THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 November 1922, Page 5

THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.

HAWKE’S BAY SEAT. SIR ANDREW RUSSELL’S CANDD DATURE. By Telegraph —Preus Association. Hastings, Nov. 1. . Sir Andrew Russell, the Independent Reform candidate for Hawke’s Bay, gave an initial address to the electors at Hastings last night. The theatre was crowded, and his speech was entirely devoid of recriminations and fault-finding. He made a favorable impression, explaining why he was standing as an Independent.* He said he absolutely refused to place himself unreservedly in the hands of any party in the event of any issue arising of great importance to the Empire and the Dominion. He claimed freedom of action, and ho believed the Reform Party could maintain the stability of the country but he thought either of the other two parties could not. He would support the Reform Party on a no-conflaence motion. He advocated a propeaiive land policy and a closer settlement, scheme, which, pushed for all it was wortli, would provide employment for all immigrants.

Regarding unemployment, he said the time had arrived for an unemployment insurance scheme. Dealing with taxation, he said there must be drastic economy m administration and eeonomv in private life. He believed in a sales tax He was not in favour of reduced expen.' diture on education. He was also in favour of the meat pool on a voluntary basis. In regard to soldier settlers the Government should let them know where they stood. ■ Sir Andrew’s defence policy wa« the recognition of our obligations first to the Empire, then to ourselves. The navy must be supported to the best of our ability. Concluding, he said: ‘-Jf we are to build up a barrier against the pressure of more numerous rnces we must improve our civilisation. We should rule our conduct and shape the destinies of our land in accordance with the Divine laws.” The speaker was accorded a var-v hearty vote of thanks. Z A LABOR CANDIDATE. Hastings, Nov. I. meeting of the Hastings branch of the Uhor Party decided to request Mr. v. H. Chapman, of Wellington, again to stand as the Official Labor candidate for Hawke’s Bay at the election. THE THAMES SEAT. Thames, Nov. i. Mr. T. W. Rhodes, the Reform candidate, opened his campaign on Tuesday night. He reviewed the work of Parliament, and said he was prepared loyally to support the Reform Party. No leader was comparable with Mr. Massey. MEETING WITHOUT CHAIRMAN Christchurch, Last Night. Mr. H. G. Ell, ex-M.P., Independent Liberal candidate for Christchurch South, addressed a small meeting of electors to-night. He asked the audience to elect a chairman, but no action was taken, and the meeting proceeded without a chairman. He said he disagreed with the political views of the extreme party led by Mr. Holland, and if Mr. Holland got into power he would vote him out. He (Mr. Ell) was a progressive Liberal, standing in the interests of the workers. It entirely, depended on what the Liberal Party’s policy was whether he would vote to turn Mr. Massey out. There were some planks in the Liberal Party’s policy he did not agree with. He received a vote of thanks. THE LYTTELTON SEAT. Christchurch, Last Night. Mr. MacCartney, Reform candidate for Lyttelton, opened his campaign to< night before a fairly large audience. Mr. MacCartney said the real issue lay between the Massey Party and destructive social >em. He would like to see a National Party—Reform and Liberal—to drive out socialism. He strongly advocated land tenure on the freehold system, deprecating land aggregation. He favored instruction of farmers, particularly in dairying. He suggested the Government might finance competent farmers on areas that would ensure intense cultivation, remarking that the dairy industry was the biggest enemy of land aggregation. He received a hearty vote of thanks.