POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 136, 30 November 1911, Page 7

POLITICAL.

MR. BELLRINGER'S CANDIDATURE. At Lepperton on Monday evening Mr. Bellringer addressed about fifty electors, and received a vote of thanks and confidence. On Tuesday night he gave an address at Frankley road, about fifty attending, a vote of thanks and confidence being carried. Last evening a meeting of the general committee was held in the Town Hall, New Plymouth, about 70 attending. Satisfactory reports were received, and final arrangements made for Mr. Bellringer's final meeting on Wednesday next at the Theatre Roval.

MR. OIvEY'S ADDRESSES. Or Monday night Mr. H. Okey gave an address at Egmont Village, when there were about 00 or 70 electors present, in spite of the counter attraction of the. Premier's speech at Inglewood. Mr. Arthur Morton presided, and at the conclusion of the address Mr. Dewhirst proposed a vote of thanks, Mr. Okey preferring that confidence Bhould be left to the ballot to the candidate, which was seconded by Mr. Bufrows and carried unanimously.

On Tuesday afternoon about sixty ladies assembled at the Good Templar Hall at tho invitation of Mr. Okey. Miss Pardy presided. The candidate dealt chiefly with the administration, the cost of living, and the no-license question. Ife expressed himself in avor of universal old-age pensions, -lit admitted that was impossible at irescnt. Yet he thought that if the administration of affairs was sound and economical the Dominion would be able to assist the thrifty and extend the benefit of the pensions to those who, through careful management, had been .able to provide themselves with a home and a few hundred pounds. He suggested that import duties should be taken off all foods and cotton goods in overy-day use, and pointed out that if the duty on the latter were removed Ms would go as far as £1 does now. On the no-lieense question lie said he was not prepared to go so far as some of his audience, possibly; he thought the bare majority would be a mistake; but lie wouid not go back from what was already the law. At the conclusion of his address Miss Sole moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Okey for his interesting address. Miss Pardy, in seconding this, asked the mover to add a vote of confidence in Mr. Okev, which was agreed to, and the amended motion was carried with hearty applause. A vote of thanks to Miss Pardy for presiding brought a very enthusiastic meeting to a close.

Mr. H. Okey addressed a very good meeting at Fitzroy on Tuesday evening, and received a most attentive hearing. Mr. J. Tisch occupied the chair. The candidate dealt at considerable length with the Mokau affair, his remarks being reported elsewhere. At the conclusion of his address lie answered a number of questions satisfactorily. A hearty vote of thanks and confidence was moved by Mr. A. W.- Wood, and seconded by Mr. G. Colson. This was carried by a good majority. In. thanking the meeting for the vote, Mr. H. Okey referred to the dissentients, stating that he liked » little opposition. Every man was entitled to an opinion, and a litle opposiion had the effect of keeping a member up to his duties.

MR. lIIXE'S CANDIDATURE, Despite the awkward hour of midday, a good number of settlers rolled up at the schoolhouse, Purangi, on Honda}-. As Mr. Hine had to gut back to Stratford by 3 o'clock, he had to say a lot in a short time. Mr. Hine touched ,upon the main questions of the day and handled the administration of the Government severely. He also spoke upon the Mokau land affair and showed that by the Government allowing a syndicate to buy the block, settlers would have to pay £3 per acre for the land, whereas if the Government had purchased it the land could have been sold for £1 per acre. 'Mr Hine was listened to very attentively, and was frequently applauded. A motion of thanks and confidence in Mr. Hine and no-confidence in the Ward Government was carried unanimously. Cheers were given for Mr. Hine. and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman (Mr. A. H. Barnctt).

On the evening of the 27th Mr. Hinc addressed a large meeting of settlers in tno Matau school. Mr. M. Cassy was voted to the chair. From the first Mr. Hine carried the meeting with liiin, and explained that a private member had very little chance of bringing in a Bill, and could only object to clauses in Bills brought forward by the Government. Mr. Eine also went into the Mokau land cake and showed how the Government could, when it suited their own case, break their own laws. A large number of questions were asked the candidate. amongst them being the cost of the Hine enquiry. This he stated to be £549. This amount was questioned, and stilted to be much more, but Mr. Hine showed the figures in the Budget, which he handed round for perusal. A motion of thanks and confidence, and no-confidence in the Ward Government, was carried with about six dissentients. Three cheers were given for Mr. Hine very heartily. Supper was then handed round bv the ladies, who had assembled in force. —Contributed.

MR. McCLUGGAGE'S CANDIDATURE. Mr. J. McCluggage mot tlio electors iit Tariki Hall on Tuesday evening, and ( delivered a second address. The hall was well filled, Mr. Harkness being voted to the chair. Mr. McCluggage touched oil new ground in this address, and mentioned that the. Reform Party's'attitude on most of the important Bills introduced for the farmers' benefit was certainly not in ,keeping with the policy they now advocate, nor was their nttitude in sympathy with the measures when they were before the House. He instanced the Land for Settlement Hill and the Advances to Settlers Act. on which measures the Opposition voted almost solidly against. The Party now own they arc good measures, and neitlier of them would be repealed if they were in power. The candidate also mentioned that while thci Old Age Pensionliill was going through the House the Opposition severely opposed it. This was also the. ease when Sir Joseph Ward introduced the humane, amendments to this Act last year, whereby any widow, irrespective of age, if she has one or more children under 14 years of age, would received assistance from the State. For this measure alone, lie stated. Sir Joseph deserved the confidence of tlio people of this Dominion at the polls, At the conclusion of his address Mr. McCluggage was asked, and answered satisfactorily, several questions. He wsis then accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his address, which was carried unanimously.—Contributed.

HON. MACKENZIE'S CANDIDATURE. There was an audience of between 15Q and 160 at the Kapuni Hall oil Tuesday evening, when Mr. T. Mackenzie delivered an address to the electors. Mr. D. Scott was in the chair, and suitably in-

troduced the speaker. At the conclusion of ->fr, Mackenzie's address Mr. R. Clements moved a hearty vote of thanks for the a hie speech that, they had listened to. It was the most interesting political deliverance he had been privileged to hear. He had heard Sir Robert Stout and Sir Harry Atkinson speak, but their speeches could not compare in excellence with that that had been delivered that night. (Applause.) Mr. J. Byrne seconded the motion, which was carried amid applause. The chairman, in putting the resolution, said the great merit of Mr. Mackenzie's speech was the absolute absence of all personalities and the able exposition of the political problems of the day. (Applause.)— Contributed.

MR. O'DEA AT MOSSTOWX: Mr. O'Dea had a splendid meeting at Mosßtown on Tuesday night, the schoolroom being crowded. Mr. J. Dempsey presided. The meeting was one of the most enthusiastic the candidate has yet held. At the conclusion Mr. O'Dea was accorded, on the motion of Mr. Nicholson, seconded by Mr. Mason, a vote of thanks and confidence, without a dissentient voice and amid hearty applause. A vote of thanks to the chairman coneluded a most successful meeting. Mr. O'Dea is assured of very_ solid support in this district, and the. poll is likely to be a heavy one.—Contributed.