POLITICAL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 439, 20 October 1908, Page 2

POLITICAL.

Mr Stevens Opens His Campaign.

The Marten Speech.

[Special Reporter.]

Mr. John Stevens, M.P., opened his campaign at Marton, on Saturday night. There was a large attendance numbering some 300. Mr. Sutcliffe occupied the chair. Mr. A. SutclilT, the chairman, in introducing Mr. Stevens said that the electors had been invited there to hear Mr. Stevens, the present member for the Manawatu electorate, to hear what had been done in the Parliament which had just ended, and also to hear from him his opinions on the principal questions of the day. He asked them to give Mr. Stevens a patient hearing and at the end of his address Mr. Dteveus would answer with courtesy any question that might he asked. Mr. Stevens, who was received with applause said : Mr. Sutcliffe, ladies and gentlemen, it is now somewhat about three years since I had the honor of addressing a Marton audience. During the interim I have, as you are all aware, been your representative in Parliament, and to the best of my belief and in accordance with the dictates of that which I believe to be right and in the best interests of the community as a whole, so 1 have acted as your representative. I am sorry to say that since I was returned the Right Hon. Richard John Seddou, who was then Premier of this colony, has passed away, regretted not only by New Zealand but by the whole civilised world. We, however, have in his stead a gentleman who was his colleague and first lieutenant, the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister of the Dominiou of New Zealand, than whom there is no more conscientious, able or capable statesman in any part of his Majesty’s colonial possessions. Sir Joseph Ward is a gentleman who has distinguished himselt not only in the politics of New Zealand, but he has distinguished himself as statesman at all the great gatherings of the British Empire which he has attended; and they have been several (hea r , h;ar). He was characterised by Sir Wilfrid Laurier, and by the leading statesmen of the British Dominions, as one of the most brilliant statesmen within any part of the British Dominions. I have had the privilege of a personal acquaintance with the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward for a great number of years both privately and publicly, and were it not that I have such implicit confidence in his ability and integrity, I would not be supporting his Government (hear, hear). I suport his Government because I believe that his Government has at heart the very best interests ot the people of this Dominiou. There has been no sensational legislation passed during the last session, but during the previous session there has been some important legislation placed upon the Statute book. The most important with which we have to deal is our land question. The land question is one ot such m tgnitude that it is impossible that we shall ever find a solution to the difficulty which will please all persons of the various shades of political opinion who are interested in this question, and every person, whether a land owner or not, is interested in the laud question. The session before last, the Land Bill was brought down, embodying and embracing, by the Hon. Minister for Lands, the Hon. R. McNab, and I must say that it endeavoured to encompass something more than could be achieved in one Bill, and like a wise man he saw that the weight of the Bill was too great to be contained in one volume, so he divided it. The object of that Bill in the first place was to provide a permanent fund from which to sustain and maintain our present excellent system ot primary education. Cabinet considered that an assured finance for that purpose was necessary. All wise and thoughtful persons must agree that a peomanent and stable finance should be provided for the purpose of carrying out the greatest function that any State can undertake—viz., the education of its youth. When it was found that the time had gone past for placing so many acres of land aside as an endowment, the Government wisely said we will place so many acres aside, and we will place so many acres on the market for the purpose of settlement in such a manner as will give to all classes of the community an opportunity of satisfying their desires with respect to tenure. In the first place, when it was proposed that the 19 millions of acres of land which was to be set aside as endowment was only to be leased and could not be disposed of by sale. I had made up my mind to vole againt the locking up against freehold of such an enormous area of land, notwithstanding the good purpose for which it was being done (applause), and therefore the leaseholders, out and out leaseholders, had numerous consultations and conference with us, the members of the party who bebelieved in an optional tenure and those who believed in freehold, and after considerable discussion there was a tacit understanding arrived at, not official until it came to the question of it being laid before Parliament by the Minister. The arrangement come to was that so many acres of laud should be set aside as an endowment that could only be leased for 33 years, with right of renewal for another 33 years., making a 66 years’ lease. The remainder of 19 millions acres, a large portion of it, was set aside for sale for cash, and for

lease with the right of purchase. And in this way the quantity of land which is available now for purchase by any persons who preler the freehold to the leasehold, is in my opinion quite asgreatas will be required for a great many years to come. We have now the native lands which the Hon. the Native Minister has arranged. There was a Royal Commission appointed tor the purpose ot dealing with the Native Land question and making recommendations with respect to them. It cannot be denied that the first duty of the Government is to see that the owners of the laud, the Natives, are properly provided with sufficient laud for their own occupation if they will cultivate it; that is sine qua non. It is well for us to say they are doing no good with it, we will take it. That is being done with such lands as the Natives will do no good with, and the Government intend bringing down legislation after the final report of the Commission for tho purpose of enabling the Nathe lands to be settled by Europeans, after the Native requirements have been reasonably and moderately satisfied. In making this: arrangements the last speech I made in tl.e House was on the Native Laud Bill, which has just been passed, and that amending Act makes 73 separate and different kinds ot Acts upon the Statutebook with reference to Native matters. So it will give tome idea ot the complication there is with regard to this great and important question. For example the Royal Commission, will, I hope, in its final report recommend that in accordance with the order of reference from the Crown, from his Excellency the Governor, that a large portion of Native lands shall be set aside for the purpose of being disposed of either by lease with a purchasing clause or for cash. A great deal will have to be disposed of for cash because the money will be required in order to provide funds for the development of the lands being held by Natives. The laud question is one which would require a whole evening’s discussion in order to touch upon the fringe of i s very many and multitudinous points. I have, however, outlined what has been done an! What my action has been in connection with the land question. Now as a culmination 01 what I believe to be, and will be, the crowning effort, those who aie in favour ot freehold will be supporting the bill, which 'has joeen temporarily put aside but will be introduced again next session, viz., the Bill entitled the Land Settlement Finance Bill, under which, when it becomes law, a number of persons may join together as an I association ot ten or more members and thus acquire laud from persons willing to sell. Persoi s willing to sell will be enabled to sell because what the Government proposes to do by the Bill I have named is to find ad the money that is required lor the purchase of the land by the association and allow the associ ition to cut up the land and divide it amongst themselves providing that no member shall hold less than 50 acres or more than 640 acres of fust-class .an 1. So that by this means that act wmeu was passed imposing heavy rates upon all properties of a value of over ,£48,000 the rates are such that owners will almost be compelled to subdivide their lands over that value. When it becomes law, and that I believe is a certainty, the Land Settlement Finance Bill will assist the big man as well as the small man. It will assist the small man to acquire the freehold—there is no leasehold provided for. The Government provide the money, provided the laud to be acquired is worth the money, as a valuation will, of course, need to be made in the ordinary way. It will help the vendor, because on the one hand, there is the person with the money to purchase, and on the other, the vendor with the land to sell. Theie is no use in having land to sell if there is not the purchaser with the money to buy. That is why the leasehold has been of such value. It has enabled people to take up land and make homes for themselves, and prosper generally. The Government has done a great thing with regard to the freehold and leasehold. Take for example, our Advances to Settlers Act. In connection with this Act, I remember as distinctly as if it were yesterday, that the party who are now very few indeed, the Opposition to wit, I am sorry in one respect, but I believe there are only 13 or 14 of them left, and there will only have to be two more of them come over to the Government side, and there will be nothing left but the twelve apostles! (Laughter.) They objected, and objected most strenuously, to the Government interfering with the finances —with the flow of money into the country through agents who grow fat and live well by charging 8, 9, 10, and i2}4 per cent. The Liberal Government, when it came into power, brought down its measure, and reduced its interest by one-half. Great failures were predicted ! The Opposition said that there was no people who knew sufficient of finance in the Liberal ranks to deal with such a stupendous financial transaction! What has the result been ? It-has been that since the introduction of the Advances to Settlers’ Act, 30 millions of money have been advanced, and portions repaid, to help the settlers, and the advances have been made at half the interest which was being charged by the fat money-lender, and the result has been to a large extent, the prosperity of this Dominion. These facts are undeniable. Now,

this is the position at present • There is ,£16,000,000, the property of you ladies and gentlemen, the property of us, lent to our neighbours, to the people who are developing the country and making two blades of grass grow where only one grew formerly. We are using this money to increase our volume of exports to other countries, and so get in return that which pays our interest. There are j£i6,000,000 still advanced, and the security is pronounced by every banking institution to bi the quintessence oi gilt edged security. (Applause.) Now we come to the queition of whether people have suffered by these great advances. Since the Act was brought into operation, there have been over ,£30,00 -,ooodealt with, aud the re suit to the Dominion is, that the latter, besides giving people money at 4 aud per cent, has made ,£3*3,000 of net profit, and every year the people of New Zealand have paid iu to the Consolidat d Revenue ,£67,500 profit, which the people of this country are making out ot the people who are using the money, aud they wcu’d h.ve to pay, not 60, but 670 thousand pom ds, if it were not for the Government.

Now we are coming to another question, that of Conciliation and Arbitration: Those who oppose the Government are under the impression that no good has resulted from the labour laws of this Dominion. I say that great good has resulted; in no other country in the world have the labour laws been more successful for such a lengthened period as they have been in the Dominion of New Zealand. For example, in the year 1809, when the great Marine Strike was on, what was the result ? Strikes everywhere; trade depressed ; the most terrible upheaval that could be imagined; there was no progress —no prospect of progress. When the matter was handled and the first labour laws were passed, from thence until now have these labour laws done good work. That they have been perfect is not the case, but they have been more perfect than those in any other part of the world. What more can we expect ? Other parts of the British Empire aud other portions of the world have copied the labour laws of New Zealand. They are stated to hav*e failed because of strikes which have occurred here recently, the bakers’ strike, butchers’ strike and so on. The law did not fail. What the law did was to allow the Courts aud to empower the Courts to settle these questions up to certain point. It was then found that the law was not quite extensive enough and this session there has been an amendment brought down and passed into law aud strange to say, not only did the followers of the Government approve of it, but still stranger to say the Leader of the Opposition also aporoved of it when speaking at Pukekohe last night. This being the case there is every reason to believe that we are going to have a continuation of industrial peace. Industrial peace means to every workmen, aud especially to his wife and children, a great deal more than I am able to express. It means that when there is industrial peace there is more chance of prosperity for those who wish to prosper, industrial strikes are on men are ill-advised, and then must disaster follow. The working classes are so well educated now, so highly intelligent, that they are capable of dealing with these great problems in a rational and reasonable way. I will point out one of the shortcomings of the employers in connection with the law which has just been amended. For example when an agreement was entered into between an employer and employees either an agreement or an award of the Court, it held good until a fresh one was made. I know of several instances in which the employers were to blame for the strikes which occurred, and they were to blame in this way : knowing as they did that the rate to be stipulated in the award or agreement, would, if an alteration were made, have to be increased in consequence of the heavier cost of living, heavier rents and various other causes, they, instead of calling the men together, as I say it was their duty to do, and saying “ men, our agreement is about to come to an end, what shall wages be for the future?” before allowing the award or the agreement to run out, took advantage of the technicalities of the law and so kept the men stringing on without making any advance to bring about a fresh agreement. That is what caused dissatisfaction and justly so, in the minds of the men. And it such things are avoided in the future, and I think they will be largely, men and employers will deal with the matter in a rational and reasonable way, thus shall we be able to continue the good relationship which has continued between the men of this country and their employers. These are questions of very considerable importance; they are questions that require the greatest care and deepest thought on the part of those who have the making of our laws ; they are questions which may make or mar the country. Good legislation may make the country, and indifferent legislation may mar it. Now as to all the platitudes which are used in regard to the present Government being socialistic and not in sympathy with the tiller of the soil or the country settler, such is not the case. I will point to several things. Advances to Settlers for instance. I have already dealt with the Advances to Settlers and the waste lands of the Crown. I have mentioned the Native land question. All these are I contend

in the very best interests of the settlers and the settlement of this Dominion. There is no doubt whatever that such is the case. Then we take our exports, our grain, and everything that can be mentioned. The Government have without cost to the producer to any extent whatever given every aid and assistance by employing the best experts that can be engaged in any part of the world to instruct the farmer in his business and to instruct the pastoralist in his business. Take for example the instruction given in dairying ; take for example the instruction given in rearing of stock as to how to breed them healthy, and to keep them healthy. All this instruction is given by the Stile. And we take also the question ot the dairy regulations, about which so much has been made. 1 he dairy regulations which it was proposed were to come into operation at some future time, were, I admit, issued in a crude form ; but the opinions of a very large number of dairy factory managers and experts were invited by Parliament, so that they might be made workable and acceptable. And numbers of these opinions were received. ihe parliamentary committee, called ihe stoc-c committee, which dealt with tnis question, was presided over by Mr. Prana La wry, M.P., than whom there is no better authority on dairying in the Dominion. And he and the members of the committee summoned people and invited them to come from all parts and give evidence; and it was upon the great volume of evidence thus adduced before that committee, and having in view as fully as possible every interest ot the dairy farmer to see that no hardship was inflicted, the dairy regulations were formulated. All that they ask is rational and reasonable, and I say, having read the dairy regulations, that if people object to them, then I am very sorry indeed to have to characterise these people who object as being enemies to the progress of dairying in this country as 1 would have to, because they, would be dirty. That is plain English. And I say that we have our dairying here brought to nearly perfection. Let us have absolute perfection as they have in Denmark. Our butter is equal to Danish butter in a great many respects. All that we require now to make our butter equ it to Danish butter, and to make it bring the same price as Danish butter on the market is, to comply fully with the provision of cleanliness which prevails in Denmark —and we would not consider ourselves flittered if we were told that we were unable to do so. I contend that in bringing the daily regulatims into operation, it should be done tentatively, and wMh justice in order to bring about a great boon to every dairy farmer. These are a few of the points of importance to farmers. There is another little matter, quite a trifle some people say, and the Opposition never make any mention of it, in connection with the question as to whether the Government is doing any gool for the farmer. Twenty thousand pounds of taxation was remitted from one class by a stroke of the pen in abolishing the sheep tax. The Government get no credit, but it is said that they are enemies of the farmer. That shows that they are not. They are not the enemies of any class ot farmer. Now we come to the important question of defence. I remember well the day as a boy when I was compelled to drill in the militia. I was not a volunteer then. It was before I was a volunteer. I was a volunteer subsequently when we had to take up arms against an internal enemy. After 1 had been drilled in the militia I beeaxue a volunteer. Not likirg the footprad I had to get on a horse. I gave' my services in General Cameron’s campaign between Taranaki and Wanganui. We had lots of amusement and lots of hard work. To-day we have some excellent volunteers and notably in Marton the oldest and one of the ablest volunteer companies in the Dominion, and often have I looked with pleasure on that neat, tidy, little company of Marton, equal to any regulars if called into the field. I am making no mistake in saying so. Now, we have not an internal enemy to look for. Our internal enemy has become our friend and ally, the noble Maori. We have to look to the outer world. The advancement of science has been such of late years that it behoves as an integral part of the British Empire, and the only way we can see that we are defended is to do, as Parliament has wisely done, increase the subsidy for our naval defence. As to setting up our own defence that is chimerical and can never be done with only one million of a popular tion. But if we give our assistance to the British Navy it is on that we have to rest for defence and preservation. The duty lof the British Navy is to keep its strength up to the two-power standard. When the British Navy has done so, and well it has done so, we will have great immunity from invasion. We have now to look to our internal defence, our land force here, and I say that if our land forces are properly organised on a volunteer system, and our volunteers are given proper encouragement we can get a very efficient and excellent service in this Dominion. I am against conscription, I do not believe that there can be a more effective service than volunteer service, having had practical personal experience of it. I know that if the men are handled rightly and treated properly there is no question as to the truth of the old saying that one volunteer is worth two pressed men. It is not my intention to keef you longer other than to say thal

as you are aware I am seeking your suffrages again as to your representation in Parliament. And hitherto I have done what I have believed to be tlie best and straight in the interests ol all sections of the community, and should you do me the honour of again returning me as your representative, that course will I follow so long as I have the honour of a seat in the Parliament of New Zealand. I say this also that there are many people who bring forward new notions and a great many schemes such as the elective executive referendum, Bible in Schools referendum, and referendums on goodness knows what. I tell you that these are not subjects for the present-day politician to deal with. These are subjects for the far-dis-fant future ; if they are wise they will leave them alone. (Applause). These are changes which cannot be made en bloc but must be made tentatively so that the people can understand them. Now I believe there was a great deal said about the _£Soo,ooo odd surplus, and it was said that there was no such amount of money ever accrued as a surplus in this Dominion. Let me say the money did accrue and nearly the whole of it was transferred to the Public Works Account. When that £ 600,000 odd was transfer ed to the Public Works Account it meant'that the money belonged to the people of this Dominion and they devoted it to developing the country by adding to the Public Works Fund instead of going into the Loudon money market and borrowing an equal sum. The remaining ,£200,000 odd was dealt with in a similar manner, and when ckver the financier expect to have the Bank contain 850,000 sovereigns as a surplus they of course found that was not the case. There is nothing so ridiculous as keeping sovereigns, as sovereigns do not increase, and this was the very best manner in which the country could utilise the surplus which had accrued. (Applause). We have already it is true a sura of ,£BOO,OOO belonging to the Government deposited in England at call, and this is for the purpose of preventing such a panic as occurred in Wall Street, New York, and in other parts of the world. The financiers of New Zealand, the Right Hon. the Minister of Finance has made provision so that in no case can New Zealand be called upon for a payment which it cannot make without having to pay through the nose so to speak, before an advance could be procured. These are the outlines of the finance of New Zealand and generally speaking the conduct of lh- public business of this Dominion I s.iy reflects great credit upon those who are concerned with it, and I advise, whether I am returned or not, after having had a quarter of a century’s experience in politics and business, my advice to my fellow colonist is this, do not be afiaid that the present party in power is going to do anything financially, socially or morally which will be an injury to the people, and I say this that we are going to have some depression, not because of our Government, but because of the outside influences of the markets of the world, and I advise that while we are crossing the river do not swap horses, stick to the old horse until we are across the river. I desire to thank you and ask you to do me the honour of again returning me. If not it will make no ditference to my friendship for the settlers of this district. (Applause) On the subject of the majority representation, the Leader of the Opposition says there should be proportional representation. I say that immediately I have been returned as the representative of the district, whatever was required by every resident of the district whether a supporter or not, has received prompt and proper treatment at my hands, and I say that the representative who does not represent every shade of political opinion, as far as local matters and personal requirements are concerned, dees not represent that district. questions. Mr Heuricksen : Is Mr Stevens prepared to support the branch railway from Levin via Foxtou to Marton. Mr Stevens: Yes. I may say that not only am I prepared to support it, but I have already supported it, and with others concerned was instrumental in getting the Prime Minister to promise that a survey of the land would be made as soon as practicable. Such being the case we have already moved in that direction and it will have my fullest support.

Mr Mosstnan : I would ask Mr Stevens in view of the harassing delays the pakeha lessees are suffering from the policy of " taihoa ” would Mr Stevens be in favour of drastic reform in the Native Office. I may say, sir, in connection with the question that is the intention of the Government to have the required reformation made and to give facilities for alienation by the Natives, whether by way of sale or lease of lands to Europeans. All native lauds will be dealt with through the Native Land Boards and so the delays which have hitherto obtained will be obviated. In the course of my speech I said that there were 72 different Acts upon the Statute-book aud this one makes 73 and I described them in the House the other day as one of the most complete monkey puzzle trees that had ever been known, I am quite in sympathy with those who have dealings with Natives privately because iu my own experience I have believed myself quite clear and free and have got up to the top limb of the monkey puzzle

tree and there I have found another one that prevented me from getting my transaction through until fresh legislation was passed. Aud so it is imperative that there shall be drastic reform in Native Land Legislation so that Native land can be taken up and the people get their title at small cost and expenditure. A vote of thanks for his able address aud of confidence iu Mr Stevens as Member for Manawatu was proposed by Mr Hunt aud seconded Mr N. Oldham, and carried with acclamation. Mr Stevens, in acknowledging the compliment, said that so long as the electors of Manawatu continued to repose their confidence in him, so long would he consider it his duty .to wear out rather than rust out in the interests of his people. He proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman, which was carried with acclamation and concluied the meeting. Mr Stevens at Turakina. By Telegraph—Special to Herald. Mr Stevens addressed a largely attended and enthusiastic meeting of electors m Town Hull, Turakina, last night. Mr B. P. Lethbridge occupied tLe chair. JVJ i- Stevens dealt fully with Land Legislation. Arbitration and (Joncilllation and Defence. In 1882 when on the Waste Lauds Committee, he moved for the introduction of a purchasing clause into the leasing proposals brought down by Mr ilollcston aud thus it was he who first moved in the direction of giving leaseholder tenants of the Crown the right to acquire the freehold. The movement was at that time defeated by the members of the Committee belonging to the present Opposition, who now mi-represented him as being against giving the people the freehold. There was no room in the House for three parties. There were only two lobbies, The Opposition had no hope of getting back to power, consequently every elector should support the present Government in order to prevent the rising up of another party who were desirous of attempting to effect reform by revolution instead of by evolution. He referred to the great stone-wall in connection with the Bank of New Zealand legislation. The position to-day in connection with the Bank was that the Government had saved thousands of people from ruination by guranteeing the Bank and were making an annual profit of £33,000 on the transaction. A vote of thanks aud renewed confidence in Mr Stevens as member for Manawatu was proposed by Mr Lisson, and seconded by Mr Day, and carried with acclimation. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the meeting. Mr Newman at Foxton. Mr Newman, Opposition candidate, addressed his second meeting at Foxton in the Masonic Hall, last evening, before a good audience, including three ladies. He was accorded a splendid hearing. Mayor Gower presided, aud referred to Mr Newman’s connection with public affairs during a period of 20 years.

Mr Newman was greeted with a round of applause on rising to speak. He said, in opening, that owing to the many kindnesses received at the hands ol the Foxtou people, although comparatively a stranger, yet he felt he was among friends. The speaker traversed the ground of his previous speech, already published in the Herald. He gave the Government credit for many beneficient measures passed during their term of office. He said the present Government were supposed to continue the late John Ballance’s non - borrowing, selfreliant policy, but they had come far short of it. If Ballance were alive aud leader of a Party, the speaker thought he would be a member of that Party (applause). He touched on the community of interest between town and country. Prosperity rested on the settlement of the laud, particularly Crown aud Native lands, and taxation on laud should be kept down to a minimum. He again advocated the freehold tenure of the land, and adversely criticised other tenures and members of the Ministry in this connection. If the Opposition were returned, every Crown tenant would be given the R.O.P. at a reasonable price, aud all future settlement would carry the same right. (Applause.) Despite good times, the SeddouWard Governments had made no substantial reduction in the public debt or iu taxation. He was opposed to the sinking fund while the Government borrowing was proceeding. The Government were borrowing yearly the same amount it was paying in interest. He looked upon the Dominion much as a farmer, with a farm, burdened with debt to such an extent that be has to borrow annually the same amount as he pays in interest. Such a farmer may either decide on a policy of rigid economy or rapid and full development of the unimproved portion of his property. To do this he may have to borrow more money. If he spends such money clearing bush and otherwise ■ directly increasing the productiveness of his land, he will do well. If he spends it on a large house, new sheds, aud plantations, he will probably fail. This latter is what the Government are doing to a large extent. The question of Arbitration and Conciliation was beyond Patty politics, arid it was his desire to see justice done to both parties, and he dealt at length with the Arbitration Act recently passed, which should be given a fair trial. He believed iu high wages, as cheap labour was poor labour. Speaking on defence matters, he said every encouragement should be given to volunteers, by supplying them with free ammunition, free passes on the railway, aud preference of employment in certain public departments. He again opposed the second ballot. Expenditure on public buildings must be reduced until back country is settled; bor-

rowed money should be spent on roads, bridges, schools, and other reproductive works, establishment of Public Service Board to free the civil service from political influence ; reform of the Upper House ; every effort made to secure industrial peace so that capital may flow into the country instead of out of it as at present; defence placed on a sound footing ; and a spirit of true patriotism and love of country encouraged ; the policy of the present Government was borrow and bluff aud they would keep in office at any price; when opposed they would compromise and when strongly opposed they “backed down.” tie severely criticised the action of the Government in reference to Meikle’s compensation. He had profound faith in the future of New Zealand. In reply to questions, Mr Newman favoured the three-fifths majority in reference to No-License ; and apbroved the present licensing laws; was opposed to extending the licensing polls to six or nine years; was opposed to a State Church ; opposed to Chinese coming into the Dominion, and if the education test did not restrict them, other legislation of a more drastic nature should be passed ; was in favour of the totalisator as against the bookmaker, the former being the least of two evils; if returned, would see that compensation was paid to the men wrongfully imprisoned for murder, to which Connolly had confessed, provided others did not take up the matter ; was opposed to conscription, as if sufficient encouragement were given to volunteers, they would re-pond—one volunteer was better than three compulsory men ; was opposed to Bible reading in schools. On the motion of Mr G. W. Morgan, seconded by Mr S. Massena, the following resolution was carried unanimously, “ That this meeting accords a vote of thanks to Mr Newman, aud is of opinion that he is a fit and proper person to represent this electorate in Parliament.” Mr Newman objected to a vote of confidence, which Mr Spring, senr. rose to move. He thanked the meeting and passed a vote of thanks to the chair.

An important meeting of Mr John Stevens, Foxtou Committe will be held after the address in the Public Hall, to-morrow night. All committeemen are requested to attend.

Mr O. Gardner, Independent candidate, addressed a full meeting of electors in the school house at Himataugi, last night, aud was accorded a splended hearing. At the conclusion the candidate answered a number of questions satisfactorily and was accorded a a unanimous vote of thanks.

Mr O. Gardner, Independent candidate for Manawatu, will address the electors in the Masonic Hall, Foxton, on Saturday evening next at 8, o'clock. Ladies are specially invited to be persent.

Mr Frankland addressed the electors at Sanson last night. There were about 60 persons present aud Mr Anderson occupied the chair. In the course ot a lengthy address the candidate dealt with the question of the vexatious restrictions which were placed ou dairymen, and considered the question would never be satisfactory to dairymen, until a Board was appointed composed of practical men who throughly understood the business. The audience was highly interested in the address and numerous questions were put and answered in a satisfactory manner. A hearty vote of thanks was given to the candidate and at the termination of the proceeding s several of the audience expressed their willness to form a committee to further the interests of the audidate.