OPPONENT ANSWERED.

MR. SAMUEL AT PAEROA.

ASSISTANCE TO MINING.

AN ENTHUSIASTIC AUDIENCE.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] PAEROA. Monday. The Reform candidate for Thames, Mr. A. M. Samuel, Was accorded a most en thusiastic reception at a meeting at Paeroa on Saturday evening. The liall was packed and the candidate was applauded on numerous occasions.

Mr. Samuel traversed tho manifesto issued by the Reform Party at tho last election, and claimed that practically the whole of the promises mado in that manifesto had been fulfilled. Tho latter portion of tho address was jdevoted to answer ing tho many allegations against tho Government made by the United Party candidate, Mr. li. McGregor. The candidate said Mr McGregor, at a recent meeting, had stated that since tho Coates Government came into power nothing had been spent in assisting mining. Mr. Samuel quoted the official figures showing tho advances made toward assisting mining. From 1906 to 1911, during the Liberal regime, £58,489 had been given. Since the Liberals went out of office tho sum of £244,000 had been given, and the amount expended during tho last five years had been £92,937. Mr McGregoi had since stated that he was mistaken in his figures, and had admitted that tho Government had given certain assistance, but he had not withdrawn his statement that the Government had been deliberately faking its return. Mr. Samuel challenged Mr. McGregor to substantiate his allegation of faking returns.

The candidate also refuted Mr. McGregor's statements about the grant for a public battery being bluff, and rend a telegram from the Prime Minister stating that the proposals were being continued, lie said ho would resign from the Reform Party if the Government did not continue with the scheme-

Other statements made by Mr. McGregor were answered by Mr. Samuel, and his replies were accepted and applauded. Mr Samuel said he had on no occasion given promises which bad not been fulfilled. At the conclusion a vote of thanks and con fidenco was accorded Mr. Samuel, amid great enthusiasm.

POLICY OF PROGRESS.

THE GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

CAMPAIGN IN WAITEMATA

The Devonport parish ha,II was well filled last evening, when Mr. A. Harris, Reform candidate for Waitemata, dealt with the policy of tho Reform Party with regard to land, railways, the tourist traffic and the development of secondary indus tries.

While he preferred to rank as an inde pendent Reformer, that he might deal with all questions from the standpoint of the country rather than that of party, Mr. Harris said he would support the Govern ment on any question of no-confidence, because it stood head and shoulders above both 'the other parties now before tho country.

Defending the Government's land policy, the candidate claimed that Reform stood out pre-eminent over previous administrations for its record in settlement, and in encouraging production. Particularly, he praised the liberal terms offered for the encouragement of settlement on the clay lands of the North, while he pointed out that the group settlement system, which the United Party had put forward as an idea of its own, was in operation already as part of the Government's policy. The railways of New Zealand were today more efficient than ever before, declared Mr. Harris. Courtesy was tho keynote of the service, trains we're faster, Jnd tho department was out for business, and was getting it. .With regard to the new general manager, ho believed Mr. Sterling, with his qualifications, was a cheap man at £3500 a year, and would make the railways pay handsomely. While the Gov ernment had done much to advertise to the world t New Zealand's attractions to tourists, ho believed that further enterprise of the same kind would be warranted

Further encouragement of secondary industries was advocated, as one means of reducing unemployment. New Zealand was importing 75 per cent, of the woollen goods she required, whereas it ought to be an exporting country in regard to woollens- It was ridiculous and uneconomic that wo should send away our raw materials—hides and flax, as' well as wool —and then have to pay duty upon them whrn they came hack in the manufactured form.

Accepting a Labour challenge to deal with Samoa, the candidate asked his hearers whether they were prepared to hand over the administration of New Zealand to a party led by a man who, for what ho thought would he political advantage, had taken up the cudgels on behalf o'; leaders of strife in the Islands. Pamphlets issued by Mr. Holland to the Samoans had tended to stir up bloodshed. General Richardson's policy in Samoa had been overwhelmingly vindicated as being entirely in accordance with the mandato of the League of Nations, and the silence of the Labour leaders as to Samoa in the present campaign showod that they recognised the unwisdom of their former attitude. The candidate was accorded a vote of thanks and renewed confidenco in him as member for the district, and the meeting expressed its intention to work "to elect him by an overwhelming majority." An amendment to delete the words "by an overwhelming majority" was defeated.

"NOT A LABOUR SEAT."

POSITION IN WAITEMATA.

The United candidate for Waitemata, Mr. R- H. Grevillo, addressed an audience of 300 in tho theatre at Northcote last evening, and received a vote of thanks and confidence. The Mayor, Mr. A. E. Greenslade, presided.

The candidate said the contest in Waitemata was between Reform and United, and votes cast for the Labour candidate by opponents of tho Government would bo thrown away. Waitemala' was not a Labour constituency. . A Voice: It was last election.

The Candidate: It was not.. What happened was that tho other candidnto condemned himself the first timo ho spoke by declaring he would support the Government on a no-confidence motion.

Sir Joseph Ward whs the most capable lender and statesman in tho Parliament of Now Zealand to-day, and tho successes ho had achieved in the past would bo repeated by tho return of the United Party.

THE KOTOIUJA SEAT.

ADDRESSES AT PUTARURU

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ROTORUA. Monday Mr. C. H. Clinkard, United Party candidate for Rotorua. addressed a large audience at Arapuni and was accorded a very favourable reception, tho meeting concluding with a vote of thanks and confidence. Toward tho close of the meeting inter jections by two Labour supporters resulted in some sharp exchanges, Mr. Clinkard strongly denied n statement that when questioned at Rotorua on his atti tude on u no-confidenco motion he had replied, "Wait and sec." Mr. Clinkard then explained in full what ho had said at Rotorua, receiving loud applause. Further interjections by the two' Labour supporters were shouted down by the audience. Later in the afternoon Mr. A. G. Christopher, tho Labour candidate, addressed a small gathering.