THE ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1261, 17 October 1911, Page 7

THE ELECTIONS.

WELLINGTON CENTRAL. SPEECH BY ME, E. FLETCIIEE. i Mr. R. Fletcher addressed tbo electors of Wellington Central in Iho Concert Chambor of the Town Hull last night, when ho opened his campaign as a candidate in the Government interest. There -was a largo audience. llr. John Hutcheson presided. Tho chairman, introducing tho candidate, said that during the past six years there had been no man who had figured more largely in tho public life of Wellington tluiu Mr. Fletcher, and each time h« had sought re-election to the bodies with which ho had been connected, he had been returned with increased majorities. He commended Mr. Fletcher as a "door," "a stayer," and certainly not "tt quitter." lie was a man of somo stiffnes3 of character,, and would never bo as plaster in tho potter's hands. Tho candidate had begun his adult life in "Wellington with a wool-hook in his belt and a truck in his hands, and now ho was the owner of a profitablo little business, tho success of which was due to his pluck and persistency. Mr. Fletcher w>i» greeted with 'a round of hearty applause on rising. He stated that he had' been approached by both sides in politics—by tho members of the Government and by tho Opposition. (A voice: I doubt it very much.) Ho had also been 1«1 to believe that if ho had been willing to sign the Labour platform he' would have been acceptable to that party. He had for long thought it would be. a good thing for- the country if it wore possible to get rid of government under the party system—if members could be seat to Parliament simply because, they wero sound and sensible men, not pledged to any party. He recognised that this was impossible, and he had allie<l himself with tho Liberal party.

"Give Us Some Politics," He stated that Mr. Fisher had onco stood as an Independent, but ho (Mr. Fisher) had •evidently decided that to b& an Independent was to effect nothing. He pointed, out also that Mr. Fisher had onco declared that he would never become tho obedient follower of any party leader, A voice: Neither lie has. Mr. Fletcher: He must have, for he has joined the Opposition. A voice: Give U3 some politics, Mr. Flatcher. As lone as party government remained ho would, ho said, bo a party man, and he. would suppport the party now in power.as lons a 5 they brought forward measures in favour of tho masses rather than of the classes. Hβ would sign no pledge for tlie Government, for Labour, or, for any other party. A man who signed a pledge surely had not the confluence from his electors that ho ought to have as a member of the House. His reason fox supporting tho Liberal party was that they had down miiny measures which had been in tho interests of the people. It. was all very well to say that tho Opposition would not TernoTO theso Act's from the Statute Book. They daren't do anything of tho kind. The question was what assistance did they give to put them on tho Statute Book? .Mr. Massey's party voted against every Liberal measuro proposed. . Tax The Land, Referring to the land question ho said ha did not believe tho matter of tenure was so serious as was supposed. Personally ho was a leaseholder, but the main object should be to get the people on tho land, and make, rural life attractive •and tho people settled on the land prosperous. He believed this, and he believed that the' only sound bnsis on which our other local industries could be established was the settlement of tho land. It would bo well worth while- for Parliament to spend a whole session, if need be, on tho land question. In order to burst up large estates hs was in favour of a progressive land tax. Ho preferred this to tho.land for settlement purchase schemes, for all owners of' the

land asked prices far above real values when asked by the Government to' sell. It would bo better to giTe up the purchase of land, and to rely wholly on land taxation. He thought the best remedy for tho high cost of living was to settle the laud. (Ironical laughter.) If there was a prosperous rural community produce would be cheapened and trado stimulated in the towns. And taxes on land values would bring down tents and everything else. . . Defence and Education, Hβ admitted that tho volunteer system ' had been very good—(A voice: Rotten) —but wo had outgrown that system, and we had had inaugurated for us a.splendid scheme by Lord Kitchener, the greatest living authority on defence. (A voice: Conscription.) It was all very well ■(*> object to compulsory training, but they were all in favour of compulsory education, compulsory drainage, compulsory water—what was the difference between all theso and compulsory training? It was but a fair thin", that when l tho time came we should bo ready to defend the country which our forefathers , had made for ns. (Applause.) The scheme in Neiv Zealand was being worked by the most tactful andi-humane man possible, General Godley, .and it was surely worth a trial. OnJy one thing abont tho scheme he ob~ jeeted to—he thought tho limit of age might be reduced from 25 years to 21. Nobody liked war, but arbitration would never take-its place; we had an Arbitration Court here, and we had ecen the decisions, of the Court set at naught very often. Tho same sort of thing would hivppon in an International Arbitration Court, and peoples would have to fight in tho end. Concerning education, ho thought there had been too much centralisation in administration, and that our syllabus contained too many subjects. He steed for free, secular, and compulsory education. So much it was the function of the Stat© to provide—that, and nothing dlso. Ho thought, however, that Edncation Boards should bo elacted by tho people, and not by any particular class. Not a Prohibitionist. • He would not consider tho merits and demerits of Prohibition, but ho was not a Prohibitionist because he>did not think that Prohibition would bring about what its advocates hoped. He did believe in temperance. Ho thought tho No-Licenee issue should bo relegated from the sphere of politics by holding the poll on a day other than election day. lie thought the present liquor laws wero the best wo had era- had, and he did not believe- in the tare majority. His reason wns that he thought it would make for instability. Other Matters, The Arbitration Court had done good ■work for. 17 or 18 yeai-s, and had saved the people from many disastrous times. (Applause.) A strike, however it camo about, always ended disastrously fc-v cmp.oycT and .employee. He believed in conciliation, and. he was of opinion thnt improved processes for conciliation could be discovered. He. was in favour of all social reforms which would tend to tho betterment of the peopK Ho was in favour of an lilecbve Executive, believing that this would ma-kn for greater efficiency in tho Cabinet. Ho was a pro<jre;i=rivo' Liberal and he reserved tho Tight to vote as ho thought right on.ill riucsh'nns as freely as- ho had in civic life. He claimed to be. a friend of the worker. He had the welfare of New Zealand, and this city nt heart. Hn favoured the extension of <-he power? of local governing bodies, for he thought the Government had taken too much power on themselves. Of his piialifieatious ns a candidate ho said that ne did not lay claim to much ability; Jif knew ho wns not an orator; but he did profess to have a little roninioni*hisp, nnd to lie interested in tho good of his fellow-men. (Applause.) Questions, "If elected, will you vote with Ward whon h:> refu*w to supply particulars of the (iotation of loans? was ouf of the most interesting of tho very many questions Mr. Fletcher was asked. He said in reply that lie would always vote for having tho fullest information supplied to the House. ATsither questioner wanted to know wlioiW Mr. Fletcher wa.s in favour of fri'oißide. Ho replied that hu was, hut wont mi to qualify his statement liy saying that our own industries ought to bo pro!oc!«!. Finally hn said lie believed in fair trado rather than free-tradi , . Si>iiir-oiie ol?«> wanted t;i know what Mr I'hlul-ur li-.-jught about the jiricns riiiin; , fur :nir ui'oduce bcins lower in

London than in New Zealand. Butter was tho product especially mentioned. Mr. Fletcher thought something ought to be done about tho matter, and suggested that an export duty was a possible solution of the diificulty. Thorn were crowds of other questions, a number of them about compulsory military training. Thn candidate said he was opposed to the takias of a refcrradum on this question. Ho. was also opposed to compensation boing paid to the "Trade" in the event of Dominion Prohibition being carried. Ho believed in a State bank and a State uoto issue. There was some noise and somo siiow of hostilirv by hisses and the like when Mr. Edwin Arnold went on tho stage to moyo a vote of thanks and confidence. This was dup to some of tho audionc.o wanting to continue the questioning indefinitely. Mr. A. Thompson seconded the motion. There was a vigorous chorus of "Ayes" for and a lesser chorus of "Noes" against, and tho chairman declared the motion carried, as it certainly was, on the voices. The result was received with applause, and 'the meeting dispersed amid loud cheers for Mr. Fletcher. WELLINGTON EAST. .Mr. John Brodie, Independent Liberal candidate for Wellington East, addressed a well attended meeting of electors in the Bowling Club pavilion, Hataitai, last evening. The candidate outlined tho planks of his platform as given in his previous addresses. Ho advocated the abolition of tho ballot system and, in substitute for it , , a classification of applicants— experience-, ability, and family to have prelerence. If any applicant, after having acquired land under this system, should .part with it within ten years, he should bo prohibited from again applying. The candidate contended that, under a system of this kind, land speculation wonld be checked, and tho system would be an incentive to men to acquire nn agricultural knowledge lie also advocated that a carefully-compiled book, with illustrations on the rudiments of agriculture, should bo introduced in our State schools and, when a boy had passed tho Third Standard, it should becomo a part of his daily lessons, thus making ono of our chief industrial pursuits a. part of our educational system. Tho speaker also condemned tho action of the Government in installing tho German Telefunkon wireless system in preference, to the British Marconi system which holds all records, and has been adopted by tho British Government. The German Government had passed a law forbidding tho uso of the British Marconi system in Germany and on their ships, and specifying that tho Telefiinken system should be tho only wireless use<l. Mr. Brodio also spoke at some length on tho benefits that a large section of the peoplo had derived through the Friendly Societies. At the conclusion of the meeting a voto of thanks and confidence carried. Mr. F. G. Bolton, Government candidate for Wellington East, will address tho New town pOTtiou of the electorate at the Public Library Hall, Eiddiford Street at 8 o'clock to-night. ■ Mr. J. E. Fitzprald, Liberal candidate for Wellington Suburbs, will address tho electors at Wadesi/-<vn at 8 o'clock tonight. Mr. W. J. Keardon, candidate for tho Hutt electorate, will address electors at St. Augustine's Hall, Petone, at 8 o'clock to-morrow evening.