POLITICAL.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1455, 7 November 1911, Page 5

POLITICAL.

SIR JAMES CARROLL,

mm CROWDED MEETING AT LEVIN.

DEFENCE OF NATIVE ADMINIS.

TRATION.

MORE ABOUT THE MOKAU,

(Freai Auoeiafe"

Levin, Last Night. • Sir James Carroll, Native Minister, j addressed a orowded meeting at Levin to-night. He dealt largely With native affairs and defended his departmental administration. In 1891 when his party took offieß, Maori lands aggregated 10,829,481? acres, To-day it waa down to 7,13 1 ?,205 and only 190,792 acres were without a ■ title, though in 1892 there were two and a half millions untitled. In ail the Maori iiad parted with the freei hold of four million acres, leased i three million, and had about three million remaining. Tiiiß included a lot of nseless mountain tops aud<v lake areas and there were forty thousand Maoris to use it. He favonred the transference to Europeans of the poorer native lands, as he admitted that Europeans could work these better than the natives con Id. Be believed the time was now at hand when native oonld enter the i ace at "weight for age," though in the past he had needed protection. In a lengthy summary of the position regarding the Mokau he said the position to-day was that the native owners (who used to get £2OO per annum.for the leases) now had £25,000 pnrohase mouey. which was equal to £I2OO per annum. As the leaseholds wonld I ave run for thirty years mors the reversions would have been worth nothing to the present owners. He was snro they all wonld see that the company which held the land to-day was boond to throw it open for settlement within three years and the Government had escaped a treble set of lawsuits which it would have been liable to had it dealt directly with the block. A vote of thanks to the speaker I and confidence in the Government was carried without dissent.

THE PREMIER 'IN THE SOUTH,

WARMLY WELCOMED AT INVKROARGILL.

"WILL BE ON TOP IN TH«J END."

Inveicarpill Last Night.

The Premier arrived to-night aud received a cordial reception from a large crowd at the railway station.

The Mayor made a suitable speech. ofVelcome, and the Southland Pipe Band played Scottish airs. Sir Joseph made a short speeoh from the carriage platform, in Which he acknowledged the warmth of the reception. He said soma people had tried to represent that coolness had grown in the electorate that he had represented for 24 years. He would undertake to make it pretty warm when he went theie, and there would be no more coolness after that. (Applause.) He also believed it was impossible that Invercargill would retrogress to the side of the reactionary Tories of the old days. For violent and abominable misrepresentation he had never heard anything to equal what had been circulated in his electorate daring his absence.. He was satisfied that when the other side of the ques. tion was heard he would be on top in the end. (Applause.) Sir Joseph Ward then took-a motor car to his hotel, preceded by the Hibernian Baud. Addressss and bouqnets for Lady Ward were presented at Gore aud Mataura on the way down and the train was con* siderably delayed.

THE PALMERSTON SEAT,

MR MoNAB'S CAMPAIGN. Mr McNab addressad the electors at Ashhuist last night. Mr Grahams an old supporter of the candidate at Mataura, occupied the chair, and there was a fair attendaca of ladies and gentleman. In response to questions Mr McNab stated the revenue from the endowments was ac present £30,1)00. He favoured universal military training, preferred arbitration to any otliei system as a means of settling trade disputes and snpported settlement of the liquor question by vote of the people with a 55 per cent, majority. A vote of thanks to the caurtidate and the Chairman olos?d the meeting. Mr McNab speaks at Stoney Creek this eveniug at 8 p.m., and to-mor-row evening will address the electors at tho Opera Hous? at 8 p.m. Tin dres? circle will bi reserved fur ladies aivi their escorts. THE RANGITIKEI SEAT. Mr Mrldrnm, tho Ooveri'mert wdidato for Rnugitikel. will "address tho plr-ctfrs ill til" Konftotea Hall this evening at 8 o'clock. THE OROUA SEAT.

Mr D. H. Guthrie will address the electors in the Drill Hall, I'eilding, on Thursday eveniug Mr R. E. Hornblow, tlie Liberal candidate for the Orous electorate, will address the electors in the Hiwiliui schoolroom oil Thursday ovmiiutf and in the Buunythorpa Hall ou Friday evening,