COURTENAY.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12364, 30 November 1905, Page 9

COURTENAY.

Mr Chas. Lewie, the Opposition oandida bo for Courtenoy, addressed a good ■ meeting of electors in the Addington schoolroom last evening, and Mr K. Nairn presided. Mr Lewis dealt with '. a number of important subjects such ac the land question, Bible-inrechools, workmen'e homes, ieaohtire' superannuation, finance and expenditure on public works. He received an attentive hearing, and was asked a. number of questions, eoveral relating to a local matter, which were satisfactorily answered. On the motion of S • Nichol, seconded by Mr S. Hore, a iiearty vote of thanks was paesed to Mr Lewis for his straightforward and lucid address. At Lincoln Mr Lewis observed that he had never. shirked a auestion in his life, and would answer all and any that might bo put to him by the electors. Hut he drew the line at the sheaves of printed questions which assail a candidato every day through the mail. All sorts of bodies, societies, and associations, most eelf-elected and wholly irresponsible, persist in sending oanUidates printed forms to fill up. Hβ never did 60. If electors did not want to know* his views on any given question, he had nothing to do with any self-con-stituted body in Auckland, Dunedin, or even Christchurch. That day he had been circularised on a matter hfi explained fulljr in every speech he made, say t-wentv-six in all. The electors could know, and did know, his mind without the Assistance of any outside agency, whose interference he resented. It said little for the interest which ihey propceed to take in the matter that they did not know exactly what his opinions were. . • '•''•' Considerable amusement was occasioned at Lincoln -wlien ■an elector tackled Mr Lewis about the exclusion of the ''Olari<m" from tie Public Library. Mr Lewis remarked that he hqd entreated tne defenders of the' paper to publish the article he com- ' plained " of, instead of column after column of abuse. Then the publio c<>u!d judge. But bis offer was not accepted for the best and most obvious of reasons. He would submit his questioner to a similar test. Diving into a I bag he produced the copy of the i '"Clarion," and invited his critic to i ascend the platform,' and read (lie' article aloud to the audience. Tnis offer was met with stony, silence by the questioner, but the audience obviously appreciated the situation, and greatly enjoyed it.