MR ELLIOTT AT WHANGAREI.

Northern Advocate, 6 December 1890, Page 2

MR ELLIOTT AT WHANGAREI.

Mil. Elliott addressed a largo meeting of electors at Whangarei on Thursday night Mr Killen in the chair. After speaking fjr over and hour on general politics, lie rebutted the idea that he was in favor of aland tax to oppress the country s ttler and benefit the peojple in the towns. He had always advocated thufc ainan should have 500 acres of land free from taxation. He claimed that if a man had enough land to enable him to carry a llock of sheep, the present glut in dairy produce would bo put an end to. • He challenged Mi- Thompson with saying at Waipu that Rir G"'>rge Grey ought to have boon hooted oii' tho public platform, but Mr Thompson had never had the courage to cross swords with the old veteran while he was in the House. He had felt it very keenly that Mr Thompson had said at Waipu that they should not send him (tho speaker) to Wellington because he was a poor man, but should send his opponent (MiThompson) who was an iudependant man. But he had not told the electors how he had made his money. In regard to the assertion that some of his friends had sought to induce Mr Thompson to get him a billet, there was not a shadow of truth in it. It was a pure invention without the slightest foundation. In regard to his having been selected by the Liberal Association in Auckland as their candidate, he know nothing about the matter. He bad received no communication about the matter, nor had he directly or indirectly, had any communication on tho subject with anybody, so that Mr ThoniDson's .assertion that ho had given a pledge to an Auckland clique was absolutely groundless. He appealed to them to vote for love of country, for truth, and for what they thought was right, irrespective of man. On questions being invited, Mr J. I;. MeKenzie was understood to ask whether he would be free from running any riskf if he asked a question. (Uproar). Mr Elliott explained that after his last Whangarei meeting he had mot Mr McKenzie in the street and had told him that he did not think he was a man for having done what he did at that meeting. He never thought Mr McKenzie was much jf a man, and he did not think so now. (Uproar). A scone followed, in which Messrs Elliott and McKenzie had a slight pas-sago-at-arms much to the amusement of the audience. After some other questions, Mr Palmer proposed and Mr Broadbent seconded a vote of thanks and confidence. There was no amendment and the Chairman declared it carried. Three cheers were given for Mr Elliott and the meeting dispersed.