The General Election.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8145, 20 November 1905, Page 5

The General Election.

Mr Hornblow addresses the electors at Cheltenham to-morrow night. .' Mr Oswald Gardner will address the electors of Manawatu at Shannon Town Hall this evening. Mr Pirani will address the electors at Terrace End school to-morrow evening. .On Wednesday at G.E> p.m. Jie will •speak at Messrs Page and Seifert's mill, Jackeytown, and later in the evening he will deliver an address at Mr Seiferfc's flaxmill, Oroua bridge. Mr Owen C. Pleasants will address the electors at Goal Creek on Tuesday. Tltuwai on Wednesday and Umutoi on Thursday.

In his speech at Napier Mr A. Jj. I). Fraser propounded a new scheme for dealing with the licensing question. "You charge a publican £40 a year fora license," he said. " Well, I propose that we license every man who purchases liquor. 'A tax of 10s would bring in something like £200.000 a year for roads and . bridges. Put' that idea under your hat and mentally incubate it."

Mr Fred. Pirani's general committee meets in the committee rooms, opposite the post oiiice, to-night. Every member is specially requested to attend. The committee of ladies supporting Mr Fred Pirani's candidature will meet at Mrs Cameron's residence, at the corner of Featherston and Campbell streets, at 3 p.m. on AVednesday. Ladies desiring to join the committee may> leave their names with the chairwoman, Mrs Little, of Lombard street.

Mr Oswald Gardner will address the electors of the Manawatu electorate arlaikorea on Wednesday; Oroua Bridge on Thursday; Glen Oroua on Friday; and Ashhurst on Saturday. In pleading the cause of the Labour Party at Wellington, Mr Hmdmarsh laid stress on the practice of the head of the Government of dropping questions when he saw they were not popular. The action of the Liberal Party in supporting moneyed men for the House in preference to workers was also touched upon. "Men who now lead the party," he said. " were Mr Ballance's bitter opponents. There are no working men in the higher offices of the Liberal and Labour Party now. The following is a list of the political organisations in the colony :—Liberal and Labour Federation, New Liberal party, Political Labour League, Political Eeform League, New Zealand Socialist party, New Zealand Alliance, Licensed Victuallers' Association. Socialist League, Bible-in-schools League, National Education League, Trades and Labour Councils, Farmers' Union, Federated Employers' Association', Xoung New Zealand party, Country party, Women's Christian Temperance Union, and Independent Political Labour League. The Post says -. " Humour is already busy, with regard to Cabinet reconstruction. It is stated that the Hon. T. Duncan is to retire after the election, in which his return is regarded as a certainty, and that he will be promoted to a seat in the Legislative Council. The vacancy in the Cabinet thus created is tobe filled by Mr Baume, who, it i* said, has been promised the portfolio of Education if he secures re-election. It is also rumoured that Mr E. M'Nab will find a seat in the Cabinet, for which purpose, it is stated, the Hon. C. H. Mills will make the way clear, if elected." Very little weight will be attached to the above rumours, as Mr Seddon's predilection for a " one-man Ministry" will debar bim from making changes, although of course a rumour of Cabinet reconstruction is useful for electioneering purposes. Mr J. Vile, candidate for the Manawatu electorate, held a good meeting on Saturday evening at Awahuri. He criticised the present Government and said he was in favor of one-man-one-vote for Parliamentary elections and to give a man with a large area of land two votes for county elections. He was also in favor of tlie Maoris paying rates and having all the privileges of Europeans. At the conclusion of his address a vote of thanks and confidence was proposed by Mr Briscoe, seconded by Mr J. Henson and carried.

■ Subsequently a large and enthusiastic committee met in Mr Vile's interests.

{From Our Own Correspondent).

Mr Jolin Stevens, tlie Government candidate , for Manawatu, addressed a large and enthusiastic meeting of electors in the Awahuri Town Hall on Friday evening. Mr J-. Collingwood presided and introduced the candidate, who was received with applause. Mr Stevens spoke for an hour and a half touching upon the principal political questions of the day and declared himself as a strong and consistent supporter of the party at present in power. The speaker, when referring to Crown Lands and their settlement, refuted a statement made by his opponent to the effect that he (Mr Stevens) had voted against the freehold on one occasion in the House. This was incorrect. He had always been in favour of allowing the Crown tenants the option of whatever tenure they desired, and had never voted against granting the freehold. Mr Stevens finally referred to the Old Age Pensions increase, and considered that the Government was deserving of great credit for the way in which it had come to the rescue of the aged and needy. No questions were asked at the conclusion of the address and a hearty vote of thanks and confidence in Mr Stevens as a fit and proper person to represent the electors, moved by Mr E. Hammond and seconded by Mr A. Koberstein, was carried with applause.