THE ELECTIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3032, 31 October 1908, Page 5

THE ELECTIONS.

Mr John Hunter will address a meeting of electors at Newman tonight and at the Schoolhouse, Rongomai, on Monday evening. In connection with his electioneering campaign Mr A. W. Hogg will address a meeting of electors at Kopuaranga this evening, and at the Kuripuni Hall on Monday evening. Mr F. W. Massey, Leader of the Opposition, will deliver a political address to the electors of the Wairarapa at the Victoria Hall, Carterton, on Tuesday next. In reply to a question at his Woodlands meeting the Hon. R. M'Nab, said the Government would not again introduce a proposal to give Meikle £5,000. Mr Dan O'Connor Brick has retired from the contest for the Selwyn seat, says a Press Association telegram, and the fight is now between Mr C. A. C. Hardy (Oppositionist), and Mr J. (Liberal.) Mr Davi 3 Jones, one cf the three Opposition candidates for the Ashburton seat has received an official letter from Mr Martin, Opposition organiser, naming him on Mr W. F. Massey'a behalf as the Opposition nominee. Mr F. G. Bokon, a candidate for Wellington North, made his first speech last night. He said he was a general supporter of the Government, but would keep a free hand on minor questions and questions particularly affecting the city, and the electorate. He was given a vote of thanks and confidence, says a Press Association telegram. Mr J. T. M. Hornsby is announced in our advertising columns to speak at Te Wharaij.Scbool on Wednesday, November 4th; the Settlers' Hall at Homewood on Thursday, November sth; at the Settlers' Hall, Langdale, on Friday, November 6th; and at the Hall, Tinui, on Saturday, November 7th. As the time before the election is too short for Mr Hornsby lo visit any further places on the coast, he has asked us to say that he hopes the Whakataki and. Castlepoint people will be able to attend his meeting at Tinui; at any rate, he hopes to meet some of them there. The night will be a moonlight one, and if the weather is favourable, the jour-, ney would be a pleasapt one, especially as it will be made at the weekend. The advocacy of the Opposition in favour of an elective Legislative Council was referred to by Mr Lawry, Parnell, on Wednesday evening. He expressed his dissent from the suggested change, and remarked tli.it thoie who were urging that the Upper House should be made elective overlooked tne point that the New Zealand Parliament had no power to deal with the question. The Legislative Council as at present costituted, he said, was part of the Constitution of the country, which had been granted to New Zealand by the Imperial Government, when it ceased to be a Crown colony. He held that unless an Act were passed by the Imperial Parliament the present constitution of the Council could not be altered.

"Of all explanations of the Government's object in embodying the 'gag' clause in the Second Ballot Bill, Mr Fowlds is so far the lamest," says the Chris tchurch '' Press," " that we have come across. He declared that it was unfair to blame the Government for the 'gag' clause for it was put into the Bill to meet objections raised by the Opposition that 'between the first and second' ballots Ministers would be going all 'over electorates where second ballots were to be held, and endeavouring to 'bribe the electors.' The idea of the present Ministry adopting a selfdenying ordinance which would really prevent them from exercising before the second ballot the enormous amount of political influence . that they can wield is really grotesque. As a matter of fact, of course, even if the "gag' clause had been retained in the Bill, as it would have oeen if the Government had not become frightened of the consequences of their own action, it would not have freed the second ballots from their influence."