POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 157, 9 December 1914, Page 8

POLITICAL.

TITE PREMIER AT AUCKLAND. AN EXCELLENT MEETING. By Telegraph.—Per Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The Prime Minister addressed electors and others at the Alhambra Theatre tonight. The hall was crowded to tiie doors, many hundreds being unable to gain admission. The meeting, 110 doubt, was the most enthusiastic of the campaign, in spite of the fact that the Ked Eeila and Oppositionists were present, though m less numbers than previouslv. The rowdy section was for the most mrt outside the hall.

The Premier delivered a very powerful fighting speech, being frequently cheered to the echo. "I want to protest," ho said, '''against the hoodluinism that lias disgraced tba fair city of Auckland during the last Jew weeks. (Loud cheers). To-day 1 received a pile of telegrams from all parts of the Dominion expressing disgust r.t last night's proceeding:! and sympathy with Sir and Miss Bradney. (Cheers'). These occurrences are likely to do far more injury than benefit to those politically opposed to us. I have contested a "good many elections, but I want to say in regard to this • campaign that it has been the dirtiest election I have ever experienced. The weapons of our opponents seem to be slander, calumny, and misrepresentation, rather than anything in connection with the politics of .the country." i (Cheers).

Mr Massey referred to the inaccurate Press Association telegram regarding the Hon. ITerdman's meeting at Wellington. Having read the message referred to, lie said he had. not believed it, well knowing that Mr Kcrdmaa ahvaya had a good hearing in Wellington. In reply to a te'egn.m from the speaker, Mr linddle, chairman of the meeting in Wellington, wired that the statement,:? were absolutely incorrect, a large majority being with Mr Herdm-Mi, ami that he had declared the motion of confidence carried bv a big majority. (Loud cheers).

At the conclusion of the address a veto of thanks and confidence vas carried, v/ith only three dissenting (rat <*.] over one thousand, amidst enthusiasm. There was pome hooting from tljo lied ?A.'ds when Mr Masaey left the hall.

SIR JOSEPH WARD'S CAMPAIGN. A TRIUMPH IX SOUTHLAND. Oiar.tau. Last Night. Sir Joseph Ward addressed a packed gathering at Otautau to-night, over POO being present, and was accorded a most enthusiastic reception, being continually cheered. i Sir Joseph made a point of the Government's laud legislation, and their attempt to ridicule the Liberal land achievements in the past, stating that the Government had been going to "play tiie very .gooseberry,"' in the land legislation, but had done nothing. (Cheers). He defended the baby bonus at length, stating the.t. in conjunction with Liberal legislation, already oh the Statute Book, providing for medical expenses to the extent of ,£.j in maternity cases, the baby bonus would be of untold benefit to the community. He denied the existence of any alliance between the Liberals and Red Feds, pointing out that the Labor candidates were opposing Liberal candidates in several electorates, which he considered a full and sufficient answer to any suggestion of Red Fed alliance. He also stated that there were numbers i n the Conservative Government who were more reactionary | than any Red Feds. (Applause). He assured his audience that the Liberal | party, with its great 21 j-ears record | behind it, would assuredly be returned to power. (Cheers). The- meeting ended with a rote of thanks to Sir Joseph Ward and confidence in the. Liberal party, and a hope thati after the election, Sir Joseph Ward would again be the Leader of the Government of the Dominion, a motion being carried with loud cheers and few "noes."

(Special to Daily News)

I TnvcrcargiH, Last Jfight. Sir Joseph Ward received a most enthusiastic welcome at Otautau, in the Wallace electorate, this evening. ' He motored out from TnvcrcargiH, and addressed a meeting at six o'clock. The Town Hall was crowded in every part, and numbers stood for the two hours the address lasted. There were about 1000 persons present. The Liberal leader was loudly cheered eti entering the ha.ll, and the di n'.oTistratio;; was repeated when Sir •lcisrph rose to speak. The address was en ;-il'l. lar lines to those he has given at other places. Tie dealt with Mr Allen's financial crfc'wm and scored very freely oil' the Minister's statements using the 1!)14 Year Book to show that the Reformers were condemned out of their own mouths. The proceedings were very enthusiastic, Sir Joseph being applauded and cheered continuously throughout his speech. When he sat down, after an address lasting nearly two hours, he received an ovation. Mr J. Fischer moved "That this large meeting of electors of Wallace thank Sir Joseph Ward for his able and statesmanlike address, and express their unanimous confideecn in him and the Liberal party, and hope Sir Joseph will be returned. next Thursday as leader of the Government of this Dominion." Mr A. Kobson seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously, and with cheers. It was a scene of the greatest enthusiasm, Nothing like it has ever been seen at a political meeting at Otautau before. Subsequently Sir Joseph was banquetted, and his health enthusiastically toasted.

MR HERDMAN'S MEETING. Wellington, Last Night Tt appears that tlie motion of eonfidojico in Mr Herdnian hist night was curried. The chairman made an announcement to thi:t cll'eet, but there was so much rcis-c. going on at the. time Unit, apparently, the declaration was not properly In nni.

HON. A. L. HERDMAN AT MASTERTON. :S _____ ° Masterton, Last Night. ' ilon. A. L. Herdman addressed tiio ' largest and most enthusiastic political 1 meeting ever held in the district, in the '' , -1 Hall to-night. Hundreds could not ' ! gain admission. Tlie Minister received i' : an immense ovation an ho entered the * i building, aiul throughout his address, in ? j which lie dealt with the alliance l»c- ---| tween Liberals and Hed Feds, finance, j defence and Government policy, lis was I continuously applauded. There was honv interruption at the back of the Hall, but this was smothered by .cheering; At the elsse of the meeting, a motion of thanks and confidence in the Government was proposed. This was followed 1 by an amendment of no confidence, proposed by a Social Democrat, The amendment was easily lost, and the motion was carried amidst a scene of unparallelled enthusiasm, men waving their hats, women their handkerchiefs, ■ all cheering the Minister to the echo. The demonstration lasted for several ■ minutes, after which Mr Herdman returned thanks for, the magnificent reception accprded him. u , ' fey -1 -

.A CONTRADICTION. MR HERDMAN REPORTS HIS MEETING. Mastcrton, Yesterday. Speaking to a reporter, Hon. A. L. Herdman said his attention . had been drawn to a description of his meeting in Wellington last night sent through N;w "ualend by the Times, representing the Press Association. It was about time, Hon Herdman said, that the New Zealand public understood how utterly unreliable is the news telegraphed through this channel. The majority of those present were obviously in favour of the Government, but a body of Liberals and Eed Eeds determined to punish the Government for its r.ction in suppressing lawlessness during the. strike last year played the part of the hoodlum with a considerable amount of success, but the behaviour of this kind from this source is expected, 'and public men 011 the Reform side are,getting quite accustomed to it. "It is stated, I understand, that an adverse vote was carried. This is untrue. No adverse motion was moved. It was quite patent to any impartial observer that the motion of confidence was supported by the great bulk of the people present."

THE TAUMARU-Vul SEAT. Tauniarunui, December S. The Liberal and Labor candidate for the Taumarunui seat, Mr. Wm. T. Jennings, addressed two largely-attended meetings yesterday, one in Taringamutn Valley and the other at Okahukura. The latter was an overflow meeting, the candidate being cheered at the conclusion. This evening Mr. Jennings replies in Taumarunui to a recent speech delivered by Mr. Massev, and finishes his election addresses at Tc Kuiti to-mor-row night.

STORMY MEETINC, AT PATEA. 301 PEARCK'f! CAXWDATUEE. (Special to Daily NcwaJ Patea, Yesterday. The stmroie'st meeting ever held in I'll ten look place on Monday evening, when Mr ('.( V. Pearce, Oovcrnr.tcnt number fcr Paten. addressed the electors in the Town Ball. Patca people are better acquainted with Mr Pearce's political sins of emission and commission than are the people of other parts of the electorate. His vacillating attitude in coimcstjon with tho Patea ItVbour Bill and other local matters were made the. subject el' attack fro:r. a large section of the audience.

IMr Pearco strongly condemned Mr Wilford, but the audience pave three hearty cheers for Petone's doughty representative. Cheers were also given for Sir Joseph Ward and Mr Morrison, the Liberal candidate, and counter cheers for Mr Massey. One well known supporter of Mr Pearce frequently jumped to his feet and condemned Liberalism, until the candidate war. forced to ask him to desist. Finally Mr Pearce lost his temper and said impolite things to tbe audience, and threatened to lay a charge against a [ cr.-en pr< scat. A motion of confidence in Mr Pearce wei, reed a*.nidst uproar. So great vas the confusion that it was not put to the meeting, and tlto audience broke up without Riving any expression un the motion one way or'the other. Question time was very interesting. Mr Pearce was asked whether he was in favour of the Referendum for the Bible-in-Schools question, and he replied in the negative. "If the Government were to make the Referendum on the Bible-in-Sehoois a party question, would you vote against the Government on i noecnlVience motion on that subject?' varan other question. Mr Pearce'would not give a straight-out answer, but contented himself with asserting that it

would not be made perty question. A well known local exporter asked the candidate whether he considered it fair that the shipping companies should !>e charging the farmers 25 per 'e. nt. ,n->"cs freight at present on goods shipped to England than before the war, . e,"-:i-sidering that tiie farmers were, of great, assistance to the shipping companies at tiie time of the strike. The reply was that the steamers had to take more coal from New Zealand since, the war began, ■is they were unable to get coal on the route; therefore, space, was somewhat curtailed, and the profit not so great. The candidate was asked what a local navy would cost New Zealand, and his reply was: "One million and a half altogether." "Just a million short of the price of a Dreadnought," cried one of the audience, amidst laughter. Mr Pearce was subjected to a series' of questions as to his admitted employment of two Government imported "boys" at wages which amounted to 7s (id per week. The meeting ended in confusion.

MR. OKEY AT THE EAST EXD. There was a good attendance of electors at the East End Pavilion last night to hear an address from Mr. IT. Okcv, the Reform candidate for the Taranaki seat. Mr. Flanagan presided, and the meeting, though at times lively, was very orderly. At the conclusion of his address the candidate answered seven;! iHH'stioiis. lmt the majority of the audience evidently were not in sympathy with the sneaker's candidature, for a motion was carried, expressing no-confid-cnce in Mr. Okey, and the meeting terminated with three cheers for Sir Joseph Ward.

HE. P.. L. A. ASTECKY'S CAMPAIGN AT IUHOTU. About eighty electors were present at the meeting at Raliotu on Saturday evening to hear r.n address hy the Liberal candidate, Mr. I'oley being voted to tile chair. The candidate dealt with the halftruths .as regards workers' homes, adva;ic.:.i to worker!) and settler.', and commitments, traversing the published figures liy the Massev party. He was accorded a fair hearing, though interjections were frequent. At the close of the address numerous questions were asked, which the candidate dealt with in his usual manner. A yote of thanks to the speaker .was proposed by Mr. Lawn, and seconded by Mr. Anglesey, and an aemndment, moved by Mr. Field, that, while thanking 'Mr. Astbury for his address, the meeting had no confidence in lr.rn as representative of the district. On being put, the amendment, was declared carried by 20 votes to 1, the Majority of the electors present not voting, • ■ ilr. Astbury declared, at the'top of his voice, for the din of cheers and counter-cheers made it almost impossible for him to bo hoard, "I consider that a victory in Eahotu," immediately adding a proposition for a vote of thanks to the chair.

MR HUGHES AT INGLE WOOD. Mr D. J. Hughes, Liberal candidate for the Taranaki seat, addressed about 300 electors at the Inglewood Hall last night, the audience being very enthusiastic. The. Mayor presided. At the close of his address, the candidate was asked several questions, which were answered satisfactorily. In C'Miii! etioii with a question relative to the Kverett Road reserve, Mr Hughes stated that he would not commit himself as to the sale of the reserve until he had thoroughly inspected both the land and the timber. He read a telefram from Sir Joseph Ward stating that the Liberal party, if returned to power, would give all reasonable assistance to enable oil boring to be effectively carried out. A vote of thanks was accorded to the candidate for hia address.

Dr. Thacker has handed to the editor of the Cbristchnrch Star an envelope containing a list of .the. names cf the holders of whea amounting to 12,P00 bushels. These men are stated to lie necessitous farmer;; residing in the Methven district*. T'aev ere waitiiifc for a rise. That is to. nay they r.i'n taking ad<'::n<A«e of the present national crisis to line their pockets at tho expense of the most necessitous ;-cction of the community; Dr Thacker has issued a challenge. If his statement is not true—if tiie men whose mimes ho has written down are not holding the wheat specified—he is prepared to contribute £IOO to the Belgian fund.