ON THE HUSTINGS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 13 October 1925, Page 10

ON THE HUSTINGS.

EGMONT ELECTORATE. (From a Correspondent.) Mr. O. J. Hawken, Reform candidate, addressed a meeting of electors at Mangamingi on Saturday night, when there were about 00 present. Mr. Hardwick Smith presided. Mr. Hawken spoke for over an hour and a half and had a very attentive hearing. He spoke on various subjects, including the strike, agricultural banks, finance, education, and stressed the necessity of combining forces to counteract the activities of the Labour movement. - At. the conclusion of Lis address several questions were asked and answered. The speaker was accorded a vote of thanks for his interesting address. At the close of the meeting a large committee, with Mr. Srfiith as cliairman, was set up to forward the interests of the candidate. Mr. Hawken had a very good meeting at Riverlea last night and much enthusiasm was displayed. The candidate dealt very fully with the contention that the Reform Party favoured the wealthy and neglected the interests of the working classes. He proved from figures, especially in regard to taxation, that this contention was at variance with the facts. He also stressed by figures in relation to pensions, lrio.sipi.tals,. housing and ■educl.tion, that the interests of the working classes were certainly not being neglected 'by the present Government. The candidate strongly supported the claims mjade by Mr. (Joa.tes to continue in the leadership of the country s affairs during the next three years. At the end of last week the candidate visited the Grnoana and ot-hei eastern parts of his electorate. /

MR. DICKIE AT WESTMERE

Mr H. G. Dickie addressed a meeting of electors at Westmere last evenjug, when there was a good attendandis. A hearty vote of thanks to -Mi • Dickie was moved by Mr H. B. Cave, seconded by Mr. A. Laird, and carried unanimously. A large number of those present formed themselves into a committee, with Mr. Laird as chairman and Mr. Dickinson as secretary. AUCKLAND SEATS. SURVEY OF PROSPECTS. It is early yet to be picking the winners in the Parliamentary Stakes to be run on November 4, although sporting waiters do not blench over forecasts of another event three days later (states an Auckland writer). There are 23 seats in the Auckland province, and on present prospects there will no sweeping changes. Reform at present holds 15 seats (counting Mr Lysnar), Labour has five members, and the National Party has two, Mr Murdoch (Marsden) ■having apparently joined the Nationalists. There are two new factors at this election, the first being the appearance of Labour in rural constituencies, and second the emergence of the Country Party with hide for five rural seats. A survey of the seats at this stage leads to the conclusion that Reform should! hold at least 13 of its seats. Sir James Parr is likely to meet a strong challenge from Labour in Eden, where there are said to be 3000 new voters. The constituency is becoming steadily more working class, but Sir Jamesi is one* of the most indefatigable of private members. He has done a lot for the district, and he should pull through. Mr Allen Bell has four aspirants to contend with, and here again Labour should be his most serious competitor. There is an old Liberal, a new Nationalist, and a Country nominee to divide the rest of the votes. The Nationalist, Mr Murdoch, should just distance the Reformer in Marsden, although it will be touch and go as it was three years ago. Three Auckland city seats are firmly held by Labour, but there are optimists who expect to see Reform give Labour a shaking in Grey Lynn and Manukau. In the latter constituency Sir Frederick Lang lost by not organising, and Reformers will lose no votes that way this year, hut it is doubtful whether Mr John Massey is a strong enough candidate to beat Mr Jordan, who has made every post a winning post for three years, and has found much favour outside Labour circles. Labour itself does not regard his unorthodoxy with a friendly eye, but possibly Dunedin West will suffice as a heresy hunt for this time. Parnell. Roskill, Kaipara, Franklin, Raglan, Hamilton and Waitomo are regarded as gifts for Reform. In Waitemata. Mr Harris is personally unpopular, but the party should see him through. Mr Lye is the only other Nationalist member in the province, and will have to step lively if he is to survive. The Country candidate may he expected to embarrass him more than Mr Reid. The Reformer should win on the East Coast.

Mr T. W. Rhodes is likely to have a bard fight to hold Thames, hut if the Reform vote holds fairly solid a division of the opposition support between the other three parties should he Rhodes’ salvation. Mr Poland should hold’ Ohinemuri in a straight-out contest with Mr Samuel, who in 1914 gave Mr Wilford a good run for Hutt. Mr Poland is a shrewdi politician, and the fact that in Parliament he sits with the Nationalists and votes with Labour frees him from their opposition at election time. Mr Macmillan should hold Tauranga, and 1 Mr Williams may again he returned. Mr Hocldv may have a hot contest in Rotorua, but should get home with an opposing vote split in three. WELLINGTON NORTH. (IIY TRr.KGB.AT’H I’IIKSS ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 13. Mr. -T. J. McGrath, the Independent Nationalist candidate for Wellington North, in his opening campaign speech deprecated the continuance of the three par tv system as stifling the work of the Government. , He declared that ” whatever the personal views of the Prime Minister may have been in connection with this matter, several members of the Cabinet, especially the speaker of squnttocracy. the Minister for Lands, did nothing to encourage, but a great deal to prevent fusion.” Mr. McGrath said that the Prime Minister of a National Government such as lie hoped to see established, would have no more fervent supporter than he. Mr. McGrath criticised the growth of the country’s financial burden, which put a weight of £197 round the

nock of every child born in the. country. If the load were eased oft now we might survive, but it was increasing yearly. The Government had ignored the recommendations of the Taxation Commission because it would have meant taxing the wool kings. The present incidence of taxation was unjust, but could bo righted. Ho aceusedd the Government of conniving at profiteering in connection with wheat and nour production whereby bread was unnecessarily dear. A board should be set up to investigate the purpose of loans desired by local bodies. The only remedy for the present housing shortage was mass production by a properly constituted authority. Every encouragement should also ‘be given to private enterprise to build houses for the people's use. It was not every one who could afford to own a house or even wanted to do so.

A vote of thanks and confidence was accorded to the candidate.