THE GENERAL ELECTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2388, 7 December 1899, Page 23

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

MR J. W. THOMSON AT BALCLUTHA.

MR J. M'NBIL RETIRES FROM THE CONTEST.

Mr J/ W. Thomson, the Opposition candidate for Clutha, addressed a large meeting of the electors in M'Kenzie's Hall on Friday evening. Mr George Thomson, mayor presided.

COXCXUSION

Mr Thomson next compared the expenditure of money for public works on the West .Coast with that voted for other parts of the . colony, and then went on to deal with the prosperity -of the colony. He criticised adversely the proposal of the Premier to _ builU Government steamers for the Home trade, and ridiculed the idea of fixing the • price of -coal at any arbitrary standard. In reply to questions, he said that he op- , posed granting an increase to the railway surfacemen because they had not asked for" • it. He voted against the ' Old-age Pensions Bill, and his reasons for doing so would be found in Hansard. At this stage his questioner endeavoured to gain a hearing, but the audience peremptorily refused to listen. The Chairman, appealed to them for order, saying that" it was the first time there had ' ever been such a disturbance in Balclutha. The uproar continued, and eventually the elector managed to get in a question, asking if Mr Thomson had not once been Minister -for Lands for four weeks. ' Mr Thomson replied that he had been Minister for Lands for three months. He had nothing whatever to do with Dalgleisii's run, which was not surveyed during his tenure of office. In reply to another question regarding expenditure pe.r head, he said tho population of Westland was 14,907, and that of Canterbury 143,000.— (A Voice: "That ' makes a difference, don't it? ") An elector asked what -Mr Thomson had done for Balclutha. Mv Thomson replied that he had been a tq ember for 25 years, and had always promoted the welfare of the Clutha. He had a - great deal to do with getting the first bridge after Iho flood of 1878 swept away the bridge of that time. This was a small matter. He ' had 1 done a great deal more — (applause), — and the old settlers knew it. — (Applause.) . An elector asked at this stage, lunid* much - tiproar, how much Mr M'Neil got to stand out of the contest. - • Mr Thomson replied that he did not know • <what Mr M'Neil had done. He heard at "Warepa- that morning that he had- retired, but he knew nothing about it. . To Mr -'Shand: He would .be in favour of reducing ' the rents of. the Pomahaka settler.3. In regard to licensing, he would not be in favour of altering the existing law. He was not in favour of State aid toqenominational schools. The Chairman asked Mr Thomson why he had refused to go with a deputation (when the Premier and Minister .for Lands camo to Balelutha) to urge the acquisition of the o'.d Colonial Bank buildings for a post office. — (Renewed uproar.) Mr Thomson said that he had interviewed the Premier in Wellington on the subject, , and got a promise that the Postal department should have the first offer of the buildings if they were ever put on the market. — (Applause.) Mr S. Porterfield moved a vote of thanks &v.d confidence in Mr Thomson. Mr John M'Neil seconded the motion, and, amidst a fearful din, said that the question was asked: "What did M'Neil get for-stand-ing out?" He stood out in the interests of the people of the district. Some days ago nlie came to the decision that he or Mr Thor-

- son would have 'to give way in order to de- ' feat the Government candidate (Mr Finlay ( M'Leod). — (Applause.) There were 100 many candidates in the field, and it was plain that . if one of them did not retire the man nominated' from Wellington* would succeed. Mr Hugh M'Leod rose in the body- of the ha.l, and challenged Mr M'Neil's statement ' that his brother {Mr Finlay M'Leod) was nominated from. Wellington^ Mr M'Neil warmly replied that lie wa3 • much, obliged to him for affording him the ground for making- the assertion. He pro- - ceecled to read, amongst hoots, groans, and general uproar, a letter ■signed Arthur Edivards, secretary of the Liberal-Labour Federation, which said " that, after some delay, a candidate had come forward to represent the party at the forthcoming election, and tha_t the members of- tho party and friends of the Government should rally round Mr Fin-

lay M'Leod — (cheers),—^a,nd- thus .secure his return nnd the representation of the party." Mi- M'Neil proceeded to say somelhfng about •the interference of the Premier in the election, but his voice was drowned in the uproar in. the back of the hall. At length his impatience found v.ent in the utterance made historic by the late Hon. Mr Larnach, and naturally; this did not act as oil on the sea of political discord. The dissenters refused unconditionally to " kennel up," and Mr M'Neil hotly told them that they were a rowdy lot — a remark more superfluous than necessary to demonstrate the fact.

The Chairman requested Mr M'Neil to sit down, adding that it was no use his trying to speak, as the audience would not hear him. 9 Mr M'Neil feelingly replied that he would make them hear him, and made a futile effort to drown the uproar with his voice. The Chairman insisted on Mr M'Neil sitting down, and the situation was not improved by a young man (who was in a condition .somewhat incompatible with' the declared temperance policy of the electorate) rushing about the front of the hall trying 'to gain a hearing first from the audience and then from the chairman. A threat from the latter to have him locked up, however, suppressed him, and he was heard no more.

Mr M'Neil continued, standing up to the yelling crowd, and eventually, haying apparently satisfied himself by delivering an inaudible speech, he resumed his seat.

Mr S. Bushell then moved an amendment, conveying thanks only to Mr Thomson.

Mr A. M'Neil, seconded the' amendment.

On being put, about 30 hands were held up for the amendment, and considerably over 100 for the motion.

The Chairman declared the motion carried by an overwhelming majority.

A vote of thank 3to the chair closed the meeting, which was continued by the Government party out in the street, and for some minutes cheers were being given for Mr Seddon and Mr John M'Kenzie.

As previously intimated, the Hon. John M'Kenzie was on Wednesday last returned unopposed, his being the only nomination. At 7.45 the same evening a paper was presented nominating "Alex. Gilmour, jun, his proposers being D. Rankin and Francis King Churchill, but the returning officer, Mr Gwynne, declined to accept it, as, in accordance with the act of 1896, the time for receiving nominations closes at 5 ji.ia. on tho seventh day prior to the election. The nomination was .that of a prominent prohibitionist by two other active members of the organisation. The Opposition were in no way concerned in the attempt to bring out an opponent against the Minister for Lands.