing and doing the right thing at the right time," then in view of past experience how Hopeless and disconsolate, is the lot of the Opposition! OPINIONS OF FEARLESS "MEN. _ There never has been in the Farlia-j ment of New Zealand a more fearless and outspoken critic that the late Air. T. E. Tavlor. He was one of whom it might be'said he feared not the face of any man. If there had been anything in the administration of the Government calling for condemnation Air. Taylor would have spoken out with no uncertain voice. But we find that the last great speech delivered by him in the House- was made in defence'of the Government. Air. L. AI. Isitt, who succeeded Air. Taylor as member for Christchurcli North, has been equally outsjioken. lu h recent speech during the Budget debate, he said: "But I am happy in this eoiivic-. tfore that they (his friends)' believe in my love for the right and my determination to speak out fearlessly what t believe to be true, and I want, to-night, through, the medium of this House, to tell those men and women throughout the length and breadth of the Dominion that there is no bribery, no corruption, no maladministration; there is no political graft; that Ministers of the Crown are shamefully libelled; and men and women, New Zealand through-, should turn a- deaf car to these cowardly untruths." With these words 1 turn from the subject, I know that the sense of fair play inherent in- every Britisher will lead you to treat the makers of these charges as they deserve to be. THE- STRONG POINTS OF THE- GOVERNMENT, Touching on what he believed were the strong,- salient points of the Ward Administration, i.e., its financial policy and its broad humanitarian legislation, he contended that in matters- of i'mance. despite, what the Opposition say, the Government have pursued a safe line of policy, and that as the result* of that policy the financial affairs- of the Dominion are to-day in a most prosperous condition. All sorts of wild misrepresentations have betn made, hut the real facts give the lie to these utterances. The net public debt on March 31, 1!)11, ;was- £79,837,388. Of this .debt a very j large amount had-'been incurred -for construction of- railways, -Joans to' settlers and workers, loans to- local Bodies-, the purchase of lands for settlement, ami V, ■ flCbtttfi'mred: on- page 7.)< ,

(Continued from page 3.)

i other useful purposes. When the! \ Liberal party tame into power in 18)11,, ) mom than 51 per eent. of tlie piiHi'lic iildlit was non-iiiieicft't bearing, whilst at the present time only some "•> per cent, 'is non-interest hearing, the remaining OS per cent, being directly or indirectly interest bearing. During the last twenty, years £B<s out of ever £IOO borrowed lias been self-supporting. The interest on borrowed moneys ■per head of popula- | tion in IfiDl was '£2 Ms 3'/ 4 d; in 1011 it had fallen to £2 Ills f)'/ 4 d. When the Liberal Government i*iok office the noiv interest hearing part of our debt cost every man. woman, nm'l child in the community 2.Ss per head; -to-day the same deM, only entails a cost of 18s "'/yd per head. This result is due to three factors, the increase in population, the decrease in the price of money, a«d that money borrowed in recent years 'has been spent •ii|»ii reproductive purpose*. The candidate also touched on the recent £5,000,000 loan. The Opposition do not condemn borrowing, a very large propor--Ikm voting against n motion made' by a member of iliat party to reduce one loan by £200,000.

THE Fl'liLlC DEBT EXTINCTION ACT

of WlO was a measure that, he said, would eventually prove to be an inestimable boon to the Dominion. Under this Act provision is made for the extinction of the Dominion's debt, the accumulated sinking futtfls being set a.side for the u*e of settler*, workers and local bodies. This scheme is well within the capabilities of the Dominion. CHARGES Ol" EXTRAVAGANCE.

It had been allegid against the Government that they have been extravagant in their expenditure. In 1000 the annual expenditure was £7,122,340. This year it is £f1,343.100, an increase of £2,200.000 in round figures. During that time the expenditure on the Railway Department has increased iu round figures by £700.000. but the income during the same period iuereasul in this department by £1,000,000. Postal expenditure increased by £350,000. but the revenue grew nearly £700,000 larger. Old age pensions increased by £IOB.OOO, education £210,01)0. subsidies to local bodies, etc., absorbed an additional £200,000, leaving something like £330,000 increase in all the other State departments. In the same period our population increased by 120,000. TAXATION".

In reference to taxation, the candidate [ said: —In this country no direct taxation] is paid by any person with an income of not more than £3OO per annum. He may own laud of the unimproved 1 value of £5(10 without paying land tax. The I customs taxation is largely derived from j articles that are more or less luxuries. The policy of the Government has always been to ea-c the burden of taxation on, those least able to hoar it. Reductions! have been made, and in many cases the

duties altogether abolished up m articles of everyday use. The revenue has shown sign* of gnat buoyancy, indicating tli? prosperity </f the country. lUMAXITAHIAX LEGISLATION". We now come to consider what I believe, to lie the greatest of the achievements of the Liberal Government: | Those great- humanitarian measures which have brought New Zealand to prominently before the nations. The Old Age Pensions Act stands as an enduring monument to the sagacity and forethought of the party. Its " henefieient effects have been so widely felt that today no man it. The extension of the principle of this measure to hvlp the widows and orphans has my heartiest bupport. Jt has met with the most generous recognition. Even our Opposition I friends have to admit its desirability. Thanks to the Government provision has . now been mad,- for the help-of the widow in her hou.- of trial. The National Provident Fund, enabling a man earning less than £2OO per annum, to make provision I for old age and for a-shting those dependent upon liirn in case of his death, will, as it becomes more fully understood, be more largely availed 'of. The various Acts relating to factories, securing more especially to our young people clean sanitary conditions, providing against unju-t conditions and''helping to make the lot of the workers more pleasant, has accomplished much good. The Workers' Compensation Act is another of those measures tliat have so-, cured a meed of justice to the workers. 1 Instead of the worker who had the misfortune to meet with accident being thrown U)>oii his resources or on the, charity of the benevolent, proper and adequate provision is made to meet hi< need. In the case of death'the widow I and children are provided for. CONCILIATION AND 'AIiIUTRATION. ' The bringing into force of the. principles of conciliation and arbitration for' the settlement of industrial disputes has' on the whole been greatly lienclicial. The Arbitration Court. I am'aware, has been -trough- assailed in sol petrters. I I believe the principle to be risjht. and l whin the present apparent discontent has died away, will be more strong]v upheld than ever before. At anv rate for seventeen years Xew Zealand' lias been more free from strikes than anv other civilised country on the face' of the earth. I

T.AXI) SETTLKMKXT. I Tlie Land Settlement, l-"iii;uu-c \ct i-' another of thn.r Act.- wliit-h „,av well lie termed hiuiiiinitariiui. It makes it 1 possible for a orniip „f s«tiler- with com-1 parativcly .-mall canihil to purchase a ' block of land upon which they mav make for themselves a home. Tlie Coy- 1 eminent guarantees the purchase money I ami the settler has 21 years in which to pay for hi- farm. This, c-omliiuocl with the establishment of a system of co- I operative banking farmers, must prove of la-tiiy advantage to the people, i It will help many a man on t.i the land ' m the future as it has in thv past. It 1 is the intention of the l.'overnmcil to' improve ami extend the facilities for set- ! tiers <i!)taiiiin.r rami- of improved land ! in family "■roups under thi- svtem. In I this they have mv h:artic-t support j The Oppo-ition will tell von thai the Coveniineiit has ~„ | illl( l Hiii-e them to he tin. enemies 0 V the free-j hold. Ihesi statements are altogether l >»--»n-'vl. In the l.and Act of IS!t> two' out ot three tenures vave freehold tenure j and the same provision i- to be found in ! the Act of I'.IOS. I have always been a I -upportw of the optional -v-icm. To the man who wants freehold I would! jjivc the freehold with reasonable limit,.-1 lions a- to area, based „,„•;„ thl , (Jlllllilv '.'l the land 0.-enpiuj. What is known as l the 0.1 i.P. lease is eminently suited to' the man who is unable to find the necessary capital and desires to secure to himself (he ri»ht to eventually purchase the freehold. This is really an adaptation oi the deferred payment -vstem, only the terms are superior for the 1 farmer, who can obtain the freehold after ten years, and he pays only ,i per cent, on the value of his holding These two tenures- the cash purchase and the occupation with the riirlit to purchase—|f!ive the undoubted ri»ht to the freehold. ; 'I lie third tenure i- that of the 111. years' j renewable lease. The rental is lix'ed on 'a i per cent, ba-is and provision is made | for the protection of improvements, and 1 for the renewal of the lease at the end ! of the term. There is also the Improved ( Tarni .Settlement tenure, empowering the

land board, with the consent of thel Minister, to place landless men without! capital upon the land. The Government I 'finds the necessary capital for felling) litnd grass seed and gives a small sum to-j wards the cost of erecting a whare, etc. ;0n :tlio-minis so advanced 4 per cent, inI terest has to he paid. J question whether any .other country makes better provision for people getting on to the land thaji is made in this country.

Regarding the L.1.P., lie was prepared to give the freehold to L.I.P. settlers who are anxious lo obtain it upon a fair .and equitable basis. As far a* he could I judge the fair thing to do would be to put thorn in the same position as the ;G.R-P. .num. EXDOWAIENTS. I am altogether in accord with the policy of national endowments for purposes of public utility, and 1 should str.ojigly oppose any attempt to interfere wi.tli UiL'%. ROADS AND BRIDGES. J aIuiII .always be found supporting an active progressive policy in this direction. 'The importance of good roads cannot be overestimated. The opening up successfully ,of Taranaki's hinterland is involvid in this. The Government has done a great de.nl in roading and bridge work, but I confess, that I should very much like to see more attempted. The Opposition accuses the Government of neglecting. the interests of the settlers and refraining from expending the votes made for roads and bridges. While there may be some color of truth in j their allegations, it must not be forgot- j ten that the Government has done mucin and it will he my unfailing purpose;' in ; or out of the House, to urge on a vigor-1 mis policy in the construction of roads .aid bridges. RAILWAYS. The necessity of completing the railway system of the Dominion is unques-1 tioned. To New Plymouth the pushing j on with all celerity of the railway line; between Stratford and the Main Trunk line is of paramount importance. The Government has shown considerable enterprise in the prosecution of the work from the Stratford end, and already the settlers for .'JO miles in are reaping the' benefit of what lias been done. The work has been pushed on in the past and will no doubt he carried on with energy. The opening up of the coal measures and other mineral-bearing country in the vicinity of the Tangarakau will be of great benefit to the whole district, and must be accomplished as speedily as pos-1 sible. The policy of the Minister of j

[ Railways in ensuring that the railways , should return the needful 4 per cent. • interest upon their cost commends itself . to the country, and is an answer to those . who in the past would have put our rsiil- , I ways under the control of a board of j commissioners. I hold the view that our railway employees should be paid' an i adequate remuneration, and I hope that , something more might bo. done for the i' men receiving the lower rates of pay. .' NATIVE LANDS.

i A great deal has been heard about the , inaction of the Government in their . dealings with the native lands. According to a statement made by the Native .Minister, twenty years ago there were, roughly, 11,000.000 acres of native land; to-day this had ' been reduced, to ' 7,000,000 acrs>, of which.. only 190,000 I were without a title. In all the natives 'I had sold 4,000,000 acres and leased . 3,(900,000, leaving some 3,000,000 acres, of j which a lot was useless land, mountain ' j tops and lake, areas. This, shows a ; I great deal has been accomplished, but ' i more undoubtedly remains to be done. ' I The time has arrived, in my opinion, 1 1 when the Maori should take up the bur- ■' den of individual responsibility, the same f as his pukeha brother. Already there are signs of a better state of things for the 1 ! Maori. The Young New Zealand Party • has been active hi the new propaganda. s Such lajids as is required for the natives ' should be allocated io them, the rc'l mainder being sold or leased as may bo. ' most expedient. The time is ripe 1 lor a l , big forward move. " | KDUCATJOX. ■ lam a support! rof the existing system of education. The money spent "on ■■ education is the best spent money. The - remuneration of some of the country ' teachers is altogether inadequate, and - something. : S liould he done for them. '! There should he equal pay for equal ser- ', vice anil a fair payment for the work • done. ■| THE I'PPER HOUSE. ■/ As n democrat I favor the election of • the L'pper House. I am not at all ccr•tom Uuf that the best solution of this : question would be a combination of the •■nominative and elective systems, a' proportion of the members being elected by the members of the Lower House LAND TAX. I 1 approve of the imposition of a graduated land tax for the purpose of , bursting „,, j.„. ge t , stlltoSj not for , revi mie, 1 would make the burden of taxation a s light as possible for the bona-fide occupier of land. For the land monopolist 1 have no time. [ THK ADVAXCES TO SETTLERS ACT. There has been loaned out to the people under this system over .€10,000.000 since its inception, at low rates of interest and with perfect security. \ In speaking at Winton last night the' Prime .Minister >:iid that last year .t'2,400 OO.'I was loaned to the settles of Xew Zealand, and that for the first .-ix months U.4(10.000 had ken advanced. These figures have an eloquence of their own an eloquence that must appeal to the' 1 people and convince them that the <{ovcrnmcnl is worthy of their support We have only to reflect a moment to realise how great would have been the loss this country would have sustained had the Opposition been able to thwart at its commencement the introduction of this scheme. The bitter opposition displayed hy Mr. Masscy and his henchmen is a matter of history. As on many other occasions their predictions of evil have* been falsilied. MILITARY TRAIXIXa. !

I mi m sympathy with the proposals that have become law in reference to the military training 0 f our youths ami young men. The success of the movement will largely depend upon the com-HKriise-n-ie adniinisl ration of tli ■ law. I am of opinion that there ought to be a conscience clause for hona-iide conscientious ohjectors. Men like the Quakers, lor instance, who are men of liigh principle and a credit to any nation, must hv considered and allowed to perform some other service to the State i:i lieu of military service. uOexsixu.

I'pon both the national and local issue J stand where I have for many years stood—a supporter of the bare or alisolule majority. The candidate then proceeded to review Taranaki, its prospects and its needs and alter referring again to the latnity of the claims of the Opposition, sat down amidst considerable applause. I" reply to oucstions, Mr. JSelhinger said that he would not he in favor of increasing the His per week payable 1' r o|.| age pension-, but would be in ViUoi nf reducing the age from li:> years lo HO for women, lie was not in favor | of any legislation that inicrfered with I leyiliimite sport and pastimes. Mi- did not know, the fee charge hv I'nctois for Hi,, examination of TcrriI torials. nor did he know if tenders were I called from doctors for this purpose. I J'rovi-ion-. were already made in the law- for in-anitary buiidings t0 be de-

stroyed. Their destruction or otherwise depended on the sanitary inspectors of < the town. ; Mr. Pi. Cock proposed a vote of thanks \ to Mr. Bellringev. also that this coin- J inunity has every confidence in the ad- i ministration of the present Government. 'ln moving the resolution, he referred to ) the work that the present Government I had done for the bom-lit of the masses ] in removing the duties oil' the iieces.sar- I

ies of life and putting the taxes on to those able to pav them. He was pleased to be able to pav if himself, and hoped they would all be able to do so. .Mr. Asher, in seconding, referred to the great part labor was taking in the politics of all civilised countries, and it behoved cverv working man to be very careful. Tf they put the same enthusiasm, grit and voting power into the election as they did when the late Mr. E. M. Smith was returned time and again, the return of the Government candidate was certain. The motion was carried on a show of hands. A vote of thanks to the chairman, terminated the proceedings.

.All!. FORRES AT EGAIOXT VILLAGE. Mr. AV. Forbes addressed the electors at Egmont Village on Tuesday evening, and met with a most attentive hearing. Air. Dewhirst occupied the chair. The candidate spoke for an hour and a half, and gave his hearers a very able and- instructive address.' He said he would satisfy the electors of Taranaki electorate before he had gone, very fiir that he was the best man, and it was the duty of the people to return to the House a man who could take his place with the best of them, a man who had the strength and courage to face the vital questions in a business manner. He considered that the reckless policy of borrowing money without in 'any way preparing to do without borrowing was enough to condemn the Government, and went on to show how in carrying out the public works the administration could have lirst, of all secured the land, and after its value had been enhanced could have sold it to the settler at a fee that would enable the man on the land to make a living and at the same time pay off the national debt, instead of increasing it. He held that the contract system would be better than the present co-operative system, which he slid was no good to the worker, no good to the country, and w.is the .cause of our railways costing from three to four thousands a mile more than they should. He showed plainly that he had a thorough grip of the requirements of the j country, and. after touching on numerous questions on the same lines as at Inglewood, he concluded by asking those present not only to vote for him but l to work to secure his return, so that the district which was capable of producing three times as much and of carrying I three times the population would have its interests guarded by an abler and : more progressive member. Mr. Orr, in ' moving a vote of thanks, said that Air. Forbes had given them the ablest and I most instructive political address it had I ever been his pleasure to listen to, and he was quite sure that after hearing the ! candidate speak the 'electors would' give I him the, support which he-was worthy I of. The chairman, in closing' the meet- . ing, said that from what he knew of Mr. Forbes personally and from his speech, he was quite confident that as a candidate he would give them a good go for their money. A vote of thanks, to the candidate and chairman brought j a most successful meeting to a close. ' THE STRATFORD SEAT. A large number of farmers and a number of ladies turned out to hear Air. Iline speak at Huirangi on Tuesday evening. As in his previous speeches. Air. Hine criticised the actions of the nrescnt Government and ablv placed the Reform party's platform before his audience who gave him a most attentive hearing. At the conclusion of the aildrcrf a motion according Air. Hine a hearty vote-of thanks for his able and int'-n's'ini' address was carried in a most . enthusiastic manner. After the meetl ing a verv slroiur committee was" formed to further Mr. Mine's interests.