THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 120, 17 November 1902, Page 2

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

THE HUTT CONTEST. MR. PIEANI'S PETONE MEETING. Mr. F. Piratai, ex-member for Pahnerston, who only within the past few days announced his intention of contesting the Hutfc electorate, addressed his first meeting at Petone on Saturday night. Mr. S. V. Burridge occupied the chair, and the meeting, which was held in the Oddfellows' Hall, was said to he the largest ever held in Petone. There was a noisy element present, and interruptions were frequent, but they were on the whole of a good-humoured description. Mr. Pirani, who met with a cordial reception, commenced by making a few remarks of a personal nature. He had been the member for Palmers-ton for the past nine years. (A voice : " Why didn't you stop there?") If that gentlelhan had a little patience he would find out. (Applause.) He would like to tell them that he understood that at a meeting of Mr. Wilford's committee a resolution was passed that it was not desirable for his supporters to interrupt him (Mr. Pirani), because he generally scored off interruptions. (Laughter and applause.) In February last, for reasons that he need not now explain, at a meeting of his constituents in Palmerston, he announced that he did not intend to seek re-elec-tion to Parliament. He had decided to resign his seat before the session, but owing to the persuasions of his friends and owing to the fact that a general election was pending, he decided, difficult as the task was, to go through the session. He thought he did his fair share of the work during that time, and th6n put himself in the hands of Dr. Logan, who did his work so well that he enabled him to contest a seat at this election. (Applause.) It had been said that he was afraid to contest the Palmevs'ton seat, and so he was, for physical reasons, but Mr. Wood, the Government candidate, told him that if he (Mr. P;irani) stood again he would not oppose him. Then representations . were made to him to stand for Manaw&tu, for Egmont, foi- two seats" in Canterbury, and for the City of Auckland, and he thought I that no greater compliment had been j paid to any politician in this -country than to have men and women in districts so- wide apart • who were willing to try and get him a seat in . Parliament. (Applause.) Then the people of Hutt asked' him to contest the seat, his doctor said he 'would bo able to do it, the people of -the district had surprised him with their enthusiasm, and he was going to make a fight to a finish of the election. (Applause.) \ A GOOD THING TO KNOW. It had been said that if an opponent of the Government was elected for the district no public money would be spent there. He did not know how much public money they had 'asfc year, bub he did know that on. me Estimates last year there was £12,000 for Palmerston. He did not think that was a matter for boasting, because he 5 did not think tliat any man's election should d6pehd on the money he got for the district, and he thought it was the most dastardly insult they could offer to any Government to say that it favoured a district represented by a. bupport^r at the expense of a district represented by an opponent. Therefore, he said it was a proper* thing to elect a man to Pai'liament because he was fit to represent the people of the colony, and not one particular portion, because he was able to voice what were right and proper and advanced principles, and because he was •willing to devote his time and his- abilities to their representation in Parliament, 'and that' his' private business ought not 'to be allowed to'interfere with his representation of the electors of 'the district. (Applause.) THE PUBLIC REVENUES ACT. Mr. Pirani then proceeded to deal at length with the Public Revenues Act Amendment Act, 1900, replying to Dr. Findlay's defence of that measure mainly on the lines followed by Mr. Atkinson on Friday night, and reported at length in our issue of Saturday. THE- GOVERNMENT POLICY. In every matter that concerned' the welfare of the majority of the people, it could be pointed o\*t that the working classes had suffered under the present Government, and those who were better able to take care of themselves were pampered and benefited. The money of the •workers was in the Post Office Savings Bank. In 1893, when" Mr..Seddon came into 'power, depositors received 4£ per cent, for their money up to £200, and 4 per cent, over that amount. The very first thing that Mr. Seddon did ■« as to reduce the interest to 4 per cent and 3£ per cent. ; in 1896 he reduced it to 3£ and 3 per cent. ; and in 1897 to 3 per cent, and 2£ per cent. Yet the Government purchased the Waikakahi Estate and gave the owners debentures bearing interest at 3| per cent ; they ; were floating part of the last loan of a | million and three-quarters in Australia and New Zealand at 4 per cent. The penny postage benefited the merchant, the reduction in railway fares did not benefit the man who took a return ticket, but the man 'touring .the colony who took single tickets. The reduction in the cost of telegrams was also almost entirely to the advantage of the man of business. What had been the difference between the Opposition and the Government in. regard to the Land for Settlements Act? There was one ppint only, and that was as to whether the land should be acquired compulsorily. Now, Mr. Seddon had abandoned, compulsory purchase, and he said that since the decision, of the Court' in" regard to a Hawkes Bay estate, he would never again carry the compulsory purchase sec-t-ion into the Court. In nine-tenths of the country districts the main feature of the Factories Act — viz., to' provide a Saturday half-holiday for factories, was* not carried out, under instructions from the Government. HIS POLICY. He was in favour of an elective Legislative Council. Another necessary reform was the abolition of bankruptcy. No man ought to have the right by process of law to divest himself of the liability of paying his debts. (Applause.) Any man who could not pay his debts ought to have protection from the Court \ until he could pay, but directly he was in a position to pay, and the Court said so, he ought to be compelled to pay his just debts. They ought to have reform in the way of classifying the 'Civil Service, which should Ire placed under the control of a Civil Service Board ajid removed from political ' control/ All the "dead-beats" put in there by the Government of the day ,ought to be filed out— -(loud applause) — and the only entrance to the Service should be by competitive examination. If they required experts, our own young men should be sent abroad to get the necessary education, and then be given the appointments. (Applause.) IJe was ip favour of a, considerable reduction ¥n the cost of defence, and was also against tlie Premier's proposed standing "army. In this connection, he showed how the Government " encouraged " cadet corps for lads between 14 and 17 years of age by reducing the capitation from £1 to ss. THE DAIRY INDUSTRY. Very great credit had been claimed by the Government for encouraging the dairy industry, but the Government forgo b to mention that in 1888, w'ken the

sum of £400 was put on the Estimate for the first dairy inspector by the Atkinson Government, almost every member of the present Ministry voted against that salary, and managed to reduce it by £5. The year before last there was a provision put in the Loans to Local Bodies Act, under which the Government could grant loans to dairy factories, and so encotirage the dairy industry. But, while there was provision in the Act to borrow from the Government for that purpose, there was no provision for the Government to lend the money — (laughter) — and, although every effort had been made to get the Government to include such a provision in the Act it was impossible to persuade them to move in. the matter at all. He thought that was very good evidence that where possible the Government would not help the daiiying industry. (Applause.) A NECESSARY REFORM. In regard to finances, it was desirable that any member of the House should be able "to inspect the items of expenditure, and see the vouchers for any money expended. They were supposed to be tho representatives of the people, to be the guardians of the public purse, and to control the expenditure of the Government, and yet a member found it impossible to get any information on the subject. If the public knew haw the money was frittered away and covered up in " contingencies," and imprest, and one way and another, they would be horrified. LOCAL GOVERNMENT. In regard to ; local government, there was too much power in -the hands of the Government, and he urged that, 'instead of local bodies having to beg for money from the Government, there should be a system by which for every £1 a local body ' raised it should be subsidised by the Government to the extent Of £2. Did they know that on the West Coast of the South Island there was not an instance in which money was raised under the Loans to Local Bodies Act. Why? Because they would have to -pay it back, and the money expended there by the "local body came from the colonial purse, and the colony generally had to find the money. That was an im'propeß thing. The money for hospitals and charitable aid should, he thought, come out of the Consolidated Fund. ; BIBLE TM SCHOOLS. He m-as in favour of a referendum being taken on the question of Bible-read-.ing in schools, but if elected he was not going to shift from • his shoulders the responsibility of deciding the question. If an agreement was come to in regard to Scripture lessons in schools, he would be willing to vote in Parliament' for those lessons being given. Besides that, there was a section of the comiriunity whiidi had, under considerable difficulties, and under very great expense, given their children not only religious educaj tion, but very good secular education, and if Scripture lessons were taught in our public schools the time would have arrived when the claims of the Catholics to some support for their schools should be considered. EDUCATION. In regard to. our education system, he thought we ought to have an . elective central Council for the colony, that Education Boards should' be abolished, and that school committees' districts and powers should be extended so that they should come under the central Council. The inspectors and teachers should" be classified and come under the central Council, and that there should be a universal system of school books for the colony. (Applause. ) He was . also in favour of the of technical education beiug very much further extended. He al&o thought that there should be a superannuation scheme for teachers; OTHER MATTERS. Ho was in favour of the freehold with restriction of area ; he sketched a system of balloting which would do away with the .present gambling in sections; he favoured Land Boards being elective ; that the eight hours' day should apply to Government employees and railway hands ; and that labourers in the employ of the Government should be paid 8s a day. In conclusion, he said he regretted that the two candidates who would have the most tehanee of 'election were not residents of the district, but he would undertake that if elected no local matter would be neglected owing to the fact that he was not a resident of the district, and he would mete out equal justice to his opponents and his friends. Mr. Pirani concluded his speech anyd loud applause. . A number of questions having been answered, Mr. Harley, who, throughout the meeting had subjected Mr. Pirani to a considerable amount of good-humoured banter, mounted the fetage, and said that he intended to vote for Mr. Wilford — an announcement which was greeted with some cheering. But, said Mr. Harley, if Mr. Pirani had come out a month earlier, I should have voted for him. Mr. Pirani waa one of the most able politicians that had sat in the House, and one who meant all he said. He asked them to carefully consider the speech they had heard, and return the best man. Up to this point the large audience semed struck dumb with amazement, then the import of Mr. Harley's remarks dawned. upon them, and continuous cheers were given. Mr. Harley moved that' a hearty vote of thanks be given to Mr. Pirani for his able address, and confidence in him as a representative of the people, and, turning to Mr. Pirani, he said: "And, sir, I wish you.every. every success in your candidature." . (Loud cheers.) The motion was carried by a distinct majority. Mr. Pirani, on rising, received quite an ovation, ,and after returning thanks for the many 'compliments received, announced- that Mr. Collier^s late committee had waited upon him that afternoon, and after informing him that as Mr. Collier had > refused to accept their advice and wish ""that he should retire from the contest," they had tendered their resignation in a body;. v and expressed their intention of supporting Mr. Pirani. At the close of one of the most!successful meeting yet held, about 150 ladies 'and gentlemen formed themselves into a committee for Petone, to assist' Mr. Piraui in his candidature.