RANGITIKEI ELECTION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 621, 25 September 1909, Page 6

RANGITIKEI ELECTION.

'POLITICAL REFORM LEAGUE. FORMED. •An important effect of tho Rangitikei election is that steps arc now- being token to strengthen thoj Reform party throughout the electorate. The proposal was '(lisciisscd , at an exceedingly largo- and.-representative. : meeting of .Mr. Hockly's-supporters. at.-Huntcrville. yesterday. Among those present 'wero" Mr. iMassey; leader, of.tho. party,; and'. Mr.\ Martin,. >tbe organising, secrqtary, : who;.wero .congratulated -in connection >ith' ''tho 'work''ffiey.' had lata.'campaign.;..-U'> was'iiuanimonsly,: decided', that la. branch 1 of ;thc Political. Keforin 'League should bo established at Huntervillo, and sub--branches formed-'in' various.."parts of tho con-, stituehoyi Mr.-Pe'rry :was : appointed chairman and Mr. Hussey secretary provisionally,, and a very strong.c'ommitteo was, set .up. It was also resolved that a ladies' branch," towork,in conjunction . with ■ the .men's branch, should be formed..,. Other.' matters! dealt, with'-.included the question of misrepresentation which, it was'alleged was. indulged'in concerning.- more than ,one member of the! party during the campaign.' .Particular mention was .made in regard to. an unfair: and untrue ;'rumonr. to '.the effect that a "prominent mombbr pMhe.Beform party had• at• one time'paid his -workers less-than the- standard rate of wages.'. It was stated that 1 this wretched allegation was circulated, in.such' a"' way ; that .much harmv was, done be- ■■ fore .its. existence .became i .known and.,,steps taken to ensure'-its contradiction.-The.meeting decided, that tho'matter should'not' be. allowed to drop until- air unreserved- withdrawal- and apology, ircre.givcni .. .'. ". •'1:.,..' : ,v .'•;';.. : ..,.

';■'■■■' '■ " PRESS.OPINIONS.'-v ■;'-;: '.:■■'-'::■ ',Tin!',lliXD.:QlJESTioNr;i' .'-.;' v ; (By Tolecraph-rSpe'cial»'Correspondent.)■/'.;,. ■' ! ...- :■'. ■-:'.. ..'-:'Aiiclclan'd,.:September 24." - Referring editorially to : tho - Rangitikei election, tho ''Herald" says:-; What is. that the Government should I .have so unqualifiedly absorbed Mr. Smith's political ideas,- and have induced its- Ministers' to", tfead 'the. planks of his .phjtforiii. .To see-Mr." Carroll Jexerting . his Utmost' eloquence on behalf y pf ; a ; candidate, who demands the'-individualising'.of' all. Native, land titles, "and. the bringing of .Natives under the-' samo'yland*.laws ; :asv.Europeans-,:is hardly calculated: to strengthen in the sincerity of'the ;ftntive : policy-professed by the Minister,- while to -wateh Mr. ':F6wldsY.urging. the electors, to; vote'-'for a:.caii- ! didate' who'. holds'..that.' '.Crown ■ -tenants. should ;be allowed "to' purchase' the : freehold of. their : holdings, with restrictions. as'-.tdJ areas.'was. a : further,'irevelation: of .the-straits, to. which tho -opposition ''to, the-freehold-'is.'.'reduced.;, ,As a mattori of-, fact; ..Ran'eitikei,',-like'.eyer'y-'other genuinely;agricultural .electorate,.-'is, for-,land-:-reform .to."a ■man.-' .There" ■:w-.i's'.:.absolutely':no iclian'co.'of-the. election''.of 'any.-candidate who or asserted, the inviola-; ■bility 'of the taboo, laid.on the• Native, lauds. '■The Government; is., concerned: in; keeping 'office, . ii-jt ill -'defending-.uiiriopiilal--policies in ,nliy .'given .rectoiat;; -which, is .one -way ,-of governiiig-a democracy, though)not necessarily -the best.'.-V-. V:';;' : . ;.; .::•:'.; :''j ;/,.'''(■■•■•■ !.'.•";••■-.. . -.'

;•'-'; : : ;;"NOTHIXG ;. >' ,;.,:. ; (My/Tclccriiuli.-Special,' (Wrcspiilulent.l.;> . ' -■-,;'•,'; -Chris'tchurch,' ;Soptembor''2i. '.The"-'Press,-' .while.'admitting-, that,it;.would have- been ■ better pleased-'ifilr. >Hockly had been returned-.for lla'ngitikci,'. remarks:—"The supporters 'of the' :Govornnient are "welcome ■' to : all the;gratification, they'-ban,extract from the ■victory', of -:a'.'candidate ,:who. less'than twelve '. months: ago stood .as; an Independent/with- Op-' lids -since .;■ chosen'-, to appeal.. to the: electors .as" a '/supporter, of the .'Government.'vThe sinoerity;of the,new member's conversion ■ has / yet to be proved by'hie .votesJn.thVHouse, .but/in. the meantime it-is noteworthy that,; in common, with .all. the 'other ■ Government.;candidates; :he, : ;isv ; a;' strong freeholder j that he 'has' declared'in'.favour .of. the reform of the' Native, land-, lawe;' so 'that' Natives', should ...be:allbii'ed i'tb'f'deal' 'with' their, lands.as,they 'btid'bse; v tha't he.isibppbsed to the Government s.present 'system of-.immigration; that', headvocates'economy'imd .'careful adjmiuistration; and the fair; valuation of land for' taxing- purposes.','-''-Yet'; he :stood as the • supporter' of a Government ~that-.■ > has " fought .strenuously'against the freehold, that-has kept ; .the. Native,landß locked; up, ,that has become a ,byword for /extravagance, and that has raised'e'normbusly/the'fvaluatioiis' on.land; -,We do not pretend ;to,say 'why,a. majority of the Raneitikei electors preferred Mfe Smith ,to Mr. |~HoCkly,.bue.neither .they; nor ; the, Government supporters can have the assurance -' to; assert that it was because of- Mr.'Smith's straightout . support. of.- the Government's' policy. Mr, Thomas. Mackenzie, .blossoming into unconscious humour,.. fiiids.,p,articular: pleasure in, the support ;.Mr.''Sinith received from farmers,'because, it'indicates'a'recognition; on their part ;'of thb.good work.that the Department of -Aericiilturo. is'trying.tb''do.:'There's.nothing like .leather,':of course,' but we, should have thought Ithat even Mr." Mackenzie, might havo dimly' suspected that. Mr: Smith won the' support, of .many..farmers.; because ,'iio .advocated ■ 'their views,- which emphatically-do not. agree with the Government's' 'policy,, or'.' what was: its policy, when it.took office./. What it is now, or will bo within.'. the next month or two; is' a' question that is puzzling a good'man? people."