NEWS AND NOTES.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 243, 17 November 1914, Page 5

NEWS AND NOTES.

CHRISTCHURCH SOUTH. A big meeting of electors in Beckenham Hall last evening was addressed by Mr F. B, Hughes, Eeform candidate for Christchurch South, Mr C. E. Good was in the chair. The address was listened to very keenly and was enthusiastically received. There was a small section of interjectors, but Mr Hughes disposed of the opposition. The meeting lasted for two hours and a-quarter without any dwindling of the audience. A motion of hearty thanks to the candidate was carried without dissent. Mr Hughes will speak to-morrow in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Schoolroom, at the corner of Taramea and Barrington Streets. . ■ Mr G. R. Whiting, Labour candidate for Christchurch South, gave his first campaign address in the Selwyn Street Methodist Schoolroom last-evening, Mr J. H. Jones presiding over a good attendance. Mr Whiting dealt with a number of the leading political questions of the day, and stated that if he were elected he would throw all his weight and influence in Sir Joseph Ward's behalf against the Massey Government. At the conclusion of his address, Mr Whiting was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. Mr 11. G. Ell met his supporters Hast evening in the Methodist Schoolroom, when further arrangements in connection with his campaign were made. Mr Ell's friends and supporters are invited to meet Mm at the Oddfellows' Hall, Dickens Street, Addington, this evening. CHRISTCHURCH NORTH. The members of Mr H. F. Toogood's working committee met in the candidate's rooms last evening, Mr Denys Hoare presiding over a large attendance. Eeports of a very encouraging nature were received, and arrangements were made for further campaign work. Mr J. E. Petherick, Liberal candidate for Christchurch North, spoke at the corner of Victoria and Peterborough Streets last evening to an audience of about three hundred. Mr Petherick entertained his audience in his racy style, and declared himself an out and out supporter of Sir Joseph Ward. RICCARTON. Mr G. Witty, M.P., opened his campaign at Upper Eiccarton last evening, Mr C. Taylor presiding over a good attendance/ The candidate got a good reception, and at the close of his address a hearty vote of thanks was carried, together with a vote of confidence in Sir Joseph Ward and the Liberal Party. ASHBXJETON. "Mr W. Nosworthy, the. sitting member for Ashburton, opened his campaign last evening, and was accorded a vote of thanks for his address. THE OPPOSITION LEADER. Sir"Joseph Ward, Leader of the Opposition, will speak in Dunedin on Thursday, in Eangiora on Friday, and in Christchurch on Saturday. TO-NIGHT'S MEETINGS. Dr Thacker, Liberal candidate for Christchurch East, speaks at the Choral Hall. Mr M. J. Miller, Reform candidate for Lyttelton, speaks at Duff's Hall, Cashmere Hills. Mr H. F. Toogood, Government candidate for Christchurch North, speaks at St. Luke's Schoolroom. Mr Bertram Bunn, Reform candidate for Eiccarton, speaks at Ya'ldhurst. Mr W. A. Banks, Government candidate for Hurunui, speaks at West Oxford. Mr D. Jones, Government candidate for Kaiapoi, speaks at the Oddfellows' Hall, Kaiapoi. Mr L. M. Isitt, Opposition candidate for Christchurch North, speaks at Knox Church Hall. Mr Geo. Witty, Liberal candidate for Eiccarton, speaks at Kirwee. The Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes speaks at Lakeside School. Mr Joseph Hamlet speaks at Lauriston. Mr G. E. Whiting, Labour candidate for Christchurch South, speaks at the cor-

ner of Burns and Scott Streets at 7 p.m., and at St. Michael's Schoolroom at 8 p.m. Mr George Sheat, Government candidate for Selwyn, speaks at Lyndhurst. Mr J. E. Petherick, Liberal candidate for Ghristchurch North, speaks at the Garlton Bridge. Mr D. G. Sullivan, S.D.P. candidate for Avon, speaks at the corner of Page's and Breeze's Boad. Mr H. ©. Acland, Government candidate for Avon, speaks at the corner of Bordesley and Harrow Streets at 7 p.m., and at the corner of Canal Reserve and Buckley's Road at 8.15. . Mr G. W. Russell, Liberal candidate for Avon, speaks at New Brighton Pier.

The strike of November last was dealt with at some length by Mr C. J. Parr, the Reform candidate for Eden, and Mayor of Auckland. Mr Parr said in regard to his own attitude, that as Chief Magistrate, when he found the wharves of the city I held up for a fortnight, with produce rotting on them, and when he found I.W.W. agitators from America actually issuing permits to the carriers of the city to carry on their business—a function of the City Council—he felt that he would have been false to his trust if he had not done his best to restore constitutional methods and orderly government in the city. Because lawlessness had been put down with a strong hand, the Government was criticised. Personally, he would rather lose 20 elections than fail in his duty to the! citizens who had placed him in his high office and looked to him to keep order in the community. (Loud cheers.) '' The weakest spot in the Ward Administration was the land question, and it could not be otherwise, for there are nearly as many land policies among the Opposition as there are members."—; "Grey River Argus."

The Social - Democratic candidates, though willing to make use, of the Opposition as a catspaw to oust the Eeform Government do not hesitate to express their opinion of it in free and vigorous language. Mr James Thorn, the Socialist candidate, for Palmerston North, for instance, in referring to the position of the Liberal candidate, Mr Crabb, spoke of the share list of a Liberal paper owned by big merchants and brewers, which was the party to which Mr Crabb had chosen to attach himself. "What an\ irony of fate! 'Birds of a feather flock together-, ' " added the speaker. * * Fancy Mr Grabb sitting side by side with Mr Vigor Brown fighting for a reduction in barley." (Loud laughter and applause.) The Liberal Press was the property of merchants, brewers, and Tory newspaper proprietors. What has proved to be a curiously inapt illustration of the ineffectiveness of Mr Allen's naval policy was given by Mr Anstey, the Opposition candidate for Waitaki, in an address recently. The GerIman -cruiser Em den bombarded Madras, and referring to the possibility of a similar assault being made in these waters, Mr Anstey asked: '' What earthly use would Mr Allen's Bristol cruiser be? She would be blown to pieces in the first attack." Twenty-four hours later news came that a Bristol cruiser, the* Sydney, belonging to a "tinpot" colonial navy, had put an end to theEmden's career. A wag at .Mr- Fletcher's (Wellington Central) meeting made .an apt rejoinder to a remark by the candidate. Mi- Fletcher had been saying that the workers would not support the Massey Government at this election, stating in conclusion:' "The workers have had their eyes opened." A Voice: Their heads opened, some of them. (Laughter.) An announcement has been made by Mr William Richardson, a candidate for Auckland Central, that he will support the Reform Party. '' For social, political, j and local reasons,'' he states,'' I will support Mr Massey, whose term of office has shown that he is no popularity-hunter nor political adventurer, but a man desirous of promoting the best interests of the country.'''