THE COMING ELECTIONS

Grey River Argus, 6 October 1905, Page 3

THE COMING ELECTIONS

MR PETRIE AT KOKIRI. Mt Petrie, a .candidate for the Grey seat, addresseid the electors at Kokiri last evening when about fifty were present. Mr fi- Belami preeidod and the candidatfe had a good reception. ?.lr Petrie's address was largely on the lines of his remarks at Blackball and other placcV. He stated that on all important questions a referendum of the people sliould be taken. Referring to thy. quss. tion of the regulation prohibiting the discharge of sawdust into waters in which fish had been liberated, he raid that if it came tJo a question of choosing between the sawmillers and the trout he would stick to We. sawmilers. If Te -.urne-d lie would do all in his power to have established a daily train service between Otira and Grftymouth. He favor < ed the cons'. -ruction of a dray road to Moana and said that the question of os- ' sistanc-j> to medical men in the outlying district-, was one that required attention. Mt Smithers asked the candidate, ij, as he stated, he was in favor of local ; cp'-ion, why 1^:-" did not use his influence . against the granting of a ilicense to a house at Dunollie ■' where not ,only tliTee-fift-hs but nine-tenths of tligj residents were against it?' Mr Petri, replied tha-t from Tepofts lie heard afc th» time he thought if best not to take ' his seat on the licensing bench on that occasion. . Asked by Mr Smithers if lie would *avor ' the submission of the Bible in School : ques'Jion to a referendum, the candidate I replied that personally lie would vote against. Bible -reading in schools. Mr SmitheTs pointed outi that this was not a reply to his his question which he repeated. Mr PetT^a answered: 'No, I wouild not.' In reply to Mr Fitzsiinmons the candidate, said' lie would prefer the Electiv;.. Executive to the present mode of appointing Ministers; and tliat he .favored th© suggestion that pupils attending private as weld as public schools being -allowed! to compute foi" schoar--hips; he was not in favor of legalising Tat^eTsall!s sweeps in the colony — there was enough gambling alrj?ady. Mr Fi'z_ simmom* : * ? Are you in favor of the aboli" tion of the totalisator?' Mr Petrie: 'No.' Mt Smithers : 'Are you in favor cf submitt : ncf th_< question of the abolition of thj-. totalisator to a referendam ' Mr Petrie: 'No.' Mt Lowe moved 'That a hearty vote of thanks and confidencei be accorded Mr Pctr*-.' ' •• • " Mr Adam Blair seconded tho motion which was carried without dissent.' Mr Petrie addressejs the .electors ai Ngahere to-night afc eight o'clock.' The Oamaru Mail understands that Mr J. D. - Sievwright was approached ! with a view to his contesting the O raaru scat. Mr Sievwrigh", it is <«id, gave nether yo. or nny to the invitation, "And the elections V the Preniier was asked by a representative of the Christchuich Press last week. "Wei'," answered the Piemier, "you may take it, for giaited that the .elections will be held before December 2nd * how cose to t hat date I cannot say." Mt F, M. B. Fisher, the junior member for Wellington addressed the elector* on Wodnerday He bad a good hearing, the macting being quite ( rderly. He sa : d I c was not blind to tl c fact that Mr Seddon was the ai'h.st man wlio had touched New Zealand politics but notwithstanding tLat, members could not submit to his poli: ical corruption. Hedeclared himse'.f opposod to Bible leading in Scho'.Js. (Wellington telegram.) Tho Westport Times une'erstands hat Mr John Foster will stand in the labor interest for the Buller electorate at the forthcoming General Electionsi. The Dunedin Workers political con - inittee has accepted the following as tho labor candidates for the ciiy and suburbs:— Central, Mr J.. A Miller j' Sou'h, Mr J. F, A moll; North, Mr A. R. Barclay ; Chalmers, Mr E. G. Allen. It was decidtd to recommend Mr T. K. Sidey to the favourab'e con* sideration of the Cavcrsham elccors. (Dunedin telegram.)