ELECTION NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10302, 30 November 1896, Page 5

ELECTION NEWS.

Mr Eug'sker will adlress the City electors it Poneonby Hall, thi! evening. Mr. G. Walker's addceea to the Waikato electors will be found utewheraV^'v^?;: —4 Mr. Lawry will addreis the Parnell electors in the Newmarket fall, to-night.

. A meeting of lady mpporters of Mr. John Bollard will bo field in Devonporb Hall to-day at four o'cloot, and the gentlemen's committee will meej in the evening. Mr. Arthur Withy, the Radial! candidate for Parnell, addressed 4 large . open-air gathering at the NewmnrVet'Firebellon Saturday night. Mr. WJ J. Macdermott also spoke. \ ■'• ■'• '

A meeting of Mr. J. M. Shira's friends and supporters took place by Saturday evening in Wesley Ball, when arangemonts were made for the coming cortast by appointing district committees. 'Mr. Shera will address the City electors {his evening In the Grafton District Schotl, Nugentstreet, Kyber Pas*. ']

Mr. Jackson Palmer will aldress the Eden electors to-night at Point Chevalier School at 7, and at Mount Albrt Parish Hall at 8.15. To-morrow afterriion he will address the Indies of Devonporb it the Foresters' Hall, Devonporb, at tbreeo'clock.

Sir Maurice O'Rorke will iddress the electors at Ellerslie Hall this evening. A meeting of his supporters will be held in the Lodge-room, Public Hall, Ouehunga, to-morrow evening, ?

The meeting places of Mr. Samuel Vaile's committees for Parnell olectorite are noticed 'nlsewhere. Mr. Vaile will address the Parnell electors at Bonaventura Hall, Parsell, this evening.

Our Dargaville correspondent writes :— Mr. Houston spoke hero on Friday night, ibout 150 being present. He received a vote of confidence. The Opposition candidate's chances are improving.

The Premier had an enthunUs Jo reception on Saturday night at Lybtellonj being received by » band and escorts! to ,tbe Drill-shed, where he addressed ai immense audience. At the conclusion t vote of thanks was given, and one of confidence in the Government.

The Hon. A. J. Cadman arrivid At Paeroa from the Thames on Saturday, and subsequently proceeded to Waiorongornaf., where he speaks to-night. Tie Minister intends giving another address at Paeroa on the night preceding the eleoton.

Mr. Kelly, the Government cindidate for the Bay of Plenty, addressed th? electors at Opotiki on Wednesday last. Ihe meeting was a very large one, and at tin conclusion a vote of thanks and contideice was declared carried. Over two-tlirdß of the mdience refrained from voting

Our Wellington corresponded writes :~- The query to-day (Saturday] is whether Mr. Duthie will abide by the nomination of yesterday (Friday), or withdraw. It is thought that he incurred no obligation to stand if the Premier did not put in an appearance. It is believed he will retire. The letters received from the outlying districts confirm the intelligence that the Opposition cause is gaining ground.

In a recent speech at Du/iedin, Mr. Earnshaw said:—"Many of the Labour bills that had been introduced had only been for the purpose of catching' the labour vote, and if passed would hifte been more injurious to the labour of the colony than ail the capitalists in the world, and, therefore, as one of the rank and fib of labour, he had opposed such measures to the best of his ability." !

Onr Pokeno correspondent writes:— Mr. W. F. Mnsaey addressed a meeting at this end of the Franklin electorate on Friday evening in'the Wesleyan Church. Mr. F. G. Austin was voted to the chair. Mr. Massey dwelt on past legislation in a straightforward way. Mr. J. T. Smith proposed and Mr. W. Sheffield seconded a hearty vote of thanks and confidence to Mr. Massey, which was unanimously carried.

Sir Maurice O'Rorke addressed the electors of Manukau at the schoolhouse, Flat Bush, on Saturday evening. There was a good-attendance both of ladies and gentlemen. Mr. R. Simpson occupied the chair. The address was listened to attentively, and a number of questions were answered. On the motion of Mr. Robertson, seconded by Mr. John. White, and supported by Mr. E. A. Harris; a vote of thanks and confidence wins carried unanimously. Sir Maurice speaks to-night at the Ellerslie Hall.

Mr. G. Fowlds addressed a meeting of the City electors, an assemblage of about 1000 people, at the Grey-street fireball on Saturday night. He went over the points of his previous speeches, receiving an excellent hearing. A number of questions were asked and answered satisfactorily. A vote of thanks was moved by Mr. Higgins, seconded by Mrs. Reeves, and carried by acclamation. A meeting of Mr. Fowlds' election committee will take place at the Methodist Schoolroom, Pitt and Vincentstreets, this evening. He will deliver an address to-morrow evoning at St, Sepulchre's schoolroom, Symonds-street,

Our Kihikihi correspondent writes :—On Friday evening Mr. Lang addressed the electors in the town hall. Mr. M. S. Laurie presided. There was a good attendance, a number of ladies being amongst the audience. Mr. Lang spoke for nearly two hours, dealing mainly with the same subjects as in former speeches. He condemned the policy of the Government, At the close questions were invited, but none were asked. Mr. W. H. Grace, in proposing ■» vote of confidence, hoped the electors of Kihikihi would nob support the Rer. Mr. Walker, the Liberal candidate, as his interests lie in the South, and, consequently, if elected, he would be sure to vote against questions affecting the good of this place, as well as on all matters conducive ti the interest of the North Island generally. The motion was seconded by Mr. T. Andnrson, and carried unanimously.

Mr. G. E. Alderton, proprietor of the Northern Advocate, writes;—ln your issue of November 27 1 am represented as having moved at Whangarei " that Mr. R. Thompson was a fit and proper person for election to Parliament," bub you omitted to state that I described that Parliament as being composed of "cranks, faddists, and assorted idiots". This was the outcome of Mr. Thompson having told the meeting that the Orchard and Garden Pests Act which I had published was a bo?us Bill that did not exist, that I had published it to injure him, and he added that the man who published it was "a liar and a scourndrel." I produced the Act, and the Mayor, who was in tl c chair, said the Act produced was the same n< I had published. Thompson would not apologise, and I moved the above derisive resolution, which, when put to the meeting, tho Mayor declared to be carried by an overwhelming majority.

Mr. W. Crowther addressed the City electors on Saturday evening at St. George's Hall. There was a fair attendance. Mr. R Warwick presided. Mr. Crowther spoke on a variety of topics, including encouragement to local industries, and retaining Auckland as the port of call. A number of questions were asked, which Mr. Crowther answered satisfactorily. Hie exposure of the manner in which the late Mr. J. H. Field had been treated over bis printing contract was a revelation to the audience. He said it was nob the only case of the kind. Mr. Crowther said, in concluding, that he would support measures for the good of the country, from whatever quarter they came, and that if he went down to Wellington he would do as he had done before, serve them to the best of his ability, while preserving bis independence. Mr. M. Bennett moved, and Mr. C. F. Andrew seconded a vote of thanks and confidence, which.was carried by acclamation. Mr.- Crowther will address the electors at St. Sepulchre's Schoolroom this evening. ' 'jj ;Vy v <>' ,: k%:

Mr. John Bollard, addressed a- large meeting of the Eden electors at the Point Chevalier school on Friday; night. v: Mr. John Phillips !*presided. \. After a=|few, remarks .to. the' electors by • the chairman relative to their duties, Mr. .Bollard .'at considerable length "discussed the various

politioal questions of the day! He pointed l out thai the Government, though r profosuiog itself to be a non-borrowing one, had during its term of office added-£6,000,000: to the publio debt of the colony,. The principle of advancing money to settlers, he said, was a corroot one, but the mode in which the Act was administered was open to '.very grave' censure. The, candidate on' resuming his seat was heartily applauded. The following questions were/asked [-Should-you' be returned to Parliament: would, you] consider it, honest to have your private corves* pondence franked to'the' loss of' the Postal Department The . candidal* answered this question in the negative, denouncing in strong farms those members who were so mean as to take advantage of their position and noo pay their own postage. An eleotor asked, Should you' be' returned to Parliament, would you endeavour to attend to your parliamentary duties in a more conscientious manner than one member we, know, who only '■> voted on 421 divisions out of .810? Mr. Bollard said he would never have come forward as a candidate did he not intend honestly and faithfully to attend'to his duties as a member; Mr. Thwaites proposed and Mr. Wilkins seconded, •'< That a hearty vote of thanks be accorded to Mr. Bollard,; and that this meeting has entire confidence in him as the candidate'for the Eden eleoto. rate." Mr. Harris proposed that a vote of thanks only be.passed; but he could not find a seconder, The chairman then put the _ motion to the meeting and ib was carried, Mr,. Harris alone voting against the motion. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the meeting. " "

THE PREMIER'S OPPONENT.

[« TWRQRAPH.-PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Hokitika, Sunday. Mr. Orimmond, tho Opposition candidate, addressed his first speech to a crowded audience in Totara Hall, Ross, last night. The Mayor was in the chair, and , the candidate met with a enthusiastic reception, He spoke strongly in opposition to the Government and the Premier, especially condemning the corruption 'of the S resent administration. At the conclusion e received a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. , . '*•

» THE REFUSAL OF A NOMINATION. Wellington, Saturday. ' At Grey town North/Mr. Coleman Phillips addressed a large audience,* last night. Though his nomination was refused, he intends to continue his candidature. He had been away, and tendered his nomination on the 26th. The returning.' officer had advertised that the list would close on the 25th, but Mr. Phillips maintains that the statutory day was the 27bh, under the Electoral Amendment Act, 1896. He throatons to upsot the election. A unanimous vote of thanks was given to him.

MR. DUTHIE AND THE ' WELLINGTON SEAT. .NutsoN, Sunday. On Saturday night Mr. Duthie addressed a crowded meeting in the Theatre, when he received a flattering reception and rauoh applause. In tho course of his speech, he said he was nominated for Wellington in consequence of a belief that Mr. Seddon would contest a seat for the metropolis, and in order to fight the Premier; but as Mr. Seddon was not nominated, be (Mr. Duthie) had telegraphed instructions to withdraw his nomination, At the conclusion, Mr. Sclandera moved a hearty vote of thanks, and of regret that Mr. Duthie was nob a candidate for Parliament, and this was carried.