TARANAKI SEAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1919, Page 4

TARANAKI SEAT.

MR. SMITH, AT NEW PLYMOUTH. AN ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION. No larger political meeting than thatj held in the Empire Theatre last night, when Mr. S. G. Smith fired the last shot in the contest for the Taranaki seat, has probably ever been held in New Plymouth. The theatre was absolutely; packed with electors, extra seat! hair. ing to be provided, and the balcony ml packed with many who could not bo seated, while others crowded about every entrance to the building. Wh« Mr. Smith took the platform he was paid the compliment of being receded with spontaneous applause and cheering. The Mayor (Mr. James Clarke) presided, and there were a number of Mr. Smith's supporters on the platform. On rising to speak Mr. Smith m greeted with' renewed applause. He commenced with a somewhat humorou* reference to a request received by him from the Wellington official mouthpiece of the Reform Party for «o»e partieuj lars as to his biography, fa view of. their intention Ao publish sketches of] tho records of successful candidate* Mf the election. Mr. Smith said warded the particulars. (Laughter),l He then proceeded to aummaiiaa th* various matters dealt with during th»; course of lift campaign and thrust horn* the more important points therein. The matter of the price received for tha NewZealand product* was dealt with ttd Mr Smith said Mr. Massey bad tow leW what the profits on that transaction hidi, been, and he intended to see that thej matter was investigated when ha wi« returned as the representative for Tara-j naki. WAR EXPENSES. In Tcgard to the War Expenses Xe<\ counts, Mr. Smith said it was laid od( the table of the House without ft word; of explanation by the Minister of X>*«» fence. There was no opportunity t& ask.any question on the subject because no one' knew what the paper contained* He unearthed the paper on the table, and because he had asked for a copy it had been printed and circulated. On the question of the gratuity to Boldlem, Mr. Smith said he had been of opinion that it should have been at the rate of 3s per day, and proceeded to show from the War Expenses Account the large amounts that were paid for the charter hire of certain ship?, and yat the Gov eminent said Is 6d per day was all that could be afforded for the soldiers.

The speaker dealt with the Government's policy of doling out grants to districts immediately prior to election*, and said he stood for a system of Goternment that would give the people what was needed, not just before an election, but jupt after if need be, or in the interim between elections. He traversed the policy of the Education Department, and said he stood for a clean-out of that department and the omnloyment of men in % it who had the ' interests of education and the children of the country at heart. He stood for free education from the primary school to the university. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE. Mr. Smith then replied to his opponent's statements in regard to the Sigh Commissioner's Office, and quoted an ex-; prcssion of opinion by Mr. Maesey himself in 1017 to the effect that one thing that struck him wag that New Zealand was not sufficiently advertised in the Old Land. While Australia was alive to the advantages of good advertising, all he had seen in the London newspapers about New Zealand was a small ■ paragraph about a man being fined £2O for a breach of the Anti-Shouting Act. The speaker then referred to defence matters, saying he did not agree w!th . the proposal to Bend boys to camp, for f four months of "the year. The war had been fought to overthrow militarism and he saw no reason for allowing it to raise its head hero in this country. He f.believed in some system of training, hut referred to the success of the training of the High School Cadets, and said there was no company of territorials that had such a record for shooting as the boys of the New Plymouth High School. He believed in teaching n*e of the rifle and thought it could be done by means of physical training courses. BETTER PENSIONS WANTED. In the matter of pensions he favored the introduction of a comprehensive scheme that would enable the recipients to live reasonably instead of merely existing. Profiteering and the cost of ■ living were forcibly dealt with by the speaker who mentioned the increased duty on drapery goods and thn much larger increases in the cost to the pur* chaser, which included profit en the retailer's duty.

In some references to his opponent, which Mr. Smith said he desired }o make without descending to personalities, he remarked that if Mr. Buckeridge had done so much for Taranaki for the pgst 30 years it was a strange thing indeed fliat he had only just been discovered. He referred to the possibility of taranaki being represented by three Hawera j men, which he considered constituted ft grave danger to the northern portion of the province. He then dealt with the attempt to make him anpear as tied up ' to Sir Joseph Ward. He stated distinctly he would pledge himself to no party. The only constitutional way of getting Mr. Massey out of office was by a no-confidence motion. On such ho would vote against him. He did aot know who might move it, but he did not in any case intend going to Wellington tied up to any leader or party »nd'b« compelled to do what the pa'rtv whip ordered He regretted the secta'mn issue had been raised by the other aide and that he was compelled to state tfcat his family and his wife's always bad been and were still, AngiioMW Md to was he.

Mr. Smith s speech throughout was listenedl to m attentively and he was en. thnsiastieally applauded at frequent interval,, and at the conchulon he was accorded renewed cheers ti™" t . he ,. nio * io n of Mr, Batey a rwcJu. t on of thanka and confidence wan eat* ried amidst an outburst of entassiasn, Cheers were given for Mr. Smith and the Mayor, and when the latter put the moturn to the meeting ther„ was notsi dmaentient voice, A storm of applause and cheering was renewed, and when it subsided a very hearty vote of thaiks was accorded to the Mavor for presiding,