THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15112, 30 October 1914, Page 5

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

CHRISTCHURCH SOUTH. ] MX F. B. HUCHES AT SF.LWYN \ STREET. \ n " ■* 1 The election campaign in cm..-.*-church South was opened last night. ; when Mr F. B. Hughes, the Reform < candidate addressed the electors in tho . Selwyn street Methodist ..choolroom. i There was a good attendance. * Mr C E. Baldwin, who «'w requested to take the chair, bespr.ke for the ( candidate an impartial hearing. 1 Mr Hugh'-*, who was received with I applause, said that he had been a resident of Christchurch for thirty years. . n d was very well known. Although he . bad not taken any public intercut in politics he had watched the doings ol ( the present Government and tlie previous Government with close interest, 1 and had* come to the condition that the present Government »> the better and fheono tiiat the country need,*l toinmrin<' t»i- Ward ana Adrnmis- • ffins. h, said that the Liberal Vartv thouich it had brought forward t 7,00 d" legislation, had lost its uijlueiico. a voice: "Quite wrong. ) I he day Ld come when th,, people would lme ' nothing to do with decayed aiitl worn- * Z, Liberalism. Whvn U.e human.- - «rian legislaiion of tin.- -insem Govcrii- . -sent was ■■.lm-ideied the people would mV: "Well done, Reform. ' (A voice: » "Uuito wrong." and laughter.) It was - Wau>;o he was an absolute believer m . the-Reform Party that he sought the * suffrages of the Hectors of Christchumi ' South- Ho was certain that the. Government would go back <*tronger than ever. i ..i Referring to the work done by the c Government, the candidate dealt with < tho reform effect-J in connexion witn l tbo public accounts, whereby tiieLub- J lie Accounts Committee could call tor . ail capers and documents referring to c any "item of proposed expenditure (A j voice: "Rut they didn't, got it.' ) ell. I bis interrupter's champion, the Baronet. : was there, being a member of the com- « mittee. The candidate then dealt with * tho reform effected by the Government i in the Public Service, and said that <■ under the Liberal Administrations Mm- i isters appeared to exercise a private 1 rhdit to put their friends into the Ser- ' vice as the result of political patronage. 1 The fact tha{ the Massey Government i had placed the question of appointments £ under the control of a Public Service i Board was evidence of the honesty of < the Reform Party. In addition, the • new state of affairs had resulted in a '■ saving of £07.000 per annum. '■ The legislation pf the present Government, he said, was entirely in the interest of the masses of the country. J Referring to the Government's policy in < connexion with the railways, tho can- \ didate characterised Mr Hiley's report - as an able and valuable one. The '• ■ 'railways ought to be run at a profit nnd with.that object in view Mr Hiley ; recommended tho appointment of a commercial agent. The candidate | quoted from Mr Hiley's report, and ( remarked that previous Governments had not kept railway system up- ' to-date, and consequently very exten- ] 6ive ■ reorganisation was necessary. When tho Government had been vi < ■ power for another term, tho people < would realise the benefits of Mr Hiley's - report. (Laughter, and A Voice: ' "lou must be very confident.") Weil, ; he believed iv what he was talking about. Referring to the allegation.that ' - the Government proposed to borrow £12,000,000. aud spend it in one year, ho said that.this was incorrect; it was only intended to use a portion in one year. He condemned the system of raising short-dated loans, and said that no business man could say that such loans 1 ' wero economical. lie compared the . cost of the loans raised by previous .Administrations, with those raised by "Mr Allen, and said that Sir Joseph Ward's £5,000,000 (four years' ;ur'ren'cv) cost £4 lis sd; Mr Myers's £4,500,000 (two years), £5 ls Id; Mr Allen's £3,000,000 (thirty years, with o^iion' of renewal for nn additional twenty years), £4 8s od; and Mr Allen's, £4,500,000 loan cost £4 Is 3d. He commented adversely on tho atti- ' tndo of tho Ward Government in tieciining to give information regarding the probable cost of loans* It was stated, the candidate went on to say, that the Government had stop- ' oed maki'iic, advances to workers. (A ■woman: "That is right: since Mr Mas- ' sey has been in power.") Ho wanted to contradict that statement, and pointed out- that during tho six years • tho Ward Government was in power 210 workers' homes were built' whilst the Massey Government during the two years it had been in office, had built* 305. , In addition, present Government had extended the system to rural districts. • As to tho allegation that the Government had stopped making advances for workers' homes, he said that it arose out of the of tho "Department to make an advance to pay off" a mortgngo. Regarding borrowing, the candidate said that ho did not object to it m> long as it was done on St- sound basis and spent to advantage. Sir Joseph ' Wardin tho two last y**ars he was in office borrowed £8,805,800, and, during the six yeans he was in office he borrowed more than the Seddou Government .borrowed in thirteen years. That was pretty solid. (A voice: "Sad.") let it was nlleged that the Massey Government was borrowing in a manner unheard of before. (A voice:. "bo they The manner in which the strike was Bottled, tho candidate said, was ono o. T the weanons used by Mr Massey s opSments'to discredit the Government, c (the candidate) believed that the •ettling of the strike was very masterly (Laughter, and A Voice: "Batons and revolvers.") No, there wero no revolvers. The strike was settled in the only reasonable way. Tho Hon. J. «. Millar held that opinion (A Voice: A .- scab.") Sir Joseph Wards method •of dealing with the strike was the Riot ict. (A Voice:'"He-didwt use x.ie baton!") If they knew what the Kiot Act meant they would not give &ir Joseph Ward much credit for his method of settling strikes. In Johannesburg the Riot Act had meant bullets aud bayonets. (A Voice: "What ' about Waihi?") They were talking about Johannesburg. (A Voice: "Who killed Evans?") He-explained that he ▼as attempting to show what the effect of the Riot Act would have been. The special constables had protected tho country against mob rule and vio- •' lencc. (Applause.) The way the strike was controlled showed that Mr Massey was a man who did not lose control of himself, and that he was prepared for any emergencies. Referring to the legislation designed to prevent strikes, the candidate commented on the almost unanimous vote of the House by which it was agreed to. The industrial legislation of tho Government was a complete reply to those -who insisted that Mr Mnssey was the enemy of tho work«rs. (Voices: "So he is.") Concluding;, the candidate said that he intended to fight- the election in a manly manner. (Applause.) Replying to questions, Mr Hughes Raid that he was not aware ihat revolvers were used during the strike in Wellington. He was not aware of any other parties except the Massey and Ward parties. He considered that a Supreme Court Judge was a satisfactory person to preside over the Court of Arbitration. He believed 'that tho gift of H.M.S. New Zealand was a Sood thing, but he objected to the manner in which the gift was made; it was'"anaacious cheek" on the part ot 6>ir Joseph Wanl to commit the counr. l to the expenditure involved. New would havo tclt safer at

present if H.M.S. New Zealand was in New Zealand waters. Ho believed that the money spent on H.M.S. New Zealand would have been better spent on a local navy. Ho did not think it advisable that the State should make grants to denominational schools. The peonle should be given tho referendum on "the Bible-in Schools question. Sir Joseph Ward had not fulfilled his promise to increase the pay of the police, .-rid the railway servants. Ho believed in the present, defence system. He was not in favour of a referendum on the Pc-tcnee Act. 'A Voice: '"tou'ro done.") 1-1 c believed in majority rule, and believed that the prohibition ' question , should he decided by a bare majority. „ and he would stand or fall by that, if * national prohibition were carried it I should be brought into effect within £ twelve or eighteen months. * A vote of thanks was accorded the , candidate by acclamation, and a similar vote to the chairman closed the meeting. \ TO-NIGHT'S -MEETINGS. • Mr H. D. Acland (Avon), at Phil- ! lipstown schoolroom. t .Mr W, A. Banks (Hurunui), at "■ Greenhiils. t Mi- J. Free ("EUesmere). at Kaituna , lower school. ' Mr D. Jones (Kaiapoi). at Woodcnd. , AVON. s Mr D. G. Sullivan. Labour candidate 1 for Avon, :;ddrc:-.set! a large meeting in ( the Phillips-town school last evening. Mr j R. M. Speir.s presiding, 'the candidate . was :iccoi<ir-d a vote of thanks and con- J fideuce, wliich was carried unanimously, t amid cheers. During the afternoon Mr Sullivan addressed a meeting of , ladies at the Odd fellows' Hall. Holies- \ ton street,, the Rev. Liversedge presiding. An apology was received from ( Mrs T. E. Taylor, who was prevented by illness from inking the chair. Mr Sullivan was accorded a vote of thanks j and confidence. , KAIAPOI. Mr David Jones, the Government i candidate for the Kaiapoi seat, address- ; ed tiie electors at Marshland last evening, 'i hero was a good attendance. Mr , hiizpatrick occupied the chair. -Mr i Jones .stated that he regretted to bear of tho illness of the Hon. D. liuddo. which it was .stated would interfere with him doing any personal work in connexion with Hie Kaiapoi electorate. Sir Jones stated thai under the circumstances Mr liuddo would consider .it necessary in all probability to get some outside assistance from members of his p.'irty to put before the electors of Kaiapoi the Liberal policy, and if so, ho (Air Jones) considered that no exception could be taken, and he would not make political capital out of any such action. Air Jones received a good hearing and answered a large number of questions, chiefly relating to the strike. Mr S. Goodman proposed a voto of thanks to the candidate, which was seconded by Air C. Walter and carried. At Rangiora last evening a meeting of the Hon. D. liuddo's supporters was hold in the Templars' Hall to consider tlie position in reference to his illness. Friends were also present from Kaiapoi and Woodcnd. Mr H. Boyd, who was in tho chair, read a letter from Mr liuddo. in which lis stated that he. would he in hospital for an indefinite period, and would not be able to engage in any election work. He would leave it to his friends to take what steps the circumstances warranted, but suggested that meetings should bo held in the principal centres of the electorate to discuss what should be done in tha best interests of the P">" If they decided to run him a„ their I candidate, three speeches would be criven on his behalf by prominent members of the Liberal Party, but if they decided to enter another man, the whole of his votes would be at the disposal of the candidate. Mr E. Revcll (Kaiapoi) moved, seconded by Air U. Borland (Woodend): "That Air liuddo be assured of his supporteis' continued loyalty, .and their determination to redouble their effort} to secure .his'return." The motion was carried unanimous"" - . .'-.A ■manifesto-.to .-be issued oil Mr Bnddo's behalf was read and approved. If, was decided to ask Sir Josenh Ward to deliver an address at his earliest convenience, find also to arrange for sneakers fo address meetings in tho various centres. "RICCARTON. Mr B. Bunn. Government candidate for Riccarton. will address a meeting of electors at the Papanui parish schoolroom on Monday night. ANOTHER ELECTION RUMOUR. (SP£CUI> TO "THE PIIESS.") WELLINGTON. October 29. An election campaign rumour was definitely contradicted in the House di Representatives to-day. *■.. Mr Sykes asked whether it was true, as had been rumoured, that the Government contemplated dismissing any Civil Servants. \ The Hon. A. L. Herdman said he could not understand how these rumours got into circulation. It was a silly rumour, for which there was no foundation whatever. Air Allen: Started by the Onposition, as a great many others are. Sir Joseph Ward said he wished to give Mr Allen's statement an emphatic denial. The Opposition had not started rumours. Air Allen: You don't know. Air Russell: As a member of tho Opposition I demand that tho Alinister of Finance should withdraw his statement. (Laughter and noisy interjections.) Air Speaker: Order; I ask lion, members to remember that this is the New Zealand Parliament. In answer to Air Russell's "demand" Air Speaker said that he had not _ un r derstood that the remark of the Alinister of Finance was applied to any member of the House.