THE TAIERI SEAT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 18

THE TAIERI SEAT.

MR MACKENZIE'S CANDIDATURE.

A meeting of those favourable to the candidature of Mr Thomas Mackenzie, M.P., for the Taieri ©eat at the forthcoming: elections waa held in the- Oddfellows' Hall, Mosgael, on the 12th. There were about 40 electors present, and Mr D. &hand waa chairman.

The Chairman explained the purpose of the meeting, aud stated that he understood the proceeding's would be of a conversational nature — merely a preliminary disoussion on the possibilities of the seat. Mr Mackenzie said he understood the meeting was called to discuss the question of whether or not he would be a suitable man to represent the Taieri people in Parliament. He had not come prepared to make a speech. As they were aware, he was practically a stranger to the people of the Taieri, although it was worth mentioning that the first school he attended was in the Taieri, that he had at one time been employed in the district, and that until the alteration of the boundaries he wae a Taieri elector. The^re were far jnoro people present at the meeting 1 than he had e-xpectea to see, but their numbers, and the faot that they were representative of a wide district, showed the real live interest they took in the affairs of the country, and in th« Taieri district, which was one of the finest districts in New Zealand. Those were two causes for his appearance before them that night, one the regrettable loss of Air Donald Re-id as a legislator, and the other the fact that his own electorate of Waikouaiti had been wiped off the map. None regretted more than he did the fact that Mr .Reid had decided to retire from politics, for Mr Reid wae one of the most popular members and most honourable men in the House of Representatives. He was personally very sorry that he had lost Waikouaiti, for he Jiad always been on the very best terme with the people there. Before leaving this question of representation, he w<suld like to say something of the pernicious system of doing away with constituencies, 'lhey had failed 1 last year to stop the proposals made- from being carried out, but they had fought hard and to such good effect that had they secured one more vote they would have been successful. It would prove a very serious thing for this part of the country before long, as they would leurn when important questions came up, as the South Island was losing the balance of power. Another evil effect that would result from the doing away of constituencies —and this had been particularly noticeable in the past — was that some of the most valuable legislators were lost to the country through being forced to engage in a life-and-death struggle for some particular 6eat. Then, again, the increased size of electorates made community of interests ' imposeible. Take the new district of Tuapeka as an instance of this. How was it possible for one man to prope.rlj attend to the needs Of that far-reaching constituency? And he might al«o assure them that there was every possibility of Taieri itself being merged into some, of the other surrounding electorates on the next readjustment of boundaries, which would take place in three years' time. There were nine more electorates to be taken from the South Island and added to the North. Possibly they wished to know what he thought about the future of the country. New Zealand was confronted with great problems that could not bo put aside, and the treatment of which involved the success or otherwise of their national life and wellbeing— these, however, were all questions to which he could not then allude. But among others were the honest and reasonable adjustment of pay, hours, and conditions between employed and employers, a proper consideration for women and families, the strengthening of the education system, the wider training of the people in handicrafts, the opening up and occupation of our land, the development of industries, mining, and fisheries, the thorough training of the people to fit them for developing the great primal resources of New Zealand — and the placing within the reach of all by practical education and opportunity the means of rising to any position in the- State. The external problems, too, that engaged their attention were such as to require the matured judgment of their ablest «tatesmen. There was no greater question before them than the question of encouraging increased settlement. They wanted men to go into the back country and develop the land and become producers. There was no way in which they could better build up a nation than by encouraging those men and wolnen who had a stake in the country. The men who were sent to Parliament to deal with the great external questions of the day miUl bg men of judgment and ejeperi-

ence, trho would understand how to properly encourage the Dominion's industries. The greatest external questions lay in the East. Japan, by defeating Russia, had shown whet possibilities lay in the Orient ; yet it was not Japan they must fea-r so, much as China. China waa waking up and introducing Western methods and Western $d,ucation. * The Chinese had lately been promised a Conatjtution, and the people, were now being trained according to Western ideas. Tin's was not being done so much for offensive as for defensive purposes^ — that meant that the great inland resources of Ohina would be developed. Japan could build ships at about half the coat that Britain could, and these things indicated development of Japan's carrying and export trade. Therefore, if the Dominion did not • increase its population aaid adopt the most up-to-date methods in conneotion with the 'development of industries they might look to v being inundated with. Japanese produce. Now Zealand must hold it« own in trade competition in the market* of the world. He went on to refer to his pa&t work as a politician. It was 21 j<ara since he firet took his eeat in Parliament,, being the-n an Independent Liberal, and, although maybe he nad made some mistakes, he had always striven during those years to serve the country and maintain a singleness of mind and purpose. As a consequence of holding that position ■he waa no better off 60- far as emoluments or position were concerned t.han he was 20 years ago. After receiving the encouragement he had from that night's meeting he proposed to go around the district and talk with the electors, and was it their wish that he should contest the seat he would be a oandidate for Taieri seat at the forthcoming election. Personally, he was strongly opposed to conducting a personal canvass amongst them for support, as that seemed to him to be impigning on tha secrecy of the ballot, and, even did he ■wish to do co, time would not allow of such a canvass. He would be glad to meet the Taieri electors at his various meetingplaces, where he would be prepared to undergo tho fullest examination, concerning his political opinions. His future work might best be judged by his work in fche past, but the past work of a candidate wa-s not that to which they must pin their faith when voting ; they must choose the beet man, for it was nevor more necessary to place the control of State affairs in the hands of good and able men than now. They wanted men in Parliament who could go to work firmly and fearlessly. Parliament was a funny place. It seemed to jive strength to the weak and weakness to the strong, and some members seemed to have a fairly enjoyable time of it. The speaker went on to say that two great industries of the Dominion were agriculture and mining, and that those industries should be protected and fostered in every possible way, for round them the whole prosperity of the Dominion revolved. He had done his utmost in the past to encourage those industries, and had himself gone into the back country exploring and seeking suitable passes and roadways in order that the development of our great resources might be assisted in every possible way. Now they wanted to know, doubtless, exactly what his stand was in politics. He announced himself as a Liberal Progressive man. Mr Mackenzie received a most cordial reception and an attentive hearing, and at the conclusion of his brief address he wm assured of the whole-hearted support of every person present in the event of his deciding to eonteat the seat. Mr Mackenzie stated that within the next few days ho proposed visiting Middlemarch, Outram, Green Island, and other parts of the electorate, so as to ascertain the views held regarding his candidature by residents in the various districts. At the conclusion of the meeting, which lasted a little over an hour, those present formed themselves into committees for the purpose of forwarding Mr Mackenzie's interests in different parts of the electorate as a possible candidate for the Taieri seat.