POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 154, 25 November 1914, Page 8

POLITICAL.

HON. lIF.LUUKS AT ROTORUA. By Telegraph—Per Press Association. Rotorua, Last Night. A large audience greeted the Hon. Berries at Rotorua this evening. The hearing given to the Minister, though not rowdy, was not lacking in interjections, which were more than usually fall to Mr. Horries' lot in Rotorua. The

speech ran on the lines of his utterances at Tauranga and Te Aroha. He maintained that, with one or two exceptions, the pledges of the Government had been kept. He denied that the Government had promised to stop borrowing, and he claimed that loans had been raised on advantageous terms; also that long-dated loans were the beßt, as the present Treasurer would not have to trouble about the repayment, which would fall on the Treasurer fifty years or so hence, when the Dominion would probably be dealing with hundreds of millions, and the country well able to pay. The increase in expenditure was due in a large measure to increased ! salaries, or for the provision of legitimate developmental demands. The reform of the land system had been carried out to the letter, as they had given lifetenants the right to acquire the freehold at its original value, and the lease in perpetuity holders at the actual values. It was, he said, intended to grant the

freehold to Rotorua, Tc Arolia, and other native townships. In regard to native lands, the Government had stopped the purchase of such lands by syndicates, and had ceased the old haphazard system of purchasing, and were buying native lands before the construction of railways had enhanced thoir value. In nominating twelve members of the Upper House to secure reform, they were only exercising the right exercised by any Government. Defending the failure of the Government to introduce industrial insurance, he said that events at Home had shown that Mr. Lloyd-George's scheme had not proved all tiiat was expected of it, and it was wise to wait and see if such were in the real interests of workers. Regarding the strike, it had been necessary to meet force with force, and the Government had acted for the benefit of producers, and had the country

behind them. TE liis seat in the electorate depended on the action of the Government, lie wonlil be prepared to fight tlie election on that issne alone. (Applause.) •Mr. Herries tlien dealt in detail with the manifesto recently issued liv Mr. Massey. Tlie naval question was dealt with at length, 'Mr. Herries saying that Sir Joseph Ward's 1009 agreement with tlie Admiralty was a splendid one, and that it was only when the Admiralty said they could not spare a Bristol cruiser that the. Government liad purposed to build one for itself. He did not care so much whether defence was by contribution or ships, but the one firm principle must be the adequate defence of the Pacific. Tie defended his railway --oricy, saying that expenditure at terminal ports was not for the benefit of etty people, but for that of the producers, whose produce would be more expeditiously disposed of. Tn reply to a question as to whether it was in the interests of political morality that members and Ministers should vote for railway lines that; passed through their properties, Mr. Herries said toe saw 110 harm in it, so long as it did not in» urease the value of the property. Tliev knew that a railway did not always increase the value of property. (A Voice: "Herries, you're a good old chap, but von, dinkuni, were asked whether it I was right that in such cases members ] and Ministers should borrow from the ] Public Trustee Office.") He said he was not aware of that being done. It all depended 011 tlie circumstances. A vote of thanks and confidence in the Government was carried oil a show of Jiands, after vociferous affirmative and I negative cheers for Mr. Herries and the NMassey Government were given. A call I for cheers for Sir Joseph Ward met with I a mixed reception.

AT,LEX AT WAIKOUAITI. Waikouaiti, Last Night. Mr. Allen addressed a political meetj ing at Waikouaiti to-night, and was ac- ; corded a good hearing by a large, audi- | enee. lie dealt mostly with matters outlined by him in his address at Hilton, hut made particular reference to . the Omarama runs. He said an alteration had certainly hcen made in the pasI toral leasehold tenure, but, in regard to these runs, Mr. Massey was not aware they were held by absentee owners, and they would not lie allowed to be occupied by people living out of the Dominion. The Government's borrowing policy was defended, and it was argued that taxation had been reduced. The naval policy was also dealt with, and tlio Minister advor training men locally as against : • :t-i to the Home Government. A hearty vote of to Mr. lAllen and confidence in tl. Government was carried unanimously.

THE PREMIER AT CHRTSTCIIURCII. ti r, • Cbristchurch, Last Night. The Prime Minister addressed a packed audience in the Opera House to-night, hundieds of people being unable to obtain admission. Mr Massey met with a good reception, though a section of the audience, at times, created an uproar; leaving the mayor, who presided, to appeal on three or four occasions to fab I rowdy element to give the. Premier fair play Mr Massey spoke generally on the lines of Ins previous addresses of the. past week or two. He challenged anyone to prove, either by means of Hansard or public print, that any member ot the Government had ever stated that the Government would stop borrowing. » hat the Government had done was to spend borrowed money to the best purpos. He gave the statement that the Government had increased taxation by Lis Id per head an emphatic contradic-f'T-r ? lai,m ' 11 t,lat t,l( ' Government had fulfilled many of its platform pledges, and would fulfil the remainder as soon as it possibly could. Mr Massey challaiiged the N.Z. Times, or the Lyttelton Tillies to say that he used public money for his own private benefit in connection with the Waiuku railway ; proposal, and he would give them the opportunity to say it in the Supreme

A motion of thanks, and confidence in the (loverninent was declared carried. TEE WANGANUI SEAT. Wanganui, Last Night. Mr. James T. Hogan, who represented Wanganui in Parliament for six vears and who was defeated by Mr Veit'ch at last election, to-day announced his candidature for the Wanganui seat as a supporter of tho Liberal party. MR. WILSON AT AWAKINO. A correspondent writes:—About m much dependence can be placed on the promises of the Massey party aB can ba done on the highly coloured, but moat J

incorrect reports of their meetings. Already the 'Uruti meeting has been exposed in your columns as against the inspired reports of somo of your contemporaries, and now it is necessary to show the result of the Tory candidate's meeting at Awakino. That appearing in your issue of yesterday is entirely incorrect as a big section of the audience was in anything but sympathy with the speaker. The address was on similar lines to that as reported by your paper when Mr Wilson spoke at Waitara, nad was punctuated by many interjections stimulated by the statements made by the candidate, being mostly in the way of questions and

queries, none of which were replied to by the speaker. At one stage of the meeting the chairman apparently lost his head, and said he was sorry to have to name one of the audience for these interruptions. This called forth the reply that "he was doing only what is permissible in the House without descending to personalities." Question time arrived and the interjector previously referred to said the speaker had deservedly given credit to our sister Colony for the sinking of the Emden, but had "accidentally" forgotten to make any reference to the work of New Zealand's Dreadnought. The chairman then rose and said that the questioner was not to make a spcecli but to ask a question only, and that as chairman ho would seo that this was respected. The member of the audience said he had to ask the question'in his own way and then put it tersely:—"lf the candidate sold the Dreadnought as he stated lie would during his last campaign, how much of the. money received would be devoted to the Turopoto road (this is the road on which the chairman of the meeting lives and the work done on it came as rather a surprise to most people in the district, and they are still wondering how Mr Leech worked the oracle). The candidate at first denied having made the statement that he would sell the Dreadnought and use the money to metal the roads, but on being challenged admitted having said so more by way of a joke at one of his meetings last election. A Voice: Now turn a somersault and finish the circus. The chairman here seemed anxious of closing the meeting, and Mr W. Thomson moved and tin- motion was seconded that a vote of thanks and confidence be accorded the speaker. The chairman, showing his usual Reform spirit put the resolution to the meeting and declared it carried without asking if any amendment was required, also refusing to permit those opposed to the motion to express themselves in that direction, and being called on among cries and jeers to "be a sport." Tiie candidate endeavored to come to the relief of the chairman, and said lie would tell the audience a little story, but after the exposition they yrere not having any more doubtful tales, thus ended Mr Wilson's "enthusiastic" meeting. At Mokau a no-confidence motion was carried at Air Wilson's meeting. The result of the meeting at Okau will prove anything but palatable reading to the Reform party, and when verified will be in print in the course of ,a day or two.

MR. HUGHES AT PUNIIIO. * iMr. J). J. Hughes, the Liberal candidate, addressed a fair meeting at PuniHo last night, Mr. Thomas presiding, Ilis speech was along the usual lines, and wns attentively listened to. His advocacy of the abolition of toll-gates found responsive ears. A vote of thanks was carried, on the motion of Messrs Corhett and Holmes. At Mr Hughes' meeting nt Westown, the vote of thanks to this candidate was proposed by Mr Lobb, and seconded by Mrs' J. W. Garner, not as stated in yesterday's issue.