THE COMING ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 285, 26 August 1908, Page 8

THE COMING ELECTIONS.

MR. FITZGERALD AT KAIWARRA. Mr. J. E. Fitzgerald, a candidate for tho Wellington Suburbs scat, gavo his first address to the electors at Kaiwarra last evening.; Mr. It. E. Flaws occupied tho chair, and. tho Kaiwarra Hall : *aS crowded. ' Mr."Fitzgerald thanked.those present for turning out in wot weather to hear him — a conscientious aspirant for political honours —and ho hoped ho would bo able to prove his right to consideration at their hands. It was not his intention to deliver a political address, but simply to give them his ideas, and organise his , forces. Although young, ho roalised thatho'was undertaking a big task; ho was unknown oxcept locally, but ho was suro tho''electors would not forgot him. He would bo"opposed by loading and tried men, but their politics wcro not his politics, and ifhhro r was beaten, ho would tako his defeat like a Now Zealander. He did not mind being called a young man if his'sincerity was accepted. He had to avow, himself a party-'man, as an independent man would isolated and not of service to his constituents," and he would adhere to, ,the party that stood for progress and reform—the opponent of monopolies and privileges.' Ho supported'the present Government/" and'ho would: continue'to do so as long as it did'the best for tho people. F.ur.thor , than this, ■ ho"could not go. Hβ said that the Opposition .of to-day was no opposition; but'ib stood 'for" tho landlords and the day of tho'latter was passing away, and with ' them' would go the Parliamentary Opposition. The Opposition endorsed nearly all the Government's reforms, and they would not_ repeal a single one. But when the Opposition was paralysed, : tho Government should, beware ,of 'stagnation. The speaker supported tho Government' for its progress and promises. Tho .Opposition, ho alleged, could claim no share of the honours of tho progressive legislation'passed, and they were tho impediment to progress they had always proved themselves to be. Dealing with taxation, Mr. Fitzgerald held that it should ever be tho aim. of every responsible democratic. Government to reduco taxation on tho necessaries, of.life,,, To tho consumer tho tax was generally, an indirect one, and it was 'paid as a matter of course and not as a tax at all. He gave instances of remissions of taxation on foodstuffs. Tho only enactment increasing) taxation was tho graduated land tax; and it had gained almost universal recognition as a fair measure. It was recognised that thdso best able to bear the burden should be made to, do so. Reforring to tho coalition rumours, lie was suro that politicians' would not' bo called upon to deal with , the matter for'a'verj' long time. As to socialism, its advocates might bo good men, but its doctrines were impossible, as they were destructive. (Applause.) It would, put an end,to private enterprise. He mado, a distinction between socialism and social reform, and it was the dntv of every thinking politician to do all possible to' help reform legislation. Dealing with,arbitration, the speaker said-that if ho was returned ho would act promptly against the professional' agitator, whom ho strongly denounced. Workers struck owing to imperfections: in tho Act, and ho spoke in favour'of Industrial Councils. This was necessary to supersede the broken-down Arbitration 'Act. Tho idea of tho Industrial Councils was the Hon. Mr. Millar's, but it was, he said, claimed by Mr. Herdman in his speech at,the Town Hall on Wednesday last. The speaker expressed himself in favour of a national superannuation scheme instead of, limiting it to the Civil Service. Dealing with 1 the housing problem, Mr. Fitzgerald said the .Government had made serious efforts to meet the difficulty, and had been fairly successful. . . .. . In reply to questions, he said he would tako the most stringent measures to keep such undesirables as Chinese out of tho country. The speaker declared himself in favour of the,leasehold tenure. No emigrants should be, encouraged to come to Now Zealand except at the busy time of the year; they should come in the spring and not in ■mid-winter. ' '"; ': At the conclusiou of his address \ tho speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks and confidence. ."■■'...", A committee, of 107 members was formed afterwards ( to aid Mr. Fitzgerald's candidature. ,- . (bt telegeaph—sraciiii coreespondents. , , . •_. - ' ,' : Dunedinj August 25. , It is said that the Political Labour League will not run candidates for either Dunedin North, Sonth, or Central at the general election, but that they may bring out someone against the Minister for Labour as a way of protest.-