CAMPAIGN NOTES. POINTS FROM CANDIDATES' SPEECHES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 122, 21 November 1908, Page 5

CAMPAIGN NOTES. POINTS FROM CANDIDATES' SPEECHES.

"The three-fifths majority is the most Conservative measure that was ever in- ' troduced."— Mr Wright at Newtown last night. Mr. F. G. Bolton is getting rather tired of the cry that the Opposition candidate is the only man in the political battlefield who wishes to see purity in public life and who aims_ at ? attaining that goal. "The Opposition," ho lemarked last evening, "has always abrogated to itself moral superiority, but it is entirely self-ascribed." Mr. Barber, speaking at Brooklyn last night, argued that it would be in the interest 'of the people of the Dominion if the Government established State steamboat connection, between Wellington and Lyttelton, and also between New Plymouth and Onehunga, and thus have in its possession the means of transport between Auckland and the Bluff. He pointed out that at holiday time a person could journey between Wellington and Auckland and back for 35s (sec- . ond-class fare), which was infinitely less than the price charged for the trip ■ via Now Plymouth and Onehunga. Labour and the present Government, according to Mr. A. L. Herdman, are divorced. He told his audience at Sydney-street last evening that "the present Administration puts Labour bn one side. AVhen Labour comes along the Government shrugs its shoulders, -when Labour meets the Government the Government closes its eyes or lifts its chin, and when Labour speaks the Government treats it with derision." "It's an absolute' lie," said Mr J. P. Luke last night, in answer to a charge that he only paid his workmen 6s a day. An interesting announcement in this direction is made in our advertising columns. "Time is not ripe for the constitution'of the Labour Party in Parlia ment," said Mr. Fitzgerald to electors ■ of the Suburbs constituency last night. He himself would go to the poll as a Government party man. The administration of the country must be carried on as at present, and accordingly a member must cast in his lot with one or other party. The Government in power stood for progress and reform, and he would be a supporter, but not a slave, of it. Some good entertainment was provid- - , ed at the close of' Mr. A. R. Atkinson's meeting in tho Bethel last night by the heckling to which ho was subjected *~y a few Socialists. ''What do you think of Socialism?" was the comprehensive enquiry of one ingenuous cross-examiner, it was well past 10 o'clock, and the candidate's first reply was to ask how long the questioner was prepared to wait to listen to the answer. It was, he said, certainly not a question that could be answered monosyllabically "Yes" or "No." The questioner insisting with some warmth that he was entitled to such an answer, the candidate said, "Well, you ass me what I think of Socialism, and want me to answer 'Tnes' or 'No.' You can have which you like, and neither will do you much good." The interrogator saw that he had been fairly "had,"' and joined in the general smile. Mr. Atkinson added that he made neither a bogey nor a fetish of Socialism. A large part of our most valued experiments were undoubtedly , Socialistic, but it' did not follow that we were to accept &t sight any particular instalment of the Socialistic millennium that any visionary proposed. Let each forward step be measured caimly on its merits in utter disregard of catchwords, and a verdict returned accordingly. "I regret exceedingly that we spend considerable sums of money in bringing out experts, and after they have become possessed of special knowledge of our requirements they leave the employment of the Government, and their ser vices are lost to the community." — Mr. Luke, at Northland, last night. "Wo ought," he added, "to overhaul the whole .system of dealing with our experts, so as not to lose their services in a brief period after arrival." A voice : "Give them a bigger salary." Mr. Luke : "That's so. I quite agrse with you." Mr. D. M'Laron advocates fosteriug the art side of industry. Nowadays, he says, there is a great disposition in the industries of the world to turn out the greatest quantities possible. It had been said by a British poet that it aeemed as if certain sections of men were brought into the world merely for the purpose of making buttons. Ii sent to Parliament, Mr. M'Laren would strive persistently to have the art aide of industry kept more to tho front. "Who is he? What is he? Where does he come from?" were the threft questions Mr. Fitzgerald said last night that he had to contend with, because he was a young man. His opponent for the Suburbs seat was, on the other hand, held to be a man with a long experience, over which, instead of erecting a monument, he was building a tombstonts. "I have never done such a thing," said Mrs. J. P. Luke, at Mr. Luke'h Northland meeting last night, when it was suggested that she had introduced sectarianism into the contest. Mr. Luke added that he had no desire to see the sectarian element introduced into the campaign. "A white New Zealand ' is one oi Mr. Bolton's chief planks. He told hia audience last evening that he does not think the education test id going to keep the alien out of this country, and he wants something more drastic. "Throughout this contest I am not fighting Mr. Bolton or Mr Izard," said Mr. Herdman last night. "But I am fighting the Govei'nment ot the colony. And all the powerful machinery that iCan be brought to bear to keep out will be brought to bear." The candidate said that the conduct oi Mr. Izard towards himself throughout the contest had been chivalrous. Since the second ballot contest had comiiionced Mi. Izard nad assisted the Government party by throwing in his influence with Mr. Bolton. No doubt he laid beoii influenced by th-5 Premier. Tho speaker took no exception to that, because as a party man Mr. Izard deemed it his duty to act as he did The question was were the electors of Wellington North going to obey the Premier? (Cries of "No.") "I hope not," added the speaker. In connection with Wellington Suburbs election, Mr. R. B. Williams writes :—: — "My attitude in t'ne present contest will be strictly neutral. I shall not interfere in any way. My former supporters will, therefore, receive no dictation or advice from me. I make this explanation in consequence of the numerous enquiries of my friends and after having been seen by both the candidates." An address irom Mrs. A. R. Atkinson to the lady electors of Wellington East appears in our advertising columns.

"In his constructive programme of administrative reform I would give Mr. Massey the heartiest possible support, and in my opinion the new Parliament would have done better work than any other if it put that programme through without getting anything else done at all.'— Mr. A. R. Atkinson at the Bethel. "My policy is justice to all and favouritism to none." — Mr. Wright at Nowtown. " Labour candidates have a great deal of prejudice to meot," said Mr. D. M'Laren in one of his speeches last night. "1 1 heard of one case in which a husband, last Tuesday, locked his wire up in a room because she had said she would vote for me. But the woman, woman like, says she will vote for me next Tuesday if she has to get out of the window.' (Laughter and applause.) After his meeting at Northland last night, Mr. Luke spoke at Karori, the Mayor presiding. The candidate was accorded a vpte ' of thanks and confidence. Wellington North electors are asked to note that Mr. Herdman's meeting at Keiburne to-night begins at 7.30, not at 8.30 as stated in this morning's Dominion. SECOND BALLOT IN CHALMERS. . DUNEDIN, This Day. Final cbunfc for Chalmers : — Allen, 2556 ; Clark, 2463 ; Barr, 102. Mr. Allen is 4^ short of an absolute majority.