OTAKI SEAT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 57, 1 December 1919, Page 8

OTAKI SEAT

ME. W. H. FIELD AT LEVIN. Mr. W. H. Field had an excellent reception on tho occasion of his first Levin address at/ho Century Hall on Thursday evening'last. The chair was occupied by Mr. Mathieson, Mayor oi Levin. In additiou to dealing with leading political topics Mr. Field took occasion to reply to a letter in the Otaki "Mail," culling in question some gazetted Nativo land dealings of himseli and family, and referred in scathing terms to this method of electioneering, lie was questioned on the subject by tho chairman of the Levin Labour Party, and took occasion to go into tho matters raised in some detail to f=how that he and his family had bought their property in the open market at full current values, ,aud that the number of stock they v*re /mining, about 2500 sheep and 500 cattle, did not constitute them a uippoco to Iho community. Mr. Field mentioned that he had two sons farming on the land and another son would follow them presently. One son, ho said, had given up his medical •studies in order to go to the war, and, having passed through somo of tho worst horrors of it, had returned to New Zealand with his health seriously impaired by gas-poisoning, and had', therefore, abandoned his studies and taken to tho open-air life of farming. He Mentioned that the wages paid were over ,£2OOO a year. ' A suggestion that he contemplated purchasing part of the Island of Kapiti ho scouted as a poor canard. A hearty vote of tliank3 was accorded. Mr. Jt'icld, and a resolution of confidence in the Government carried.

Mr. Field -held a highly satisfactory meeting at Pahaiitamn on Friday night, Mr. W- Galloway presiding. In introducing tho speaker, the chairman drew attention to the valuable services Mr. Field had rendered the district. A hearty vote of thanks was passed. WELLINGTON NORTH MR. H. O. BROAVNK AT TINAKOKI ROAD. Mr. H. Oakley Browno (Liberal candidate for the Wellington North seat) addressed n meeting of electors in SI. Paul's Schoolroom, Tinakon Hoad, ou Saturday night. Mr. C. E. Wheeler presided o\er ii fairly large attendance. Mr. Browno said that lie was a straightout Liberal Ho thought it was only fair to the electors for candidates to dc dare exactly where they stood, because shortly alter the\conimencenieiit of the lKXl: session there- v.onld be a cruciiil division, and when the division bell rang there were only two lobbies—the one J'oi-\ho Ayes, and the other for the Noes, llr. Browne accuse;! the Kei'orm Party of having it? pal icy dictated by big landowners, and not by the mass of Hit people. He was not going to "stand for" that sort of thing. Sir Joseph Ward hud ltfl the Jiutionnl Cabinet because lit could not light the battles of the people v/hile he reinnined in it. It was because Liberalism had achieved so much in Hie past that the Liberal Parly was the one best lilted to. direct the. future of tho country. New Zealand had been tinkering with tho public works for year*. It was necessary that a big policy of road nii.l railway construction should be embarked upon, mill should be executed within a~ certain number of years. Creator production was the need of the (lav. and without railways production could riot be adequately increased. We should go in a goo.-l ileal more for booming and boosting New Zealand in order to get: not only "tourists, but the proper port of epttlers. Tho country was stiirviiij? for population. He did not, howover, stand for an iinrestrieied immigration policy. He stood firmly for a while New Zealand, flnd was opposed to Oriental immigration. A vote of thanks and'confidence wns carried at the conclusion of tho meeting.

LABOUR MEETING i — —— Labour candidates for l.hc Wellington seats addressed a public meeting in tho Parani'oui.t Theatre last night. Mr. G. Ward presided. Tho theatre was filled in all parts, and many people were not iil>lo to gain admission. .Messrs. A. L. Moiiteitli, J. Head. I*. Frasur, and H. Scmple were the. speakers. They expounded liho policy of their parly on the lines of curlier campaign speeches. Mr. Scniplo complained I hat Hie opponents of Labour, in tho Press and on the platform, bad not di6cur,se<l a sinsjle plank of the Labour plalfonu. Tlie "political yahoos" who spolce for "t:ii]iitalism" had substituted "lies, filth, and perjury" for iiis'iinicnt. Woinni voters were being told in Wellington Soul:li thai it' they voted for Seiniile they would later be "torn from their homes and ravished/" Tho "vipers" and "maggots" who spread these sloiies ought to lie scotched. Mr. Scniple spoke at somo lengUi in very heated language, and insisted Hiat tho real extremists were the "gang of professional politicians who trampled the constitution in the mud. voted Iliemselves into office, and lifted their salaries from the public purse, without your knowledge nnd consent," and also tb'o "jjiang of professional commercial anar-

onista" and "bloodhounds" wiho niado profits during tho war. Tho meeting gave all tho speakers ft very friendly reception.