ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14835, 11 November 1911, Page 8

ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

MR. MASSEY AT PAPAKURA. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE. A POLICY ON A POSTCARD. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN reporter.]

Papakdra, Friday. After nine years the Papakura district has been restored to the Franklin electorate, and this evening a large number, of the electors gathered in the Public Hall to meet their former representative (Mr. W. F. Massey), in his candidature for the Franklin seat. The Leader of the Opposition delivered a fighting speech, to which the audience listened with manifest interest. Mr. A. Willis (chairman of the Papakura Town Board), who presided, referred to the former member for the district (Mr. F. W. Lang), commending the ability with which he had always done his best for the district. Applause greeted Mr. Massey, who said that no more conscientious man, or better representative of a country district, than Mr. Lang ever sat in Parliament. He believed that Mr. Lang would be returned as the member for Manukau, and in all probability by an overwhelming majority. (Applause.) Proceeding to review matters of general politics, Mr. Massey said the great question before the country was whether the present Government deserved the continued confidence of the people. The Opposition was commonly termed a brake on the Government, but in his experience the Government needed speeding up more than it needed checking, and the Opposition had done good service to the country by applying the force necessary to produce that result. Many ridiculous statements had been made regarding the personnel of the Reform party. The fact was that the Opposition comprised plain, practical, unassuming men, who 'were anxious to do their very best for the country and for the welfare of its people. (Applause.) Some members of the party had given the best years of their lives to that service, not with any hope of reward, but actuated solely by motives of loyalty to the people. Policy of Trying to Please. If the present Government had any policy at .all it did not amount to much. Speeches had been given by leading members of the Government in various parts of the country, and might have been used as a means of presenting the party's policy to tho electors. The Prime Minister had a splendid opportunity, in his speech at Winton to make it plain what the policy of the Government really was. 1 he principles of that policy so far as it had been revealed, might be set forth on a postcard with room to spare for new proposals. (Laughter and applause.) The most instructive explanation of tho Government's policy was that given by Sir ! Joseph Ward to an American pressman during his visit to the United States; | '"Die policy of the Government of New Zealand," the Prime Minister stated on that occasion, "is to find out what the people want, and give it to them. (Laughter.) That was a very good policy to some extent, but it was not a policy that would develop national strength and nobility of character, or make New Zealand respected among the nations of the earth. (Hear, hear.) A Surprise in Store. 1 he principal proposals in the platform of the Reform party were explained by Mr. Massey. In discussing questions of finance, he declared that tho statement made by Mr. Bollard regarding loans advanced by the Government Life Insurance Department and the Post Office Savings Bank to the Government was absolutely correct. 'J lie injustice of the transactions was that the Government drew from the two State Departments the face valuo of the debentures, for which it would obtain only £95 in London. He explained the difficulty experienced by the Opposition in persuading the Government to a reluctant production of information regarding the cost of raising loans. So far 88 he knew the Prime Minister was the only man in New Zealand who knew what the five million loan actually cost, but ho believed that when the details were made public they would startle the people of New Zealand. Doling with tho Mokau transaction, Mr. Massey contradicted a statement made by Mr. McNab at Palmcrston North, that lie (Mr. Massey) had desired to sit on the committee of inquiry. The Neglect of the Land. , Hie manner in which the settlement of the land was being hindered by tho present Government was emphasised by Mr Massey, who declared that while millions of acres of Crown and native land were lying idle, young men were leaving the country, becauiie they could not obtain holdings on reasonably satisfactory terms. Tho Opposition had done its best to urge the Government to action in this matter, and its efforts had been supported by the New Zkaland Herald, which had done splendid service to the country by urging that the native lands should be made available for settlement. The explanation of the present position was that there was not a member of the present Government who knew anvthirig of land settlement. The present Minister for Lands might bo a smart business man (A Voice: " He is a plunger.") but he knew nothing of land settlement, at any rate ho did not realise its importance. A Political Joss. The present Government was compared by Mr. Massey to the private joss maintained in many Chinese households and subjected to summary execution if it failed to gratify the wishes of the proprietary Chinaman. "I hope that on December 7." said Mr. Massey, "the people of New Zealand will take this political joss into the political backyard and cut off its political head." (Laughter and prolonged applause.) Mr. Ross, of Pahiatua, had declared that the Government was absolutely departing from anything that one might be prepared to concede as Liberal principles, and Mr. Hogg had spoken of the ignominious climbingdown of the Government and of its abandonment of principles. Those statements of two supporters of tho Government indicated the opinion of those who wore within tho inner circle of the Ministerial party. Thanks and Confidence. Mr. Clements moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Massey for his address, and of confidence in him, adding that tho electors at Papakura desired to see Mr. Massey returned to Parliament and to the position of Prime Minister. (Applause.) The motion was seconded by Mr. G. I). Smith and carried unanimously, with the addition of Mr. Clements's remark regarding the Premiership. COUNTRY CONTESTS. THAMES. [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Coromandel, Friday. There was a large gathering of settlers in tho Caledonian Hall on Wednesday evening to hear a political address by Mr. E. H. Taylor, M.P. Mr. S. James, county chairman, presided, and introduced the speaker, who was accorded a fair hearing. Mr. Taylor said he had honestly endeavoured to do his beso for the district he represented. He referred to the work of the past session, and dealt with tho principal measures. The candidate referred to the benefits that had been derived from the State industries that had been established, and said he was proud of the results that had been achieved in this connection. He spoke of tho industries that had been ; nationalised, and claimed that the total 1

profit that tho people had derived from these concerns was £1,379,081. : This money would have gone into the pockats of private people had the State not taken these enterprises .over. While he advocated mining, and would do all he could to protect and assist that industry, he thought that the 232,000 acres of land on tho Hauraki peninsula should be ocsupied as pastoral lands. The two industries, mining and pastoral, should not bo antagonistic to each other, but should go together. Tho lands should be roaded and offered to tho public on reasonable terms. He would like to see a battery and a woolshed erected in every valley on the Hauraki peninsula. A number of questions were put and answered, and a vote of thanks was accorded to tho candidate. TAURANGA. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Katikati, Friday. A most enthusiastic meeting was held in the hall last night to meet Mr. Herries, candidate for the Tauranga electorate. Tho chair was occupied by Mr. Vesey Stewart. * The following resolution was carried enthusiastically : —" That this meeting of Katikati electors and of Mr. Herries' former constituents not transferred to the Ohinemuri electoral district desire to express their unabated confidence in him as their representative in Parliament, pledge themselves by every means in their power to secure his triumphal re-election, and also the eleci tion of Mr. Mcßobie, the Reform party's l selected candidate for the Ohinemuri ! electoral district, with which a portion of Katikati is now incorporated." At the' close of the meeting the room was cleared for a social and dance. [by TELEGRAPH.OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Tattranga, Friday. Mr. Robert King, a candidate in the Government interest for this electorate, spoke here on Wednesday evening. Mr. C. H. Clikard, a candidate in the Liberal and No-licenso interest, spoke on Thursday evening at tho town wharf. Mr. W. H. Hemes, M.P., addressed a large meeting hero this evening. OHINEMURI. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. Paeroa, Friday. Mr. H. Poland, Government candidate for Ohinemuri, addressed a large audience at Paeroa last night, Mr. E. W. i'orritt being in tho chair. The. candidate dealt largely with his own actions in Parliament' during the past six years, and defended the Government and criticised the Opposition. Mr. Poland was accorded a unanimous vote of thanks and confidence. WAIKATO. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] Hamilton, Friday. Mr. H. J. Greenslade, member for Waikato, addressed a fairly large meeting at Kiliikihi last night. He was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence by acclamation. \ ABSENT VOTERS' PERMITS. EARLY APPLICATION ADVISED. [D'i TELEGRAPH.— PRKSS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Friday. Electors who are likely to be ; absent from home on either December 7 or 14, should make prompt application for a permit which will entitle them to record their votes for their own district both for the Parliamentary and the licensing polls, no matter in what part of New Zealand they may be. . These, permits cannot be issued after the rolls close, which it is expected will be about the 18th or 20th inst., or on the day the writs aro out, as the rolls close automatically at six p.m. ; on that day. It would be well, therefore, to make early: application to any registrar of electors > for a form of application. Should an elector obtain a permit and then remain or return home, he can still exercise his vote in the usual way by presenting the permit. _ - , SCHOOLS FOR POLLING BOOTHS. A STRONG . PROTEST. [by telegraph.—press association.] Feilding, Friday. Mr F. Pirani, chairman ,of the Wanganui Education Board, has again forwarded a protest to the Prime Minister and Chief Electoral Officer against the use of the public schools on election. da-* where other public buildings aro available, and informed the latter that every means will be adopted to prevent access to school buildings in bucli cases. Examinations were long ago fixed for December 7, and the awkwardness of taking schools for election purposes is considerably accentuatedCAMPAIGN NOTES. Mr. C. H. Poole, M.P. for Auckland West, spoke at the Bayfield Methodist Church last night. His address- was on the lines on previous speeches.'

Mr. J. Bollard, M.P. for Eden, addressed the electors at Edendale last night. There was a good attendance, and Mr. Bollard received an attentive hearing. In the course of his remarks lie dealt with current political questions, and at the conclusion he received a vote of thanks and confidence. Mr. J. B. Morton, Liberal-Labour candidate for Manukau, addressed the employees of the acid works, Otahuhu, yesterday. Mr. D. Lanrion presided. The candidate dealt with his national friendly society fund scheme, and the cost of living. He was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence. Mr. Massey explained last evening at Papakura that lie would not be able to visit more than one-third of the centres in tho Franklin electorate before the' elections. Consequently lie asked the electors to take him to a certain extent on trust. Most of them knew him - personally, and they all knew his politics. A majority of them he believed, approved of his platform, and he hoped that they would place him at the top of the poll. Mr. F. W. Lang, M.P. for Manukau, addressed a meeting at. Otahuhu last night. Mr. Little (chairman of the Otahuhu Road Board) presided over a moderate attendance. He spoke on the lines of previous addresses, and at the conclusion answered a number of questions. A vote of thanks and confidence was carried, an amendment of thanks only not being seconded. Mr. M. J. Mack, Labour candidate for the Parnell seat, addressed a large and appreciative audience last evening at Greenlane. Mr. G. Wilkinson occupied the chair. The candidate dealt at length with the land question, stating that 493 persons held over 4,000,000 acres of land of an unimproved value of over Ho advocated a land tax which would compel these speculators to dispose of the land. At the conclusion he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks and confidence. Sir John Findlay, tho Government candidate for Parnell, addressed a meeting of over 200 ladies in St. Mark's Hall, Remuera, yesterday afternoon, dealing ' largely with humanitarian questions. He was accorded a vote of confidence. In the evening the candidate addressed a well-attended meeting in Mr. Paterson's residence at Meadow bank. He gave an interesting address on the subject of land legislation. J Several questions were answered, and at j the conclusion Sir John was accorded a ! vote of thanks and confidence on the motion i of Mr. Mitchell. Before dispersing, refreshments, provided by- Mr. Paterson, . were handed round , , Mr. C. A. Cawkwell, who presided at Sir John Findlay's meeting in St. Aidan's Hall on Thursday evening, writes to con- ' tradict tho statement in our report of the i meeting that he "put a motion of thanks', and "confidence to the meeting without call- '

ing for an amendment," and that the "noes" were not called upon, and the resolution was declared carried * amidst dorisivo laughter. Mr. Cawkwell says : " A motion of confidence was moved by Mr. Page, and seconded by a lady of high standing in Remuera, and tho remarks of the mover and seconder were endorsed by Mr. Percy Spencer. After a pause, I inquired if the audience had any other motion to put forward, but there was absolutely no response, and the motion was then put and carried, there being absolutely no diesent." Our reporter unfortunately, like several other persons present, did not hear the chairman's inquiry, and in all good faith assumed that he tad not called for any other motion. Mr. Cawkwell adds : " The meeting was one of the most successful I have presided at, and any derisive laughter that may have been, emanated from the small boys in the porch of the hall, who were busily engaged in snaring an insect of the treeborer species that had come into the hall, evidently attracted by the candidate's probable remarks on the subject of afforestation." TO-NIGHT'S MEETINGS. Mr. E. W. Alison, jun., Independent candidate for Waitemata, at Silverdale. Mr. F. W. Lang, M.P. for Manukau, at St. Heliers Bay. Mr. W. F. Massey, Leader of the Opposition, at Otahuhu. Mr. A. R. Harris, Opposition candidate for Waitemata, at Devonport.