THE GENERAL ELECTION.

B THOMPSON AT WHANGAREI. *, r Thompson addressed a, very large t-ng of electors at the Theatre Royal, JLirti, on Wednesday evening. His hiD tlie Mayo*" was voted ta the • »od introduced the speaker. To a Adorable length, Mr Thompaon red fetao work o£ the past Parliament, "l*fl» which disceursa he, in many ways, fflfendod and condemned many of the b0 lof the Government. He stated in * ,r«e of his address, that if the present tb9C?nSnt had »>ot been in office. North dockland districts would have been *f ft°.i*irelv neelected. Ha also stated 51 wins' to the want of collocation **'h. DBrt °f the mem bars for Auckland "'' i.d suburbs with the Northern mem- " '"V.was alnaoß* impossible to do anyf*!, sr obtsiD consideration for the North 3»n«i district, and what had beon w«8 only dona by tho determination W representatives of the respective ntiss via., Kodcsy, Maredon, and Bay '<Made t° K et a Ghare of the E °od I's offered. In referring to the Loan I ri |,c stated that on discovering tho JlranwHt had decided to borrow he 2nd little use in opposing it though he Id BS«»» fc the measurs' bufc on bBIn S ! !.Sfied «>»•>■ portion of tho maney ihua . dried was to be sponb on the Mam Si Ro«d he retired. Ho denounced the v irliouS Bill in the strongest term 3. He kalil the Government es regards tho xiininf Bill when he discovered it was ! ted" principally against, tho Kauri -nmber Company, and was assured ihTt only declared milling diairicto Luld couie under this measure, and . fe | t sl) re that aa so formed tho ',„„» would not, to any great extent, feel the ofiect* of it. Mr Thompson Llarcri himf&lf aa an Independent Liberal. Ho woukl £ 0 ' U elected, to Wellington with a iree hand, and [j"voto on all measures which , thought would prove of benefit to the constituency or the colony at largo. Bo stated thao he had not come out L. hia own benotit, but had been in•lWd to stand aa a candids.la for the Marsden cousty election. He trusted that all electors would, to the best of their abilities, use tho good judgment he gave Ibom credit for o;i tho uloetion day. I'he candidate than took his seat, and the chairpan called for questions. The candidate on beino asked if he was in favour ef prohibition.^replied that aa this matter was to be decided by tho people on the election day, le left it to their judgment. In reply to tie question would Air Thompson in fora th« meeting that if «t the beginning of tho next session a vots of wanC-of-etinfidonca in the Saddan Ministry were put, on which side he would vote, he itited that all depended on who was to bo the leader. Mr Thompson was then ailted was ste in favour of a Bill being brought into tho Housa which permitted l'Hterosb for loans being regulated by the State. la reply, he said he did not sea how it cou.d bo dune, and was not snare that it ever was so regulated. He thought) is would be just aa difficult to do this aa it would be to regulate wages by the eamo means. llrTlwinußon was nofc in favour of dredging th« Wbansarei Kiver, as ho thought the extension of the railway to Grahamstown would answer tho [impoaa better. Other qne»tions were iskcd and answered. Mr Moody then moved a vote of special thanks fer Mr Thompson* past services, which was seconded by Mr Charles Hawkeas, Mr Aldorton moved &n amendment "That Mr R. Thcmpuon is a fit and propor poreoii for election to Parliament, but that thia caeet-ing hi bo couGdeiice in tha Seddon Government." Ttis amendment was put sud carried.