THE ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1919, Page 5

THE ELECTIONS.

•MR. WILFORD AT HAWERA* AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING. (By Our Special Reporter.) Hawera, Last Night. The Opera House was crowded tonight when Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P., gave a political address. Mr. Wilford received a splendid hearing, and the meeting was an enthusiastic one. Mr. E. Morrissey presided. _ Mr. Wilford's speech was on similar lines to that delivered at Elthain. At the outset, he said Blackball was noted for its coal, and Pieton for its herrings, and now Hawera had become famous as a place for the export of Reform candidates. He said ithe policy speech made by Mr. Massey was one that held 'Out no hope, and Mr. Massey asked for a blank cheque which he would fill up when returned to office. None of the promises made by Mr. Massey in his speech at Wellington before the last election had been fulfilled. Had Mr. Massey's promise to give them something in place of the second ballot been fulfilled? Voices: No! Continuing, Mr. Wilford said the failure to alter the electoral law was the lifebelt of the Reform Party, and those members of the Reform Party returned by minorities should be presented with the Royal Humane Society's medal for life-saving. (Laughter). Mr. Massey had wilfully broken his promise, knowing that to keep it would .mean his extinction. The Reform Party did not. have the ginger of a silk worm. (Laughter.) There was a good deal of ginger in the Reform press, he would admit, but the Reform press and the Reform Party were two separate entities. Mr. Wilford then went on to charge the Reformers with "funk." He then explained the difficulty with the privileges enjoyed by the Government experienced by private members in moving any motion in the House. A voice: That would apply if Sir Joseph Ward wag in power. Mr. Wilford: Certainly it would, and it was equally bad in both eases. A voice: How will you rejpedy it? Mr. Wilford: You ought to get into Parliament if you want to do that. Continuing, Mr. Wilford said when the House was growing impatient about land legislation, Mr. Massey was asked when he was going to bring down this Bill to prevent it, and they were given to understand that the matter was a very difficult one to deal with, and needed the combined wisdom of the Cabinet, "which," proceeded Mr. Wilford, "does not add up to much." (Laughter). At length they read of praise for the Reform Party in the press, which stated that Mr. Massey was about to introduce his Bill, which would forever stop land aggregation. The Bill was one which a lawyer who had ju«t passed his examination could drive a eoa:'h and four through- It was a eamoufkge with the elections in view. It was like Mr. Alley's promise thr.t the trains would run as usual at the end of the second week,in December, two days bathe .election. (Laughter). Mr. Wilford proceeded to deal -at length with the leading questions of the day. On the motion of Air! T. McPhillips, seconded' by Mr. E. A- Pacey, a vote of thanks to Mr. Wilford for his able address and confidence in the Liberal Party was carried without dissent. THE TARANA'KI SEAT. A meeting of supporters of Air. G. H. Buckerjdge, the Reform candidate for the Taranaki seat, was held at the Soldiers' Club last night. The plans for the campaign were discussed and arrangements made. Air. Buckeridge will open his campaign to-morrow, and ho will speak at Now Plymouth on Alonday night. HON. J. B. HINE'S CANDIDATURE. There was an attendance of about 30 electors at Tututawa on Saturday evening to hear Major Hine. Air. J. B. Norris occupied the chair. At the conclusion Mr. Jacobsen spoke in appreciative terms of Alajor Hine's good services, and the usual vote of thanks was accorded the speaker. The Hon. J. B. Hine spoke to about a hundred electors at Ngaere on Alonday evening. * He said the Reform Party were pledged to remove the graduated land tax: which was now iniquitous in its operation, owing to the greatly increased price of land. Answering a question from Air. Fry ; day, Mr. .Hine said he understood that the pensions allowed to the South African veterans by the then Liberal Government were £5 for a private soldier and £3O for an officer, who also received £IOO for each year of service. The rate of soldiers who had served in the late war was £27 0s a year per man, officer or private. A motion proposed by Air. Thomas Senr., and seconded by Mr. Fryday, expressing thanks to Mr. Hine for his ad-. dress and confidence in him as the representative of the district was carried unanimously. Afterwards about fifty sat down to supper at a function in honor of Air. Hine. Short congratulatory speeches were made. Mr. Hine responded. STATE CONTROL AND MATRIMONJ. "I will tell you another thing," Dr. Thaeker said the other night at Christchurch. "They should have State control of matrimony." "You're a Bolshevik," shouted a youth. "You do not grasp what I mean," Dr. Thaeker continued. "I mean that every man and woman that gets married should have the right to demand two doctors' certificates of good health. (Applause.) Then we would not have the big operations in the hospitals and infamies of things such as (he red diseases—the tabooed diseases. We would check them and get at them root and branch, and ive should not have little squint-eyed, deficient children that we had to 'put in special schools. Think of the idiots, the blind people, those with deformities,, and all kinds of what you would call human beings with a dent in them, who will never be perfect. If we could control that by controlling the way people looked after themselves we would do a great thing for the community,." The State, he added, should take charge of all defectives and incurable diseases, such as cancer, that had to bo nursed, and he would give permanent pensions to widows with defective children.

THE PRIME MINISTER, ■, A SPEECH AT TEMUKA. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Timaru, Last Night. Mr. Massey arrived at Temuka by motor from Christchurch this evening, and addressed a crowded meeting at the Dominion Theatre. Long before the time for opening the meeting there was no standing room left inside or within hearing of the doors. The Deputy-Mayor, Mr. Cartwright, presided. Mr. Massey, who was greeted with prolonged applause on rising, spoke for an hour and three-quarters, and was listened to attentively. There were a few interjections, but the Premier always scored off them. His speech was on tho same lines as the address at Eltham, nothing new being introduced. He expressed the hope that tho electors would show confidence in the Government by returning Mr. T. D. Burnett, the Reform' candidate for Temuka. A vote of thanks vfas carried by hearty acclamation. THE OAMARU SEA]} Oamaru, Last Night. • Mr. J. A. McPherson,'Liberal candidate for Oamaru, addressed an' enthusiastic audience at the Opera House to-night, the Mayor presiding. The candidate dealt with land legislation, and said that the Liberal Party had done moio for land settlement than tho Reform Party, which had left an opening' for aggregation. He criticised the Government's lack of business sense in delaying further acceptance of the Imperial meat commandeer, and also in not buyingwheat more extensively in Australia. The Government should concentrate on the construction of one or two important railway lines in the interests of the people, and the development of the country. He was averse to an increase to highsalaried railway officials. Increases should have been granted to the lowerpaid men. The candidate also dealt with the cost of living and profiteering. He believed in a State Bank, nationalisation of the ferry service, and more State | mines. At the conclusion of the address, a resolution of thanks and confidence, and adherence to the Liberal views expounded by the candidate, was carried unanimously, and the meeting was pledged to do all in its power to place the candidate at the top of the poll. CAMPAIGN AT DUNEDIN. Dunedin, Last Night. 'Mr. C. E. Statham opened his election campaign with an enthusiastic meetiug at Momington to-night. He announced himself as an Independent Progressive candidate, as he desired to go to Parliament untrammelled by party ties. He would exorcise his vote in the interests of the Dominion and the people, regardless of Party and personal ambitions of Party leaders. The only pledge ho would make was that, he would not support any Government, whether led by Mr. Massey or Sir Joseph Ward, thsrt depended for it's existence on the votes of the Labor Party.

Speaking of the Defence Department, he said Sir James Allen's worst enemies would admit he had worked harder than any other Minister during' the past few years, and for his zeal he was entitled to the respect of the people. Careful and prudent administration was required, together with increased production, if the Dominion was to meet her obligations and avoid bad times. Mr. Statham referred to the "go-slow" policy in the mines, and pointed out that those who suffered most from a shortage of the supply of coal were the poorer pepole, whom tHe Labor Party pretended to befriend. He was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks.

Mr. E. Kellett, who is opposing Mr. Walker, M.P., official Labor candidate for Duncdm North, as an Independent Labor candidate, addressed a largely-attended meeting at Ravensbourne to-night. At the outset he made it clear that he was standing against official Labor on account of its disloyal attitude during the war, particularly on account of the Federation of Labor's manifesto in Australia in October, 3i)16. He expressed himself as strongly in favor on an elective executive, nationalisation of the coal mines, land the establishment of a State Bank, and went on to advocate some method of making provision for growing a sufficient quantity of cereals to meet local requirements. The candidate urged the encouragement of local industries, and the establishment by a gradual_ process of State steamers. At the close of the address he was accorded a cordial and unanimous vote of thanks.

THE OTAKI SEAT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Mr. J. McKenzie, the official Labor candidate for Otaki, addressed a meeting of electors in Mangaroa on Monday. The candidate dealt with the question of.colored labor in New Zealand, pointing out that during the years the young men of this country were righting in Europe, the Government permitted large numbers of Indiana to come to New Zealand and take work on land, and engage in other occupations. He condemned the lack of public spirit and patriotism hi those who advocated and encouraged the importation of the colored races into this country, asserting that all they seemed to care about was greater profits, and provided these could be secured, they were prepared to sacrifice the country's Suture. He received a vote of thanks. A MERRY EVENING. Mr. W. S. Glenn, the Government candidate for Rangitikei, and an old Manaia boy, had a merry time at Wnngauui East ou Saturday evening. Throughout his address he had to contend witli a Are of interjections from one little action of the audience in a back corner. Some of these he got back upon. He was discussing the roading question and remarking that when he took up his farm on the Wanganui River 10 years ago there was not even a bridle track to it. To this one of his tormentors said there was a road there. Mr. Glenn: Then I tell you that you are a liar. A Raucous Voice: There was. The Candidate: You men are talking enough, but you were not the bit of rtuff to pull your coats off and go back. (Applause). A voice: Are you a member of the Returned Soldiers' Association? Mr. Glenn: Yes. The voice: Well, why don't you wear the badge? Mr. Glenn: Because in my case, I would consider it jeai; ». Jjit tfmsgfe.tg

wear it while contesting an election, but [ don't object to other people- wearing it. (Laughter), lam proud of the badge, but don't think that I should try to make capital out of it during the election- (Applause). Mr. Glenn declared himself a supporter of the Government, and a stalwart supporter of Mr. Massey, whom he declared to be the greatest statesman New Zealand possessed. THE EXTREMISTS AND DISLOYALISTS ROASTED. Thus Mr. L. M. Isitt, M.P., on the Labor Extremists :~~"That rotten, contemptible, thieving, degenerate system of the go-slow policy has got to stop, and it should have the opposition and condemnation of every decent man. One of the darkest blots on extreme Labor is that it has not the manliness to condemn that sort of thing. It is simply sabotage, and there is nothing meaner on earth." New Zealand, he said, was the freest country in the. world. A voice interjected "Hot." ' "Tell me," said Mr- Ijsitt, "three countries freer." The voice again, "Russia." Then Mr. Isitt quickly retorted: "Mark that answer, This man has not the reserve of the others. You see what lies behind this Labor business—not Bolshevism, but—Russia. Mai-k this, that this man's candidate is not a free agent. Ha is bound hand and foot to follow in the wake of Holland and company. This is the freest country in the world, but you have not got freedom to skulk while another man fights for your wives and children. You have not got freedom to enjoy the privileges of the country and then to talk sedition against vour own land and vilify it. (Applause.) If you want freedom of that kind, in God's name get out of the country and find one more satisfaotary to you. (Continued applause.) You men, Ido not Want your votes. A man who will vilify his country and offer trp apologies for the Germans, affd never anything but vilification fpr his own land; the man who finds excuse after excuse for the enemy and blame after blame for his own people, well, I do not want his approval or support." TO-DAY'S MEETINGS. Mr. S. G. Smith.—Bell Block Hall, at 8 p.m. The Hon. J. B. Hine.—Dudley Road, at 8 p.m. Mr. R. Masters.—Durham Road School, at 8 p.m. Mr. 0. Hawkcn.—Kapuni, at 8 p.m. Mr. Astbury.—iKahui Road School Mr. \V; D. Pnwdrell.—Rapanui. Mr. Morrison.—Whenuakwa.