THE COMING ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11203, 25 October 1899, Page 5

THE COMING ELECTIONS.

MR. J. E. TAYLOR AT ONEHUNGA. Mr. J. E. Tailor, the Independent Liboral candidate for tlio Manuknti scat, addressed a meeting of electors Inst night in the Publio Hall at Oneliunga. There was a good attendance, a largo proportion being ladies. Dr. W. G. Scott presided.

• Mr. Taylor, in tlio course of his address, said ho was an Independent Liboral. He did not belong to either party, as ho did not believe in party government. There was great need for reform in our system of electing representatives to Parliament. This was proved by the fact that 18 members of the present Parliament represented a minority of the votes cast in their several electorates at tlio last general election. They also needed an improved system of compiling their electoral roll, as three years ago the rolls contained 13,000 more names than there were people in the colony. Ho was strongly in favour of electors' rights as the only secure means of registering their voters. Mr. Taylor next dealt with the question of finance, old age pensions, railways, appointments to tlio Legislative Council, income tax, federation, and freotrade. Coming to the needs of Onehunga, tlio candidate said lie would, if elected, strongly advocate an improved railway service between there and Auckland.

®Tho trains ought to bo run 'every hour, the journey to be done in twenty minutes, and all tickets to bo sold at tho post office, the samo as postage stamps. The fores should also bo reduced to nt least one-half tho present cost. He would improve the postal service by allowing all letters to he carried for one penny over a radius of 20 miles from the office r.t which they wore posted. He also advocated the construction of a canal between Iho Manukau and tho Waikato River. In answer to questions, ho said he was not in favour of further borrowing, but lie would like tho North Island to recoive a larger share of tho money already borrowed. He favoured the principle of federation. Ho considered tho cities ought to be 'divided into wards, with one representative for oach. Ho would abolish tho totalisator and gambling on the Stock Exchange. On tho motion of Mr. Fleming, seconded by Mr. Danes, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the candidate for his address. We understand that a petition is being prepared foi signatures requesting Mr. 0. E. Button to allow himself to bo nominated as a candidate for tho forthcoming election for the City of Auckland. Mr. George Fowlds, one of the candidates for the City of Auckland, mil address the doctors in the Primitive Methodist schoolroom, Richmond Road, this evening, at eight o'clock. Mr. R. Hobbs will deliver an address this afternoon in tho Central Mission Hall.