ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14806, 9 October 1911, Page 8

ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

THE PARNELL CONTEST.

ARRIVAL OF SIR J. FINDLAY.

FIRST ADDRESS TO-NIGHT;

Sir .Tons' Findlay - arrived from Wellington by the Main Trunk express yesterday morning, and is staying at the Grand Hotel. This evening he will deliver his first speech in his political campaign in the Parnell electorate in the Oddfellows' Hall, Parneli, and will deal with a number of important matters. To-morrow evening lie will speak in St. Mark's Hall, Remuera. Sir John Findlay was engaged during nearly the .whole of yesterday with many callers. In the afternoon he drove over the Orakei Estate with the Mayor. When seen by a reporter last evening, he said he would not deal in any recriminations or personal matter in his speech this evening, but would confine himself to policy matters and the explanation of several questions of special interest to the North. A meeting of Sir J. Findlay's committee will be held in the Oddfellows' Hall this evening an hour before the candidate's address.

CAMPAIGN NOTES. Mr. R. F. Bollard, the Reform party candidate for Raglan, will open his political campaign at Taupiri on Thursday. Mr. G. Wilkinson, Opposition candidate for the Bay of Islands electorate, addressed a large audience at Hikurangi on Friday night. Mr. J. C. Johnson presided. Mr. Wilkinson said that although he came out as an Opposition candidate he would not sell himself body and soul to any party. If the Opposition came into power and did not carry out its pledges to the people he would reserve to himself the right to vote as he thought fit. The speaker dealt at length with the Opposition platform. In conclusion, Mr. Wilkinson said that he was just an ordinary farmer, but ho thoroughly understood the wants of the North. It was a fertile hind, and if developed it- had a great future before it. The candidate received a good hearing, and was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. Mr. Wilkinson made an interesting reference to the trials of a candidate for the suffrages of an extensive and sparsely settled northern electorate. He said) that when his campaign closed he would have spoken at 100 different places, and travelled 5000 miles.