POLITICAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8713, 28 October 1908, Page 5

POLITICAL.

Candidates': meetings • to-night: —Fitzhorbert East, Mr W. T. Wood; Himatangi, Mr J. Stevens; Awahuri, Mr E. Newman; Tokomaru, Mr Byron Brown. Mr Frankland addresses _thc electors at Awahuri on Friday evening. Mr Buick's committee will meet tonight at 7.30 at the committee rooms. Mr Buick will address the electors at Kairanga on Friday evening. The allegations made by Mr Sexton, a speaker at the recent eocial tendered to the Hon. Geo. Fowlds concerning the contest in Grey Lynn, will, it is understood, bo the subject of legal proceedings. Mr Oliver Nicholson, who is contesting the seat as an Independent Liberal, was at first inclined to ignore the remarks, extravagant' assertions being so common at election time. Finding, however, that Mr Sexton's assertions have been accepted by a number .of people in the electorate, and by others, as a personal reflection on himself, Mr Nicholson feels that he cannot allow the matter to pass unchallenged, and has therefore instructed Mr F. E. Baume, K.C., to issue a writ upon Mr Sexton for £1000 damages, with a view to ventilating the matter in the Supreme Court. Mr Sexton alleged that the contest was between bribery and corruption t ud the people's interests, and that money was flowing in the electorate.—Auckland Herald.

Mayors are out in plenty for the Parliamentary Stakes. The "Chief Magistrates" of Wellington, Wanganui, Napier, Oamaru, Eastbourne and other places are courting the electors, and it is reported that the Mayors of Christchurch and Dunedin are being tempted to quote the Year Book or their own opinions at the masses. SEVERE CRITICISM. This is the Evening Post's opinion of the Government: —"The Government party represents the last feeble dregs of an admirable tradition. The custom of power, continued through «>■ many years., has debilitated its principles and dwarfed its conscience. There are many excellent men, men of sense and men of integrity, in the ranks of the Government party; and the party machine has made them individually impotent—mere tools in the hands of the administrative clique. That clique, with Sir Joseph Ward at its head, tho country has watched during the last session of Parliament "steadily descending the road of degeneration. No longer is faith to be reposed in its promises; its time-serving actions tend always to the one end of retaining tho power of government with as little trouble as possible. The cynical attitude of the Ministry in these latter days has become alarming; there is scarcely a pretence of meeting responsibility, or of doing aught but dole out loaves and fishes from day to day to the most clamorous or most dangerous of tho Ministry's supporters. The law of the land, which 6houkl bo stablo, has been regarded as an incumbrance or an adventitious aid to Ministerial schemes—a thing to bo manipulated according to tho Ministry's notion of party necessity. There is good ground for afiirming that during the past year,, every action, every legislative measure of the Ministry, has been regarded from the standpoint of How many votes will it catch us? How many votes will it lose us? Ministerial cowardice has all but wrecked the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration system, by permitting strikers to ride roughshod over employers and the law lest the Ministry should become detested by rebellious industrial unions. Ministerial incapacity is shown by such sinks of tho. general revenue as the Seddonville State eoal-mino—an unprofitable enterprise maintained because tho Ministry does not dare to admit that it has thrown away scores of thousands of pounds of public money in, a foolish speculation. Ministerial treachery to legislative ideals is shown bv the fashion in which the Second Ballot Act was passed on a pretence _of | electoral reform; by the worse fashion in which tho gagging section of the Second Ballot Bill was introduced to silence public opinion; by the sinister threat made by tho Public Works Amendment Act—permitting the Ministry to grant a perpetual franchise of the most profitable water-right in New Zealand to any syndicate or speculator, at a rental' of Is a year if the Ministry chooses; and by tho whole bearing and conduct of the Ministry in Parliament. On tho other hand, while taxation and expenditure and debt are swelling continuallv, the Ministry shies violently away "from any project of reform that might bo likely to alienate the support of voters dependent on the extravagant outpouring of the public revenues; and Railway administration, for example, goes from bad to worse, while the vital need of the country for a comprehensive system of Defence is deliberately neglected. Who, other than a sharer or the spoil, can in these circumstances be oxpected to vote for the Government party as a party? The Post is careless under what label New Zealand is ruled as long as Parliament maintains its in-tc-Tifcy and the executive Ministry its honour. In our judgment electors will be wise who support at the coming contest the best men who may pfter themselves as candidates-men of character and ability informed with honest democratic spirit—irrespective of party toes and partv declarations. We suggest this course in the hope and belief that, whatever may-be the composition of the now Parliament in a party view, it will in ■ its general character take a higher place in the estimation of the country than tho Parliament which has just ended."

MR. MASSEY AT WOODVILLE. (Per Press Association.t WOODYILLE, October 28. Mr Massev addressed a largo audience here last night. Ho spoke for about two hours on leading political subiects and at the conclusion answered a number of questions. Mr was very pleased with hp reception. He leaves Wellington to-night for the South Island. WELLINGTON, October 27. Mr W. McLean, the Government candidate for Wellington East, addressed his first meeting to-night, speaking generally in favour of the Liberal policy and administration. Ho received a vote rf Octobcr 28 . Mr Alfred Dillon, the Government candidate, addressed the electors, last night I-Ie had a fair aud;«B?ce considering the inclement weather. A vote was accorded him, a voto of thanks and confidence being defeated by a substantial majority.

THAMES, October 28. TJeDlviri-- to a no-license deputation expffiing that the Rev. Isitt was only Sated for the Thames seatagains thft Minister to secure a valid local ppton poU. the Hon. McGowan said that as to the condition making it, necessary for half the voters on. the roll to vote to make the local option poll valid m case of an uncontested election, he would be inclined to abolish such a provision. Kwas scarcely fair that those who were too apathetic to go to the polling booth were practically allowed to thus Lainst those who did. If the vote was recorded it should not be considered in the matter. , "