POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 439, 17 October 1908, Page 3

POLITICAL.

Mr. O. Gardner will address the electors at Himatangi in the schoolhouse next Monday night at 8 o’clock.

A meeting of Mr. John Stevens’ supporters was held in the Masonic Hall last night. Matters of interest in connection with Mr. Stevens’ candidature were discussed at length, and Mr. F. D. Whibley was appointed local secretary. Mr. John Stevens will address the electors at Marton to-night and at Turakina on Monday night. Mr. Byron Brown, candidate for Otaki, will address the electors at Mouloa on Wednesday evening next.

Mr. Gardner will address the electors at Rongotea to-night. At Shannon on Thursday night, Mr Byron Brown, a candidate for the Otaki electorate, addressed a highly-attended meeting. Mr G. N. Stephenson occupied the chair. Mr Brown, in the course of his address (which lasted two hours), said that the taxation per head of population h .. gone up 6s 3d per bead, and this, if worked out on the population basis, would prove that the electors had paid,, in the Otaki electorate alone, nearly £IO,OOO in extra taxation. They had be .mi given ,£7OOO out of the Public Tieasury and charged ,£IO,OOO in extra taxation to make the gift good. He spoke very strongly on trusts, which, he alleged, had been formed in New Zealand. He stated that for flour the retailer to day paid 13s a hundred as against 7s 6d ten years ago. He stated that he was in favour of a Public Works Board and State currency. He advocated that the advances to settlers and workers should be non-political ; also that members should have access to public accounts. He was also desirous of seeing no-license carried. At the conclusion Mr Brown was asked, several questions, and was accorded a very beany vote of thanks for his address.

Mr O. Gardner addressed a meeting of electors at Awahuri on Thursday night, Mr Collingwood occupied the chair. The candidate was gi ;en an attentive hearing, and at the conclusion a vote ot thanks was carried. No questions were asked.

Mr F. W. Frankland addressed the electors at Himatangi last night. Fifty persons were present, and Mr Thompson occupied the chair. At the conclusion of the address the candidate answered an enormous number of questions, to the satisfaction of the audience, and was accorded a hearty vole of thanks, which was carried unanimously. A well-attended meeting of Mt, John Stevens’ supporters was helu at Oroua Downs on Wednesday night, nearly 30 being present Mr. Witton, senr,, occupied the chair, and was subsequently elected chairman of a committee numbering fifteen persons, which was set up to promote Mr. Stevens’ interests, Mr. A. Wellesley Jones being appointed secretary. Much enthusiasm in the coming election was manifested, and it was resolved to hold the first committee meeting on Friday night and thenceforward weekly. Mr. Stevens, M.P., held a successful meeting at Oroua Bridge on Thursday night. Mr. Martin, senior, was in the chair, and was appointed secretary for the Oroua Bridge committee. A working committee of 15 was also appointed to further Mr. Stevens’ interest in the campaign. A hearty vote of thanks to the organising secretary and to the chair terminated the meeting.