THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 147, 16 November 1914, Page 3

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

DR. M'XAB AT HASTINGS. By Tebgraph—Per Press Association. Hastings, November 14. Dr. M'Xab, Liberal candidate for the Hawke's Bay seat, addressing a crowded meeting at the Princess Theatre last night, approved of the Legislative Council Bill providing proportional representation, and said that when it was thoroughly understood a great deal of op'position to that system would disappear in the Lower House. Ho severely criticised the Government for abolishing the second ballot without substituting a better system; also for legislating to deprive seamen of the privilege of selecting the electorates in which to vote to save 'Mr. 1\ M. B. Fisher. He accused the Government of going on with railway construction in the electorates of supporters and stopping construction on the Hawke's Bay-Gisborne line. He urged the need for the country preserving intact !>,000,U()0 acres of endowment lauds, and pointed out that the M'Xab Land Bill included a clause giving the holders of lease-in-perpetuity lands the right to convert to freehold." Therefore Mr. Massey was wrong in claiming to bo the first to give this right, lie said that as a means of breaking up large estates trustees should be compelled to hand over to the State land equivalent in value to the amount paid in death duties. He dealt at length with Mr. Allen's loan prospectus, saying in one swoop Mr. Allen abandoned his 21 years' contention regarding surpluses. In local option he favored the 5o per cent, majority. He was against the Bible-in-Schools referendum. Religious instruction should not be the work of the teachers. Referring to the Huntly disaster, lie said that it was too serious a matter to Buggest that any member of the Cabinet was guilty of manslaughter, but he thanked God all the faults of the Ward Government never resulted in 43 men losing their lives. He claimed that the Liberal Party was the author of the present defence system, and that he was the man who enabled the Defence Act to'be put on the statute book. On resuming his seat, Dr. M'Xab was loudly applauded, and the following resolution was carried, with a few dissentient voices: "That this meeting accords a hearty vote of thanks to Dr. M'Xab for his able address and expresses confidence in him and in the Liberal Party."

'MR. C. K. WILSON'S TOUR. To Kuiti, November 11. Mr. 0. K. Wilson, Government candidate for Taumarunui, returned last Monday from a tour of the northern end of the district, including Mairoa, Marakopa, Awaroa, Waitomo and Hangatiki. Mr. Wilson addressed thirteen meetings during the eight days' tour and had an excellent reception at all places visited. During the eight days Mr. Wilson covered over -200 miles. The candidate proceeded to Kopaki and addressed the settlers there. Yn: .laggard presided. From there he went to Mangapehi, receiving votes of confidence in himself and tinReform Government. Mr. Wilson is now on his way to Waitara.

THE I'AHIATtJA SEAT. Pahiatua, November 14. Mr. J. D. Matthews, the official Liberal candidate, had a good hearing, lie contended that the present Government had not done all it should to help settlement along the stops that should be taken to ioree tlie breaking-up of big estates. He strongly supported the present system of secular education, and advocated teachers being paid according to ability and not on the attendance. lie condemned .Mr. Hiley's railway appointment, and declared that civil servants were discontented. He believed that if Sir Joseph Ward had been in power the Admiralty naval agreement would have been carried out. The Reform Government had not carried out its pledges, and settlers found difficulty in getting advances. A vote of thanks and confidence was unanimously carried.

POLITICAL POINTS. A peculiar feature of the elections is the number of small farmers who are offering a.* candidates on the Liberal Side. It seems as though tile farmers are at last waking up to the fact that the Liberals are not. and never 'have, been, the enemy to the small farmers that the large landholder!) have replesented them to be. If the small farmer will put on his thinking cap. and pay a little consideration to the Liberal 'legislation of the past twenty years he cannot but recognise that whatever legislative benefits have accrued to farmers are due to Liberal legislation, much of which was hotly opposed by the Opposition of the day who 'now term themselves "Reformers.' Taranaki farmers used to return a solid, 'Liberal representation until the famous ''Dairy' Regulations" were promulgated and then the lies (hat were circulated concerning (he intentions' of the Government nearly drove a lot of fanners out of their political senses, and they changed political colour and voted' Conservative. They now know that they were told lies concerning the Daily Regulations. The small farmer has nothing in common with the big landholder, and their present alliance is an unnatural one. It appears to us that right through the Dominion a change is coming over the small farmers' political views—as indicated by the candidates they are putting forward in the Liberal interests.—Eltham Argus,