ON THE PLATFORM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1305, 7 December 1911, Page 6

ON THE PLATFORM.

WELLINGTON EAST. DR. NEWMAN AT KILBIRNIE. Dr. A. K. Newman, Reform candidate for Wellington East, addressed the electors at O'Donneil's Hall, Kilbirnie, last night. About 300 people were present, and the meeting was probably the most enthusiastic held in Kilbirnio during tho present campaign. Mr. J. J. Clark presided. The candidate, who was greeted with applause, expressed pleasure at 'seeing a good proportion of ladios among tho audience, and again expressed the opinion that thero should be no bar to women taking their placo. in Parliament. lie rfminded his audience that ho had a definite, policy, which, if carried into effect, would (ho believed) remove tho depression that had been hanging over the province. On the morrow electors should unite and tell the Government that its continuance in office would be prejudicial 'to tho best interests of New Zealand. (Applause.) There was no limit to the timo which tho members of the Government would ask to be in power, but, if tho people would look round, they would see many reasons why they should not elect them. The candidate then referred to the system of "political pull" that had grown up under the present Administration. All that the people wanted was (as Sii' Joseph Ward put it) a "fair deal." But, for years and years, had they had a fair deal? Ho thought, however, that they were going to endeavour to get even on tho morrow. (Applause.) Sir Joseph Ward himself was going to bo hard pressed in hi 9 own stronghold. Iu fact, it seemed probable enough that his opponent, Mr. Hamilton, woidd win. (Appfauso.) Tho Government had not set itself up in. tho manner that it should have done to lead the people. As a matter of fact tho tone of public lifo had been lowered every year, since Sir Joseph Ward had come into power. Members of tho Ministry had now no croditabio re-1 cord to point to. All that tliey could do was to go about the country saying, ''If wo're turned olf these benches, God help New Zealand!" (Laughter.) Their programme had been one of big borrowing in London, big squandering in New Zealand, and big taxation. AVJiat the Reform pnrty offered was moderato borrowing and greater thrift and greater care. To effect the necessary cure, tho people should turn out an extravagant Prime Minister and put in an economical one, and, if they did that, they could bo fairly certain that taxation would bo reduced. (Applause.) The Opposition had boon so often beaten that they did not realise that they had a chance in tho first place, but tho possibilities of the situation had latterly been dawning on them with increasing force. The unly -question in doubt was whether they would actually gain the necessary forty-one seats to give th a country a now and good Government. (Applause.) For his own part, the candidate contended, he could afford defeat or victory, but ho wanted to be successful, becauso ho wanted to be ono of thoso who were going to "push tho present Government out through tho window." Dr. Newman Tcsum'ed his scat amid loud applause. A motion of thanks and 'confidence, proposed by Mr. E. Y. Bcvan, and seconded by Mr. K. ICellow, was ear-1 ried by acclamation. The meeting closed with cheers.

On lchiviiiiij,' from Kiibirnie, Dr. Newman addressed n large and noisily enthusiastic crowd in the open air in Conrtonay I'laco, with rather damaging results tu the attendance at ji rival .can-

Ididate's meeting that had Iv»en. in progress near by. There was sonic little hostility, of course, on the outskirts of thu crowd, but tlio only serious opponent of tlio Iteform candidate was a woman W.hosi; vm-iferous condition was attended t? by thu |H)lice. The •keynote of Dr. Newman's address W.as tlio iniportnnco of .sinking all differences and voting for the Reform candidates for Wellington city and so ns to .semi to Parliament "a united Wellington." Ml.'. DROME AT VICTORfA HALL. Mr. John Brodie, tlio Independent Lil ernl candidate for Wellington East, nc dressed the electors at Victoria Hall, Adt Initio Hall, last evening. In opening hi address Mr. Brodie said ho was an hi dependent because ho could not wholl, support cither party in the House—thor was good on both sides, but thero wer many things which he regarded as un democratic and which ho could not sup jwrl. Furthermore, he did not believe ii the party system as at present in vogue He believed in tlio elective Executive an< tlio electivo Upper House. Tariff ret'orn should be gone into without delay. Mr Drodie urged the importanco of scttlin; the land as quickly as possible. Ho fav otired compulsory military trainin; witli an age limit of 21, and also the con tiuuanco of our subsidy to the Navy. H< strongly favoured both dental and medi cal inspection of school children. Tlu candidate also spoka strongly in favotu of tlio Stato controlling tlio iron and oil industries, and was opposed to grants 01 bonuses being given without provision foi repayment. After answering several questions, the candidate was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence by acclamation. MR, BOLTON'S LAST MEETING. Mr, F. G. Bolton, the Government candidate for Wellington East, addressed four meetings of electors yesterday. He spoke at the head of the wharf at midday, and in the evening at the Netv Century Hall, and subsequently in the open air at Courtenay Place, and also at the corner of Drummond Street. At the New Century Hall, which was crowded, Mr. W. J. Organ was chairman, and emphasised that the candidate was a good sport, and deserving of the assistance of all athletes. Mr. Bolton indicated briefly tlio lines of his policy advocated by him in previous speeches, in particular laying stress upon his policy as to the cost of living, increased graduated land tax, purchase of Native lands for settlement, leasing instead of the sale of Native lands when acquired, leasing of the Crown lands under the renewable lease system, abolition of the ballot system in leasing Crown lands and an application system to bo decided by the Laiiu Jioarcis alter inquiring into the bona fides of each application, and in all cases preference to be given to married men, especially those with families, in selecting the person to be entitled; reform o£ the Arbitration Act by the appointment of a layman instead of a .lawyer as president of tho | Court, and by appointing assessors for each particular dispute from the trade affected; increase of graduated land tax, and an increased absentee tax to forco lands upon the market, and also a system . of reports by experts upon all public works to be submitted to' Parliament before same is decided upon, as Parliament woiild then havo the opportunity of intelligently judging ns to tlis advisability of the proposed work.. At each meeting the candidate received votes of confidence.