ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14808, 11 October 1911, Page 9

ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

THE PARNELL CONTEST.

SPEECH BY SIR JOHN FIND LAY

AUCKLAND'S NEEDS.

[WHAT MONEY WOULD DO FOR IT.

A lesson* iii contrasts was provided for Sir John Findlay last night, when he addressed a meeting at St. Mark's Hail, Remuera," in support of his candidature for the Parnell electorate. The Minister "received an excellent hearing from an audience that narked the building to suffocation, the interruptions that, were forthcoming being good-natured, if occasionally a trifle facetious. They were, moreover, confined to a comparatively - small section of those present. The chairman of the Remuera' Road Board (Mr. C. A. Cawkwell) presided. Sir, John Findlay was accompanied by Lady Findlay, and was greeted with applause on making his appearance on the platform. The candidate's speech was in the main a repetition of that delivered by him at Parnell on the previous evening, but one or two new matters were touched upon. . By way of introduction, Sir John made » personal statement as to his right to stand for Parnell, though a " stranger." Roads and Bailways for Auckland. After speaking at length upon many of the planks he advanced tho previous night, Sir John said one of the things New Zealand was most in need of was development, and mo portion of it required this more than the Auckland province. It wanted railways, roads, and bridges. If it was to have* its wants properly supplied it. would require an expenditure of from £10,000,000 to £15,000,000, and every penny of it would be productive. (Cries of" Oh," and laughter.) The Public Debt. Dealing with criticism levelled at the public debt, the candidate declared that those gentlemen loudest in their condemnation were members of the Opposition who were continually clamouring for further expenditure on public works. When they found that the public debt during the past 10 years had been increased bv £30_.000,000, it looked startling, but when they remembered that the whole of that money had been.spent in direct and indirect interest-producing assets, quite a different aspect was presented.

Suppose Seven Millions Were Spent. ' "Suppose £7,000,000 or £8,000,000 were spent in the Auckland province," Sir John was saying, when he was checked by derisive laughter. Thereupon he asked his audience to Temember that he was not speaking as a Minister, but as a private citizen seeking their suffrages, and he was entitled to say what money spent in the province of Auckland would do for that province. (Applause.) He assured them that, if elected, he would do his best to induce the Government to spend more in developing this northern territory. This raised a demonstration of applause, and the candidate asserted that people who accused the Government of increasing the burden of . taxation were either silly or wicked. ■ *

'' Land lor Settlement. Sir John then dealt with benefits conferred on the workers by the Government, and repeated his views regarding land settlement. In the latter connection he quoted the case of a man who had told him -recently that he had tried for 18 months to get land at the ballot, but had failed, and was leaving- the country in disgust. ; An interrupter suggested that . the man referred to was not of , the right colour, but that, the candidate said, had nothing to do with it. He went on to explain the Government's policy as to fruit' farms, and whilst descanting upon cheap fruit for the people, was asked by an interjector, " What about the grower? Is ihe to get about Id per lb for his apples?" . , m ' "My only connection with apples," retorted the "Minister, " was through the Garden of Eden, and that was not a very profitable connection." (Laughter.) -A reference to the determination of the Government to 6 compulsorily take native land in future, the same as European land, •was greeted with applause. Sir John then spoke of the need of scientific, revision of the tariff and the necessity of seeing that our industries were properly protected.. .He passed on to a hopeful prophecy as to New Zealand's pumice lands. He closed by reiterating the statement that if elected he would come to Auckland and be a resident here for the rest- of his days. (Applause.)

- The Painell Tunnel. A number of questions were put, and answered by the candidate. One of the questioners wanted to know, amongst other tilings,' why the Parnell tunnel was not duplicated when it was favourably reported on by the committee set up, and why nothing was done to improve the suburban railway services. As ■ regards the former question, Sir John said he thought a line round the foreshore joining with Penrose would be better than a duplication of the tunnel. As far as the suburban ; railways were concerned, he thought the local .service was tolerably pood. This \ reply was greeted with a *horus of facetious .'* Oh's ! " and the candidate deftly turned the question aside by savins he would tell the Minister for Railways that he had had a very warm time in Auckland in connection with that topic. > • Vote of Confidence. ' Mr J- Sexton : moved that a . very teart'v vote of thanks and confidence be iccorded. Sir John. Findlay for his very ible address. " . *>,-.*. . . ..•„„ Mr J B Paterson seconded the motion, ? which on a show of hands was declared *3.rri6cl *' ' _ a The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman, and three cheers for "Sir John and Lady Findlay.

'-' WAITEMATA SEAT. "MB. HARRIS AT BIRKENHEAD. Mr Alex. Harris, Opposition candidate for Waitemata, addressed a well-attended meeting of electors in the Foresters Hall, SfrSead, last night. Mr. J. Magmness The ea candidate was well. received,. and spoke on the lines of his previous addresses He referred to the autocratic action of the Ministry in refusing information -to Parliament regarding the cost of raising the country's loans. The candidate declared that if everything going satisfactorily it was unnecessary to hide the information from the country. He dwelt at length upon the and ; question, • and stated that a late Minister for Lands a few Sars ago toured through the Auckland Province preaching the gospel of the leaseloW tenure, and Stated- the Government s 'proposals in this respect were nailed to the S and if they fa/led to carry those proposals they would go out of office.At every township and settlement in the Minister found banners stretched < across the roads bearing the magic woid Freehold ;»: on gateposts andl fejees, on wag gons -and drays appeared the wordlliee bold, and freehold was even chalked on the ribs of the horses and cattle. &*Ws*6. the roads. V At the next electioni that Minister was retired by /his constituents into ■private life, and he is now chairman 01 a £S M indicate who recentlyquired 50,000 of Mokau freehold The Government : did not; go out of office as they promised, but took out the nails that had fastened their leasehold policy to the mast, and rolled up the flag for some future occasion.- A number of questions were answered,- and the candidate was accorded a ; unanimous vote of thanks and ,on -the motion-of Messrs. B. T. Hawkins and if. Parish.

GAMPAIGN NOTES. Sir John Findlay's committees will meet at the Newmarket Public Hall this evening. . _ Mr. John Dowgray, representing the Federation of Labour, will contest the Buller seat with Mr. Colvin. . Mr. Alex. Harris, tho Opposition candidate for Waitemata, will address the electors in Tarry's Hall, Northeote, to-night. Mr. G. E. Beliringer has been selected as the Government candidate for the Taranaki seat (says a Press Association message). A meeting of the supporters of Mr. It. •U. Stewart, a candidate for the Manukau scat, will be held this evening in the Foresters' Hall, Onehunga.

w ai- nds and su PP ortel 's of Mr. Ewen VV. Alison, the dependent candidate for the Waitemata seat, are invited to meet mm at Lane's tearooms. Devonport, this evening.

Mr. Arthur Withy invites those who are Prepared •to support him as a Liberal-Labour-No-license candidate for Auckland Last to meet him at Ins committee rooms, Onion Buildings, this evening.

The committee meetings held last night and Monday night to support the candidature of Mr. W. H. Murray for tho Grey Lynn electorate were both well attended. Mr. Murray being attentively listened to.

x Under the , auspices of the Ongarue Vigilance Committee a public meeting was held recently, at which a committee of 14 was elected to assist Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P., in his candidature at the forthcoming election.

Sub-committees in support of the candidature of Mr. Lang for the Manukau electorate have been formed for all parts of the electorate. Mr. Lang will address the electors on an early date, due notice of which will be given.

Mr. Purdie, Government candidate for Marsden, addressed the electors of Whangarei in the Theatre Royal on Mondav night. The building was packed to the doors, and the candidate received a splendid reception. The Mayor (Mr. .T. H. Steadman) was in the chair.

Mr. Carmichael, the Opposition candidate for Wallace, speaking at Riverton last evening, said he felt that there was not very much difference in buying £1 worth of totalisator tickets and buying £1 worth of opera tickets. In one case a certain percentage of the revenue went to the State. He thought it would be a very good thing for the Government to pay out.to the A. and P. Societies a certain proportion of that levy for the encouragement of horse-breeding. England's pride was in her blood stock, and New Zealand was similarly the home of the horse in the Southern Hemisphere. It was his belief "that Carbine and the All Blacks had advertised New Zealand more effectively than the famous Dreadnought. He hoped the time would never come when this country would be run by faddists who wished to stop manly sports and pastimes, but that New Zealand would go on breeding Carbines and All Blacks. Press Association.