ELECTIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3025, 23 October 1908, Page 6

ELECTIONS.

Mr M-assey is to deliver a speech in ■reply to Sir Joseph Ward in Feilding next Monday. My Lang, the Opposition candidate for Manukau, is considered to have but little serious opposition. It is stated that in Waikato Mr i "Greenslade will have a tough fight I against the Opposition candidate (Mr \ Allen Bell). Eden is safa for K v John Bollard, states an Auckland paper, while Tauranga will send Mr Herries back, and Opotiki is looked upon as a sure tning for Mr Gow. Mr W. D. Campbell, editor of the'Timaru Herald," has, in response to many electors, decided to contest the Tirnaru seat »t the General Election as an Opposition candidate, states a Press Association telegram. A remark made by Mr A. W. Hogg at the conclusion of his speech at Masterton on Wednesday evening, was that he hoped that when his mantle as Member for Masterton was to fall on a successor he hoped it would be on as worthy a person as his Chairman that evening—Mr P. L. Hollings. A meeting of those in favour of the return of Mr John Hunter tor the Masterton Electorate was held in the Dominion Hall last evening. A strong executive committee was formed to work in the interests of Mr Hunter's candidature, and the usual necessary preliminaries were arranged. In Ashburton the plethora of candidates is being added to. Up to date seven would-be members of Parliament have announced their intention of wooing the constituency—namely, Messrs Flatman and Davis (Ministerialists), Maslin, Nosworthy and Jones (Oppositionists), and Gobbe and Sealy (Labourites). Sir William Steward, M.P. for Waitaki, is still the only candidate in the field for that seat, but though there will rjmbably be no contest on ordinary election lines, it is understood that Sir William will not be altogether unopposed. The No-License party is almost sure to put up a candidate for the benefit of the local option poll. in regard to the Auckland City Central seat, the prospects of Mr Kidd, the sittiner member, are less risky, but Mr Pooles political feats in the House have lost him a great number H: supporters. Mr Baume is fairly safe for City East, and, writes a correspondent, he is, indeed, the only Government member except the Hon. J. McGowan, of Thames, who is assured of return. The three electorates north of Auckland—Kaipara, Bay of Islands, and Marsden —are looked upon as pretty safe for the Opposition, it being considered that Mr Mander, tfte sitting member for Marsden, has no really serious opposition to face, while Mr Johnston is regarded as pretty safe for Bay of Islands, and Mr Harding should defeat Mr Stallworthy for Kaipara. Whatever may be the results of the elections from a party point of view, it is certain that the country districts of the north are going to send back straigbtbut freeholders. There is no room for doubt on this score in Auckland County electorates, and any Government candidate who has any chance at all has declared freehold principles. In respect to its land principles, the Government will sustain a severe defeat in Auckland, states the Auckland correspondent of the "Otago Daily Times"; in fact there is every prospect of Auckland returning a substantial maority of Opposition and Independents.

In a leader'written recently on the candidature of Mr Noswortby in the Opposition interest for Ashburton, the "Lyttelton Times" mentioned, "Mr Massey demands that the railways shall be handed over to commissioners." Speaking at Leeston, Mr R. H. Rhodes, M.P. for Ellesmere, said that he had drawn Mr Massey's attention to the statement, and the Leader of the Opposition indignantly repudiated it, saying that all he had ever suggested was that a commission of enquiry should be set up to enquire into the working of the railways with a view to seeing whether they were being properly managed. Referring to the Native land question, Mr W. F. Massey said, in a speech at Pukekohe, that it was unfortunate that the land laws were so complicated. About £B,OOO had been spent by the recent Commission without any tangible result. He did not think Europeans were anxious to grab the Native land, but they did want to see it utilised, and not lying idle, growing noxious weeds. The Natives were to be pitied, as they were the victims of a bad system, for which they were not responaible. They had 7,000,000 acres of Native lands lying idle, and 40,000 Maoris practically checked in their upward movement. It was an unfortunate position, and both sides of the House wished to alter such a sad state of affairs. The Maori required to havo some object in life, and a sense of his responsibility. In an election address the other night, Mr C. A. C. Hardy (Selwyn), had something to say on the Socialists in the House and in the Ministry. He could not, he said, give a definition of Socialism. Any--1 way, some of it was good, and some of it was very bad. Some of the Socialists of New Zealand were ■"regular beauties." He was not afraid of the men who talked in Cathedral Square, but he was afraid of the Socialists in the House and in the Ministry. He objected to the men who talked Socialism, but never soiled their hands with honest work. The Evidence taken by the Labour Bills Committee showed that the Trades Councils were not representative of the unions, and that the councils were run by professional agitators who wanted to get into Parliament or into good positions. The Government had not resisted Socialism; the Opposition members had done that, with their backs against the wall.

Any talk about appointments of promotions for political purposes was generally made by those who would like political appointments, and had not been able to get them, said Hon. G. Fowlds at Grey Lynn on Wednesday night. With reference to this point, he mentioned that at the junior Civil Service examination 759 candidates passed last year. The number of candidates who passed the junior Civil Service examination was much larger than usual. Every successful male candidate, however, had been

offered appointment, and as PTiany girls ss possible were The result was that a wrath larger number passed tins year. There were 948 names on the list, and up till July last 524 had been offered appointments, and it was likely that the list would be completely exhausted before the next list came. out. It would thus be seen that the GuvernI ment was making strenuous effort to j secure as entrants into the Civil Service those who had qualified by examination.