POLITICAL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 134, 28 November 1911, Page 5

POLITICAL

THE PREMIER. By Telegraph—Press Association. .. Auckland, Last Night. M ,„p S was received to-day concerning e Pi ime Minister's recent tour, and states that Sir Joseph Ward was well received by the settlers at Matamata on Saturday morning. - He addressed a, very large meeting near the railway station, and delivered a speech on the' lines ot his previous addresses. A vote -,of thanks and confidence l in the Government was adopted unanimously amidst great cheering. At Morrinsvill'e, he addressed 200, and the meeting heartily adopted a motion of thanks and conndence. Sir Joseph Ward spoke at Te Aroha on Saturday evening, and the audience was enthusiastic, a vote of thanks and confidence being carried.

MR. MASSEY AT WAIUKU. Wainku, Last Night. Mr. Massey continued his campaign for the Franklin seat to-day. He received a vote of thanks and confidence at two smaller meetings which he addressed in the morning and afternoon. This evening he delivered a vigorous speech at AVaiuku, the hall being packed. * Over four hundred persons were present, and many others were unable to enter the building. The Leader of the Opposition received prolonged cheering. Dealing with the snbject of the proposed coalition, Mr. Massey said the-in-tention underlying the negotiation was that the two groat political parties in the country should be brought together through their representatives in Parliament. There was an organised movement to effect this result, and he was asked to accept a seat in the Government and to persuade another member of *he Onposition to accompany !him. Ha {had written proof of his statements, and in this connection challenged the Premier to ask the Minister of Agriculture what part the latter took in the matter, •*d to repeat the opinions expressed by him with regard to the proposed coalition. The Public Debt Extinction Act, of which Sir .l'oscnh Ward was so proud, actually provided for collaring the sinking funds of the Loans to Local Bodies and the Native War loan, amounting to nearly a million. Mr. Massey save an unqualified denial to Sir Joseph Ward's statement that the Opposition hid done its best to strangle the Advances to Settlers Department. Liberal applause followed the conclusion of the speech. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried by vigorous acclamation, followed by repeated cheering.

MR. O'DEA AT OIIANGAI. FURTHER OrUT.T/PVGE TO MR. PEARC®. n Mr. O'Dea addressed a very large meeting at Ohangai on Saturday night. Mr. F. Howard presided. The candidate dealt further with Mr. Pearce's figures on the national debt. Mr. Pearce had stated that the debt was £BO per head, and was the largest in the world. Mr. O'Dea said he was prepared to prove that these statement* were absolutely 'incorrect, and ho would meet Mr. Pearce 011 the public, platform to prove the unreliability of his fieures. He thought that Mr. Pearce could .hardly evade the issues on this direct challenge. If he did the electors could judge for themselves what reliance could be placed on his statements. The greatest enthusiasm prevailed throughout the meeting, <vnd at the conclusion the candidate was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence on the motion of Mr. Kerrisk, seconded by Mr. Hamlvn. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded a splendid and most successful meeting.—Contributed.