POLITICAL NOTES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 37, 3 July 1914, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES.

LIJJKUAI, MKETIN'.! AT .XIiW JL'LYMOUTU. There was u good attendance at the meeting of l-lio liberal and Labi )' Federation a-', 1 ; ;.;i : I. rroUn'blc Libera. Candida tea for the Turauaki scat were mentioned, and their chances' discussed. A further meeting will be ! h<il.d at an carlv date.

DATE OF THE ELECTIONS: "The date of the general election," said Mr. Massey. in reply to .Mr. T. K. Sidcv in the House, "will depend upon the date on whieli Parliament concludes its. business."

THE OTAKI SEAT.

On enquiry from Mr. VV. 11. Field, a candidate for Otaki, the Levin Chronicle learned that he lias definitely decided to stand as a supporter of the Government on no-confidence motions, but reserves to himself full independence otherwise. His reasons for takiuß this course, which lie holds to be su'.licient ones, will be disclosed to tne electors in due course.

OROUPIXO CITY SEATS.

HKPOKTKI) ABANDONMENT. An Electoral Reform Hill has been premised, and it ihas been generally considered that, this would be one of 1 lie most important provisions. It is an open secret that Cabinet is divided on 11, ie question, the chief difference of opinion between Messrs llei'dinan and FMier, both of whom are Wellington member,-. Mr Ilenlmnn i-, said to be nti'eun',ii-ly opposed to the jiroupinil. while. Mr Fisher is in f.ivnr of it. The m.itter i» lieinjj con-idc; .ibly discussed iu the lobbies, and it is perfectly nppaivit the! the (0:1:11 ry envmI bers ai'e solidly opposed to a system diircrciitiutinjr between their electorate; an d those of the eitie-.

Oppositioni-it • boldly assert that the Government will brinjr down a measure containing this provi-icn us a "hlnil'," knowing t'liat it will lip defc-.ttid by tin' «'»'iglit of liic 00unt.1T vote. Government members arc vow reticent, and Ministers will say- notliin.2; still it is almost certain that there" will he no chaug" from the -first pa-1 (.he po-t" principle for -all electora-next clcc-

OUR FIXAXC'ES. disccssiox ix the house. in the. House of Representatives oil Wednesday Mr. Myers said the Treasurer had said the surpluses of previous (iovermnents were inaccurate Mr Allen: 1 did not sav "inaccurate"; I said ''misleading." Mr Myers; Because t.hcv included past fees from Crown lands sales. The Minister bad used the word ''Unsound" with regard to the surpluses in a speech at Lawrence. Mr. Allen: [ think they were unsound.

Mr. Myers regarded the expression as an unfortunate one to proceed from the Minister of Finance, whose utterances were always taken seriously. Supposing the statcm/nt were cabled home? .

Mr. Allen: I did not refer to this present one. The present one is sound. Mr. Myers: A responsible Minister should be more careful what lie put in a prospectus. What was the position of the present Government when they took oi!i''e? in July, 11112, they had .CI .fi.W,l/1)0 available for current expenditure. As the result of the dotation of his (Mr. Myers') loan, the Minister was abb' to transfer ,£l.lb.fUM) from the Consolidated Fund to the Public Works Fund. This was the effect of the Liberal Government's administration. With the exception of €30,000, the Minister had not a single loan falling due in London during the year he took office, and there was no necessity . for Mr. Allen to go on the London market for a period of seven months. Mr. Allen: Oh, yes, there was.

Mr. Myers: Von never went till the followii^'janviavy.

Mv Allen: 1 had io pet son'.;' temporary advances. Mr Myers: That was the position al miy rati'. The State guarantee office commitments had been .relevrcd to by (lie member for Ilntt. The balance of loan commitment* was £-">.!.8-i2- New Zealand loans were regarded l with satisfaction in London, 'because of tl:f rcpr; dintive woik.s and (lie sinking; fund: which had been so bitterly oppo-cd bv th;« oilier Mile. The nienioramht a-com-p;> 11 yi ntr pnr;ic;tu-es cai'i'ied weiiihl. an! thi- genera. pood reputation of tibe countrv was due to (he solid work of the Liberal administralions, ((''beers.) Ministers, in their yi'''c-electi<ni spec-idles, had. alloyed t"rtt. Mure was wasteful expend i lure and horn-wini; would have (r be reduce I. But thev had not reduced. so that tbey bad Hot carried out their pled^e.-i.

Mr Massev: \\"e bad to borrow to pav your debt.-. Mr Mvers: When von redeem a loan you don't: add to the debt, of a count rv.

Mr .T. A. Tfnnan (Tll vereai-jji]]): What did the Trim.' Minister say at the Town llall':

Mi* Tluit wo (.ndea.vor In Iwp liorrowiiifv rr-nsoiijiliY