Motueka Murmurs

Maoriland Worker, Volume 5, Issue 178, 1 July 1914, Page 2

Motueka Murmurs

By T.F.T. •A meeting of the Reform Party has jilst been held at Motueka to select a candidate • for the seat against the old horse,. Roddy McKenzie. The- public : should-,want nothing moro to tell them how to vote than seeing the flow of motor cars.' representing the wealth of the party in this constituency. I don't believe one wage-earner could be found amongst the forty who came from all over the district, and assembled at tlio Motueka. Hotel to. conduct their secret ballot on the never-to-be-forgotten day. There were about six aspirants looking for the honour of carrying the Bludgeon Colours. Among them were Mr. . Tunnicliffc; Mr.; -McMa-on, of Tapawera (last election a-Liberal candidate); Mr. Everett, of Riwaka. The chosen one was Mr. Hudson, a foreigner from Ceylon, who ie no*w hiving in'a beautiful mansion at Motueka. We hope to see a., branch of. the S.D.P. started here shortly, .and we really believe the colours carried to Parliament will be red, in.memory of the murder at Waihi. At -Motueka, court on June 15, five Territorials were fined for not attending the annual camp; several cases were dismissed or withdrawn. The amount of. the fines was £6 10s. and 355. costs. Capt. Thorns conducted the cases for the Department, and did not ■press/for heavy fines except, in one case, that of D. Holloway, who .was,exempt at the commencement of the .scheme (aceordin»: to • Captain Thorns' -own statement) for having a bad... tooth; also that the ranks were full at the time. But later the ranks getting somewhat thin, the Department called the defendaut in. The defendant said he never received notice from the Department, and therefore knew nothing about it till he received a summons. Perhaps tho Territorials are all dying out, seeing that the men exempt at first are now declared fit and needed fo*mgike:'up the number. ■ ' ■■ \ ■; Capt. thorns said that 17 night pa* six half-day parades out of a total of 32 is 'a fair average for the year. .This should further-prove that the.' Conscript Scheme ia tottering to its fa 11,.. .: ;'■ ;•■;■ ••■• '•• -_.-< . .-,. ■■