ELECTION SPEECHES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 242, 16 November 1914, Page 10

ELECTION SPEECHES.

DR. McNAB AT HASTINGS. Pri'9* Association. HASTINGS, November 14. Dr Robert'MeNab,-Liberal candidate for Hawke's Bay, addressing a crowded meeting in the Princess Theatre last, night, said he 'approved the Legislative Council Bill providing for proportional representation. When it was thoroughly understood a great deal of the opposition to that system would disappear in the Lower House. He severely criticised the Government for abolishing the second ballot without substituting a better system, and also for legislating to deprive seamen of the privilege of selecting the electorates in which .to vote, to save "the Hon. F. M.'B. Fisher. He accused the Government of going on with railway construction in supporters' electorates and stopping construction on the Hawke's Bay-Gisborne . line. He urged the need for the -country preserving intact nine million acres of endowment lands, .'and pointed out that the McNab Land Bill included a clause giving holders of lease-fti-perpetuity lands the right to convert to the freehold. Therefore, Mr Massey was wrong' in claiming to bo the first to give this right. ' He said that, as a means of breaking up large estates,' trustees should bo compelled to hand over to the State land equivalent' in value to the amount paid in death duties. He dealt at length with Mr Allen's loan prospectus, saying that in one swoop. Mr Allen abandoned 21 years' contention regarding surpluses. In local option he favoured the 55 per cent, majority. Hewas.against the Bible-in-sehools referendum. Religious instruction should not be the work of teachers. Referring to Huntly, he said it was! too serious a matter to suggest th«*vt any member of Cabinet was guilty of manslaughter, but he thanked God that all the faults of the Ward Government never resulted in 43 men losing their lives. He claimed that the Liberal Party was the author of the present defence system, and that he was the man who enabled the Defence Act to be put on the Statute Bookj On resuming his seat Dr McNab was loudly applauded." The following resolution was carried with few dissentient voices:—"That this meeting accords a hearty vote of thanks to Dr, McNab for his able address, and expresses confidence in him and the Liberal Party;'! AVON. A meeting of the friends and supporters of Mr D. G. Sullivan, S.D.P. candidate for Avon, will-be held at Mr Dudley Hill's rooms, Seaview Road, New Brighton, to-night. '"' Mr Sullivan speaks' to-night at the corner of Gloucester Street and East Belt, and to-morrow at the corner of Breeze's Road and Page's Road. BRAINS OR CASH? ''Are you in favour of candidates for Parliament having to pass an examination in the elements of political economy instead of having to pay a £lO deposit?" was a question put to Mr Murdoch McLean, Reform Party candidate for Grey Lynn, at his first political address. The candidate evidently considered this proposal to substitute a brain qualification for, a cash qualification set to 6 high' a standard for political aspirants. "If sifch a condition was made,' Vhe said, '' we would never have any members of Parliament at all." / . . LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

"With reference to local industry, it is about time you sent me back to the House again to let ine vote for it," said Mr J. P. Luke, the Reform candidate for Wellington South, speaking at Newtown last night. "I did good ser-

vice for the manufacturers of the Dominion when I was there, and members on both sides of the House gave me credit for the way I stood v.p for local industries. I can assure you that many thousands of pounds would have gone away from the country if it had not been for my advocacy of local industries." (Applause.)