POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1919, Page 8

POLITICAL.

THE AWARUA SEAT. AN-OPPONENT FOR SIR J. G. WARD. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Invercargill, Last Night. At a large and representative meeting of district residents at Winton on Saturday it was unanimously resolved that the Awarua seat he contested and after a number of possible candidates had been mentioned, several of whom would not consent to stand, Mr J. E. Hamilton, who unsuccessfully opposed Sir Joseph Ward at the last election, was unanimously invited, and after considerable pressure consented to nomination THE WALLACE SEAT. ' A representative body of Wallace electors, all farmers, journeyed to Winton on Saturday and urged Mr Adam Hamilton, a brother of Mr J. R. Hamilton, to stand for Wallace. Mr. Hamilton agreed to do so if suitable business arrangements could be made. EASTERN MAORI ELECTORATE. Gisbornc, Last Night. The Hon. A. T. Ngata states he will again b e a candidate for the Eastern Maori electorate. / * STRATFORD SEAT. Mr. Masters was greeted with a good attendance at his meeting at Douglas on Friday evening. Interjections and questions were more numerous than at any other of»his meetings up to the present. On every occasion tTie candidate turned the interjection or question to his own benefit, the hall literally rocking with laughter. The candidate, amongst other replies, stated he did not favor the nationalisation of all the coal mines of New Zealand, but strongly favored the development of the coalfields on Crown lands by the State, to check any excesses by private owners. He pointed out that to nationalise the wTiole of the mines would mean that the country would be borrowing to take over mines which were not a payable proposition, and that it would be more prudent to borrow to develop our own coalfields, At the conclusion of the meeting, the candidate received a vote of thanks for his address. Mr. H. Wilmhurst occupied the chair. THE PATEA SEAT. A CANDIDATE WITHDRAWS. A deputation representing the Labor arid Liberal supporters in the Patea electorate waited on Mr. R. J. McNeil, at Hawera on Saturday, to ask him to withdraw his candidature for the Patea scat in order to give Mr. Morrison, the Liberal candidate, a straight run. After discussing the matter with the deputation Mr. McNeil agreed to withdraw. MR. POWDRELL AT KAIvARAMEA. Mr. W. D. Powdrell, who is opposing the sitting member for Patea, Mr Pearce, a supporter of the Reform Party! opened his campaign at Kakaramea on Thursday, the meeting being, well attended. Mr. Powdrell explained how he came to be standing for the seat, and that a committee, which had been set up at a meeting at which almost every polling place had been represented, had asked Mr. Pearce to stand down, but he refused. The speaker thought that if Mr Peafce had lost the confidence of the electors he should submit his name to a conference, but this also was refused. After referring to his connection with the Patea Freezing Works, the (Box Company, the Rennet Company, Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company, Farmers' Co-operative Organisation, a Bacon Company, one. of the three representatives of tl" butter producers of the Dominion, a member of the committee on the dried milk industry, and one of the valuers on behalf of returned soldiers, Mr. Powdrell claimed to have been the means of saving £100,00(1 to cheese producers in connection with the sale to the Imperial Government. Continuing, Mr. Powdrell said he had supported Mr. Massey all his life, though he was not in favor of party politics. Mr. Massey had done more for "the farmer than any other man. He considered that some of the land given to soldiers was a disgrace. He was in favor of heavy borrowing, asserting that it did not matter if 200 millions were borrowed if it earned more than they paid for it. He favored immigration, as they had lost nearly 16,000 men, and in northern Taranaki land was being ruined by noxious weeds. He strongly advocated a larger use of machinery, as wa3 done in America. Referring to the housing problem, Mr. Powdrell said he had suggested the Government lending money to freezing works and other institutions for erect" ing. houses. As to the cost of living, ho considered the Government had gone the wrong way ti- work by interfering with the producers. He advocated a State fleet of ships so as to counteract the operations of the Meat Trust. He condemned the fixing of the price of hides, stating that some unscrupulous men had cut. the big hides, thrown the cut parts away, sent the rest outside and got £1 a hiuc more. FI,. contended that the price of boots was kept up through the duty placed on them to protect the few workers in the industry. He advocated hydro-electrical power as a fac--1 tor in keeping down the cost of livin"; also completing the railways in course ot , construction. Another way they could ( reduce the cost of living was by reducing . drinking. He was opposed to'the drink s traffic for the sake of humanity. It was J folly to spend six millions annually on drink, and he urged voting out the traf- , fic altogether. ; Referring to soldiers' gratuities, Mr Powdrell considered it would have been better had the (U millions been set l aside and the interest devoted to as- ! sisling soldiers in need. They should . have a board comprised of business men, and when a soldier wanted to buy a 3 business, the board should lend him . .tollO, He concluded by stating that Sir Joseph Ward's proposal lo take the farm sold by a soldier before going to the • front, and hand it back to him, was ridi- ■ en Inns. 1 The usual vote of thanks was accord- ■ cd to the candidate —Abridged from Patea Press. ' ■