ON THE HUSTINGS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 21 October 1925, Page 7

ON THE HUSTINGS.

REPLY TO MR. CORRIGAN. SOOKBURN AERODROME. (BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 20. Recently in a campaign speech in Taranaki Mr. J. R‘. Corrigan said that after the last election the Prime Minister at that time had to scout around for three supporters, and he found them in Messrs L. M. Isitt, Alan Bell and Geo. Witty. In 1916, during the war, there was a company formed to start an aerodrome at Sockburn. It did good business until the war finished, and in it was offered to the Government, which refused it.. After the election it was Gazetted that the Government had: acquired it. Two members of Parliament were directors of the company. Before the Government took it over, 1 Mr. Corrigan had said, it was thought that it would not pay Is in the £1 as an investment, but it paid 17s in the £1 after the Government had taken it over. Mr. George Witty gave the charge an emphatic denial.' He says the aerodrome was started by Mr. W. F. Wigram, a gentleman whom everybody respected and whose memory will live in the hearts of the people after Mr. Corrigan is forgotten. Mr Wigram, with others who could not go. to the war, felt that he should do something to help the country, and he did so, and had these gentlemen received only Is in the £1 not one of them would have grumbled; When the Government bought the aerodrome’ it was on the valuation of public experts, and after the Government had made the purchase Mr. Wigram gave back/ to the Government £IOO,OOO of the purchase money as a free gift to the country. He had lost £15,000 in helping the Empire, and Mr. Corrigan knew it. Mr. Witty said that Mr. Isitt, like many others who took up shares _in the company with the object of doing their little bit in winning the war, was the lioldei- of ten £1 shares, but he was never a director of the company. Mr. Witty, who held 100 shares on trust, was the only member of the House of Representatives on the directorate, and he . merely joined, like many others, with the sole object of assisting the defence of thq country. No shareholder received a single penny as dividend, nor had any, director received any fee or remuneration whatsoever for their years of service, but they gave their assistance freely and without any reward whatever. MR,, DICKIE AT MOKOIA. Mr. H. G. Dickie addressed a very largely attended meeting, including many ladies', in. the Mokoia Hall last evening, Mr. D. S. Richardson- in the chair. Mr. Dickie’s address was on the lines of that given at Haver a and received a splendid hearing. At the close of the address questions were asked and satisfactorily answered. The following resolution was carried unanimously: “That this meeting of electors of Mokoia, after hearing his able address, thanks Mr. Dickie and has every confidence in his return as their member.” MR. GREEN AT OTAKEHO. (From Our Own Correspondent*) Mr. W C. Green, Nationalist candidate for ’ Egmont, addressed a large attendance of electors in the Otakeho Hall on Monday night. Mr. H. J. Eaves was voted to the _ chair and briefly introduced the candidate.. Mr. Green addressed the meeting on much the same lines as at previous meetings touching on taxation, State advances,' Royal Commissions State fire insurance, and the Dairy Control Act. A hearty vote of thanks, moved by Mr. C. Burke and seconded, by Mr. D Bashford, was carried unanimously. After the meeting a good number remained and formed a strong committee to work the district in the candidate s interest.