Mr Wood at Ashhurst.

Manawatu Standard, 22 November 1905, Page 5

Mr Wood at Ashhurst.

The Land Question Discussed.

Mr W. T. Wood addressed about 150 people in the Ashhurst Hall last night. Mr Greeuhow was voted to the chair. The speaker was subjected to some pertinent interjections from electors present but was applauded by a number of youths at the back of thehall, who towards the end of the address caused an interruption by going out of theliall.

Mr "Wood referred to certain rumourswhich, he said, had been circulated about him. He had got on to the. track of the individual who had made the statement that he had been beastly intoxicated in Wellington, and the matter would not rest. He denied the accusation. He referred to the votes he had got for the district. Readers of the Hansard could. see for themselves the repeated applications he had made for the Lower Gorge bridge. The late Mr J. O'Meara was the only man that assisted him— not the member for/ Oroua—and he had had to fight it on his own. The last; reply of the Government was that they would give £1 for £1 for the re-construction of the bridge. Previously the offer was £1' for £-1 up to £10,000, but now the amount was unlimited. The commission, to apport tion the cost was appointed and tenders might have been let by now had it not been that the local bodies wanted to bring in the Gorge road. They asked him to tell the Government and he did so. He and-Mr Lethbridgo went to the Minister and he consented to the two commissions for the bridge and road sitting together. Mr Pirani had., no more to do with the Post Office in Palmerston than any of those present. (A voice; " What did Sir Joseph Ward tell us at the laying of the foundation stone"). Mr Wood: "It y?as given, out when Mr Pirani was speaking, that one of my supporters interrupted. ■ One ■ of ■" Mr Pirani's supporters is interrupting this meeting." Continuing, he said before lorg they would have a clock and chimes. Did Mr Pirani geS that ? No. Mrs W. T. Wood, with the assistance of the people of. Palmerston, got it. Ho came to t-ho question of the land. He thought it would not be very long before those forty Ashhurst people who asked for

it would see a settlement close adjoining Ashhurst. There was a report in the paper that he voted against the freehold. He did vote against the freehold. He voted against ie under the Lands for Settlement Act. Mr Wood then explained that he was in favour of the leasehold for. land under the Land for Settlement Act and the freehold for those who went into the back-blocks to bew out a home. He referred at length to the danger of the aggregation cf large estates and askeel ho.v the young nien were to get on the land if they had no money and the land Vas all mo'ppod up ? (This query evoked vigorous dissent from "most of tha audience, cries of " rot " being heard and the speaker being interrupted for some time.) He dealt with tho workmen's homes and said it puzzled him how the Opposition could make oub that the cost of a home under the Act would be .£IOOB. He knew it was about £600. Our Old Age Pensions Act he extolled, saying it had been copied in very nearly •alf parts of the world. Ib was right that those who had carved out roads for the people of the present time to follow should get the pension. (A voice: " They don't get it.") He came to the Education Act. (A voice: " What about the Criminal Code Act?" Applause.) He would tell them what was She last act of the Opposition under Sir Harry Atkinson. He cut down the education vote by £"36,000, and the present Government had been raising it every year. Mr Wood then dealt with other matters on the lines of his previous speeches, which, were fully reported in these columns.

Coming to tlic matter of the Gorge Bridge lie read the following letter from the Staxdaud : —" Mr Acheson-Gray informed me that in reply to a question IP at by liim at Riwinui, Mr Wood stated that it was not true that he had waited oa the Premier with, a deputation with the object of having the Gorge bridge and road done away with and a bridge erected at Hokowhitu instead. I was present with the deputation in question aad my statements at Hiwinui and Ashhurst are not only correct, but they are borne out by the report of the Government Engineer, Mr Kobinnoa, whose report was submitted to the Palmerston Borough. Council, the Pahiatua County Council, and the IPah.iu.tua Borough Council. If Mr Wood ■would produce the engineer's report that would easily settle the disputed point.—Yours, etc., Fred.Pirani." He knew nothing about tbe report at all. He had nothing to do with what appeared in the paper. If he was to be responsible for what appeared in the paper he would be responsible for very many things. Ha was only sorry that a gentleman who was to have corue out to refute the statement was ill. (Voices : '■ Oh.") He referred to Mr J. C. Nathan. Ha was one of the spokesmen at the iaterriew with the Premier. Mr L. Wallis, Mr W. Lovelock, Mr S. W. liu:;£ord and Mr P. Daniells were also there. He did noi want his hearers to take his word, but to usk any of those gentlemen what took place. They asked him to introduce the deputation ■to the Premier and he did so. The deputation went in. Mr Pirani camo in.. He was not a member of the deputation aad was not asked to come. He sat down and said he was goiug to report the interview. The deputation told the Premier about the Cliff road being washed away and said it would co3t more to buy land and make a new road than to build the bridge. He (Mr Wood) never mentioned one word about the Gorge bridge. He had always advocated the Gorge bridge [A. voice : " We don't want the bridge," loud laughter] because he thought it a colonial work. He denied the statement in toto and he asked those present to write to the gentlemen he had named and ask them whether he opposod the bridge. The statement, said Mr Wood, •was an absolute lie. Was he to bo held responsible for what the Engineer reported auddid? He had heard that day that be was going to get a lively time at Ashhurst. He never goo a lively time anywhere. The people always listened to Mm attentively; if they did not a.gvee with him they did not Tctiock him about, and he was sure Ashhursfc would not knock him abouii. (A voice :•' Wait till the numbers go up." Loud tramping and clapping at the back). When the numbers go up Ashhurst would not make one to put him oui. He had never run about the colony to get into the House. He was never defeated in anothor part and had to come back here. One of the greatest mistakes in an election was that there should be bitter feeling. (A voice: " There's no feeling here.") Mr Wood was repeating his opinion that there should be no feeling when Mr Acheson-Gray assured him .f iiafc there was no feeling against him, Mr Wood concluded by expressing the liope that they would not forget " Plain Bill" on election day. Replying to a question as to his letter of thanks from Mr Meikle, Mr Wood said he voted against referring the report oE the committee back because it would have been a slap in the face for the committee.

Aii elector referring to to the compulsory resumpion of large estates asked " How did tkese people get the estates; did thej' steal them?". The candidate did not know how they got tUem. He knew perfectly well they had got the estates and was charitable enough to say that these people had got them honestly. The elector : And now you want to take them away.

Mr Wood: Well, the Government ■will pay for thorn.

Mr Acheson-Gray : Like you paid for Fiaxbourne. You stated on the floor ■of this house that you were a leaseholder ■and you also stated you wore in favour of the freehold for the back-block settlers. On what conditions would you give the freehold?

Mr Wood : Of course you got that from the Standard.

Mr Acheson-Gray : not. This is Hansard

]N"o, sir, I have

Mr Wood : " I am a leaseholder, and am in favour of the freehold for the back-blooks settler." He proceeded to say that he would have a proper valuation made of all improvements and give perhaps 10 per cent, on the improvements.

•Mr Acheson-Gray : And then, what would you. do ? Mr Wood: I said I wouid give 10 per cont over and above the improvements,

and then put up the land to auction aud sell it. Mr Achsson Gray : And wouldn't the rnonied people get it? Mr Wood did not think so. Mr Acheson-Gray: '' Do you consider, Mr V/ood, that by selling the land that way big estates will bo created in the back blocks ? Mr V/ood: No, I don't think so. -- A supporter of Mr Wood (Mr Tattle, of Stonj- Creek) here came to the candidate's rescue. In the course of a-few remarks, he said the monied class would not go into the back-blocks, because there was not enough to be made, and they conlrl not get; tboir motor cars in. Mr Wood was asked about compensation for publicans. He gave a reply, but was invited by an elector to answer the question straight out. Ho said he was not in favour of compensation. Mr Acheson-Gray asked whether Mr Wood would promise, if elected, he would address the electors between sessions. A long discussion ensued, Mr Wood saying it could not be expected of him that he should speak in every centre. He referred to the expenses incurred in the election and the additional cost the speaking would cause. Mr Acheson-Gray : But you don't go there to make money. On Mr Kerrigan's' motion, seconded by Mr Maunder, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr Wood.

(Per Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, Nov. 21

The leader of the Opposition (Mr Massey) addressed a crowded audience at the Opera House to-night. Beplying to the Premier's recent Auckland speech, he stated that he originally moved the abolition of duty on f&neing wire, and suggested annuities seven years ago, though the Premier spoke of it last week. Mr Massey declared himself in favour of lending local bodies money at 8! s per cent, i'orroading, thus doing away with the wretched system of grants inequitably distributed. He urged the electors to support the Opposition in the interests of clean administration and to checii the growth of incipient Tammany-' ism in the colony. The speaker wa3 accorded an enthusiastic morion of thanks and confidence.

NEW PLYMOUTH, Nov. 21. Mr Seddon gave a political address to-night at the Theatre Eoyal, which was packed in every part. Numbers were unable to gain admission. He was accorded a splendid reception, and spoke for nearly three hours on much tho same lines as in the North. He strongly urged the butter producers to stop exporting unsalted butter, which was now used for purposes of adulteration. The speech was frequently applauded and at the close a vote of thanks and confidence in the Government was carried with great acclamation.

HOKITIKA, Not. 21

The name of the candidate selected by tha New Zealand Alliance to content tho Wesciaud constituency against the Bight Hon. Seddon is Harry Cowin, a farmer of Whareama, in tho Wairarapa district. The candidate is absolutely unknown on the "West Coast and will not visit it.