THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1919, Page 3

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

MR. ASTBURY'S MEETINGS. All the past week the Liberal candidate for ligmont addressed the centres around Hawcra. He met with a good hearing. The addresses were followed with the greatest interest, the candidate speaking in a clear, logical and forcible manner. He dealt with such matters as taxation, militarism, nationalisation, settlement of find, and other questions. His supporters are very enthusiastic, considering his chance of winning the seat rosy. MR. MASTERS AT TOKo. The Coronation Hall at Toko was crowded on Saturday evening, when Mr. Masters addressed the electors. Mr. Were presided, The candidate referred to the statement 'of his opponent that Sir Joseph Ward had not made his position clear as to extreme Labor. Mr. Masters stated that this was more clap-trap for the purpose of discrediting the Liberal Party. The Leader of the Opposition had stated clearly at Christehurcli on November lltli.: "A constructive progressive Party was needed, but he would not have any extremists from either the Tory or Labor Party." Referring to Defence matters, the speaker said the estimated Defence expenditure for 11>1!V 1920 was £515,000, for a peace year. The total vote for new railway construction was .€OIB,OOO. Any Government whose sense of proportion allowed them to expend £515,000 on defence in times of peace, .and only £OIB,OOO on public works does not deserve the confidence of the country. At the conclusion of the address, the candidate received a vote of thanks and confidence. WHAT GOOD LAND CAN DO. In lug address at Westmerc the other night Mr. W. Morrison expressed the opinion that some better system of purchasing land for soldiers should lie adopted. The officers sent bv the Department do not apparentlv realise how much money could be made oil highpi ice land. They had turned down land valued at £do or £GO per acre because they did not think it could be profitably worked by the soldiers. In Taranaki dairving land was selling from £BO to £IOO per acre. Mr. Morrison quoted one instance which came tinder his per-, sonal notice of where a Taranaki farmer and his wife had taken off a r»0-acre farm £IOOO in one year. "This showed," commented Mr. Morrison, "what could be done on fcne land when it is properly worked and managed." Another illustration of the speaker's contention that the land purchase officers were out of touch with the real values of land was also quoted. Ho said that the Government was offered a block of land in the district for settlement of soldiers, the offer was turned down. The land was eventually turned over to a syndicate in Wansanni for .CoO per acre, and this syndicate, without touching it, turned' it over at £O7 per acre.