TAUMARUNUI BY ELECTION

Grey River Argus, 12 June 1915, Page 6

TAUMARUNUI BY ELECTION

If OX. MR HERRI LS ADDRESS

•T TELEGRAPH— PEK PEEBB ABBOCIATIO*

TAUMARUNUI, June it. Hon. \V. H. Herries ' addressed a meeting of Taumarunui electors at Taumarunui thi s evening. The Mayor, Mr. Stea'dman, presided.

Mr. Herries said that he regretted that the Leader of the Opposition should have so far departed from the courtesies of political life, as to address a meeting- on the night Avhen a Cabinet Minister had previously arranged to speak.

He dealt \vith the question of ihr purchase of Native townships, .and said tK'at the Government policy \v;is not to compel the natives to sell but to, purchase from them with their consent.

He had met the Taum'arunui Natives Avho "had expressed Avillingness to sell, and the Government had already taken steps to purchase from tL'e Natives invested in the toAATi.

He detailed the large expenditure made by the present Government on roads and other developments.

Both the by-elections since the general election had s hoAvn the popular verdict in favor of the Government.

He deprecated a coalition, Avhich had

never been really successful, and urged the electors to return Mr. Wilson, so as to give the Government a good AAorking majority.

He claimed that in the circumstances of unprecedented difficult tho Government had sucessfully steered the nation to a sound and stable condition of things, and explained thr measures taken .

They Avere genuine freeholders, and their ideal was one of small proprietors and general prosperity.

The native land legislation Avas having the effect of unlocking back blocks of native land tied up in land boards by previous Governments, and they proposed to pass on the freehold of these to bona fide buyers.