ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14853, 2 December 1911, Page 8

ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

THE CONTEST IN PAENELL.

MR. MASSEY TAKES A HAND.

REPLY TO SIR JOHN FINDLAY.

An effective contribution to the contest for the Parneli seat was made by the Leader of the Reform party last evening, when he visited the district in support of the candidature of Mr. J. S. Dickson. Mr. Massey delivered an address in St. Mark's Hall, Remuera, to an audience of over 600 persons, who crowded the hall and every entrance to the building. The meeting was most definite in its endorsement of the policy expounded by Mr. Massey, and* its enthusiastic approval of the speaker as the Leader of the Reform party was demonstrated at every opportunity. Mr. Archibald Clark presided, and Mr. Dickson was also seated on the platform. Prolonged applause and cheering greeted Mr. Massey's appearance, and were renewed when he rose to speak.

The principal objection against the pre- ! sent Government was that it had no policy, lor that was■ the only conclusion possible in view of the manner in which the Government had time after time neg-, lected opportunities to present its policy. Sir John Findlay had endeavoured to advance a policy for the Government — his platform had been disowned by the Prime Minister. (Laughter and applause). There were many , amusing inconsistencies between the opinions expressed by Sir John Fiudlay in his speeches to tho electors of Parneli and those held by the party, of which he was a member when it entered office five years ago. ' : . The first plank in his platform was access to land, with security of tenure, but the policy of the Government five years ago was to make it impossible for any settler 'to acquire the freehold. He proposed to give access to capital at the lowest rate of interest, but the deposits in the post office savings bank, which should be available to settlers, were being borrowed by the Government at 3£ per cent., and the bank had to pay face value for "debentures, which were worth no more than 95 per cent. in London. Though so anxious to provide cheap money, the Government had missed many opportunities, and in some directions had actually made money dearer for the settler and for local bodies.

Sir John Findlay proposed cheap transport. Last year the Government had so increased the railway fares and freights that an additional £100,000 had been taken from the people. Instead of improved facilities, the Government had only a few days ago introduced a slower time-table for the passenger trains. The development of water-power was advocated by Sir John Findlay, but the Government had adopted a dog-in-the-manger policy. The Waihi Gold Mining Company had been allowed to develop an accessible water supply, but no one else had been allowed to impair the monopoly taken by the Government, and not developed. Mr. Massey said every local body should be given authority to utilise water power in the district under its jurisdiction, and even companies and individuals should be given the opportunity to develop hydro-electrical power, provided the State was protected by a provision that their property might be resumed by. the Government at any time on, payment of „ compensation. . * (Applause.) - -v t * ;

Access would be given to justice, unimpeded by poverty or avoidable delays, according to Sir John Findlay. Mr. j Massey reminded the Ministerial candidate of the Crown Suits Act, and explained that he would. not be satisfied until the present law was amended to enable a man who suffered injury by the State to institute proceedings against it, as if it were in the same position as .. a private individual. (Applause.)

Particularly amusing had been Sir John Findlay's views s on the native land question. When he first expounded his policy, he declared his intention of placing the natives in the same position as Europeans. That was right enough, but vhen Sir Joseph Ward was asked about it, he replied that Sir John was speaking as a candidate, and not as a Minister of ; the Crown. . (Laughter.) The implication was that a Minister of the Crown, wnue a candidate for Parliament, was free to express any opinion so long as he secured a majority. " V The principal planks of the Reform party's platform were. explained by Mr. Massey. He said that so long as there was a single section of unoccupied land available, arid one man wanting to go upon the land, it was the business and duty of the Government to make that section available to .that man. (Applause.) Speaking of the approach of the polls Mr. Massey said he was not able to say which party would secure a majority, but he was certain that there 'would be very little difference between the two parties. He concluded his speech with the remark that he appealed to the audience, not only as a public man, but as a permanent resident in the country, who was not going to pack his bag and leave if things went wrong. He urged them to think of the future, and record their votes accordingly. Tremendous applause followed the conclusion of the speech. ' •" . Mr. T. N. Baxter proposed a vote of thanks, and that a change of, Government was necessary. 1 The motion was seconded by Mr. E, Maxwell. The chairman asked for an amendment, but silence was the only response. The motion was carried tby a large majority, only four voices voting against it. The audience cheered the speaker, Mr. Dickson, and the chairman. i

MORE CHALLENGES.

SIR J. FINDLAY AT REMUERA

1 Sir John Findlay, the... Govornment candidate for the Parnel] seat addressed a meeting .'■■ of the electors in St. Aidan's Hall, Remuera, last evening, there being a good attendance. Mr. Geo. Thompson presided. The candidate received an .excellent hearing, his remarks throughout being frequently applauded. In the earlier part of the evening, . however, his address was interrupted by a section of the . audience, numbering about 20 persons, retiring in a body from the hall. Sir John devoted the major portion of his address to refuting the charges preferred against the Ward Administration. Referring to borrowing. Sir John said Mr. Massey must bo convicted of political hypocrisy, inasmuch as he complained of excessive borrowing, but had voted for every loan which had been authorised by the Ward Administration. He challenged Mr. Massey to deny that, and also to show that the burden of interest on the noninterest bearing debt had increased during the present regime. As a matter of fact, that i burden of interest'had gone down from £1 8s per head to 18s 7&d per head. (Applause). Sir John ; also chid lenged Mr. Massey to prove, that the Government had extravagantly increased the annual expenditure in.the administration of the country. " The candidate was heartily applauded at the conclusion of his address.

Asked for his definition' of clean and healthy sport, Sir John Findlay declared that clean and healthy sport was sport which was carried on "for its own sake, and \ not for j making money, out of it; (Applause). ,-■■ He added that an attempt had been made to make cheap and shabby capital against -him on this Question, : but he believed that in the mind of \ every intelligent elector in Parnell this would tell against those using it t and not against -■ ' ■..'. ' ■ < ' -'■-.'."■

him. (Applause) In reply to a further question, he said he did not*believe gambling could be suppressed; in * its entirety, and they should, '? therefore, keep it in the daylight. (Applause). The 'candidate' was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence, a considerable section of the audience voting against it.

THE PRIME MINISTER.

A SPEECH AT MILTON. [BY telegraph.*-rsxss ASSOCIATION.! Milton, Friday. The Coronation Hall was not large enough to accommodate all who wanted to hear the Prime Minister's speech tonight. The Mayor (Mr. King) occupied the chair. The ; Prime Minister, who was received with hearty cheers, said that ,he learned that Mr. Massey had said in reference to the borrowing that "his party's policy was to restrict but.not to discontinue it. He believed that New Zealand could safely borrow three millions of four millions a year, but the Government had gone too far in borrowing six and a-half millionn a year. Unless checked the Government, would, in ten years, build up a national, debt of 145 millions." ~i In reply to that he wished to say h«» was dead against New Zealand, borrowing between three millions and four millions a. year. (Applause). He wished to tell the people of the Dominion that the implication in the statement that the colony was: borrowing six and a-half millions a year was absolutely unfair and unjust. The reason why the Government borrowed five millions in one year was due to two factors: (1) <*■ portion of the money belonged to the amount that should have been borrowed in the previous year; and, (2) a portion was duo to the fact that the colony was making provision for the payment of £1,250,000 for a Dreadnought. (Applause). Any person who tookj an interest in the well-being of the v people must recognise that if we were to borrow at the rate stated by the Leader of the Opposition we would be over-borrowing. (Applause). ~,,;•!• When the Bill dealing with local bodies came before Parliament next session, he believed it would be found under its proposals that a principal scheme of finance would be submitted that would enable the local bodies to co-operate with the Government in carrying out their works, * and they would be able to point to the timewhen both the local public bodies and the central Government would be able to pull in very largely, as far as public expenditure was concerned. ' Y ; : Sir JoseDh Ward also touched on other subjects on lines of previous addresses, and at the conclusion was thanked for his , address, and the meeting expressed its confidence in him as head of the Government and leader of a great Liberal party. Only a few voices were raised in opposition. An amendment expressing no confidence, and a desire for a change of Government, was not seconded. t " '

MR. FOWLDS AND MR. MASSEY.

THE "TAYLOR INCIDENT."

The Hon. Geo. Fowlds, who ,is seeking re-election for. Grey Lynn, addressed a well-attended meeting m the Church of Christ, East-street, Newton,, last evening, when he replied to the.statements made by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. MasBey) at Grey Lynn on Thursday evening. Mr. S. C. Brown presided. Mr.; Fowlds stated that he had not intended to make any further speeches during the campaign, but he considered it was only proper to make a reply , to Mr: Mas-1 sey. Outside of the Auckland district, Mr. Massey, so far as the question of political leadership was concerned, was regarded more as a joke than anything else. It was common knowledge \ that after the present elections Mr. Massey.' own party was : prepared to turn him down ,- as a leader.' That might be one of the reasons why. Mr. Massey had been so hysterical in some of his recent speeches. ' Mr. Fowlds quoted from a speech by Mr. Herdman (a member of Mr. Massey's party), in which he (Mr. Herdman) stated • that he know Mr. Massey well enough to say i that if returned to power he would carry out his : f>latform as outlined by him in his Wei- i ington Town Hall speech. Mr. Herdman added that if not returned to power; Mr. Massey would be manly enough to stand down and allow someone else to take ; his place. The chance, however, of Mr. Massey securing j a majority Aat the elections "was, in his (Mr. Fowlds's) opinion, very remote. Mr. Fowlds, in referring to the Taylor incident, alluded to ; ; the statement made by Mr. Massey regarding Mr. Taylor at the close of the session of 1910. Subsequently Mr. Taylor wrote to Mr. Massey, demanding a substantiation or retraction of the statement. ■ Mr. - Massey did not reply to this letter. * Prior to the last session Mr! Massey went to Christchnrch to deliver a political address,;; but owing to the' hall being rushed he was unable to speak. Whatever Mr. ■■'.;. Massey had intended to say from the platform regarding his charge against Mr. Taylor should then have been said through i the' newspapers. Mr. Massey, however, made {no substantiation or retraction. When Parliament met in July last it; was knpwn that Mr.. Taylor was dying, but -. Mr."j Massey still remained silent. Whilst members of Parliament •' were in Christchnrch attending the funeral of Mr. Taylor, Mr. L. M. Isitt read to a number of them a. copy of a letter that he intended to send to Mr. Massey, asking him *to either substantiate or retract his statement. It was common knoweldge 'among members that a : letter was about to be sent. The members i returned to Wellington on the Tuesday ; morning, and that evening Mr. ' Massey, on. rising to speak on the Address-in-Kepljr debate, started off by making the form of with' drawal recorded in ; Hansard. The "retraction, however, was not all that it ought to have been. ( Mr. 'Massey should have said that he believed that he had 'I been misinformed, as by not doing so there was an implication • that Jhe E had l withdrawn tne statement, and ■"■ expressed regret only because Mr. Taylor was dead, and not Because he felt v that the statement was m'» correct.;. '' ■■ -' ■■, v ':-.' •' ■.*" '. ' : '

. Mr. ■ Fowlds asked why. Mr. Massey did not declare his position in regard to the liquor question. How did he stand in regard to the bare majority'l- - -, r - ; In conclusion, Mr. Fowlds said,that Mr. Massey was a reactionary. The party that stood behind him was the "remnant of the old Conservative party, that thought it had a divine right to rule (New Zealand, and during whose regime people were fleeing from New Zealand by every boat to Australia. " What we want," he added, "is oil in the machinery of State, and not sand, which is all that. the Opposition stand for." ' -' ' * • ■■

A vote of thanks to, and* confidence in, Mr. Fowlds was carried on the motion of Mr. W. Peake. , r '•-■. •

MR. ISITT, IN REPLY. ;': ,■ [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] ;■' CHBiSTCHrncu, Friday, . Mr. L. M. Ifiitt has made a statement in reply to Mr. Massey, regarding the Massey-Taylor incident; '.; ;i in order " that men may judge whether I desire to make political capital :or* am (intensely anxious to clear the name of my friend." -... ■■% He says when Mr. Massey spoke on the subject in the House after ' Mr. Taylor's death, he was delighted, ■ and without suspecting that there was any reservation he sent the wire quoted by; Mr.,; Massey. When he reached Wellington several members reproached him with bis failure to see that while Mr. Massey, in view of Mr. Taylor's death had "unreservedly withdrawn the charge," he had carefully abstained from the admission that he had been ■'_ misled, and that "the charge ' was untrue. ; '"'--'''' '

"If Mr. Massey .1 was, as jhe says,' on :the ?oint of a full« understanding . with Mr. 'aylor, he knows, and all who knew Mr. Taylor know, that a full understanding was only possible on : Mr. Massey saying: 'I was misled, you are innocent.' '.'-. Air. Cole and others will bear me out in the statement that it was an absolute mystery to Mr. Taylor what Mr. Massey" had heard. He knew himself to be \so clear of any wrongdoing in. his conduct of the case alluded to.

"Now/if Mr. bring about such an under fiI( { ini [ s £ ,;;,' V conciliation, then, by admitting MT*. lor b innocence, i ; why ;. doe* 'i he^nofclm^"'« ■ the admission now? Mr. N»myhmw££ asserted Mr. Taylor's innocenceamW less he either does this or ft¥ V charge the friends of Mr. Taylor will „.r' &. be satisfied or regard * 1 honourable man." - 3s S U • - A REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE ' " '"' ... ■" •""* ■*■■ , \ i * REPUDIATED BY REFORM PARTY, . In the course of a speech at HamihA., V Colonel Allen Bell, a"candidate;^"f, Raglan seat, was reported as savin* W& hoped for the time when theftSK&OTS would be abolished and a l£fi£3SSs3ffl be established. This matter has £n brought before the Auckland cxecSt;™^'' I '- the Political Reform League, Sffi^?'s £&££•* has been mUm *- * "1. That Colonel Allen Bell is not thi official candidate of ! the Political S2 1 League, and, while the executive recZSA his right in common with that of °, th citizen to offer his services t?s3s-'' , electors, they are bound to point out'tfife his candidature is undertaken in defiant , of the expressed wish of the : Wah^Al% s League and against its decision toE&ffiW Mr. R. F. Bollard in the field M SP" , party's candidate. M th r..; "2. That Colonel Allen Bell's vieJd , upon the Monarchy, and his desire £$" a Republic taking its place, have no rfS ' in the policy of the Worm party S3 , whoso behalf the executive formally '» V ■ l ptldiates the disloyal utterances that ha-3 been attributed to Colonel Bell, and whirl . he baa not seen fit to deny. <• "J i "3. That, while averse to interfering be '-; > tween the candidates, the Reform Learn I' > executive feels that Colonel BeU'sS : , mente on a question that vitally affect*l VI IS i future of the Empire are £ utS j I i variance with the views of the official 7 On 1 . position that they have no alternative bSJ ». to call upon the Opposition parly in th * > Raglan electorate to unite solidly in sup Po 3 ' £ he > °^ j l °PP° sit «on candidate,'¥lr ." > R. F. Bollard, whose candidature has ti» " . sanction and approval not merely of'th W Waikato Reform League and theßaS'"'; ■ i branches of that league, but also is 3& > Leader of the Opposition." . jt .V;.\

EASTERN MAORI SEAT. MR. NGATA ELECTED UNOPPOSED, [BY TELEGHAPH.—OWN COimr.SrONDEXT.) Gisbosne, Friday. The Hon. A. T. Ngata, who was returned as member for the Eastern • Maori electorate to-day, unopposed, was.j first returned to Parliament at the 1905 .election. The announcement was received .with' en* thusiasm by a number of natives who had gathered at the Government' Building, Subsequently a meeting was' held at the Native Land Court room, where a num. ber of speeches of & congratulatory nature were made. Mr. Ngata when interviewed as to his attitude towards the three-fifths majority, said that he was prepared to,. support a bare majority on both issues, the reason being -that since the Maori licensing poll'; was , to ' be decided on a, bare majority he did not feel he could consistently oppose a bare majority for lcc.il no-license. ■'"■■;'£ : ' ■-■-■■ /, ; _

; CAMPAIGN NOTES. Mr. J. B. Morton, Liberal and Labonn , candidate for Manukau, addressed a largq ' audience at Panmure last evening, aad was tendered a hearty vote of thanks a'flß/ confidence. ■" ■"--,< v -';--■:•;..■'.:.;, 1— - ' * Mr. Arthur Withy addressed a laige meeting of Auckland East electors vestwv day afternoon, and received a good*. hearing, votes of thanks and confidence bring parsed. '' ' ' •.',," " ' '.-'.,-' ■' ■ — : —- " "; : '•''.-''w '■ffi-ISS Mr. J. •C. Gleeson, Independent candii date for City Central, addressed a crowded meeting at the coiner of Hepburn :r.i Phillip Streets last evening. The proceedings were enthusiastic throughout. . '■''■■

Mr. A. W. Hogg, formerly a member of the .Ward Ministry,'■'; is seeking re-elec< tiott for Masterton as a Labourite, . Acting on medical advice, Mr.'.Hog docs not intend to address the electors except in the principal centres of the district. , ' : • Mr. J.: H. Bradney, candidate for Auckland West, | addressed the employees of tha gasworks at the works, Freeman's Bay, at the lunch ;hour'yesterday. Mr. H. N. *Bflg> nail presided and introduced the candidal*, who gave a short address on the lines of that of -his previous meetings with the workers. At the conclusion he was ac< ' corded a hearty 'vote of thanks. ■ >■ . Speaking last night at, the iutersectioa of Wellington-street and Hepburn-street) Mr. J. Savage, Socialist candidate for Auricland Central, spoke, in a slight downpour of rain, to a large and attentive audience : on the question of the necessity for political - and industrial solidarity of 'the workers. Many questions were asked and were answered by the candidate. The audi'!i:'co ■ dispersed heartily cheering. , Mr. Bichardfion, one of the candidates foe Auckland Central, spoke to a fair number of electors, including .a number .'of: ladies, ' at Pitt and Edwin Streets, Newton, last night. The candidate at some length dealt with the question of prohibition and pro-' tection to local industries, affirming that if these two principles were acted npoa New Zealand would be propelled into a nation in a few decades. The candidate answered a number of questions, and then proceeded to Edinburgh-street and soon collected a large audience. Speaking on the majority question to-day, he said, it needed careful consideration'by electorates that had won on three-fifths, * but for national option and continuance electorates he: favoured bare majority at once.

Mr. F. W. Lang,, who is seeking re-elec-tion to the M&nukau electorate, , met the workers' at McColl's timber mill, and nt Sutherland's tannery, in the,lunch-hour yesterday. The candidate received a good, hearing, and was accorded a vote of thanks and confidence at each' meeting. Mr* Lang addressed -the electors at Ellerslie for- the' second time last night in the Parish Hull. Mr. George Wilkinson presided.. The cmdidate was attentively listened to, acd was frequently applauded. At . the, end ;cf the address Mr. Soinerville moved that a w>ta of thanks be passed to the' candidate. He would not propose a vote of confidence, tut urged the electors to show their confidence in Mr. Lang on polling day. .Mr. E'nufs seconded, and the vote was" carried uiani- , mously, amidst applause. Throe hearty cheers were then given for Mr. Lang.. POLITICAL MEETINGS ::: .■-'. ■;'.'.'' .'■'■■"■' '■: ' ' TO-NIGHT. Mr. W. T. Master-(Leader of the Oppoaitioi* - at Tatuiiarunui. • _ . Mr. J. C,-GJeeion (Auckland .-Centra!), »- corner of Albert and Victoria Street*. Mr. M J. Savage (Auckland Central), at corner ■ t; oft Eftit-irtreetiand Karatißaliape Road. Mr. Arthur Withy (Auckland East),* at. the =* pi * , ner of Wellesley-strcot > East and Sfntwaa- , Mr. W. 'Richardson (Auckland Centra);. a* • corner of Beresford and Pitt- Street*. Mr. Alex. Kirria (Waiteaitita), at Marine Parade, Mr. DeV W?°McLarsn' (Franklin), at *«*«&>• Mr. H F "w. Lang (Minukau). at' U» OtabobU * Mr. Ralph D. Stewart (Manukau), at ?«:-'"*. Mr." Hall Morton (Manukau), at the Kfo«*. At, Mr. J. B. Morton (Manukau), at the Kiosk, «* Heliera Bar- „.,. ..... Mr. *i.F. Bollard (Raglan), at ttbaosaraw. <h *, ■ , " 1 " .'.'. / : ' "... . ' , . ' )L LI . ,'.. J,,,.