WELCOME TO THE HON. FOWLDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 249, 17 October 1908, Page 6

WELCOME TO THE HON. FOWLDS.

A HEARTY GREETING. ■ An enthusiastic welcome to the Hon. Geo. Fowlds, Minister for Education, was tendered by the constituents of that gentleman in St. George's Hall, Grey Lynn, last evening. The hall wae crowded to excess, some SOO, almost all members or active supporters of Mr. Fowlds' committee, being present by invitation. Mr. J. Jenkin presided, there being also on the platform Messrs. Baume and Poole, M.P.'s, and Mr. G. Sayers (Mayor of Grey Lynn). The Chairman read apologies from the Premier, Ministers, and others regretting their inability to attend. The Chairman observed that it had been stated that the contest for the Grey Lynn seat at the forthcoming election would be the hottest in the Dominion, but they considered that they would be able to put up a good fight. They had as yet only been taking a very light part in the work, whereas their opponents had commenced the campaign some three months back. Mr. Baildon, representing the Kingsland members of Mr. Fowlds' committee, was also of the opinion that the contest would be a very keen one—in fact, according to report, the keenest ever held j in the electorate. They were, however, confident of victory. (Loud applause.) Mr. Holdsworth, of the Richmond branch committee, said that they were going to do their best to return Mr. Fowlds at the head of the poll. "I am not," he said, "a member of the Auckland Racing Club, and if I were I doubt whether I would look upon it as so greati \an honour as some people do." Hβ would, however, ask them to make every post a winning post. Men had been introduced into the electorate who were making use of very questionable means to secure the return of their candidate, and he would ask them all to do their best to upset these false statements. Mr. J. Davis, of Mr. Fowlds' Mt. Eden branch, said that he did not think it would be desirable to replace Mr. Fowlds by a man who was "not in the same : street." He had sat for two years at the Mt. Eden Council with Mr. Nicholson, but could not support his candidature. 31r. Brown, chairman of the Grey Lynn No-license League, said that they considered the vote for No-license and \ the return of the Hon. Geo. Fowlds as . one and the same thing. Mr. Fowlds' , opponent had declared that he would abolish barmaids, but how he would do it the speaker did not know. One canvasser in the electorate, when speak-' ing to a woman residing in the district, had remarked that a man like Mr. Fowlds' opponent would be the very one I for a person like her of No-license leanings. "I cannot for the life of mc conceive what a number of people want to i put Mr. Fowlds out of public life for," concluded Mr. Brown. Mr. Fowlds, on rising to reply, was accorded a hearty reception. He stated that he looked forward to the result of the election with composure, and was certain that he would retain the confidence of the electors. On three former occasions the Grey Lynn people had stood loyally by him, and he expected the same this time. They required this time to pursue a particularly circumspect course, and he regretted that on this election a different line of conduct had been proceeded with by their opponents than on any previous election. As far as he was concerned, and as far as his supporters were concerned, they would take the straight course, laying aside all personalities. But if they found it necessary to drag to the light of day any serious misrepresentations, it would be done so that the people of the electorate might know the truth. (Applause). He regretted to have to draw attention to some serious mis-representations which were in circulation, and even in print, in the district, and especially in connection with Te Oranga Home. "In spite of the clear statement I made in a previous speech," he said, "it is being stated that the Minister ordered corporal punishment for a girl in that institution. That statement is a lie. Any corporal punishment inflicted, was inflicted without any reference to the Minister, under regulations in force for years before I took up the position of Minister for Education. This statement has been brought up from time to time, and I liave seen it in print. I am glad to have had an opportunity of making this statement, in fchat <the people may be able to get the correct position." Continuing, Mr Fowlds said he recognised that Jhe contest would be a hot one. The main object was not who was to be elected, but as to who was to be defeated. He did not wish to say that the candidate opposed to him was responsible for the position. The people of Grey Lynn and the Dominion would recognise that the contest would be one of interests. These interests thought that his presence in the Cabinet was likely to prove a disadvantage to them, and were not particular as to who their own candidate might be—even a minister with opinions still more hostile would have suited —but his (the speaker's) defeat would be a very great advantage indeed. He was confident that the people of Grey Lynn who had stood by him in the past would do so in the future, and that when the numbers went up they would not be so small as on the last occasion. He thought he was entitled to ask for a majority that would take four figures to express it. He thanked hi 3 hosts heartily for their welcome home. After vigorous applause, three cheers were given for Mr Fowlds, the audience singing 'Tor he's a Jolly Good Fellow." Mr C. H. Poole expressed the opinion that the meeting "of Mr Fowlds' committee" —(laughter)—had settled the question of the Grey Lynn election. It would be a national calamity to see Mr Fowlds defeated. All round the electorate they would find political assassins who had been employed to kill the moral lile of the community. He thought that No-license would kill all this sort of thing. Mr Sexton observed that the contest was one between bribery and corruption and the people's interests. Plenty of money was being used to unseat Mr Fowlds, but the "dirty work" would result in their opponents being hoist with their own petard. An excellent musical programme was provided by the Lyric Vocal Quartet (Messrs W." Aspinall, H. Blakeley, A. McElwain and J. W. Ryan), assisted by Mrs F. M. King. Miss Muldoon acted as accompanist. Supper was afterwaTds provided on the platform of the hall.