ELECTIONEERING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 231, 27 September 1905, Page 3

ELECTIONEERING.

MB. W. MORGAN AT PARNELL,

Mr. W. Morgan, Independent Liberal candidate for the Parnell constituency, addressed a meeting of the electors last evening in the Oddfellows' Hall, Parnell, on a number of political topics. Mr. John Fitt (Mayor of Parhell) presided over an audience that about half filled the hall.

Mr Morgan stated at the outset that it was his maiden appearance as a candidate for political honours. He upheld his position as an Independent liberal by expressing the opinion that the man who bound himself with the leg-irons of partyism would not be worthy of a place in the House. A nian often sided with his party when he should have represented his constituents. Many had the opinion that before a mau became a candidate for Parliament he should have been in some other public body. But what encouragement was there to enter a public body? "Look at the Auckland City Council!" He then went on to criticise the Council for allowing the trains to go out of the grasp of the citizens. He condemned the expenditure on Admiralty House, and then took the Government to task for not raiding the tariff on imported vehicles. The importation into the colony of £46,000 worth of vehicles \va3 robbing the colonial manufacturer and depriving the workingman of wage*;. The Government, he said, had done some good work, but it was not responsible for the prosperity of the colony. ' That was the work of the people themselves. He then weufc into statistics, showing that the various manufactories in New Zealand at the present time contributed a total of £1,544,343 per annum towards the employment of labour, while the total exports in butter and cheese, frozen meat, gold, kauri gum, and wool had risen from £ 8.385,053 in 1805 to £14,535.192 in ISO 3, an increase of £6,445,039 in eight years. He contended that local industry should receive every encouragement, and instanced the boot and shoe industry, which he ?aid had increased iv value between 1595 and 1903 from £151,593 to £245,----039 per annum. People should not buy American boots and shoes, which were often prison-made. In doing so they were closing the door of labour to the sons and daughters of New Zealand. Hes deplored the action of the Government in importing railway material, when near Bombay was obtainable everything necessary for making ironware. He favoured a lowering of the cost of taking out patents, and considered it a cruel thing to any patentee to oblige him to place the formula outside of a box of pills or a bottle of medicine.

Turning to the land question, be was in favour of a limited acreage and the classification of land. He would have three classes, with farms ranging from 500 to 1000 or more acres, according to quality. He believed in the freehold, or the leasehold with right of purchase. He advocated the opening up of Maori lands to European settlement. He objected to one man having more than one farm, and mentioned as an instance of monopoly the Duke of Sutherland's landed possessions in Scotland, amounting to 1,500,000 acres, or oue sixteenth of the whole country. Such a state of things he looked upon as nothing less than iniquitous, and to I>p avoided here at any cost. The speaker then branched oil' to the Upper House, which he stigmatised as an assembly of marionettes and a refuge for the rejects. Instead of being a check upon the Lower House, as it should be, it was, said Mr Morgan, like a flock of sheep that bleats when the shepherd commands. He considered that this branch of the Legislature should be elected by the ten electoral provinces; the term to be for six years and the honorarium similar to that 'of the Lower House (£300). Bellamy's he characterised as a degredation to the colony. He commented adversely upon the increase of Parliaamentary salaries, and complained that the colony's indebtedness of £55,000,000 was being increased by men who ought not dare to face a public audience and seek again their suffrages. He was in favour of instituting Government phrenologists, :as being Tieneneia] to the welfare of humanity. The candidate also touched ion the "tunnel duplication, preferential ! tariff, and workmen's homes. With regard to the High Coramissionership, he C con=i3ered that any member who voted for tliat measure should be ashamed to face the people. It might be regarded as a bribe of £2500 to get rid of the Premier. He thought if the Premier was worth keeping he should be kept. He would recommend that commercial representatives, to be chosen on their merits, should be appointed to the large centres in England and other countries. He favoured uniformity in school books throughout the colony. He was a prohibitionist. The annual charge for drunkenness was £35.554. He would make the hotelkeepers who made drunkards keep them. The annual cost to the colony of the Waitati Home alone was £3524. He would put a tax on beer of a penny a gallon, and threepence a gallon on spirits, to go towards the upkeep of the asylums. He would also make the brewer pay a tax of £2 10/ in every £ 100 on the ratable value of all tied houses. He considered the time was ripe for total prohibition. The candidate concluded his address by saying be would be pleased to explain to anyone interested the nature of three bills he proposed to introduce if he was elected — a village settlement scheme, a prison reform bill, and an Asiatic restriction bill. (Applause.)

In reply to questions, Mr Morgan said he believed in the unionism by which a man can get a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. He favoured the old age pension of 10/ a week, but regarded its introduction as an electioneering dodge.

On the motion of Mr A. J. Andrew, a vote of confidence and thanks was unanimously accorded the candidate. A vote of thanks to the chair closed the meeting.

A meeting of Mr. Alison's supporters will be held to-morrow evening in the Wesleyan Schoolroom, Birkenhead.

Mr K. D. Stewart, Government candidate for Manuka v electorate, delivered an address at Clevedon on Monday evening, and was awarded a hearty vote of thanks. To-night Mr Stewart speaks at Drury, at Maketu on Thursday, Ararimu on Friday, and Papakura on Saturday.

WATTAKI. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) TIMARU, Tuesday. Mr W. S. Maslin relinquishes his candidature for Ashburton, and contests W-itaki in the Opposition interest.

HAWERA HAWERA, this day. Mx B. C. Robbins, candidate for the Hawera seat, addressed a meeting here last night, when he announced that he was standing in the Opposition interests.