ELECTION NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 7281, 4 August 1887, Page 3

ELECTION NOTES.

Mr J. Aitken Connell addressed a large meeting at Newmarket last night, and received a vote of thanks by acclamation. He stated that he would not oppose Sir G. M. O’Rorke for Manukau, and that he has not Kublicly intimated that he will not oppose lr Pyke for the Dunstan, nor Sir George Grey for Auckland Central. Mr T. E. Cooper, solicitor,'has been requisitioned to stand for Ponsonby, Sir Maurice O’Rorke told the electors at O'nehunga the other day that he considered Mr Ballance’a village settlement scheme an honest and patriotic attempt to settle the people upon the land ; but he would be in favor of giving the settlers the option of securing the freehold —(cheers) —and also to have their rents fixed without advance.

Our Tapanui contemporary states that Mr J. F. Herbert, of Ardmore, will contest the Waikaia seat.

Mr Rodger will contest Oamaru in the Bible-in-sohools interest.

Mr M'Kenzie, candidate for Waihemo, addressed a crowded meeting of the electors of Shag Point, Pukeiwitahi, and Lower Shag Valley, in the School-house, Shag Point, yesterday evening. He was listened to most attentively throughout; and, after having answered satisfactorily several questions that were put to him, it was proposed by Mr Ross, seconded by Mr Goodley, and carried unanimously, “ Tnat the meeting has the fullest confidence in Mr M'Kenzic, and consider him the most fit and proper person to represent the new electorate of VVaihemo.” Our Wanganui correspondent wires:— “ Mr Bryce received a vote of confidence at Waverlcy last night, and was well received. He is confident of the result of the election. The general opinion here is that the three old candidates—Atkinson, Bryce, and Ballance—will be returned by good majorities.” Mr VV. P. Reeves, jun., is a candidate for St. Albans in the Ministerial interest.

A novel method of conducting electioneering meetings has been hit upon by Mr T. W. Hifilop) ** candidate for Oarna.ru. Before delivering his speech he invites questions and answers them, and then touches on matters on which he has not been interrogated. As the pent-up feelings of the electors have been given vent to the result is that the speaker is not subjected to so much interruption as would follow in the ordinary course of events. Mr Arthur E. G. Rhodes addressed the Gladstone electors at Temnka on Tuesday evening. In opening his address he said he did not feel hurt about anything the Press had written or said about himself ; but on one point he had been totally misrepresented, and it was necessary that he should clear himself. Some papers had said that he was the nominee of the banks, the loan companies, and the squatters, and that on this account he would be unable to represent an important constituency like Gladstone with that impartiality which the electors expected from their representative. He told the electors in all sincerity, and most confidently, that neither directly nor indirectly was he interested in squatting, neither was he a shareholder or a debtor, or in any other capacity interested in loan companies or banks. Mr Rhodes held that the present deficit could be met almost entirely by retrenchment and rigid economy, if the whole House worked as one man for that purpose. He said too much money had been and was being spent on defence. He was in favor of reducing the number of members of the Lower House one-half, and honorariums to Ll5O. He would do away with ‘ Hansard ’ and the honorarium to members of the Upper House, and reduce the Governor’s salary and allowances to L 5,000, and Ministers to fair value for services, He would not touch the primary education system, and announced himself an out-and-out Freetrader. He was opposed to the graduated property tax and further borrowing, except to complete engagements entered into, Mr Hobbs addressed the electors of the Bay of Islands, at Hikurangi, on Monday. He eulogised Major Atkinson, and advocated retrenchment. Mr Hobbs received a vote of confidence.

Mr J. B. Whyte met the Waikato electors at Turua on Monday, when a vote of confidence was passed. Mr R. Udy addressed the electors of Eden on Wednesday night, when he favored retrenchment in education by abolishing training colleges and insisting on secondary schools being made more self-supporting. He is a Protectionist. Mr Udy received a vote of thanks and confidence and was requested to contest the Eden seat. Mr L. P. Gumming, who was announced as a working man’s candidate for Waitaki, has retired.

Sir George Grey addressed tho electors of Auckland Central last night, his speech being a reply to that of Sir R. Stout. A vote - of confidence was passed. Mr H. Feldwick addressed a meeting of about 400 in the theatre, Invercargill, last night. He declared for Protection and retrenchment, Having been a Greyito he does not favor the present Government nor the

Opposition leaders, received a vote of confidence with few dissentients.

Mr Ivess addressed a crowded meeting of electors at Napier last night. He spoke generally in support of the Ministry. A motion pledging those who voted for it to support him was carried without opposition. Mr Tanner addressed a meeting at Waipawa on Tuesday night, indicating himself as an opponent of the Ministry, a Freetrader, in favor of large reform in local government, and abolition of State aid to secondary education.