ROSKILL ELECTORATE.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 283, 28 November 1919, Page 8

ROSKILL ELECTORATE.

GREY LYNN.

MR. PEDDLES MEETING. About half a hundred electors gathered in Maungawhau school last night to hear Mr. F. W- Peddle, Independent Liberal candidate for Roskill electorate. Mr. C. W. Reardon presided, and introduced the candklate. "The Liberal party." Mr. Peddle said, "had to shoulder a legacy of debt and social unrest that the war had left the country, and the Reform party was not likely to allay this unrest. The Liberal party was responsible for placing on tlie Statute Books of the country nearly all the legislation that had benefited the people—manhood suffrage, secret ballot, free and secular education, land and income tax, and finally, the Land for Settlement Act. * As a farmer," the speaker continued, "I know the value of most of them, especially the last. It is this Act which has made New Zealand the prosperous country that it is to-day. "Vet it has been the consistent policy of the Reform Government to hold the .and in large estate. They now say that it may be wise to break up these estates. The Liberal party say emphatically that they will break them up." Air. Peddlp quoted some figures with reference to large estates, and advocated the appropriation of these estates, compensation to be made by State bonds.

"Wo want a new set of politicians," continued Mr. Peddle, "men who will live as true patriots— a Parliament which will o..c'_* the people a more vital interest in the country. As one of these men, 1 .'. ant *•? "*cur tin* free unbiased criticism of the elector-., and, if they find nu* adequate. 1 want them to help m " to act for them hi Parliament." _ ihe candidate advocated that the income tax should be h-vi.>d for revenue purposes only. He also touched brieilv upon the needs of education, and the scheme ot military training. lie advocated a white New Zealand, as well as a vigorous immigration scheme. W hen question time pan,,. ).'„_ c i, air . man Mked, "Will the candidate toil mc whether he is in favour of the Parliament b movement in racing the mem'■rs honorarium from f.-JOO to 1.500 beng made the subject of a poll':" ' Mr . I eddle replied that lho.i_.l. |„. saw „,, actual reason why the members should' »ot ...crease their salaries i„ view of Ihe cost of livnig. he „. <ullJ j - ballot ou the subject. A vote of confidence was called for and earned ui.an_mou-.lv.

THE EDEN ELECTORATE. MR. HORXULmV AT HEXDEKsox. Mr. R E. Hornblow, the Liberal candidate lor Eden, had a very flattering cteption on the occaaio.i ol his second ~i„" . Hcnde »°» last evening, there being a large attendance, presided over by Mr. J Holt. His address i„ the mail, MU on the same lines as that delivered at Morningshle the previous Evening. He traversed the various arguments adduced in favour of the contiuaiice of the Kefoin, Government and complained of alleged misrepresentation Indulged in bvindivuluals who are making house to hou.-e \'Mts. Referring to local matters and the request made to him at his last meeting to assist j„ getting better postal facilities for Henderson Mr Hornblow mentioned that the Department had promised an improved service which would come into operation as soon as a suitable assistant was available. There would then be two deliveries daily 1:1 the township and at least one in the outlying district.

Throughout the candidate was warmly received, and the preceding, terminated with hearty votes of thanks to the candidate and chairman.

MIL PARK AT AVOXDALE. Mr. ('. .1. Pan- addressed l:he Avondale electors hist night al. the Avondale 'I own Hall. Mr. R. R. Xesbitt, chairman of the Hoad Hoard, presided. Mr. Parr claimed to have given his constituents in the district a square deal. He had been able to secure for the whole of his district f.ir loading alone upwards of £5,000. For ihe local Koad Board he had secured three grants. On railway matters the candidate said that he was the first to oppose tiie stoppage of the night trains. Lately he had been able to get two head officials up from Wellington to meet, deputations in Auckland, and he was now assured of a very greatly increased timetable.

The candidate declared the needs of overhauling and the tirst duty of the new Parliament would lie to "see that there was a fair distribution of taxation so that everyone should pay his equitable shave. The country had a real good man in charge of Finance in Sir James Allen.

Mr. Parr touched on education, immigration, and shortage of labour, advocating the bringing out of 50.000 immigrants. We wanted more people and the cradles full. He believed in giving the worker his own home, and the new housing scheme would give every worker the chance of buying one of these houses for £775 on a £10 deposit, the balance at 5 per cent, covering °tt venrs in which to pay it off.

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE.

The Independent candidate for the Grey Lynn electorate, Mr. F. N. Bartram, addressed the electors last evening in the Empress Theatre. His policy, which has a distinct flavouring of Labour's platform, was similar to his previous efforts. He was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, moved by Mr. J. J. O'Sullivan, carried with applause, and three cheers for the Labour party followed. The candidate favoured the socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange, giving ownership and the 'benefits of the system to all. He,, .stood for constitutional methods, and considered in connection with voting he did not believe in compulsory voting, but did believe in compulsory registration of voters. He went on to explain proposals for proportional representation, combined with larger electorates, the initiative and referendum and power of recall, the removal of women's political disabilities, and the granting of full civil rights to all State employees. On the subject of nationalisation he discussed the proposal of a State bank and illustrated its practical value. Tie also favoured nationalising coal mines.

OHINEMURI. MR. POLAND AT PAEROA. Mr. H. Poland, M.P. for Ohinemuri, addressed a meeting of his constituents at the Central Theatre, Paeroa, on Wednesday evening. His Worship the Mayor (Mr. P. E. Brenan) presided. There: was a very large attendance, and the epeaker was well received and frequently applauded. The- speech was similar j»l

that given at Karangahake on Friday Jast. Dealing with the Paeroa-Pokeno line, Mr. Poland said there was £5000 placed on the Estimates to start this work, and £45,000 to start the WaihiTauranga line. Both those lines run through some of the finest land in the ( [Dominion, and their construction should 'be expedited aa soon as possible. Referring to the AVaihou River works, the (Speaker said this has been a burning question during the last eight or nine years, and is still in a very unsatisfactory position. Up to the present the Government has not evolved any scheme for the construction of these works. Touching on the immigration question, Mr. Poland said there were 17,000' men killed in the war and* as many more disabled, the recent!* epidemic also accounted Tor a large numher, and to replace these wastages we want immigration, to increase our production and bring down the high cost of living. He "advised any soldiers 'who were present • to go in for a piece of the Hauraki ' Plains. He wi\_ against profiteering. In England 5449 persona have been prosecuted, and 22.0 sent to gaol. In New Zealand there is also profiteering, and no one has been sent to gaol. The people consoled themselves by saying, "we are ' getting our goods cheaper "than in other places."

At the conclusion of his address the following question was asked: "Do you consider that the gratuity of £5 given to the returned soldiers after the Boer war by the Liberal Government was a generous gift?" Mr. Poland: "I don't. Mr. Seddon was Prime Minister at the time of the Boer war, and the very same identical bill was introduced by Sir Jas. Allen in 1018." Several otherquestions were and answered, and with a hearty vote of thanks and confidence in Mr. Poland the meeting was brought to a close.

THAMES. The Government candidate for Thames, Mr. T. TV. Rhodes, M.P., addressed the electors in the Pokeno Hall on Wednesday night, Rev. (_'. L. Yau<*han presiding. " Mr. Rhodes condemned Sir .losepli Ward's action in splitting the Xational Government, and said that in his opinion Lie two great parties of loiulists should have remained as one for* the purpose of fighting the disloyalists and to curry out the great problem of reconstruction. Mr. Rhodes wn s accorded a vote of thanks, carried unanimously.