THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 230, 25 September 1908, Page 2

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

. * ~ V MR. WILDING AT NORTHCOTE. £ r J There was a large attendance at the * Bay View Hail, Northcote, last night, when Mr H. W. Wilding delivered a political address. Mr Alex. Bruce, Mayor of Northcote, presided. The candidate explained the provisions of the Second Ballot, Arbitration, and Education Bills, now before Parliament, and favourably c criticised those measures. He eulogised A the efforts of the Minister of Education ' and the Government in connection with ' the progressive proposals contained in ' the Education Bill. He believed that ' one of the good results that would ac- £ crue from the passing of the Second Bal- ' lot Bill would be that the elected repre- ) sentatives of the people would be im- * bued with a more independent spirit. ' He was a firm believer in the Arbitra- ' tion Act, which he thought could bo so " improved as to meet the difficulties that ' had arisen. While he favonrod freehold ; tenure for the future disposal of lands by tho Government, he thought the ' leasc-in-perpetuity holders should be sat- ' isfiftd with the contract they had entered ' into when they took up their lands, nnd ■ he did not favour allowing thorn to obtain the freehold at the original value > of their holdings at the lime they took I them up. If elected Jiu would usu every ' effort to get n aliuro of the public worUa oxpendituro for all just claims in tha , Wuitomnla electorate, Questioned • whether ho had been (elected as a candL - s date by tho present Government, Mr , ; Wilding said the ministry had made no i selection of a candidate for VValtoin—.iu; ho would vote with the Government on t- all nn-M>nfldenee motions, but otherwise ' rti—nrvcd independence, of action, nnd hn j • t favoured as far as possible rumov'njj the i dtitins on the noeesKarius of life, In view ' of th« presctif high cost of living, Mr Oko. Carter moved, and Mr ,la_, Stuw 1 art, seconded a vote of thanka urul ron> f iidoiujo, which was curried, un umend.- ---' ment of thanks only, proposed by Mr 3 1"). A. Gray, failing to find a seconder.

~ ' I M ARfsDEN. |

Mr Jas. Harrison, the (lovommcnt j\ candidate for Marsden, addressed the , j ejectors in the Theatre Royal last night. - Mr T. McClintock (Mayor of Wlumg-re') 1 ; presided over a lame meeting. Mr HarL . iison announced himself ns a firm Hup- ,,. porter of the present Government, and s of the bare majority in the local op- • j tion jtoll. but strongly resented being f ■ called either n single-taxer or Socialist. i lie advocated the nliolivion of ihe Vpper •- . House, and also parly frnvemment, in , favour of un elective executive, He c ! declared himself a linu supporter of the I. I freehold (enure of land, and of the prct sent education system. Mr Harrison " i received a hearty vote of (hanks.

WANGANUI.

il (By Telegraph — Tress Association.) a WANCANTI, Thursday. j : Mr George Hutchison will be a cann didatn for the Wanganui scat in oppo- ■'•! sitlon to the Government. ""I i . s. I HXTvrNTT. >r 1 " (By Telegraph. —Press Association.)

CHRISTCHCRCH. Thursday. Mr W. Forbes, of Cheviot, who ii 4* ,> contesting the Hurtuiui scat in the Oovpronient interest, addressed a meeting at Amberley last night. He gave a general support to the Government policy and legislation, and advocated increased activity in land settlement, with a view of getting the man with small capital on the land and stemming the Row of population towards the eitiee. He favoured amendment of the Arbitration Act. tho retention of the threefifths majority in licensing polls, liberal encouragement of volunteering, review of the agreement between the'Statc and the Hank of New Zealand, and a. trial of the principle of the second ballot. He was en I i rely opposed to the "gag" clauses in the bill now before the House. Mr Forbes received a vote ot thanks.