THE ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 276, 18 November 1905, Page 6

THE ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN.

THE PREMIER AT ONEHUNGA. , 3. CROWDED AND ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING. Tie announcement that the Right Hon. i the Premier, Mr. R. .(. Seddon. was to j 6j eak at Onehunga caused •'' larie crowd | t s assemble at the Onehunga Hall la^ l - j Eight. Before 7.30 o'clock all the avail- j able seating ac-commodatinn was occupied, a very large number of ladies being present. As usual when the Premier s;v_Ls, very many people were unable j to get into the "ball. Loud cheering , outside announced the arrival oi the j I'remier, and his uppp; ratu-c cm the platform was the signal for renewed cheer- ! rug. Amongst those with the Premier were Mr. R. S. Stewart (Liberal candidate for Manukau). the Hon. Major. Harris. Mr. Ilenarc Kailiaii. M.H.R-.nnr) Mr. Frank Uawry. M.H.]',. As soon as the cheering subsided. Miss Mercy i Dempscy. on behalf of the girls of Papa- [ Lura Valley school, presented Mr. Sed- | don with a beautilul bouquet of roses. Mr. Angus Gordon. Mayor of Onehun- j ga. briefly introduced :he Premier. He, said that was about the firs' time a ' Premier had addressed a public meeting j in Onehunga. i The Premier, on rising to -j>eak. was again loudly applauded. He said exception had been taken to the Prime Minister going round the country speak- i ing. thai he should only speck in large ! centres. But people of Onehunga had ! sls much right to be addressed by the I'remier a.- the citizens of Auckland. The .Government policy \va> being attacked a'J over the district. surely British dair play warranted him carrying the J •war into the enemies' camp. They were j told that Mr. Massey should be left j alone, but why? Mr. Massey was con.slantly attacking the (Government: why should not the Premier reply": Yet be-, «ii»e he went to Pukc-kche Mr. Kirk- , bride complained. (Cheers, and a voice. "Good old Kirkbride.") That was one Jor Mr. Massey and two for himself. because Mr. Kirkbride knew he was coming to Onehunga. (Laughter.) Surely people were prepared to listen to a speech by the lirst man of the colony. He wa.s only following an example set him by Captain Russell. When a Government was charged •with maladministration the Ministers lad a rifht to go round the country to -vindicate them>eKe=.. t Applause ."> He objected to the system that had been adopted of - cvppi-na; a man's character ; _>v attacking nYro or Vi- HmYVv. Nix. jSeddon then dealt with the voucher in adent, and expressed rt-gret that Mr. JvJrkbride should have voted a~ he did on that occasion. Mr. Kirkbride told them he was so disgusted with the whole matter ho walked out. but "Hansard' showed that instead of walking out he ■walked into the lobby and voted for that packet handed in by Mr. Fisher to be laid upon the table. Mr. Seddon also referred to the Map-.urika trip, and <pioted the charges ti a V for certain }c;msterial trips by th.-- Conservative G-o-vernment. He would *&y t^ l mc "Don't par;:d: j yo::r virtu".-, ior you have none." ( Ai-pV-.v-;'-■ i- ;t .\' had been told that the Pror/Nt: wou.u come, make promi-e-. but Leal- his word. (A voice: -'OuUe r".g!it, t.-.:-._) He might tell them that when he made a promise it vais kept. Ihe cn.y ' t " m r be bad promised Onehunga m.= tueHigh S-hool. nnd they had got it- (AppLuse.) He challenged Mr. Kirk-riJ" to give an instance of his havinu broken hi= word. He also recognised taai hign scnools xcouired extending, abo that the men on the wharf needed a shelter shed. This was not electioneering. If a thing was a necessity, it should be done without a question of whether or bo: an election was at hand. Mr Seddon explained matters connected with the Penrose duplication, and contended that the North had not m-n wronged with regard to railway expenditure. Mi Massey advocated ihe repeal of the Public* Revenue- Ait and ih' i'reeholcl. (App]aai3e.) Mr Seddon -.u'li Mar policy -was one of shred. a:n: p.'.t(he--, which -would land them in :i ip'-.i-inire of disaster. (Applause and cries of -No. ) Mr Harding was rrptrterl to hare -aid at Port Albert that he would rather "bay the moon" than support the present Government. Mr Harding also was reported to have .Tided. "You will be dogs if yon yot? for the Liberal Government." Mr Seudi n suiu a man who could make siu-h n *.nton,cnl r,iu«t be moonstruck indeed. (Lau-btcr. i He was pleased to note that Mr Kirkbride had iriven him m very high certificate of character, for he said, "On Friday Tjisbt np\t you will have the giver of all before yon."' Surely that was a good <"-.uul'.. (bar:'. IT. (Applause.) Mr Kirkbride had said a district was punished when ii rMiirr-'.'d .in Opposition member, but l,o;h Mr Massey vt Pukekohe and Mr Mr-rrics .it Waihi had said directly the opp.->*i!'- u> that. (Applause.) Ac-cording to Mr Massey. a .strong man could :;<-t J!;-tice from the. Crivpi;:v.-.i'.)i. The übvbiu- conclusicm that if Mr Ki.kbTvb could get nothinjr for ':"- d's; rii l .. ]y musi not be a -trt ng man. '!":-.;■. was, of course, aeeon'.irg to Mr M.;ssc-y's statement. Mr Kirkbride had said that the Prerr.ier "ot evist witbom the borr ..... i „ 1r ,,... v r Kirkbride forgot to n " """ ' li. ''4_.-,o<i_fj-i;i , - ; - L 0 f revenue r ' ';"... for pvuiic works, thus f ': r -" ; ' ! - '■ ) -.-r ■ I'imni in interest. 3 T ""'' bri \ -. ' ■ Mi S.-.Jdon hid bcrr ." ■ i ■.:■:• .-"'"! . II ■ was v ton::; it v. ,21. -i »;i\ i,u; Mr K-rklride < .'c! T, ;..:•::;■_;, ;h-ji ~,f thr.t if- »00.0f>n wa= i.-.r Ai3 rimes to Sett". '• . i Applause, i Cbcaji money was t!"" sabation of a country. 'Applause.) ; V s . hen the ?tate fs\cd the iuax;n,-.im tate i of interest at .". per cent:, othei money : heel to ccme dovni to that level. /Ar>- | pjf.use.) Z\,'r sed.lon next rcfenc.l to i 11;" allocation for expenditure in tbe i Auckland district this year. (A voice: i "See you spend it "i Kverv penny j would be spent, and very jikelr mere. Mr Kirkbride told them that "ever ' sirce the time of Mose« '.hero had been lean and fat years." T1.0.t was c,uke tr.--c. and the Liberal Government pot fi-e fat year 3. iA voice, • \nd you get M." laughter and applause. ■ * What wa= the use of having tbe fat years

i unless they showed it. (Laughter.) He I was emblematical in his own person, , and showed the fat years, but ta»- Coni servatives had the lean years. II they I did not like prosperity under a Liberal I Government, then they c-uuld go back !to the soup kitchens and shelters th.it were in the colony a few years before the Liberal Government took offic-'s. I Applause.) These were the days when 2/6 per day was offered on the railway ! for single men. After 26 years" experij enee in Parliament, he could 1 ell them thai the Conservatives? had never movled to reduce taxation, hut the present Administration intended in move towards a free breakfast tablo. Since: the Libera] Government had been in power I Thf amount collected in Customs dnc-s J had boon reduced by £ 1.091.000. Mr Seddon claimed that the present. Gov- | eminent had not starved the roads. The i Atkinson Government in its last year I r.f office ?pent £02.000 on tbe roads, j hnt the present Government spent j €210.000 last year, and the allocation this year -*a<= £,"500.000. Mr Seddon ih*n ppoke on the land question, and i -ail Ie would be no to preventing poor men getting :>n | the land. to have no leasehold system under which they J c-onld take np land withput capital. An ; attempt had been made to rob the c-otin-J try- by •riving the leaseholders the free- ; hold. V.t Seddon spoke at length re- | parding the Old Age Pension, and men- ; tiered thai both :\Lr Massey and Mr 'Kivkbride had voted against the mii rear.? from ' j to 10/ per week. To gel the old age pension was tbe haJJ mark of a good life. (Laughter, and a I voice. ''What rot!") Mr Seddon said .'iter ;'.!] the 10/ a week was only bread ar.d tatter. IA Voice: "'And* beer."' ; Lnugli; ct. i From the day that pension ; was :"-nnted the colony had prospered. |It sci .-/ed as if the Creator was pleasj erl. anu blessed the *-o]ony accordingly. ' (Applnuse.) In conclusion. Air Seddon I Rsi-3 he was proud of their young New ■ Zchlanders. They were perhaps rather Ino fond of pleasure., but the country j was young yet. What he wanted was Ito see a happy people, and to have that [the people must have something to hope I for. (Applause.) They wanted a \ broader and higher humanity. For j many years Onehunga had been represented 'by a good Liberal. They had a j rhange for the last three years, hut on the Gth of December they had a chance Ito revise matters. If they acquitted i themselves faithfully at the ballot-box j they could not do better than remember ' his friend Mr Stewart. (Great cheer - linf.l Mr D. Sutherland moved, and Mr j John Ro-we seconded, "That this meet- \ \Ti£ thanks, the 'Right H.otu the P-rfe-mieT | for his able and statesman-like address, and desires to express its unabated confidence in tbe present Adm'mistra- ■ tion." The motion was adopted by a ! larpe majority of those present, amidst : tries of "Yes!" and "No!* Mr Seddon. in returning thanks, said nlthougbt there were some dissentients, tlie hearing accorded him that night was | a credit 10 the people of Onehunga. 'Applause.; Mr Stewart, being asked to speak said the hour was too late to say mut-b. [ Whatever the result of the election might be as far as Manukau was c-on-t-erned. he fell positive that the people iof this colony would at tb e ballot-box j renew their confidence in the Ministry. represented before them that night by the Right Hon. the Premier. (Applause and cries of dissent.) A vote of thanks was accorded the I chairman, after which cheers were giv;en for Mr Stewart, counter cheers for jMr Kirk bride ana three liearty cheers I for the i'remier. numbers of the audi- , enee singi::g 'For He's a Jolly Good ! .Fellow." j MR srIDDON ENTERTAINED. The Pr.-juier and visitors were enter- ■ tamed at luncheon in the goods shed by ; the ladies of the district, the Premier's i fceaitn being musically honoured. EXTENSION TO MAUXGATUROTO. i At Kaipara Flats a deputation from ' the Railway League waited on the PreImier. asking him to extend the line to !Hotco Isix miles) during the year. The •urvfTs to Hoteo had been completed, aud there '.as no reason why the £100.000 necessary could not be spent this year. The tunnel could be pierced from both ends simultaneously, and the bridge at the tunnel could also be constructed at the same time, j Mr Seddon said that he bad already stated the position, and ihe work would ;be pushed ahead as rapidly as was posI sibic under reasonable conditions. The money authorised would be spent before i the close of the financial year, and from j then until Parliament met the construe- ' tion would proceed at the same rate. Mr L'oates asked if the Premier would promise to come back that day twelve j months and open the line to Hoteo. j The Premier: "1 never make' rash | promises. But if I do not come hack jto open another section in twelve I months somebody else will. (Ap- ) plnrse. i I Mr i (-ates showed the Premier sam- ! pics of ballast and building stone secur.ed at Xaiwaka 20 miles beyond the prei sent terminus, and pointed out that at | present the ballast was carried from j Auckland, lie suggested that as the J country was flat the line should be I worked towards Hoteo from Kaiwaka. I Th? Premier said that the suggestion would be considered. VISIT TO ROTORUA. r The Right Hon. the Premier returned from the North last evening, and this morning he left for Rotorua, where he 1 will df-limr an address this evening. ! A number of citizens were on the platform to bid him farewell, including I Bishop Lenihan. Messrs J. McLeod, V. jM. McKay. T. W. Leys, and T. H. Giles. | The I'remier will return to Onehunga ,by Monday's express, taking the steam■er that afternoon for Wellington, ! whence he will shortly proceed to the : i South Island. , jME E. W. ALISON" AT DEVONPORT. | -Mr E. W. Alison, the member for I Waitemata, spoke to a large attendance of electors in the Foresters' Hall, Devonport, last night. Mr J. C. Macky presided, and in opening tbe meeting expressed his opinion that Mr Alison had carried out the pledges he gave to the electors when he was returned to Parliament three years aso. Mr C. Murdoch moved" a vote of thanks and an expression of tbe meeting's unabated confidence in Mr Alison remarking that their member had always been consistent and straightfo--ward, advocating from the first session to the last what he advanced from tbe ] platform three years ago. He admired ' Mr Alison for the way in which he hit' straight from the shoulder. (ApplanseA I The motion was adopted with sereral ! dissentients, and the meeting concluded' with a vote of thanks to the chairman Onr fun report of Mr Almon'm speech Is unavoidably held over.