ELECTIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3029, 28 October 1908, Page 5

ELECTIONS.

Mr Henry Davis has retired from the contest for the Ashburton seat. "There is no such thing as equality of brain power in this world—and the weak point of our Civil Service is that men of brains don't receive credit for possessing them, and consequently drift out of the service to other colonies, where they can get better paid."—Mr Thompson, a candidate for Parliamentary honours, speaking at Auckland. Mr J. T. M. Hornsby, Liberal candidate for the Wairarapa seat, spoke to a large audience at Carterton, on Monday night, and met with a cordial reception. He was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, A vote of confidence in the Government was also carried. Mr G. Koller, the Political Labour League candidate for Timaru, in answer to a question at a recent meeting, said, if returned, and he had to vote on a no-confidence motion he would vote for the Government, because they were more " squeezable'' than the Opposition. Mr D. M'Laren, the Wellington East Labour candidate, has a scheme for the prevention of legislative hurry. He suggested at his meeting at Wellington on Monday night that all Bills which the Government intends to introduce should be fully advertised beforehand, in the same way as local Bills. At present, measures were put through Parliament late at night and late in the session, and the people did not realise what was done until it was all over. "What is wanted in New Zealand at the present time is a strong pubiic opinion. This does not exist at present. In the older countries there is a strong public opinion, diverted either one way or the other; but in the newer countries public opinion does not appear to exist. This is probably due to the fact that those who settled in the new countries came with the object of personal success, and did not recognise the responsibilities of life." —Mr L. R. Phillipps at Auckland. Mr W. H. Hawkins, an Independent candidate for the Pahiatua seat, recently held a meeting at Ballance, and at the conclusion of his address a vote of thanks was moved. One member of the audience, however, moved as an amendment, "That this meeting refuses to accord Mr Hawkins any support whatever." The chairman declined to accept the amendment on the ground that it was a direct negative, stating by way of explanation that he thought he ought not to accept a motion either for a vote of confidence or no-confidence, as a vote of that kind should be secret.

Messrs Joseph Ivess arid Daniel O'Connor Brick, who have announced themselves as Liberal candidates for the Selwyn seat owing to Mr W. J. Dickie's retirement, addressed meetings at Methven and Chertsy, respectively, last night, states a Press Association telegram. Mr Ivess expressed himself as a strong Government supporter, and in complete agreement with their policy except on the land question. While believing in the lands for settlement policy he was in favour of the optional system. Mr Brick said he was a whole-hearted supporter of the present administration. He favoured an elective executive, the installation of a State bank, and a three-fifths majority at local option poll 3. The member for Rangitikei is incensed at derogatory statements having been circulated about him. At his Hunterville meeting, Mr Remington, referring to this matter, strongly condemned the tactics which certain people had adopted, and he gave an open challenge to his traducers to come out in the open and make a definite statement which he would test in the Supreme Court. If they would not accept this challenge, then he would ask his supporters to cast back the calumnies in the teeth of his traducers. He would go further and indemnify the press of the district if they would publish the calumnies, and disclose to him the names of the persons making them. • Speaking at Kaitangata, Mr Tyndall, schoolmaster of Blue Spur, a Liberal-Labour candidate, referred to the refusal of the Otago Education Board to grant his application for leave in order that he might prosecute his election campaign for Bruce. One member of the Board had said that the teacher's work would be detrimentally affected. It might only be a coincidence, but since starting his political campaign the attendance of the school over which he presided had increased by about 25 per cent. He had been in the service of the board for over twentyfive years, and had never asked for a day's leave of absence, and during the last eighteen years his salary had been reduced by about £75, but still he had stuck to his work, and had never been put off on account of ill-health. He brought these facts forward in answer to the criticism to which he had been subjected, as if common schoolmasters or common miners ought not to take a part in the politics of the country.