THAT WHANGA MEETING

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 131, 24 November 1911, Page 4

THAT WHANGA MEETING

"A CORRECT AND TRUTHFUL ACCOUNT." To the Editor. Sir,—.The report of Mr. J. B. Hine's meeting held in the Whangamonv.ma Hail, which appeared in- your issue of the 20th inst., is a correct and truthful account of what took place on that occasion, and we challenge Mr. Hine to disprove any statement contained in the report. Further, if necessary, we can produce a dozen reliable witnesses to substantiate it. We notice Mr. Hine's statements made at Tarikii in reference to this matter, and, without attempting to go into details, would draw attention to the absurdity of them. Mr. Hine states there was no difficulty in electing a chairman. Well, beyond the dual nominations there was not. Again, further on, Mr. Hine states that the amendment to the vote of thanks was lost by 39 votes to 30. Now the chairman's own words were: "I count, for 39, against 36." The first issue was in favor of the amendment. Naturally the first figures must refer to the first issxie. Therefore, the amendment was carried on the chairman's own words, but the absurdity of the count lies in the fact that, although the hall was fairly packed, and contained approximately 200, there would be only. 75 people voting according to the chairman's count, whereas not more than a down or so refrained from doing so. Now, Mr. Hine states that this vote of thanks was carried with applause, Avhereas Mr. Hine and everyone else in the hall know perfectly well that this motion was never put to the meeting, which is further proof that the amendment was carried. Any unprejudiced observer must have noticed that the Liberal elemen comprised at least three-fourths of the audience.—We arc, etc.,

P. LUNDON. H. MOKDAUNT. \Yhangamomona, November 22. ANOTHER ACCOUNT. To the Editor. Sir, —In reference to Mr. Hine's Whangamomona meeting your own correspondent seems to be a very much bigoted opponent of Mr. J. B. Bine. Instead of being a stormy meeting, it was a very orderly meeting, with the exception of one of the class whom we say had a few too many drinks. There was no difficulty in getting a chairman, Mr. Iline asking the meeting to appoint a chairman, and Mr. Coxhead was nominated awl seconded. Later on Mr. Lundon was also nominated (and, by the way, he is chairman of Mr. McOluggage's committee), and he very sensibly declined.

Mr. McCutehan challenged some of Mr. Hine's figures, and Mr. Hine said if lie could prove to the meeting that his figures were not correct he (Mr. Hine) would retire from the contest. Mr. McCutchan accepted this. This was at the commencement of the address, and when Mr. McCutchaw asked him several questions he could not prove to the meeting that Mr. Hine's figures were wrong. Hence Mr. MeCutehan's acceptance fell flat. It was Mr. Stockwell who proposed a vote of thanks and Mr. McLeod who seconded, not Mr. Bacon Mr. Gleeson moved the amendment, and it took some time to get a seconder, and then Mr. Lundon was asked by some opponents of Mr. Hine to do so, and he did, otherwise the amendment would have fallen through, and on being put to the meeting the motion was declared carried bv the chairman by 39 to 30 for the amendment. Mr. Hine moved a. vote of thanks to the chairman for presiding, but your correspondent is a little deaf and' he can be excused for not hearing all, and thus ended one of the largest and one of the best political meetings held in Whangamomona. Having resided in Whangamomona for a number of years it isT a stigma on the people of Wliangamomona to allow the report to go by without a reply. I can assure you that on polling day the vote that will be recorded against the Government candidate will open the eyes of people outside Wliangamomona. —I am, etc., SMALL FARMER. Whangamomona, November 22.